Pot-O-Gold Found at O'Shashy's Irish Bakery on Mulberry St.

As St. Patty's Day approaches, I long for my homeland where the Guinness flows green in Dublin. So much do I pine for my Erin Go Bragh that I swear I see Irish themes in the strangest of places. Recently, after sampling many of the local eateries in this area, I had come to believe that the same Leprechaun that set Mobile all abuzz had migrated to this area and for some inexplicable reason now operated Shashy's Bakery and Fine Foods on Mulberry Street. Of course, all I had to go on was this amatuer sketch made by a resident of Mobile a few years back.

Amateur sketch of the Mobile Leprechaun.

Upon arrival at Shashy's I was affirmed and delighted to see the owner of Shashy's nimbly leaping from table to table like a capuchin monkey dressed like the Notre Dame mascot. He bore a striking resemblance to the amateur sketch (as would anyone in a green hat).

Being originally from Ireland, I knew that Leprechauns each guard a pot of gold so I was comforted by my belief that if I deviated from the regular lunch menu and north of the ten-dollar lunch Tojo-Line, there might be a source of payment nearby IF I could catch the little fellow and make him tell me where it was hidden.

But this Monday, the Ides of March, it was "Et Tu Carpe?" Indeed, it was the Cornbread Carp who called in his marker for a free lunch and then piled on by insisting that we lunch at expensive Shashy's with all the girls in tennis outfits fresh from their lessons at The Club. I could not tell whether the Carp was trying to maximize the value of his prior wager or just wanted to ogle the hotties. Ahh, the younger generation: Money is no object when someone else is paying and cute girls are involved. But back to the review:

Located across from the old Rexall Drug Store on Mulberry (where as a pippin I gambled for speckled gum balls that entitled you to a highly-coveted "Shrunken Head" toy each day on the way home from Forest Avenue School), Shashy's has been a Gump Icon for about 15 years as a bakery and as a lunch haven. Now they even serve breakfast! Of course, the Carp saw the "Fresh from the Famer's Market Vegetable Plate" came with cornbread and added the meat loaf covered with Creole sauce just to stick it to me for another buck fifty (2 Euros). The Carp almost fainted when the cornbread arrived warm with a pat of REAL BUTTER (not that crappy Promise spread). Yes it melted! It melted so fast the Carp could not devour the square before it was saturated in delicious buttery buttered butter-flavored sweet creamery butter. The vegetables were fresh, fresh, fresh: squash, onion, and field peas. So tasty but $11.50 without tea. See below:

Quite a plateful: Real Butter not shown.

Bama Bing and the Show Dog were also along (but I could not comp their meals without a loan from the 'chaun's Pot-O-Gold). But even though they were paying their own way, they went off the regular lunch menu to order the special Shrimp Etouffee which were each $12.95 (a buck more than the crayfish version and about three times what the same dish costs at Baumhowers). Bing did note that the extra shrimp cost about a buck each. The recession must be over or they had more incentive to catch the 'chaun! They both raved about the buttery roux. Money means nothing to Bing as he also ordered the tea bringing the total for his indulgence to $15.90. Funny, but even though Show Dog had exactly the same order, his totaled up at $14.80. Must have been the fact that Bing never takes off his sunglasses and they thought he was blind.

I opted for the local favorite Po-Boy and was not disappointed. With water, I left Shashy's sated and with change for my ten-spot. No need for me to catch the Leprechaun and make him talk. The po-boy was outstanding!

Since the service was pretty good, we left fairly hefty tips, for us.

Only bad experience was having my bubble burst by being assured I was just imagining that Jimmy Shashy was Irish when, in fact, I am told the Shashy's are of Lebanese descent (or something like that). I know they have been in the Gump for at least two generations and their dad doctored most of us in the 60s when we got sick eating the Atomic Fireballs. Regardless, on St. Patty's Day everyone is Irish at Shashy's, one of the Gump's best places to have lunch--and perhaps even breakfast. On behalf of the entire LITG crew, we apologize for not reviewing this "Pot-Of-Gump-Gold" sooner.

Go n-eírí an bóthar leat!

Lunch off the Bench: Reggie's Place

There is a little known but friendly little lunch group which meets once a month at 1 Church Street in New Philadelphia (Old Gumptown) at "Reggie's Place."  It may be the safest place to eat in the Gump. It is one of those exclusive "invite only" eateries where you have to show picture I.D. and traipse through a metal detector to gain access under the watchful eye of uniformed bouncers.  You even can bring your own "brown bag" lunch: not cool!  However, if you are fortunate to be invited, the decour is impressive, the conversation is interesting and, I have to add, after some discussion about how the court system works, included a shameless plug for your favorite www.lunchinthegump.com. Whoo hoo LITG!

Actually, in the basement of One Church there is a pretty good little eatery where you can get really good juror food.  Juror food is what you eat when you are under court order to decide a dispute among the government and some "falsely accused" defendant and you do not have enough time to visit Hamburger King to get your grease quota.  Some of the Gump's jurists find the crunchy egg rolls and noodles to be a nice diversion from listening to lawyers drone on and on about whether their clients were or were not aware of the obvious. Prices are pretty reasonable too, since the captive audience of "Feddies" ("Statey's who work for the Federal Gov't" and indentured jurors) is pretty savvy about the price of tea in China and not afraid to pack their own lunches if the prices rise above market.  I highly recommend non-counterfeit cash because currency experts abound.

Yours truly, being an esquire from Dublin, was recently invited to lunch at "Reggie's Place" with some of the Gump's federal i.e. non-Statey jurists and members of the bar seeking audience with the same.  Now, when I say members of the bar I may or may not be referring to card carrying (the former) Kat N Harri's regulars or members of the Federal Bar Association.  Take your pick.  Pip pip.

I know this: Judges always tell funny jokes, judging by the responses of esquires. And the food at "Reggie's Place," while it may be brought in a sack, tastes awfully good while you sit among jurists who seem like regular people in person.  So, if you have the opportunity to visit the exclusive "Reggie's" for a sack lunch I suggest you take the opportunity to rub elbows with folks who are dealing, on a day to day basis, with those who might take your lunch if given half a chance.  Remember, you will probably need a picture I.D., your own sack lunch and beverage.  The cost to enter: free.  My rating: Depending on your choice of sack lunch and assuming it did not come from Chappy's: variable.

Cheerio.

CNA, MP, Esq.

Originally posted on http://www.lunchinthegump.com/