Jacob’s Well

If you find yourself in the small town of Rathdrum, south of Dublin, this is pretty much the only restaurant to try.
My friend and I went on a hiking holiday in Ireland and we spent our first night in Rathdrum. Again, the town is very small and there isn’t too much to do/​eat around it, so Jacob’s Well was a stand-​out.
It’s a comfortable restaurant; the atmosphere was very cozy and casual. Some tables had pillows and throws on the chairs/​benches, and all the way in the back, there was a piano and a pool table.
We ordered breaded brie to start. This was probably one of the best things I had on my trip. The cheese just oozed out after you cut the wedge. The sauce drizzled on the plate was some sort of raspberry heaven. We pretty much licked the plate clean.
For entrees, my friend ordered the onion and meat pie. It was really hot the flavors of the beef and onions were good. I ordered the Jacob’s Irish beef stew. The stew was of a heavier consistency, and in general, I thought that the whole thing was too salty. The stew of beef and root vegetables was on top of a bed of mashed potatoes. I tried to even out the saltiness of the stew with the mashed potatoes, but in the end, I drank 3 glasses of water to compensate.
The service wasn’t the best unfortunately. I had to go up to the bar to ask for refills of my water. The staff were not very friendly, but I’m not saying that they were mean or rude either; they just go about their business with no bows or frills.

Pub and B&B in downtown setting. Traditional Irish food and atmosphere is very good. Very friendly staff and patrons. The B&B is quiet and very comfortable.