As St. Matthew’s residents are well aware, the dark hole that was Maier’s Tavern has seen the light, in the form of BRENDAN’S RESTAURANT AND PUB (3921 Shelbyville Road, 895-1212), with large windows that open to the street — a feature of bars in tropical locales — and seating positioned 360 degrees around a center bar. Delicate chandeliers soften the brick interior and copper ceilings near the front reflect the newfound lighting.
And the food? The lunch menu offers a few appetizers and entrees, but mostly sandwiches. The one that put me over-easy was the egg sandwich ($5), a comforting classic not usually seen outside of greasy diners. It came with two eggs, your choice of cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato and a side of mayo on focaccia herb bread (add bacon or ham for $1.50).
The pub’s Irish moniker is deceptive. Its dinner menu is devoid of Emerald Isle dishes — with the exception of beer- batter-dipped fish and chips ($10), a golden and crispy plate served with a malt-vinegar mayonnaise for fries-dipping. There are two choices of fries — waffle or sweet potato — and the latter’s sweet and salty balance was a nice twist. Among the appetizers are a crap dip ($7) and stuffed mushrooms ($6), with a choice of Italian sausage or veggie filling. The crab dip, made with blue crab claw meat, is broiled, topped with Romano and Asiago cheeses, and served with kettle chips. The strong cheese flavors were a bit overwhelming by the /files/storyimages/of the dish, but I kept munching on the crispy kettle chips.
The beer list of approximately 75, with nearly 20 on tap, includes selections such as Delirium Tremens, Stella
