The secret - but not the sauce - is bottled up
TODAY photo by Gary Thain
Feel the pull of Nana’s homemade
sauces, dressings and bread
By Niki Price • Oregon Coast TODAY
Yes, the chicken tenders at Nana’s Irish Pub are tasty. They’re large chunks of real chicken, deep-fried and crispy, served in a hearty appetizer portion. But, as anyone who has ordered them will tell you straight away, Nana’s tenders are just delivery vehicles for the main attraction: the restaurant’s homemade hot sauce.
The Spicy Chicken Tenders ($8 generally, $5 during happy hour) are generously coated with Nana’s bright red, signature sauce, made fresh on site using a top-secret family recipe.
“People often ask us for our recipes, in person and via e-mail, and we usually give them out,” said Tara Clark, who co-owns the pub with her mother, Philomena O’Brien. “But the hot sauce is the one we never divulge, because it’s so good. It’s not extremely hot, but it’s got a good kick. Some people have even called it addictive.”
“Several people have told me that they crave it, and they have to come here and have it. And the combination of the hot sauce and the blue cheese dressing is just awesome.”
The blue cheese dressing, which is also made in-house, comes in its own ramekin with the chicken tenders plate, as well as on dinner and side salads. The dressing recipe is no secret, however: it’s creamy, with plenty of mild blue cheese crumbles.
Clark knows that hot sauce and blue cheese are not usually included in a list of traditional Irish cuisine. But they are good and satisfying, which is what a meal at Nana’s Irish Pub is all about. It’s the joint-venture of Philomena “Phil” O’Brien, who was born in Limerick City, Ireland, and her daughter Tara, who was born in the United States but spent most of her childhood in Ireland. They opened the pub, at the corner of NW Third and Coast in the charming Nye Beach district, in 2008.
sauces, dressings and bread
By Niki Price • Oregon Coast TODAY
Yes, the chicken tenders at Nana’s Irish Pub are tasty. They’re large chunks of real chicken, deep-fried and crispy, served in a hearty appetizer portion. But, as anyone who has ordered them will tell you straight away, Nana’s tenders are just delivery vehicles for the main attraction: the restaurant’s homemade hot sauce.
The Spicy Chicken Tenders ($8 generally, $5 during happy hour) are generously coated with Nana’s bright red, signature sauce, made fresh on site using a top-secret family recipe.
“People often ask us for our recipes, in person and via e-mail, and we usually give them out,” said Tara Clark, who co-owns the pub with her mother, Philomena O’Brien. “But the hot sauce is the one we never divulge, because it’s so good. It’s not extremely hot, but it’s got a good kick. Some people have even called it addictive.”
“Several people have told me that they crave it, and they have to come here and have it. And the combination of the hot sauce and the blue cheese dressing is just awesome.”
The blue cheese dressing, which is also made in-house, comes in its own ramekin with the chicken tenders plate, as well as on dinner and side salads. The dressing recipe is no secret, however: it’s creamy, with plenty of mild blue cheese crumbles.
Clark knows that hot sauce and blue cheese are not usually included in a list of traditional Irish cuisine. But they are good and satisfying, which is what a meal at Nana’s Irish Pub is all about. It’s the joint-venture of Philomena “Phil” O’Brien, who was born in Limerick City, Ireland, and her daughter Tara, who was born in the United States but spent most of her childhood in Ireland. They opened the pub, at the corner of NW Third and Coast in the charming Nye Beach district, in 2008.
Courtney Kelly • TODAY photo by Gary Thain
They do offer plenty of Emerald Isle favorites, like Bangers & Mash (Irish breakfast sausages with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, $13) and Corned Beef & Cabbage (lean corned beef with parsnips, carrots, boiled cabbage and red potatoes, and a creamy parsley sauce, $16). It’s one of the few places outside of Portland that serves a Traditional Irish Breakfast, with imported Irish sausages, eggs, fries, baked beans, grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, plus two specialties: rashers (slices of bacon), and black and white pudding (pork sausages made with suet and pig’s blood). With that heaving plate before you — the portion is truly a sight to behold, for $15 — you can order an expertly-poured pint of Guinness, Smithwick’s or Strongbow Cider, all on tap. Shepherd’s pies, fish and chips, sausage rolls and reuben sandwiches are all part of the Nana’s experience.
So is warm hospitality, which is essential to the Irish pub but not always easy to achieve, particularly in a tourist town. O’Brien and Clark have made it their mission to hire the warmest, friendliest (and some might even say cutest) servers in the Newport area. They’re encouraged to recommend and befriend, so that customers really feel at home amongst the O’Brien family photos, recovered beach treasures and dart boards.
But, like its owners, Nana’s Irish Pub has put down roots in the Pacific Northwest. They cater to their customers’ American palates with burgers, fried oysters, sandwiches and salads, and pour local favorites like Rogue Brutal Bitter.
And, as a neighborhood pub, the owners know that times are tight, and that not everyone can afford to spend $15 for lunch. For them, Nana’s offers lunch specials like soup and salad, or a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of homemade soup, for $7 on weekdays. Clark said that the Nana’s signature soups, 10 special recipes that customers have raved about, have made a big difference to the lunch crowd.
“I get phone calls all the time, with people asking for the soup schedule. If a certain soup is the caller’s favorite, they’ll plan their week around it. I used to think that soup was soup, but that’s just not true,” Clark said. “People love the Colcannon, which is based on an Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage, and made with fresh thyme, caraway and white pepper. It’s amazing. They also like the Country Tomato, which is creamy with a bit of our house hot sauce and chunks of tomato.”
There’s no end of the hot sauce delivery vehicles, it would seem. This bit of liquid vinegar-based heaven also comes with the Hog Wings, an appetizer of two pork riblets coated in the stuff, and also served with blue cheese dressing. Like the Spicy Chicken Tenders, it’s just $5 during Happy Hour (3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday).
Clark also recommends trying it on the Good Shepherd’s Pie, a mixture of seasoned ground beef, onions, carrots, corn and peas in a savory gravy topped with smashed red-skinned potatoes ($13). For an extra $1, you can get it topped with melted cheddar cheese and hot sauce.
“We started doing that about a year ago, although it’s not traditional at all. Typically, in Ireland people don’t put hot sauce on their shepherd’s pie. But it’s really popular. In fact, it’s my husband’s favorite dish,” Clark said.
If Nana’s super-secret hot sauce is so good, why not bottle it? That’s impossible right now, Clark said, because the kitchen is already too small to handle the volume of food that their customers require. But Clark and her mother are working on an off-site commercial kitchen, which would better serve the restaurant’s daily demand for sauces, dressings, breads and soups.
In addition to a bigger kitchen, the owners are also working to improve the layout and efficiency of the restaurant. Their space is actually made from two different storefronts, which up until 2008 held a wine bar and a coffee/ice cream shop, with a small hallway in between. In the next few months, Clark hopes to re-configure the east side with a bar that is more conducive to cocktail service, and to install a television set there, for sporting events which, by the way, are the perfect accompaniment to hot sauce.
“We’re looking forward to a new and improved east side dining room, and a full menu of specialty cocktails. We think it will be better for our customers, and for our servers, if things are laid out differently in there,” Clark said.
“A lot of people don’t know how much food we actually make ourselves. They want to buy bottles of the hot sauce and the blue cheese dressing, and they ask where we get it. We say it over and over: ‘We make it here!’ That’s part of what makes our food so good, and so different.”
Nana’s Irish Pub, 613 NW Third St. in Newport, is open daily at 11:30 a.m. The kitchen serves until 10 p.m. on weeknights, around midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Happy Hour specials are available Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. No reservations are necessary. For details, call 541-574-8787, or head to nanasirishpub.com.
So is warm hospitality, which is essential to the Irish pub but not always easy to achieve, particularly in a tourist town. O’Brien and Clark have made it their mission to hire the warmest, friendliest (and some might even say cutest) servers in the Newport area. They’re encouraged to recommend and befriend, so that customers really feel at home amongst the O’Brien family photos, recovered beach treasures and dart boards.
But, like its owners, Nana’s Irish Pub has put down roots in the Pacific Northwest. They cater to their customers’ American palates with burgers, fried oysters, sandwiches and salads, and pour local favorites like Rogue Brutal Bitter.
And, as a neighborhood pub, the owners know that times are tight, and that not everyone can afford to spend $15 for lunch. For them, Nana’s offers lunch specials like soup and salad, or a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of homemade soup, for $7 on weekdays. Clark said that the Nana’s signature soups, 10 special recipes that customers have raved about, have made a big difference to the lunch crowd.
