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Milwaukee already knows the charms that come with a dram of Irish whiskey, a pint of Guinness and a delicious meal at County Clare Irish Inn & Pub, 1234 N. Astor St.
But it’s the pub’s Colcannon Poppers that turned the heads of the folks at Food Network Magazine as they released their first-ever Irish Pub Awards this week.
In the St. Patrick’s Day feature, available both online and in the March print edition, they offer accolades to ten Irish Pubs across the U.S. in categories from oldest (one New York pub dates back to 1854) to most vegan-friendly (Go Detroit!).
Our Cream City staple took it home for “Most Inventive Potato Dish,” with author Audrey Morgan saying this about County Clare’s indulgent poppers:
“This pub turns the simple Irish mashed potato dish colcannon into not-so-humble poppers: The potatoes are whipped with Irish cheddar, cabbage and onions; rolled in panko and deep-fried; then served with gravy.”
Haven’t tried the indulgently crisp mashed potato bites? Well, it’s definitely time to put them on your must-try list, especially with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner.
County Clare is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m., Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 3 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dine in, carry-out and delivery are available.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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