Dallas' affinity for pubs seems to be limitless. Bric-a-brac, beer and burgers always find a welcome.
A leading purveyor of come-as-you-are comfortability, Feargal McKinney, known for the Old Monk, Idle Rich and Blackfriar pubs, has just opened the Skellig on a thickly settled stretch of Henderson Avenue.
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Don't expect many surprises -- pub fans won't -- though the sylphic servers in Daisy Duke cutoffs caused at least one set of eyes to bug. Do expect rough-hewn surfaces (the Skellig is more rustic than the
J Black's it replaced), sturdy victuals, abundant suds (19 beers on draft) and sports-tuned TV screens. A 30-by-20-foot rectangular bar anchors the interior; spacious patios gird the north and west exteriors.
It's a mark of how prevalent cocktail culture has become that the Skellig boasts a passable short list. Drinks include an exceptional Old-Fashioned (Buffalo Trace bourbon, dosed with Peychaud's bitters instead of Angostura) and the tasty Sipsmith (Caña Brava rum, St. Germain liqueur, Fernet-Branca and bitters). Both are $10.
More: Look inside The Skellig, new pub now open on Henderson Avenue in Dallas
The bar is named for the Skellig Islands in Ireland. Another touch of whimsy is the background music. A tuba-forward version of Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" by the Hot 8 Brass Band and a deep cut from David Byrne played one evening last week.