“I get phone calls all the time, with people asking for the soup schedule. If a certain soup is the caller’s favorite, they’ll plan their week around it. I used to think that soup was soup, but that’s just not true,” Clark said. “People love the Colcannon, which is based on an Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage, and made with fresh thyme, caraway and white pepper. It’s amazing. They also like the Country Tomato, which is creamy with a bit of our house hot sauce and chunks of tomato.”
There’s no end of the hot sauce delivery vehicles, it would seem. This bit of liquid vinegar-based heaven also comes with the Hog Wings, an appetizer of two pork riblets coated in the stuff, and also served with blue cheese dressing. Like the Spicy Chicken Tenders, it’s just $5 during Happy Hour (3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday).
Clark also recommends trying it on the Good Shepherd’s Pie, a mixture of seasoned ground beef, onions, carrots, corn and peas in a savory gravy topped with smashed red-skinned potatoes ($13). For an extra $1, you can get it topped with melted cheddar cheese and hot sauce.
“We started doing that about a year ago, although it’s not traditional at all. Typically, in Ireland people don’t put hot sauce on their shepherd’s pie. But it’s really popular. In fact, it’s my husband’s favorite dish,” Clark said.
If Nana’s super-secret hot sauce is so good, why not bottle it? That’s impossible right now, Clark said, because the kitchen is already too small to handle the volume of food that their customers require. But Clark and her mother are working on an off-site commercial kitchen, which would better serve the restaurant’s daily demand for sauces, dressings, breads and soups.
In addition to a bigger kitchen, the owners are also working to improve the layout and efficiency of the restaurant. Their space is actually made from two different storefronts, which up until 2008 held a wine bar and a coffee/ice cream shop, with a small hallway in between. In the next few months, Clark hopes to re-configure the east side with a bar that is more conducive to cocktail service, and to install a television set there, for sporting events which, by the way, are the perfect accompaniment to hot sauce.
“We’re looking forward to a new and improved east side dining room, and a full menu of specialty cocktails. We think it will be better for our customers, and for our servers, if things are laid out differently in there,” Clark said.
“A lot of people don’t know how much food we actually make ourselves. They want to buy bottles of the hot sauce and the blue cheese dressing, and they ask where we get it. We say it over and over: ‘We make it here!’ That’s part of what makes our food so good, and so different.”
Nana’s Irish Pub, 613 NW Third St. in Newport, is open daily at 11:30 a.m. The kitchen serves until 10 p.m. on weeknights, around midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Happy Hour specials are available Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. No reservations are necessary. For details, call 541-574-8787, or head to nanasirishpub.com.
Nana's Irish Pub
Nana’s wins hearts with hearty pot pies
Story & photos by NIKI PRICE • Oregon Coast Today
When it comes to misleading colloquialisms, “easy as pie” really takes the cake. The average cook would respond that while pie has a long culinary tradition, and it may be simple once you know how, that deep-dish comfort food is known to be tricky. Would-be pie makers can be thwarted by a crust, which must be just the right thickness and consistency, or by fillings that are resolutely undercooked or runny. The art is truly in the timing, which will ensure that these disparate elements reach doneness at the same time. Crunchy apple pie with a burned butter crust, anyone?
So there’s more than one reason that the Celtic Curry Veggie Pot Pie turns heads at Nana’s Irish Pub, in Newport. It’s a puff pastry shell filled with a combination of carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, corn, celery, onion and garlic, meaty with golden raisins and pinto beans, in a spicy yellow curry cream sauce. Each one is assembled in its own ceramic serving dish, lined with a buttery puff pastry, and baked to order.
“It’s so fragrant that when someone orders one and we carry it through the dining room, it’s almost like a chain reaction. People perk up, look around and say ‘What’s that smell?’ Then they’ll see it and say ‘I want one,’” said Nana’s co-owner Tara Coughlan. “It even works on the servers. They’ll come back to the kitchen and say, ‘I just served a curry pie and now I have to order one for myself. I can’t help it.’”
This pot pie, one of three on the menu, is a good example of how Nana’s does Irish cuisine. The palate in charge is Philomena O’Brien, who was born in Limerick City, on the west coast of the Emerald Isle. She emigrated to the United States when she was a small child, but grew up in the Irish-American community of Rochester, N.Y. She eventually married a man from Limerick City, and lived in Ireland for 10 years before moving back to the States in 1990.
