Posted March 1, 2014

By ASHLEY ZIMMERMAN

FORT LAUDERDALE — The Dubliner, offers a homey vibe with warm tones of earthy browns and greens, wood tables and soft lighting.

Smithwick’s fish and chips, $14.50, includes beer-battered haddock, potato frites, and housemade tartar sauce.

This modern day Irish pub hits the spot; a perfect place to spend the evening laughing and talking with friends over good food and a wide variety of drinks.

With indoor and outdoor seating and a separation between the bar and dining areas, the diner has the option of having conversation with their quests without needing to yell over loud music often found in bars and pubs.

While this pub does offer a great bar scene, it’s kept separate from the more intimate dining experience.

The service leaves nothing to be desired. Jake, our server, was attentive, friendly, genuine, and it didn’t hurt that he was attractive. Before we were finished with our drinks or meals, he was there to check on us, seeing to our every need with a smile on his face. The manager of the restaurant even came by each table to make sure all the guests were having a good experience.

The Dubliner offers a tempting selection of appetizers. The ($9) Irish sliders, made with corned beef, cabbage, pickled onions and sweet grain mustard are bursting with flavor and satisfyingly portioned. The ($8) Boxty pancakes, however, left something to be desired. These potato pancakes, served with apple sauce, honey and sour cream, were dense, lacking in seasoning and undercooked.

Among the variety of soups and salads, the ($5) potato leek soup was a winner. This traditional Irish dish was light, wonderfully seasoned, hot and comforting. The ($11) beet and goat cheese salad made with red and gold beets, young greens, ginger cabbage, goat cheese fritter and an orange chutney was a little lacking in flavor.

The star of the salad, was without a doubt, the goat cheese fritter which could easily be served alone as an appetizer. This warm goat cheese fritter was light, crispy, warm and bursting with flavor. With more orange chutney, this dish could be a much bigger hit.

Among the choices in entrees was the ($16.50) vegetarian shepherd’s pie made with tofu, sautéed veggies, and the traditional mashed potato and cheese baked in a cast iron skillet and served piping hot. This vegetarian option was just as good as any carnivore’s shepherd’s pie out there. Seasoned beautifully, hearty and satisfying, this dish left nothing to be desired.

Of course, you can’t go to an Irish pub without indulging in ($14.50) fish and chips and the Dubliner’s take on this dish is spectacular. A whole fillet of crispy beer batter fried haddock is served with a homemade tarter and potato fries. The fish itself is crispy and moist without being overly greasy and perfectly seasoned. The tartar sauce has the perfect amount of dill and is a wonderful compliment to the fish. This dish alone is well worth the trip this pub, especially when paired with a nice mug of ($6) Guinness or Strongbow.

Inside the Dubliner.

Not to be outdone by the fish and chips, the ($7) Guinness mocha pudding cake is a creative take on chocolate cake.

The right balance of sweetness, and rich dark chocolate is served atop a layer of creamy custard and topped with fresh cream.

The Guinness flavor is subtle and not at all overpowering, making this dessert a real hit, perfect with either a glass of Guinness or their hot and creamy Irish coffee.

Overall, the Dubliner is well worth the trip. While not every dish is out of this world, there are some real stand out dishes and the comfortable, casual atmosphere and friendly service all combine to make this pub, one to revisit.

A far cry from some of the divey Irish pubs out there, the Dubliner stands alone in food quality, service, atmosphere and creativity.

• The Dubliner
• Address: 210 SW 2nd St., Fort. Lauderdale, Fla. 33301
• Phone: 954-523-1213
• Hours: Sundays-Thursdays: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays: 11 a.m.-3 a.m.
• Prices: $5-$12.50 appetizers $10-$26 entrees $7 desserts
• Dress: No enforced dress code, casual or formal
• Credit cards and cash accepted