 Life of Reilly chef Bryan Perdue presents his filet mignon with caramelized onions and demi-glaze on roasted garlic and chevre. (Sun photo by Kim Hairston) |
Reilly is a credit to the Irish pub tradition
By Karen Nitkin - Special to the Sun Crosby Healy, the owner of the new Irish pub called The Life of Reilly, was living in Miami when he purchased the location on eBay. He's never owned a restaurant before, yet there's nothing amateurish about his first attempt, which opened in December. In fact, Healy has captured the qualities of Baltimore's very best neighborhood gathering spots -- the inviting interior with warm wood floors and exposed brick walls, the unbelievably good service and the effortlessly delicious food. The space, formerly home to Simon's of Butcher's Hill, is oddly shaped and a little off the beaten track near Patterson Park. But it's worth finding. The interior is long and thin, with a bar in the front and a dining area in back. As just one small sign of the restaurant's attention to detail, the tablecloths complement the rich green-gold tones of the walls. Two dining rooms are upstairs. One has televisions and games and karaoke on Thursday nights. Reilly offers what Healy calls Baltimore-Irish fusion food. Irish entrees include shepherd's pie ($11.99) and fish and chips ($12.99), while Baltimore is represented with crab cakes (market) or chicken Chesapeake ($16.99). Some food is just plain pubby, like a surf and turf special of lobster tail and steak ($21.99), featuring moist seafood and cooked-to-order, flavorful beef. A side of green beans added color to the plate and was slightly crisp, with just enough butter and salt to bring out the flavor of the mild vegetable. These entrees may seem less than ambitious, but an appetizer special like fried green tomatoes in a beurre blanc sauce with lumps of crab meat allowed the kitchen to flex its muscles. The creamy sauce nicely offset the tartness of the thick tomato slices and the crunch of their coating. Presentation is taken seriously at Reilly, with details like sprigs of rosemary adorning the delicious Guinness-infused beef stew, or bright slivers of scallion lightening the chunky mashed potatoes. That stew ($14.99) -- a rich mix of meltingly tender beef, carrots, celery and turnips -- and vegetables, topped with the potatoes and served with slices of soda bread, were about as satisfying as a meal can be. The fish and chips were likewise impeccable, with fresh-tasting, firm white fish and fat, fleshy fries. My least favorite dish was the chicken Chesapeake. The rich crab topping tasted good, but it couldn't disguise the toughness of the chicken breast. Desserts at Reilly are taken as seriously as the main courses and include bread pudding, creme brulee and a chocolate mousse mudpie (all $5.99). The coconut cream pie recommended by our waitress was a decadent affair, with a layer of dense chocolate between the creamy coconut filling and the pie shell. During our recent visit, I have to confess, I was the kind of customer that restaurants hate. I had reserved a table for four, but the couple who was supposed to meet us was having baby-sitter troubles. We switched to a table for two and told the waitress we no longer needed the fourtop. Naturally, within minutes our friends called to say they had found a sitter and were on their way. Many waitresses would glower at our request to move to a larger table, but our charmer never lost her smile as she pushed two smaller tables together to accommodate us. This performance alone would have earned Reilly high marks. The food made us even happier. Ratings: Rating system: Outstanding: ****; Good ***; Fair or uneven **; Poor * Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday Cuisine American, Other Ethnic, Regional (American)
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