Restaurant Review: After Northwest Side Irish Parade, head to Norwood Park’s Mystic Rogue for Boxtys and other Irish delights

There’s no week in Chicago like St. Patrick’s Day week. Blessed with a substantial Irish population as well as one of  the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the country, you and your family can celebrate from Friday, March 13-21 throughout Chicago’s many communities, from Jefferson Park on the North Side to Beverly on the South Side.

While everyone is aware of the downtown celebrations…the dyeing of the Chicago River, the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and rivers of green beer and Irish coffee flowing from Irish pubs, what might not be as familiar is the Northwest Side’s Irish Parade,  as well as the myriad Irish pubs there.

“Boxty on the griddle; boxty on the pan. If you can’t make boxty, you’ll never get a man!”

Old Irish Proverb

In this season of St. Patrick, Dean’s Team Chicago is focusing on one Irish Pub…Norwood Park’s Mystic Rogue, that serves this rare Irish treat called the Boxty, (Irish: bacstaí or steaimpí) a traditional Irish potato pancake. As Wikipedia sources say, the dish is mostly associated with the north midlands, north Connacht and southern Ulster, in particular the counties of Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Fermanagh, Longford, and Cavan. There are many recipes but all contain finely grated, raw potatoes and all are served fried.

I’ve hunted for a boxty throughout Chicago, and find the best in Irish pubs committed to using fresh vegetables  and other ingredients. 

Home of the Boxty

Mystic Rogue is one of the few Irish pubs that serves an Irish boxty. “It’s a northwest [Ireland] peculiarity,” Pádraic Óg Gallagher, chef and owner of Gallagher’s Boxty House in Dublin, told America’s Test Kitchen, reported by Block Club Chicago.

Boxty, according to the article, is almost always made of at least grated potato and flour. From there, recipes vary. Some call for a mix of grated and mashed potatoes, while others add milk. Typically, they’re fried in butter on a griddle, but they’re occasionally baked.

At Mystic Rogue,  their BOXTY VEGGIE is a homemade potato pancake filled with bell peppers, zucchini, onion, and broccoli in a white wine sauce. And, you can add shrimp or chicken for an upcharge. Tasty, and highly recommended! 

But there’s lots more to Mystic Rogue than their traditional boxtys. There, you can start with Irish-inspired starters as IRISH BITES. Mystic Rogue’s special pretzel is served with cheese sauce or honey mustard on the side. GAELIC WINGS are tossed in your choice of buffalo, sweet chipotle, or Irish curry.  served with veggie sticks and your choice of ranch or blue cheese dressing. DECLAN SAUSAGE ROLLS are traditional Irish sausages wrapped in puff pastry and served with brown mushroom gravy. IRISH NACHOS are a lucky twist, made with sliced potatoes, cheese, corned beef, bacon, sour cream, tomatoes and green onion.

Moving on, their CORNED BEEF SANDWICH is home-cooked corned beef with cheese on light rye bread, and served hot or cold. Add in sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing, and you have their REUBEN SANDWICH!

Entrees are an Irish delight. BANGERS AND MASH have Winston sausages served over mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy. CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE is a specialty…their own cooked corned beef served with cabbage, vegetables and boiled potatoes. Horseradish is available on request. CURRY CHICKEN  has a diced chicken breast, sautéed with bell peppers and onions, then bathed in Irish curry. It’s served with your choice of white rice or fries. PUB STEAK is served with mashed potatoes, onion straws, and Guinness peppercorn sauce, with mushrooms on the side. SHEPHERDS PIE has ground beef, green peas, carrots, and onions topped with golden brown mashed potatoes, accompanied by homemade brown bread. Their IRISH BREAKFAST is a full Irish breakfast with two eggs, Irish sausage, Irish bacon, black and white pudding (don’t ask!) Irish beans, fried tomato, and served with your choice of toast or homemade brown bread.

Mystic Rogue is located at 6070 North Northwest Highway. Their kitchen is open Sundays from 11am –10pm, Monday- Thursday, 12pm-9pm, and Friday and Saturday, 11am-10pm. No reservations; first-come, first served.  For more information on their St. Patrick’s Day celebration, click here.  

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago