Reliable Source: Irish eats were popular; Spanish tapas coming up in April

Irish music accompanied the Irish cuisine on the buffet at the National Press Club's Reliable Source restaurant on Tuesday, in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Restaurant manager Mesfin Mekonen reports that 105 members and their guests took part in the dinner and festivities.

Coming to the Reliable Source next month, on Thursday, April 16, is a Spanish tapas buffet dinner, with live music beginning at 6 p.m. shortly after the meal service starts at 5:30 p.m. More to come on the menu and other details.

One Club member remarked to the Wire that the emailed newsletter's subject line on Monday, "Eat Irish fare on Tuesday," made him recall a episode of "Scooby-Doo" in which the characters Scooby and Shaggy are offered traditional Irish fare, which they'd been excited to try, but suddenly decide to refuse it when they see the plates being served by Chef Salomon.

Must have had something to do with the chef's selection of crubeens and farl for presentation. A little research reveals that both are traditional pub fare in Ireland, the former boiled, then baked pigs feet, the latter a flat potato bread cooked like a pancake and cut in quarters. The episode is spoken in verse, which comes out sounding something like the cadence in the beloved Dr. Seuss book "Green Eggs and Ham."

A sample:

Salomon:
I did, so feast upon Crubeens and Farl!
(Shaggy and Scooby recoil)
Why the whimper, why the snarl?
Shaggy:
We do not like Crubeens and Farl.
Salomon:
But you haven't even had a taste
Do not let it go to waste.

Maybe one day the bar in the Reliable Source will try offering crubeens and farl for the snack menu?