Coughlan, O’Brien’s daughter, was born in New York but also spent those 10 years in Ireland. Neither woman has a noticeable accent, but both know a great deal about modern food culture across the pond. When they opened Nana’s 3 ½ years ago, in January 2008, they developed recipes based on family traditions, but full of modern flavor. With the Celtic Curry Veggie Pot Pie, they pay homage to the Irish fascination with Indian curries (which it shares with its neighbors in Great Britain) and provide a special entrée for vegetarians. It’s often paired with a Strongbow Cider, one of the pub’s imported Irish beverages.
Bridget’s Chicken Pot Pie is packed with chicken breast chunks, potatoes, peas, celery, onions and carrots in a chardonnay cream sauce, all snugly tucked in a golden brown puff pastry crust. It’s named for Nana Bridget, O’Brien’s mother, who was also the inspiration for the restaurant’s moniker. This one is a ladies’ favorite, Coughlan said, especially with a Harp Lager or a glass of white wine.
“It seems to me that a large percentage of women really love chicken pot pie. In fact, they come back and order it, every single time. I don’t know why. That’s just how it works out. I know it’s my favorite,” she said. “Maybe it’s the cream sauce, but to me it’s perfect when you’re not feeling that great. It’s very comforting.”
Conversely, she’s noticed that male patrons tend to gravitate toward the Good Shepherd’s Pie, which is made with seasoned ground beef, onions, carrots, corn and peas in a savory gravy. Instead of a pastry crust, or a mantle of whipped mashed potatoes, Nana’s version is topped with smashed red potatoes, which add their own flavor and texture to the dish. If you like, they’ll add shredded cheddar cheese, which the oven renders into a crispy crust of its own. In some parts of Ireland, shepherd’s pie is made only with lamb. In the kitchens of County Clare and County Limerick, where beef is more readily available, the pie is made with beef, ground or in stew chunks.
Usually, it’s made with whatever is most readily available. Coughlan grew up with this version, although her mother added more seasonings and spices when she brought it to Nana’s.
“My mom used to make it when we were kids, but this recipe has a little more pepper and cayenne, to give it more flavor. Sometimes Irish food can be bland, but we try to kick things up a bit,” she said.
Give it a real boot by ordering your Good Shepherd’s Pie with a side of Nana’s house-made hot sauce, which was developed by O’Brien’s son Aidan. Splash it on top of the cheese and potatoes, and you’ll experience a Nana’s family favorite. Be sure to have a pint handy (Coughlan suggests a Guinness, which is “lower in alcohol and very refreshing”).
During the winter, Nana’s usually offers a fourth pie: Guinness Steak and Mushroom. The steak is simmered in Guinness stout, which turns into a gravy redolent with fresh rosemary, and topped with a flaky pastry crust. But it’s the most labor intensive of the pot pies, Coughlan said, and the kitchen staff was overloaded with summer business. It’s on the specials board from time to time, and may return to the regular menu in the fall.
For now, you’ll have to make do with the selection of three pies, which as of this week are being made in a new, more efficient convection oven. Each one is made to order, in about 25 minutes, and served with an inch-thick slice of fresh, semi-sweet Irish soda bread and a big pat of butter, for $13.
If hot and hearty isn’t what you’re looking for, don’t worry. Nana’s has a variety of salads and sandwiches, appetizers like spicy chicken tenders and Yaquina Bay oysters, and beach favorites like hamburgers and fish and chips. It’s also one of the few places in the Northwest that serves traditional Irish breakfasts, with imported specialties like black and white pudding, around the clock. They make corned beef and cabbage, and bangers and mash, and pour Smithwick’s Ale as well as Harp Lager, Strongbow Cider and Guinness Stout, all on tap.
Serving authentic Irish food, thousands of miles from its birthplace, certainly sounds like a challenge. But Coughlan and O’Brien make it look easy. As easy as pot pie.
Nana’s Irish Pub, 613 NW Third St. in the Nye Beach district of Newport, is open daily from 11 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, closing time is around 11 p.m., on Friday and Saturday. They’re usually open until midnight. For details, call 541-574-8787 or head to nanasirishpub.com. [Scroll below to read an earlier feature on Nana's.]
Story & photos by NIKI PRICE • Oregon Coast Today
When it comes to misleading colloquialisms, “easy as pie” really takes the cake. The average cook would respond that while pie has a long culinary tradition, and it may be simple once you know how, that deep-dish comfort food is known to be tricky. Would-be pie makers can be thwarted by a crust, which must be just the right thickness and consistency, or by fillings that are resolutely undercooked or runny. The art is truly in the timing, which will ensure that these disparate elements reach doneness at the same time. Crunchy apple pie with a burned butter crust, anyone?
