Irish pub grub: not exactly chili con blarney

Ask an Irishman what he thinks about Irish food, and his answer is a joke:

"The French live to eat; the Irish eat to live," one man said.

"Irish food is a pint of Guinness and a pint of potatoes," his friend chimed in.

"A pint of Guinness is a meal in Ireland. That's what they say, and that's the truth," a third one said.

But after the jokes comes the defense.

"We have a great abundance of herbs -- rosemary, thyme and sage. They have great flavors, but they don't add heat, and they don't jump at you like peppers. So for the most part, we have very mellow products," Irish-born chef Neil Doherty says.

Every Irishman knows that a bit of the auld sod is better than nothing. And when homesick, they head to an Irish pub for fish and chips. Irish pub grub is humble as its name indicates, but a pint of thick, dark Guinness with beer-battered cod or Irish stew is just about right.

This weekend and April 28-29, Houstonians can sample Irish pub grub at the 2001 Houston International Festival downtown. The salute to Ireland will highlight Irish culture and food from vendors, including Slainte Irish Pub and Garden in the Heights. This is in addition to booths spotlighting foods from Africa, China, Mexico and the Caribbean.

After the festival wraps up, consider visiting the following establishments for Irish grub (traditional and inspired):

· At McGonigel's Mucky Duck, patrons can listen to flute, dulcimer and harp music while munching on a Scotch egg -- a hard-cooked egg coated with a sausage-and-bread mixture and deep-fried. Food and drink play important supporting roles to the music at this cozy Upper Kirby District pub, which Rusty Andrews opened in 1990 with his wife, the former Teresa McGonigel.

The concert venue -- which showcases blues, country, folk, Latin and Irish artists from around the country -- boasts a menu with such dishes as Guinness beef stew and homemade trifle (a layered dessert of sponge cake, whipped cream, raspberry preserves and almonds).

Many of the recipes are based on those found in old family cookbooks, such as the three-century-old chicken pot pie from Herefordshire, England, while other recipes were handed down from aunts and uncles.

By far the favorite of patrons, Andrews says, is the shepherd's pie, made with ground beef instead of lamb.

Try also the steak-and-kidney pie, an earthy casserole of various tastes and textures, or fork into the Guinness beef stew with a little brown sugar stirred in for sweetness.

Cluttered with varnished wooden oval tables, medieval prints, faux painted bookshelves and advertising memorabilia, McGonigel's makes for a cool, dark haven for a quiet lunch. At night, however, the pub hums with lyrical energy. A bevy of talents, from Clandestine and Ceili's Muse to Don Walser and Alejandro Escovedo, have performed at this neighborhood concert hall.

Address: 2425 Norfolk; 713-528-5999. Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Mondays-Saturdays; closed Sundays. There's a cover charge most nights, except Mondays and Wednesdays.

Diners who would rather not attend the show need not pay the cover charge. They can eat and drink while enjoying the evening breeze in the pub's cozy, shaded rear patio area.