Pub Grub (or maybe Pub Ugh)

Diva2 here. Today I had lunch in Manhattan with friends. The restaurant, Harrington's Bar and Grill, on 7th between 30th and 31st, was chosen strictly on the basis of location, to accommodate a friend who has limited mobility. It was all about location, location, location.

That said, I enjoyed my lunch - to a certain degree. I had the bangers and mash, and honestly, there was enough mash on my plate to feed a family of 10. The sausages were fine, ditto the potatoes, and the onion gravy hit the spot. I also had the vegetable of the day, which turned out to be string beans and sliced turnips. They were ok, but undercooked. Dessert was pedestrian at best; 'chocolate cream cake' turned out to be a so-so version of Boston Cream Pie.

The word from my dining companions was that the shepherd's pie was nothing special but the fish and chips earned big thumbs up. The cheesecake and carrot cake generated no comments at all.

There really is nothing distinctive about this place and it is very overpriced, the better to take advantage of the lunch crowd in this busy neighborhood or the tourist overflow from the Garden. Reduce the portion sizes (especially the mashed potatoes) and charge less, that's what I say.

A very reliable source tells me the place to go for this kind of food is The Wee Molly on 8th Avenue at 30th. (Only a block away from Harrington's but too far for my limited mobility friend to walk - alas.) It is on my list for sure.

Thus today's food adventures come to a close.