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Irish pubs

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CEDAR RAPIDS

1. Dublin City, 415 First St. SE, (319) 247-7180

2. Irish Democrat Pub & Grille, 3207 First Ave. SE, (319) 364-9896, http://irishdemocrat.net/

3. JM O’Malley’s, 1502 H Ave. NE, (319) 369-9433

4. Mahoney’s, 1602 E Ave. NE, (319) 364-5754, www.mahoneyspubcr.com

5. Moose McDuffy’s, 834 First Ave. NE, (319) 369-3917, www.moosemcduffys.com

6. Mulligan’s, 1060 Old Marion Rd. NE, (319) 294-5778

7. Paddy O’Rourkes, 608 16th St. NE, (319) 362-0554

8. Shawn Ryan’s Irish Pub, 715 Second Ave. SE, (319) 365-1591, www.shawnryansirishpub.com

IOWA CITY/CORALVILLE

9. Donnelly’s Pub, 110 E. College St., (319) 338-7355, www.donnellyspub.com

10. Dublin Underground, 5 S. Dubuque St., (319) 337-7660

11. Micky’s Irish Pub, 11 S. Dubuque St., (319) 338-6860, www.mickyspub.com

 12. Flannigan’s Sports Bar & Grill, 501 First Ave., Coralville, (319) 351-1904, www.powercompanyrestaurant.com/flanmain.htm

Clean Plate Club: Wowed by wontons

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Irish Democrat Pub & Grille

0723_hoo_cpc2

Here it is. The moment you’ve all been waiting for. I’m going to reveal one of my all-time favorite restaurant dinners. Drum roll please…

Irish Democrat cheese wontons, chicken fingers and French fries. Ta da! Shoot, I bet the photo already gave it away.
There is just something so sinfully good about a completely deep-fried dinner. But the great thing about this meal is that it’s so perfectly prepared that you never really feel like you’ve eaten a palpitation-inducing feast.

Cheese wontons are a signature I.D. appetizer. Wonton wrappers are stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese; hand-folded and fried golden brown. They’re served with the most decadent honey mustard sauce. They are light and crisp and oozing with mild cheese goodness. In fact, writing this is making me crave one right now.

0723_hoo_cpc3The chicken fingers aren’t just your ordinary chicken strips. These are delicate little bites of whole white meat chicken breasts, hand battered in zesty spices and lightly fried. Even the French fries are done exactly as I like them, extra crispy on the outside with fluffy potato on the inside. All this is served with even more honey mustard sauce. I’m not much of a sauce-dipper but I would dip my first born in their honey mustard.

If there is ever a question of where to go out for a quick lunch, casual dinner or any occasion to eat at all, my pick is almost always the Irish Democrat.

The restaurant is a Cedar Rapids original. In addition to my favorites they have a vast and exciting menu of salads, sandwiches, pizzas and ribs. The atmosphere is cozy and relaxed with a great pub vibe.

Now that I’m all about revealing things it’s time to admit my deepest and darkest secret of all …

What was that? I forgot to reveal it? Sorry. I got sidetracked eating some cheese wontons.

Details: Irish Democrat Pub & Grille, 3207 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday; (319) 364-9896; www.irishdemocrat.net

Kathleen’s Fave Five

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Kathleen Pegg, 27, Cedar Rapids
Manager Communications & Research @ Priority One

Downtown Farmers Market
Kari Lammer took me to the first downtown Farmers Market post-flood, and I absolutely fell in love. We had a pretty impressive farmers market back home (in Detroit), but the quality and variety of produce, baked goods, flowers and crafts available here is unbelievable. My favorite booth by far is From Scratch. Their banana cupcakes? TO DIE FOR. Amazing. I took my husband and my dog to the downtown market a few weeks later and we had lemonade from Brewed Awakenings and breakfast burritos from Victors. We also picked up local honey and tons of local produce. It was a great way to learn about the area. I had no idea there were so many wineries in Iowa! Definitely a great place to start for people new in town.
Downtown Farmers Market
Downtown, Cedar Rapids
www.rebuilddowntowncr.org

Amana Colonies
My parents came to visit us over Labor Day weekend and we decided to check out the Iowa Festival of Beers at Millstream Brewery in the Amana Colonies. My parents now want to move to Iowa. We had a BLAST. Not only did we enjoy the live music, tasty snacks and amazing craft and home brews, but we decided to have dinner at the Ox Yoke Inn. It was some of the best food I’ve ever had.
Amana Colonies
www.amanacolonies.com

Helen G. Nassif YMCA
One of the first things my husband and I did when we moved here was join a gym. I wish we would have waited. The downtown Y is beautiful and has everything you need for a complete workout. I love that they have an indoor track, great equipment and classes. I can’t think of another place that gives you access to so many different options.
Helen G. Nassif YMCA
207 Seventh Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids
www.crmetroymca.org

Irish Democrat
Can you tell I like food? My first few weeks here, people in the office kept talking about the ID and these weird things called cheesy wontons. Finally, someone brought them in for an office party; the mystery was solved and I was hooked! My husband and I went to the ID that weekend and gorged ourselves on cheesy wontons. Now whenever one of us has a really bad day, the other one picks them up on the way home from work. Cheesy wontons always make the day better!
Irish Democrat
3207 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids
www.irishdemocrat.net

Cedar Rapids Kernels
About a week and a half after the flood, my husband and I visited Cedar Rapids so that I could do some interviews and we could look for a dog-friendly apartment. This was my first trip to Cedar Rapids, and on our second night in town we went to a Kernels game. I knew immediately I was going to like it here. The weather was beautiful, the game was great and the beer was cheap. What more could you ask for? I even bought a T-shirt and wore it proudly to my husband’s goodbye party the next weekend.
Cedar Rapids Kernels
950 Rockford Rd. SW, Cedar Rapids
www.kernels.com