A Mighty Feed

The thing about St. Patrick's Day, of course, is that it's a marathon and not a sprint. And to make the most of your holiday, you need to start with a good feed. This isn't just a good idea, it's the law. Or it ought to be, anyway. And I'm not talking granola and fruit here. I'm certainly not talking Lucky Charms...there ought to be a law against those, too. No, I'm talking about a fry. A good old Irish breakfast, with meat and eggs and bread and pudding and potatoes.

So having settled the when and what and why, the question becomes, where? Allow me to offer a couple of suggestions.

First, with the venerable and well established:

Our friends and long time Irish Fest vendors at Browne's Irish Market and Deli, at 33rd and Penn will be serving an authentic Irish breakfast with eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, rashers & bangers (Irish bacon and sausage), fresh baked Irish breads, tea, juice and coffee, beginning at 6:30 AM. They'll have a heated tent and loads of room, with the live Irish music of "The Youngers"”. You can even meet Mayor Kay Barnes when she presents a proclamation to Buck O'’Neil at 8:45am. Buck, of course has been named the 2006 Mike Murphy honorary Irishman of the Year by the Kansas City St. Patrick'’s Day Parade Committee.

Second, the newcomer...sort of:

My old friend and Kansas City's premier Irish chef, Domhnall Molloy let me know this morning that McCormick and Schmick on the Plaza, where he reigns as head cooker, will be hosting their first annual traditional Irish breakfast on Friday from 7:00 to 10:30. A mere $9.95 will get you a plate of scrambled eggs, rashers, bangers, O'Brien potatoes, grilled tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, fresh baked Irish soda bread and coffee or juice. Plus, black and white pudding for those of us who love it. There will also be drink specials including Bloody Máire's and a Green Mimosa, among other whistle wetters. John Morris performs live Irish music from 8:00 to 10:00. Reservations are recommended and you can make them by calling (816) 531-6800. McCormick & Schmick is located at 448 West 47th St., under that big dome.

What a great choice to have to make. Me? I'll be skipping dinner on Thursday so I can eat at both places.