Walker’s shortbread thistle rounds are available in grocery stores. I found them at my local Shoprite (not sponsored by either brand), but I know they are available at other stores as well as online. These cookies are easily one of my favorite snacks.
Keogh’s creates chips (crisps) in a variety of flavors, including sour cream and shamrock. The chips are gluten-free and MSG free. According to the bag, the chips were made with potatoes grown in a field called “Silverstream,” which is in County Dublin, and were made using the Lady Claire variety. The chips were cooked by someone named Eriks on April 23, 2026.
Like the Truffle and Irish butter chips, the QR code on the
bag was not working on this bag. I would have loved to learn more about the making
of the chips. I did try a different QR code, and it worked. It would be nice to
have a website where consumers can type in a code to learn about their specific
bag. This would be especially helpful for those who may not have a smartphone
or know (or even trust) QR codes.
These chips taste very similar to sour cream and onion
chips, but with a slight difference. They contain shamrock extract, which gives
the chips a hint of sweetness where the onion would be a bit on the “sour”
side. There was an excellent balance of salty and a hint of sweetness to make the
taste come together.
I was particularly interested in the fact that they use
shamrock extract. I have gotten these chips before, and I really enjoyed them, but
I did not look at the ingredients. My brother saw that I got them and asked
what shamrocks taste like. This conversation inspired me to actually look at
the ingredients, and I saw the shamrock extract.
Overall, this chip flavor is similar to sour cream and onion
chips but with an Irish twist. I enjoyed these more than the Truffle and Irish
Butter variety. These were more salty, whereas the Truffle and Irish Butter chips
were more on the savory side. I did prefer the Sour Cream and Shamrock flavor
to the Truffle and Irish Butter.
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I tried to scan the QR code to find out more about the chips
and the people who made them. I do not know if it was a phone error or a QR
code error, but I could not get the code to scan for me. I tried multiple times.
I even tried a different QR code to see if it was a phone issue, but the other
QR code scanned just fine.
The chips had a distinct smell when I opened the bag. It was
not bad, but it was intense right off the bat. However, the smell is not a completely
accurate depiction of the taste, but they are a bit similar.
This flavor is more of a savory chip flavor that had a bit
of an aftertaste. If you love this flavor, this will be enjoyable. Those on the
fence about whether or not they like it may not like the aftertaste as much. It
was definitely not my favorite thing.
Overall, this flavor was decent, but not the best I have
ever had from Keogh’s. It definitely would not be my first choice to get again.
The one thing I do love about Keogh’s is that the chips are made by real people
and you can see this on the bag.
On July 30, 2026, American Star Diner in North Wales,
Pennsylvania, had shepherd’s pie on their specials menu for lunch and dinner. This
dish is typically served in Irish pubs, but I have seen it in a variety of
diners as well.
Their recipe included the typical beef, vegetables, and mashed
potatoes. What set this version apart was the fact that they put gravy on top of
the mashed potatoes. This added extra moisture to the potatoes, beef, and
vegetables.
Another unique aspect of this version was the dish it was
served in. Typically, shepherd’s pie is served in an oval-shaped dish. I have
seen very few instances where it is a circular dish, and the American Star
Diner is one of these instances. The dish was deep, allowing for more of the shepherd’s
pie to be served.
The value of the dish was excellent. The shepherd’s pie cost
$16.99 for the lunch portion and it included a cup of soup (I chose cream of
potato, and it was delicious). For the amount of shepherd’s pie that was
served, it was an excellent value, especially in relation to other places I
have gotten this dish from. I have ordered shepherd’s pie at Irish pubs where
they did not serve anything with it and it was more expensive. This is not just
at pubs in New York City or Philadelphia.
The shepherd’s pie tasted really flavorful. The beef was a
bit on the drier side, but it was not as bad as other versions I have tasted.
The gravy on top, while unconventional, helped add some moisture to the dish. Even
the mashed potatoes were bursting with flavor, which can be a difficult thing
to do.
Overall, American Star Diner’s version of shepherd’s pie was
a great recipe. While it is unconventional to have gravy on the mashed
potatoes, it added to the recipe. It was a great value when you consider the
cost and how much you got. The dish was flavorful and delicious overall. I hope
the American Star Diner regularly has this on their specials menu and that
people get a chance to try it.
