Good seafood at Irish eatery

Strange as it may seem to anyone who's been to Annapolis, we never noticed how many Irish bars there are there. Once we started looking, it seemed like there was one on every corner. We're not sure what the link is between the Naval Academy, the overall seafaring character of the city and the Emerald Isle, but there's an O'Brien's, an O'Leary's and a Riordan's in Annapolis, to name just a few.

Sean Donlon, Ireland's ambassador to Washington for many years, has lent his name to this newish establishment, which is on West Street, just outside the center of town. The front door opens on a large and attractive bar, with space left over for the traditional Irish musicians the restaurant presents most nights. There are several small dining rooms around the back, as well as an outdoor garden with umbrella tables and a fountain. The overall effect is charming.

Befitting an Irish establishment, Sean Donlon's has many, many kinds of beer on tap, along with a complete array of spirits and a small wine selection. The menu features such traditional Irish dishes as braised lamb stew, fishermen's pie and smoked salmon imported from Ireland, along with American standards like meatloaf, burgers and steaks. There are also some borrowed British items like fish and chips (made correctly with cod, a rarity these days) and shepherd's pie, originally a Scottish concoction, made at Sean Donlon's with lamb.

The restaurant's owner and host, a friendly, gregarious Irishman named Ted Joyce, pointed out that the corned beef, a famous "Irish" dish, was actually borrowed as well - from immigrant Jewish neighbors in New York and Boston. Corned beef is also the only item on the restaurant's menu that is not house-made.

We began our meal with seafood chowder, a creamy mix of mackerel, cod, salmon and whatever else is fresh. It was very good, if a little out of season for summer in Maryland. We then moved on to fried mushrooms in a Harp-beer batter. The mushrooms, which are substantial, lack any distinctive taste and would probably be better at the bar with a beer than they are as a dinner appetizer. We moved on to good, fresh mussels and cockles (small clam-like shellfish), which were served in a bowl of steaming broth. Finally, we ordered smoked salmon, which, while conventionally served with onions and capers, went well with the soda bread that comes to the table.

For entrees, we tried homemade grilled Irish sausages with mashed potatoes, a special grilled veal chop, pork chops and fish and chips. The sausages and mashed potatoes were the standout - the potatoes were creamy and the sausages had crisp skin on the outside and tender, juicy meat inside. The generous portion of fish and chips was fresh and flavorful but arrived a little cold. All the chops - veal and pork - were plain and unadorned, but well-prepared.

We skipped dessert, but noted that the restaurant offers a changing menu of cheesecakes and real Irish coffee, topped with big scoops of fresh whipped cream.

With its pale gold-washed walls accented by dark wood, its cozy, low-ceilinged rooms and the strains of Irish music reaching back from the bar, Sean Donlon's would make a perfect spot for a chilly winter's night. It's also nice in the summer, with the fountain gurgling in the garden, but an Irish pub always feels to us like a place to come in from the cold.

The food is fine, but the service at Sean Donlon's could use some improvement. Our waitress was pleasant, but inexperienced, and the service was very slow. Perhaps that was more the kitchen's fault than it was hers. Table service aside, stick to Irish dishes and beer on tap, and you'll find Sean Donlon's a convivial place.

Sean Donlon's

37 West St., Annapolis 410-263-1993

Hours: Open daily for lunch and dinner

Credit cards: All major cards

Prices: Appetizers $4.95 to $8.50; entrees $10.50 to $19.95

Food: * * 1/2

Service: * *

Atmosphere: * * *1/2

Ratings system: Outstanding: * * * *; Good * * *; Fair or uneven * *; Poor *