Dining With Gilles

by Gilles and Kathy Syglowski

Killarney House
584 Central Avenue
Davidsonville, MD
410-798-8700

We hop quite often from restaurant to restaurant, and we always look forward to an Irish experience—not only for the food, but also for the hospitality. And this time was no exception. Our visit to Killarney House in Davidsonville rewarded us with a delightful and very ample feast.

Years ago, the location was home to the Spring House, which did deli and packaged goods. It burned down in 2000 and Michael Galway and Anthony Clarke, who also own Galway Bay in Annapolis, took the opportunity to expand their successful services.

They rebuilt it into a spacious, open barn-like structure, with exposed beams, cedar paneling, farm tools on the walls, a huge stone fireplace, and paintings of the Irish countryside. The stained glass windows are draped in plaid and wagon-wheel chandeliers cast a cozy glow. It’s comfortable and warm, with a background of Celtic music to remind you why you’re here.

The Killarney House menu is authentic Irish, quite extensive, and there’s a taste for everyone. For starters, we split the potato leek soup; rich and made from scratch. It was a fine choice, and we moved on to even better ones for our appetizers. The traditional shallow fried potato pancakes (served with a ranch style dressing) and smoked salmon rolls stuffed with potato salad were both excellent and quite copious.

As for our entrees, Kathy chose the Salmon Galway Bay, a baked fresh salmon filet overstuffed with crabmeat and laced in a light champagne citrus cream sauce that was delectable. It was served with a very nice garden rice and fresh vegetable medley. She enjoyed every bite and even though she didn’t finish, she put quite a dent on her plate.

I was adventurous and looked for something more substantial and original: the Magner’s Pork Loin. Wow! Slow roasted, perfectly seasoned, thick sliced…. it melted in your mouth, flavorful and meaty. The huge portion was sided with mashed potatoes (I know… potatoes again) and fresh root vegetables. What a delight.

For dessert, there’s a kicker. The policy at Killarney House says that if you are under 30 and you have not been carded, you get a free dessert. Well… it didn’t work for us. We had to buy ours. Kathy opted for a delicious homemade bread pudding, laced in (what else?) Irish whisky sauce, and I enjoyed a rhubarb strawberry pie that was so good I wanted another one.

If it’s a true touch of Eire you’re after, Killarney House will suit you well. Many of the wait staff are Irish students who work here over the summer, and every Tuesday you can sing along with different groups. All the art displayed is done by family and friends. Stop in to savor the atmosphere, and don’t forget to ask for the daily and weekly specials.

From Kimberly Armacast, the manager, and our server, Tiffany, we got impeccable service offered in the friendliest possible way. With fine food and great people like this (even a Dutch bartender, to add to the Euro feel), it added up to a memorable evening out.