Lackluster Service and Forgetful Fried Pickles

A few weeks ago, some old co-workers and I met up halfway in Manchester, N.H. for dinner and drinks. I had been to Wild Rover Pub before and loved their bangers and mash, so I suggested we all meet there for dinner.

The small dining room at Wild Rover that Friday night was dimly lit and crowded. The few tables they have were packed with large parties of local diners. While we waited for our party of six to be seated, we sipped cold beers in the bar area and caught up with one another. I ordered a Sam Adams Octoberfest.

The hostess  - who also happened to be our waitress - informed us that the wait would be about 45 minutes. As 45 minutes came and went and tables were emptied, we all got a little impatient as we were starving and now were two cocktails deep each. One of my fellow diners, Jessica, had to literally go up to our waitress and see if we could sit down. Soon after, we were seated for dinner.

Unfortunately, our waitress was nothing short of unfriendly. Not a single smile graced her face the entire evening, and our party was treated more like a nuisance to her than a table full of hungry customers. We also mentioned at the beginning of the meal that we'd be paying with separate checks - and she was sure not to hide her annoyance.

Despite the lackluster service, the food was decent. I ordered a simple Vegetable Quesadilla ($7.99), which was chocked full of broccoli, black beans, onions, peppers and Jack cheese. The quesadilla came with salsa and sour cream on the side.

Now, I know what you're thinking: She ordered a quesadilla at an Irish pub? But Wild Rover's menu isn't very Irish. Besides the Grilled Irish Bangers, Shepherd's Pie and Kinsale Fish and Chips, there are few other traditional Irish entrees offered. Plus, I wanted some affordable "drinking food," and this quesadilla did the trick.

As far as quesadillas are concerned, Wild Rover's was quite impressive. The tortilla was perfectly crispy and refused to become soggy from the melted cheese and copious amounts of vegetables stuffed inside. I also loved the addition of the broccoli - it added more "meat" to the quesadilla, versus the usual tomatoes or jalapenos (although this quesadilla could have used some more heat).

Before the night ended, my former co-workers and I also made a pit stop at Strange Brew. In previous years, both my friend and I (on separatre occasions) got food poisoning from Strange Brew's chili, but I figured the Fried Pickle Chips ($6.50) were safe.

I didn't end up getting sick from their fried pickles, but probably because I only had one or two - the only thing I could taste was stale grease from an under-cleaned fryalator.

Which local restaurant/pub serves your favorite "drinking food?"

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