PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

Chicagoland is full of Irish bars but not all of them offer the food, coziness and Irish music that distinguish a pub from your basic American sports bar. One of the friendliest and most modestly priced Irish restaurant is The Celtic Knot in Evanston. Unlike some of the louder pubs, this one makes a great date spot because of its menu and the snug, a dining room separate from the bar. The Celtic Knot’s live Irish music on Tuesdays and Storytelling in the Snug on Sundays make for a unique date. Whether your date likes to sip whiskey at the old wooden bar or eat dinner behind the curtained windows of the snug, The Celtic Knot is sure to please.

The Celtic Knot’s authentic menu serves up plenty of stew, salmon, oysters, lamb and chips with gravy or curry. The Full Monty Irish breakfast with bangers, bacon, sliced tomato, mushrooms, black and white pudding and fried bread. For $11.99, that‘s all the sausage you can dream of and breakfast and lunch in one meal. The corned beef sandwich comes on brown bread with melted Swiss cheese and thick-cut, lean corned beef and a side of chips. Stew with beef and Guinness or traditional shepherd’s pie with onion, peas and duchess potatoes will warm you up on a cold day. In hot weather, try one of the excellent salads. I enjoyed my salmon, white bean and red onion salad on mixed greens, a fresh spin on traditional salmon. You can also treat your date to crab cakes with smoked salmon and red pepper sauce ($7.99) or dare each other to slurp some oysters ($8.50 for half a pound.) The sides of brown bread, Heinz beans and even mushy peas keep the menu traditional and the fish and chips comes wrapped in newspaper ($11.99). The Celtic Knot does not offer one lone corned beef sandwich surrounded by the usual chicken wings and PBR, like some wannabe Irish bars I could name.

For a great finale to a meal here, split a dessert. Try the traditional sticky toffee pudding ($7) chocolate cake or bread and butter pudding with whiskey caramel sauce ($7.50). The elegant vintage cheese plate with raisins, apples and nuts also appears as a dessert option. For total decadence, share a dessert combo for only $8.99 and find a favorite sweet.

As in Ireland, you can order beer by the pint or half-pint here (20 or 10 glasses). I like the 10 ounce Guinness and my friends recommend Smithwick’s a lighter lager-style Irish beer. The wine menu offers a good mix of American and imported reds and whites, most for under $10 a glass. Your whiskey choices include Jameson, Bushmills (S7) and aged Scotches, like the 12-year-old Glenlivet ($8). If your date likes sweet drinks, suggest the unique Celtic coffee made with Tia Maria and whipped cream.
Music

The house band played mostly instrumental Irish music, always at a pleasant volume so diners can converse. The instruments include a fiddle, string bass, banjo and mandolin. I really enjoyed the traditional music and the theme from the “real party” in Titanic. The music, fine food and coziness of The Celtic Knot will soon make it a favorite date spot.