Murphy's is more than a saloon. The operation also offers a rather substantial menu of pub fare, Irish-themed and otherwise.
Irish pubs, at least in their contemporary American form, first began gaining popularity back in the 1980s.
Agawam recently became home to its own Hibernian public house with the opening on Murphy's Pub on Suffield Street.
As might be expected, the Pub's bar dominates, filling much of the available floor space, although a number of dining tables are arranged around the bar's perimeter. The decorative scheme is dark walnut and butter yellow; flat-screen TVs populate the wall space.
Murphy's is, however, more than a saloon. The operation also offers a rather substantial menu of pub fare, Irish-themed and otherwise.
Entree choices include the likes of Fish and Chips ($7.99) and a Chicken Croissant Melt ($8.99) that features a breast cutlet topped with bacon and Cheddar cheese.
Hearty sandwich constructs complement the main dish selections. They range from a Reuben Sandwich ($9.99) made with either corned beef or turkey to the likes of a Turkey BLT ($8.99) and a Philly Cheese Steak ($11.99)
As befits the pub nature of the Murphy's experience, the bill of fare includes quite a number of "small bite" options like Shepherd's Skins (potato skins topped with ground beef and Cheddar cheese sauce -- $8.99), Irish Nachos ($8.99), and Dublin Calamari ($9.99).
Cheese, we discovered, is an ingredient that dominates the dining agenda at Murphy's Pub. It appears on the starter menu as part of most every such offering, and it also solos in several selections.
The Fried Irish Cheddar Cheese ($7.99) we sampled proved to be an interesting rework of the fried mozzarella that's so often found among appetizer listings.
Three thick, wedge-like slices of mild Cheddar had been breaded with herbed crumbs, then deep-fried until golden brown. The cheese within emerged soft and buttery from within the crunchy crust. It had none of the annoying stringiness that mozzarella develops under similar circumstances.
Served with a sweet, chunky marinara, the Fried Irish Cheddar proved to be a starter we'd willingly recommend.
Shepherd's pie is a dish with origins in kitchen economy; it represented a way to use up leftover roasted meats. Contemporary versions of the dish typically use ground beef rather than leftover mutton, as might have once been typical in Ireland.
Such was the case with the Shepherd's Pie ($10.99) we dined on at Murphy's Pub.
Served in a shallow casserole, with a mashed potato crust attractively combed into a decorative pattern, the pie featured plenty of ground beef in a mild gravy. Guests have the option of choosing either peas or whole kernel corn to finish the dish; we opted for the latter.
Our other choice, a Corned Beef Sandwich ($9.99) featured plenty of thick-sliced corned beef piled high on toasted deli rye.
The trimmed-lean corned beef had a pleasingly mild flavor; the package price included a choice of cheese from among an assortment that included American, Swiss, Cheddar, or a stout-based cheese sauce.
Murphy's Signature Stuffed Cheeseburger ($10.99) is an inside-and-out proposition. Grated Cheddar cheese is stuffed inside a half-pound burger patty while additional cheese is layered on top. The result is (not surprisingly) cheesy and moist, with an interestingly likable flavor and texture.
Sandwiches come with either French fries or freshly made potato chips, while sweet potato fries or onion rings can be substituted for an additional charge. A half sour dill pickle garnishes each sandwich plate.
Not surprisingly, as a pub Murphy's maintains an extensive selection of beverage choices, including more than twenty beers on tap.
A wine list of about a dozen different bottlings is also available.
After reviewing the dessert roster, we opted to try the Brownie Bites ($4.99) listed therein.
We were delivered a basket of eight deep-fried brownie nuggets, their interiors soft and fudgy like a molten chocolate cake. Dipped in the raspberry puree provided (chocolate sauce is an available alternative), the brownie nuggets turned out to be a finale we'd gladly experience again.
A free-form individual Apple Tart ($5.99) served garnished with whipped cream was equally to our liking.
On Wednesday evenings Murphy's Pub offers a $10.95 Prime Rib special.
Name: Murphy's Pub
Address: 664 Suffield Str., Agawam
Phone: (413) 301-7074
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily
Entree prices: $7.99 - $14.99
Credit cards: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped access: Accessible, handicapped-equipped restroom
Reservations: Not taken