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THE MESA TRIBUNE | JUNE 26, 2022
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Chandler pub serves up authentic Irish fare BY MELODY BIRKETT GetOut Contributor
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ince opening in March 2003, Fibber Magees in Chandler has been the East Valley’s destination place for anyone in search of an authentic Irish pub and fare. “One of the reasons we feel we can claim to be authentic is we got some Irish ownership,” bragged owner and General Manager Matt Brennan, one of four managing partners. “Two of the original founding partners were born and raised in Ireland and one of those is still the remaining partner of the four of us,” he added. “One of our partners is an Irish-born citizen and carries an Irish passport. It lends us a certain amount of authenticity.” “When making decisions about how the pub operates and the kind of offerings we have, what we’re trying to accomplish with the business, we’re doing it with the idea of would this be authentic to a pub in Ireland,” explained Brennan. “If we’re going to make a decision to show sports, is this something you could see in an Irish pub in the countryside for all of Ireland? We think those kinds of things lend to the authenticity.” The food certainly adds to the authenticity. “Corned beef and cabbage have become synonymous with Irish so it’s not something eaten in Ireland or wasn’t historically,” said Brennan. “It was something the Irish immigrants started cooking when they first settled in America and were living in major cities amongst some of the poorest populations. The brisket was a meat that was popular with those communities because it was inexpensive but not necessarily easy to cook.” Brennan added there’s not a lot of beef consumption in Ireland with most of the bovine population being dairy-centric. He said, “They don’t commit a lot of resources to grow cattle for beef – much more with lamb, pork and even chicken than beef. “To that end, we have our shepherd’s pie which is very traditional to the Irish, a stew made of lamb we get imported traditionally from Australia, which has some
Irish baked beans and rashers which is Ireland’s version of bacon (pork loin as opposed to pork belly, cured but not smoked, and more similar to Canadian bacon). Also included is black and white pudding which is a mixture of meat, spices and grains, like a sausage. And bangers or house-baked Irish brown bread is served, too, as part of the breakfast along with grilled tomatoes and sautéed mushrooms. “Everything is imported,” said Brennan. “We bring in the real ingredients from Ireland to make sure we’re offerFibber Magees owner/General Manager Matt Brennan has built an ing the most auauthentic Irish menu and atmosphere at his Chandler restaurant. thentic plate of (Special to the Tribune) food we can.” While burgers aren’t considered authenof the highest quality of lamb in the world. Then it’s cooked into a savory stew with tic Irish food, the Rasher Burger is a popucarrots, leeks, and peas and put into a lar item and comes with Irish bacon as opshallow dish covered with mashed pota- posed to American bacon for a little twist. “The Belfast Burger is one of our sigtoes and baked. “That’s very traditionally Irish. We also nature burgers with sautéed onions and have fish and chips which is traditional mushrooms, garlic aioli, onion ring, choice late-night drinking food all over Ireland of cheese on a brioche bun,” said Brennan. and the UK, in general. No good night “Nothing particularly Irish about it other doesn’t end with a trip to the chipper as than its name but it’s one of our most popular burgers. they call it.” “We’re an Irish pub but we’re still in The most authentic item, Brennan said, on the menu is the Irish breakfast or as Chandler and we have to give the customers what they want. People who go out to a they call it, Irish fry up. It’s usually enjoyed on a weekend or pub are still expecting pub fare and burgspecial occasion and consists of a plate of ers certainly fall under that.” When it comes to popular Irish beers, eggs cooked to order, Batchelor’s brand of
Guinness is usually what comes to mind. “It’s not to say there aren’t other brewers in Ireland but Guinness is going to be represented by about 80-percent of all Irish beer sales or more,” Brennan said. “Currently, we have a Guinness draft stout available here at the pub. We are actually the reigning Perfect Pint Champion for 2022. Every year, Guinness brewery collects the bartenders from the top Guinness accounts throughout Arizona, and gets them all together to compete in a round-robin tournament,” he continued. “Whoever is the last person standing gets crowned Perfect Pint Champion. That was our bar manager Mike Fisch. This is the third time we’ve been the champion. We’re the only pub in Arizona that has won three times. So, we take the Guinness pouring very seriously.” The pub also offers four Irish beers on draft - an Irish red ale called Smithwick’s, Harp, Irish logger, and Irish cream ale Kilkenny. An Irish cider is served, too, which Brennan said is also popular. “The Irish nationals that come to the restaurant drink the cider almost exclusively.” The restaurant also owns its own brand, called Boyle’s Beer Company. It’s made under contract by a local craft brewer and represents a marriage between old-worldstyle Irish beers and American craft beers. What differentiates Irish beer from other beers is water, according to Brennan. “Water in Dublin is quite hard and mineral-rich and when you use that kind of water to make beer, it leaves a very distinctive flavor to the final product that people have come to love over the years. It’s one of the reasons Guinness tastes the way it does. “Brewers in America, where we have a different water source, try to treat the water by adding minerals and salt back into it to replicate that Dublin-style water.” Brennan is originally from Chicago and worked in the beer business for over 20 years, including owning a Chicago pub and neighborhood bar and grill in Chicago. As a professional brewer, he has sold beer wholesale, marketed beer and
see FIBBER page 26