So there’s more than one reason that the Celtic Curry Veggie Pot Pie turns heads at Nana’s Irish Pub, in Newport. It’s a puff pastry shell filled with a combination of carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, corn, celery, onion and garlic, meaty with golden raisins and pinto beans, in a spicy yellow curry cream sauce. Each one is assembled in its own ceramic serving dish, lined with a buttery puff pastry, and baked to order.
“It’s so fragrant that when someone orders one and we carry it through the dining room, it’s almost like a chain reaction. People perk up, look around and say ‘What’s that smell?’ Then they’ll see it and say ‘I want one,’” said Nana’s co-owner Tara Coughlan. “It even works on the servers. They’ll come back to the kitchen and say, ‘I just served a curry pie and now I have to order one for myself. I can’t help it.’”
This pot pie, one of three on the menu, is a good example of how Nana’s does Irish cuisine. The palate in charge is Philomena O’Brien, who was born in Limerick City, on the west coast of the Emerald Isle. She emigrated to the United States when she was a small child, but grew up in the Irish-American community of Rochester, N.Y. She eventually married a man from Limerick City, and lived in Ireland for 10 years before moving back to the States in 1990.
Coughlan, O’Brien’s daughter, was born in New York but also spent those 10 years in Ireland. Neither woman has a noticeable accent, but both know a great deal about modern food culture across the pond. When they opened Nana’s 3 ½ years ago, in January 2008, they developed recipes based on family traditions, but full of modern flavor. With the Celtic Curry Veggie Pot Pie, they pay homage to the Irish fascination with Indian curries (which it shares with its neighbors in Great Britain) and provide a special entrée for vegetarians. It’s often paired with a Strongbow Cider, one of the pub’s imported Irish beverages.
Bridget’s Chicken Pot Pie is packed with chicken breast chunks, potatoes, peas, celery, onions and carrots in a chardonnay cream sauce, all snugly tucked in a golden brown puff pastry crust. It’s named for Nana Bridget, O’Brien’s mother, who was also the inspiration for the restaurant’s moniker. This one is a ladies’ favorite, Coughlan said, especially with a Harp Lager or a glass of white wine.
“It seems to me that a large percentage of women really love chicken pot pie. In fact, they come back and order it, every single time. I don’t know why. That’s just how it works out. I know it’s my favorite,” she said. “Maybe it’s the cream sauce, but to me it’s perfect when you’re not feeling that great. It’s very comforting.”
Conversely, she’s noticed that male patrons tend to gravitate toward the Good Shepherd’s Pie, which is made with seasoned ground beef, onions, carrots, corn and peas in a savory gravy. Instead of a pastry crust, or a mantle of whipped mashed potatoes, Nana’s version is topped with smashed red potatoes, which add their own flavor and texture to the dish. If you like, they’ll add shredded cheddar cheese, which the oven renders into a crispy crust of its own. In some parts of Ireland, shepherd’s pie is made only with lamb. In the kitchens of County Clare and County Limerick, where beef is more readily available, the pie is made with beef, ground or in stew chunks.
Usually, it’s made with whatever is most readily available. Coughlan grew up with this version, although her mother added more seasonings and spices when she brought it to Nana’s.
“My mom used to make it when we were kids, but this recipe has a little more pepper and cayenne, to give it more flavor. Sometimes Irish food can be bland, but we try to kick things up a bit,” she said.
Give it a real boot by ordering your Good Shepherd’s Pie with a side of Nana’s house-made hot sauce, which was developed by O’Brien’s son Aidan. Splash it on top of the cheese and potatoes, and you’ll experience a Nana’s family favorite. Be sure to have a pint handy (Coughlan suggests a Guinness, which is “lower in alcohol and very refreshing”).
During the winter, Nana’s usually offers a fourth pie: Guinness Steak and Mushroom. The steak is simmered in Guinness stout, which turns into a gravy redolent with fresh rosemary, and topped with a flaky pastry crust. But it’s the most labor intensive of the pot pies, Coughlan said, and the kitchen staff was overloaded with summer business. It’s on the specials board from time to time, and may return to the regular menu in the fall.