Connolly’s Irish Pub and Restaurant is located on West 45th Street in New York City, New York. The pub features a wide menu, featuring pub fare and traditional Irish dishes. It is a family-owned restaurant in Times Square.
Shepherd’s pie, commonly referred to as cottage pie in Ireland, is a popular Celtic dish. It is commonly found on menus at Irish pubs, either made with beef or lamb. While I typically review the dish as part of my review of Irish pubs (except for instances where it is made with lamb), I want to try different prepared “TV dinners.”
Fadó Irish Pub is a group of pubs with locations along the East Coast of the United States. The name itself means “long ago.” The pubs began in 1996 and have become staples in their communities since. I recently visited the Philadelphia location, and it was delightful.
On Friday, November 14, 2025, the Dubliner on the Delaware, located in New Hope, Pennsylvania, announced on social media that they will be closing at the end of the year after more than a decade in business.
On September 20, 2025, I went to Philadelphia’s Plough and the Stars. It is located at
123 Chestnut Street in Old City. The pub hosts live music and is known for
their excellent traditional Irish cuisine.
This pub is the first pub I ever went to in Philadelphia, so
it holds a special place in my life, even a decade later. From what I have
heard, George Donaldson from Celtic Thunder (may he rest in peace) used to
perform here under the painting of the blue bowl upstairs.
I ordered my typical shepherd’s pie. Most Irish pubs use a long and shallow dish to serve this meal. However, the Plough and the Stars used a round dish to serve the food, allowing for more depth. It would make sense to have more meat and vegetables on the bottom, which did happen, but the mashed potatoes were piled high on top. Their shepherd’s pie is made with beef. Usually, the potatoes tend to be flavorless when people make shepherd’s pie, but that was not the case here.
The Black Sheep Irish pub in Philadelphia opened in 1999. It is
located near Rittenhouse Square. I went on August 28, 2025. It was the second
time I had been there, but my first time going alone. It was just as good as I remembered
it being the first time I went a few years ago. When I went with my friends, I
had found the pub on Google Maps and decided to take a chance, and they did not
disappoint.
The food was delicious. I had the shepherd's pie both times I went. It is made with ground sirloin (some places make it with lamb). They brought out HP sauce to go with it. I tried a bit this time out of curiosity, and it was so good, but I ate the shepherd's pie mostly on its own without the sauce. When I went a few years ago with some friends who were in town, they loved what they got as well.
.jpg "McGillin's Pub Philadelphia")
McGillin’s has been open since 1860, making it Philadelphia’s
oldest continuously operating tavern. It was originally opened by Catherine and
William McGillin, who were Irish immigrants, under the name Bell In Hand Tavern. The customers
who came to the bar simply called it “McGillin’s,” which is its current name. It
is located at 1310 Drury Street in Philadelphia, PA.
I went there on Saturday, August 9th, 2025, around 11:30 am. It is nestled off a side street in Center City, just a few minutes’ walk from City Hall. As soon as I walked in, I was amazed at all of the cool décor lining every inch of wall space throughout the building.
Harrigan’s Pub is located on County Line Road in Hatboro,
Pennsylvania. It is located in a shopping center with a bank and some stores. They
offer a variety of food and beverage options as well as music and events. There
are what looked like slot machines or other types of games next to the bar.
I went to the pub around noon on Sunday, August 3rd, 2025. This was my first time at this restaurant, though I have driven past it several times. When I walked in, I saw a bunch of people in military uniforms at the bar. I realized that the restaurant is near Bittleton Air Base. Still, I could not help but feel like I was walking in on some important meeting. After I looked around, I realized there were other patrons there as well, so I felt better about going in.
Garvey's Irish Pub is located on 41st Street in New
York, New York, right off 7th Avenue in the heart of Times
Square. It used to be called Gleason's before it changed to Garvey’s. It is
right down the block from the Hampton Inn and other hotels, as well as a few
Broadway theaters.
If you are looking for the restaurant on Google Maps, it might not show up unless you search for it yourself. When I was planning where to eat this past weekend while in NYC, I was looking up Irish pubs to eat at (shocking, I know). I was staying at the nearby Hampton Inn and found several in the Times Square area, but did not see Garvey’s until I was going to Carnegie Pizza.