Céad mile fáilte

By Catherine McGarry Miller + Photos by Kevin C. Groen

Be forewarned; if you toddle over to County Clare on St. Paddy’s day for an Irish Coffee, have your designated driver on deck or cab fare in fist before you take a swig. Oh, there might me a shot or two of coffee in it, but the rest is pure Irish whiskey slathered with whipped cream and a chocolate cookie straw. One sip’ll knock your shamrock off.

Roy Huth, kitchen manager of the County Clare Pub and Restaurant, says that natives of the Emerald Isle “feel at home here. Milwaukeeans feel like they’re on vacation.” I fall in the latter category and can aver that this establishment credibly recreates the charm of an Irish inn. Though Irish cookery is not renowned in the gourmet kingdom, I had fabulous food in Ireland and the County Clare made me feel like I was back in the old country.

His menu reflects wonderful dining experiences I had there, though probably not the way you would expect. It’s the seafood that takes me back to the sod, not the corned beef or lamb – I don’t remember even seeing them on a carte. What people tend to forget is that Ireland is an island whose inhabitants have always lived off the water.

Though not of Irish descent, Huth has a mastery of seafood preparation that goes back to his youth cooking for his family. The Wauwatosa native always enjoyed trying new things and particularly liked smoked fish – not your average kid’s top favorite. His specialty back then was Shrimp Creole. Now he applies his intuitive talents to the likes of smoked salmon with capers and mussels steamed in a buttery tomato broth served with Irish brown bread to sop the delicious juices. The portions, like Irish hospitality, are generous and the flavors fresh as a sea breeze. The whole grained bread (available in small loaves to purchase) is exactly as I remember it in the Irish inns and cafes I frequented. Not surprising, since it’s imported from there.

For St. Patrick’s Day, however, the menu will feature the expected Irish fare: Shepherd’s Pie (the Inn’s top seller), Irish Stew and Corned Beef and Cabbage. Huth presents a delicious, colorful plate of thick slices of lean, tender corned beef, al dente cabbage, bright carrot medallions and notably delicious mashed potatoes. Everything but the steak is under $15, so you’ll have plenty of change for your stout.

Huth, who just turned 50, learned his craft on the job. His degree from UWM, earned in the early ‘80s, is in painting, drawing and printmaking. His father, a lithographer, planted the seeds of love for the craft. Huth became a successful artist whose works have been exhibited around the city for the past 15 years and at annual shows at Gallery H2O in the Third Ward. In 1999, one of his paintings was juried into the prestigious Wisconsin Artists’ Biennial Exhibit at the Haggerty Museum.

Still, art didn’t pay the bills. A job at Kohl’s bakery’s main plant did – for 21 years. He had the enviable job of Cake and Whipped Cream Department Manager that entailed assembling, icing and decorating thousands of cakes per week and making mountains of whipped cream daily.

In the early 1990s, Huth took a job as a line cook at County Clare. “Irish cookery was new to me – it didn’t even occur to me that St. Patrick’s Day was coming up the month after I started.” Though a novice in both the cuisine and the kitchen, Huth caught on quickly. “Irish cooking is fairly simple and directly based on quality products with a minimum of fuss. On the other hand, the Irish palate loves exotic touches like curry and the occasional zing of hot pepper.” The simplicity of Irish cooking, says Huth, came from being a very poor country. “Now that they’ve acquired affluence, they’ve encountered world cuisine and they love it.”

Huth knows from personal experience. County Clare owner Rip O’Dwanny sponsors trips to Ireland for meritorious employees to his sister business, Castledaly Manor in County Westmeath, Ireland. Huth has been there twice. He speaks highly of his boss. “Rip is very involved with his employees. He wants them to be comfortable and professional and no position goes unnoticed by him. He was always extremely polite to me and respected that I worked at a place for 21 years, which is unusual in the restaurant business.” O’Dwanny gave Huth greater and greater responsibility that the nascent chef found challenging and rewarding. Within nine months of starting, he was asked to take over the kitchen. Nine years later, Huth is still there ready to pump up his staff for another crazy St. Patrick’s Day season. VS