For now, you’ll have to make do with the selection of three pies, which as of this week are being made in a new, more efficient convection oven. Each one is made to order, in about 25 minutes, and served with an inch-thick slice of fresh, semi-sweet Irish soda bread and a big pat of butter, for $13.
If hot and hearty isn’t what you’re looking for, don’t worry. Nana’s has a variety of salads and sandwiches, appetizers like spicy chicken tenders and Yaquina Bay oysters, and beach favorites like hamburgers and fish and chips. It’s also one of the few places in the Northwest that serves traditional Irish breakfasts, with imported specialties like black and white pudding, around the clock. They make corned beef and cabbage, and bangers and mash, and pour Smithwick’s Ale as well as Harp Lager, Strongbow Cider and Guinness Stout, all on tap.
Serving authentic Irish food, thousands of miles from its birthplace, certainly sounds like a challenge. But Coughlan and O’Brien make it look easy. As easy as pot pie.
Nana’s Irish Pub, 613 NW Third St. in the Nye Beach district of Newport, is open daily from 11 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, closing time is around 11 p.m., on Friday and Saturday. They’re usually open until midnight. For details, call 541-574-8787 or head to nanasirishpub.com. [Scroll below to read an earlier feature on Nana's.]
More Nana's!
Make room for the Reuben
Servers with conviction, at Nana’s Pub
[Published Feb. 18, 2011]
By Niki Price
Oregon Coast TODAY
Nana’s Irish Pub, at the corner of Coast and NW Third St. in Newport’s Nye Beach District, has only been around for three years. But customers already know that they can count on Nana’s for tasty Irish food and friendly service. First: the pub is open at 11 a.m., every day. Second: Nana’s always has Irish beers like Guinness and Smithwick’s on tap.
Third: If your server is Courtney Kelly, you will be talked into a Reuben sandwich. Same thing goes for her twin sister, Allison Cleland. These women are known for their energetic presence, their sense of fun, and their love of the Bunratty Reuben.
“They’re extremely hyper, super high energy and very enthusiastic, and they love the Reuben sandwich more than life itself,” said Nana’s manager and co-owner, Tara Coughlan. “Every single table they greet, they say, ‘Have you had the Reuben? You have got to try it. No, I really think you should.’”
One time, Tara said, Courtney tried to convince a table of eight to partake in the hand-cut, house-made corned beef, with braised cabbage, honey mustard and Swiss cheese on rye. No one would.
“They wanted something else, I guess. She said, ‘OK, I know you’re going to love this sandwich so much, that I’m just going to buy your table a Reuben and we’re going to cut it into eight pieces so that everyone can try it.’ And she did, and she paid for it herself.”
“The customers were laughing, saying ‘This girl’s crazy. But this girl’s awesome,’” Tara said.
These are the kind of personality quirks – people-oriented, selfless, fun-loving quirks — that are welcome at Nana’s Irish Pub. Tara Coughlan, and her business partner and mother, Philomena O’Brien, both spent years living in Ireland. They know that it’s heartfelt hospitality, as well as good-sized portions and working taps, that will make a restaurant and bar feel like a neighborhood Irish pub.
You can’t advertise for the traits that Tara and Philomena are looking for: friendliness, curiosity, compassion and a sense of humor. So they’ve found their current staff — Courtney and Allison, along with Robin Koeller, Elizabeth Barnum, Gina Brown, Harmony Griffith, Angelina VanAelstyn, Hannah Klausman, and assistant manager Lonna Roe — by word of mouth and through staff recommendations.
It’s easier to stay friendly when you’re serving popular food. Nana’s presents a menu of classic Irish fare, including a line of deep-dish savory pies: Good Shepherd’s Pie (beef and vegetables, topped with smashed red-skinned potatoes), and three pastry-topped pot pies, chicken, vegetarian curry and Guinness steak and mushroom.
They also serve imported Irish breakfast sausages, several different ways: with mashed potatoes (the classic Bangers and Mash), in puff pastry rolls, or with apples and onions, in Strongbow hard cider. The bigger appetites tuck in to the Traditional Irish Breakfast: Irish breakfast sausages, black and white pudding and rashers (those are all meat, by the way), plus two eggs, steak-cut fries, baked beans and fresh-baked soda bread, and a side of grilled tomatoes and mushrooms. It’s served all day.
Perhaps the prime example of Philomena O’Brien’s dedication to authentic Irish food is the corned beef, which is made daily in the restaurant’s tiny kitchen. Her corned beef and cabbage, available every day after 4 p.m., comes with parsnips, carrots and red potatoes in a creamy parsley sauce, plus the soda bread, for $16 (insider tip: on Tuesday nights, it’s on special for $10).
Hearty is the key word throughout the menu. All the sandwiches, from Nana’s Cheesesteak to the Dublin Burger (made with grass-fed Painted Hills beef), are served with fries, coleslaw and sweet pickles. There are nods to American taste buds, too, with tuna melts, chicken tenders, fish and chips plates, fried Yaquina Bay oysters and pork riblets with bleu cheese dressing.
Cider and Rogue Brutal Bitter on tap. Imports by the bottle: Spaten Optimator from Germany, Belhaven Scottish Ale and Twisted Thistle IPA from Scotland, and Duvel Golden Ale from Belgium. They also serve bottled American microbews like Ninkasi Total Domination, from Eugene, and Mad River Steelhead Double India Pale Ale, from California.
For dessert, Nana’s makes bread pudding (both traditional Irish with rum, raisins, walnuts and whipped cream, and a chocolate-and-brandy variation), and ice cream delights.
If you stay through dessert, however, be prepared for a few questions. Your server will want to know where you are from, what you do, where you got your jacket, and why don’t you want a Reuben. That’s the only way she’ll find out if your daughter is having a baby, if your son was her teacher back in Alaska, or if you both went to the same Cranberries concert in 1995 (all real details, uncovered recently in the Nana’s dining room).
“It’s crazy the people who come through here, and we all find out our connections. That’s what makes it interesting,” Lonna said. “Our favorite customers are those who are just here for a week, and they come in here four or five times. They feel like it’s their place.”
“I love it when Courtney bounces up to a table, plants herself there and says, ‘Let me guess. You want the Reuben, with a side salad and raspberry vinaigrette. And you can have the shepherd’s pie, OK?’ You’ll be surprised how many customers will say, ‘OK. Sure.’”
The way Tara figures it, anyone can walk up to a table and say, “My name is so and so, and I’ll be your server. Can I start you off with some appetizers today?” It takes a special person to serve food and drinks, with Irish style.
“People tell me they’ve heard about Irish hospitality, and that people there are very generous and welcoming, and they ask me, is it really like that? It really is,” Tara said. “If you go to Ireland, people will welcome you into their homes. They’ll take you out for drinks. They’re very much about showing people a good time.”
“That’s the atmosphere that we want to have here. We want to be on a first name basis. We want to know about your life. We want you to feel comfortable here.”
Nana’s Irish Pub, 613 NW Third St. in Newport, is open daily at 11 a.m. The doors (and the kitchen) are open until 11 p.m. on weeknights, around midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. No reservations are necessary. For details, call 541-574-8787, or head to nanasirishpub.com.
Servers with conviction, at Nana’s Pub
[Published Feb. 18, 2011]
By Niki Price
Oregon Coast TODAY
Nana’s Irish Pub, at the corner of Coast and NW Third St. in Newport’s Nye Beach District, has only been around for three years. But customers already know that they can count on Nana’s for tasty Irish food and friendly service. First: the pub is open at 11 a.m., every day. Second: Nana’s always has Irish beers like Guinness and Smithwick’s on tap.
Third: If your server is Courtney Kelly, you will be talked into a Reuben sandwich. Same thing goes for her twin sister, Allison Cleland. These women are known for their energetic presence, their sense of fun, and their love of the Bunratty Reuben.
“They’re extremely hyper, super high energy and very enthusiastic, and they love the Reuben sandwich more than life itself,” said Nana’s manager and co-owner, Tara Coughlan. “Every single table they greet, they say, ‘Have you had the Reuben? You have got to try it. No, I really think you should.’”
One time, Tara said, Courtney tried to convince a table of eight to partake in the hand-cut, house-made corned beef, with braised cabbage, honey mustard and Swiss cheese on rye. No one would.
“They wanted something else, I guess. She said, ‘OK, I know you’re going to love this sandwich so much, that I’m just going to buy your table a Reuben and we’re going to cut it into eight pieces so that everyone can try it.’ And she did, and she paid for it herself.”
“The customers were laughing, saying ‘This girl’s crazy. But this girl’s awesome,’” Tara said.
These are the kind of personality quirks – people-oriented, selfless, fun-loving quirks — that are welcome at Nana’s Irish Pub. Tara Coughlan, and her business partner and mother, Philomena O’Brien, both spent years living in Ireland. They know that it’s heartfelt hospitality, as well as good-sized portions and working taps, that will make a restaurant and bar feel like a neighborhood Irish pub.
You can’t advertise for the traits that Tara and Philomena are looking for: friendliness, curiosity, compassion and a sense of humor. So they’ve found their current staff — Courtney and Allison, along with Robin Koeller, Elizabeth Barnum, Gina Brown, Harmony Griffith, Angelina VanAelstyn, Hannah Klausman, and assistant manager Lonna Roe — by word of mouth and through staff recommendations.
It’s easier to stay friendly when you’re serving popular food. Nana’s presents a menu of classic Irish fare, including a line of deep-dish savory pies: Good Shepherd’s Pie (beef and vegetables, topped with smashed red-skinned potatoes), and three pastry-topped pot pies, chicken, vegetarian curry and Guinness steak and mushroom.
They also serve imported Irish breakfast sausages, several different ways: with mashed potatoes (the classic Bangers and Mash), in puff pastry rolls, or with apples and onions, in Strongbow hard cider. The bigger appetites tuck in to the Traditional Irish Breakfast: Irish breakfast sausages, black and white pudding and rashers (those are all meat, by the way), plus two eggs, steak-cut fries, baked beans and fresh-baked soda bread, and a side of grilled tomatoes and mushrooms. It’s served all day.
Perhaps the prime example of Philomena O’Brien’s dedication to authentic Irish food is the corned beef, which is made daily in the restaurant’s tiny kitchen. Her corned beef and cabbage, available every day after 4 p.m., comes with parsnips, carrots and red potatoes in a creamy parsley sauce, plus the soda bread, for $16 (insider tip: on Tuesday nights, it’s on special for $10).
Hearty is the key word throughout the menu. All the sandwiches, from Nana’s Cheesesteak to the Dublin Burger (made with grass-fed Painted Hills beef), are served with fries, coleslaw and sweet pickles. There are nods to American taste buds, too, with tuna melts, chicken tenders, fish and chips plates, fried Yaquina Bay oysters and pork riblets with bleu cheese dressing.
Cider and Rogue Brutal Bitter on tap. Imports by the bottle: Spaten Optimator from Germany, Belhaven Scottish Ale and Twisted Thistle IPA from Scotland, and Duvel Golden Ale from Belgium. They also serve bottled American microbews like Ninkasi Total Domination, from Eugene, and Mad River Steelhead Double India Pale Ale, from California.
For dessert, Nana’s makes bread pudding (both traditional Irish with rum, raisins, walnuts and whipped cream, and a chocolate-and-brandy variation), and ice cream delights.
If you stay through dessert, however, be prepared for a few questions. Your server will want to know where you are from, what you do, where you got your jacket, and why don’t you want a Reuben. That’s the only way she’ll find out if your daughter is having a baby, if your son was her teacher back in Alaska, or if you both went to the same Cranberries concert in 1995 (all real details, uncovered recently in the Nana’s dining room).
“It’s crazy the people who come through here, and we all find out our connections. That’s what makes it interesting,” Lonna said. “Our favorite customers are those who are just here for a week, and they come in here four or five times. They feel like it’s their place.”
“I love it when Courtney bounces up to a table, plants herself there and says, ‘Let me guess. You want the Reuben, with a side salad and raspberry vinaigrette. And you can have the shepherd’s pie, OK?’ You’ll be surprised how many customers will say, ‘OK. Sure.’”
The way Tara figures it, anyone can walk up to a table and say, “My name is so and so, and I’ll be your server. Can I start you off with some appetizers today?” It takes a special person to serve food and drinks, with Irish style.
“People tell me they’ve heard about Irish hospitality, and that people there are very generous and welcoming, and they ask me, is it really like that? It really is,” Tara said. “If you go to Ireland, people will welcome you into their homes. They’ll take you out for drinks. They’re very much about showing people a good time.”
“That’s the atmosphere that we want to have here. We want to be on a first name basis. We want to know about your life. We want you to feel comfortable here.”
Nana’s Irish Pub, 613 NW Third St. in Newport, is open daily at 11 a.m. The doors (and the kitchen) are open until 11 p.m. on weeknights, around midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. No reservations are necessary. For details, call 541-574-8787, or head to nanasirishpub.com.
