“Do you actually like haggis?”
“No, I think it’s repellent in every way. In fact, I think most Scottish cuisine is based on a dare.”
That quote, from the 1993 film “So I Married an Axe Murder”, was all I knew about Scottish cuisine before visiting MacNiven’s, a Scottish-American bar and restaurant on the south end of Mass Ave. Was it true or merely for comic effect? I would soon find out.
The bar at MacNivens
I had a group of friends coming in town from Bloomington to catch a show at the Old National Centre (formerly known as the Murat) and they wanted a unique dining and drinking experience that wasn’t too far from the venue. I’m happy to report that MacNiven’s covered all bases.
With a large group of guys the first prerequisite to choosing any establishment is the beverage selection. Well, the folks at MacNiven’s know their beer and offer some adventurous tastes. They carried Sun King on draft (a local favorite) but also offered a wide selection of imports; with everything from a fine Belgiun Lambic to Scottish Ale and English Ciders. With drinks flowing it was time to grub.
We started with an order of onion rings. These gargantuan rings came four to a plate, with each standing nearly 3 inches tall. These were some seriously meaty rings. Next, it was time for the haggis sampler. To be honest, I didn’t know what I was trying when I first spread this odd, meat-like substance on rye bread and put it in my mouth. I later looked it up on Wikepedia to discover the following:
“Haggis is a dish containing sheep’s ‘pluck’ (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal’s stomach for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach.”
Yikes. Lets just say it’s an acquired taste and move on with this review. While the haggis left a bit to be desired, the Scotch Egg was delicious. If you haven’t had one before, it’s a hard boiled egg that gets wrapped in pork sausage and fried. Healthy? Probably not. Tasty? Yes, yes it was. The rest of the crew dined on fish and chips, sausage rolls, roast beef manhattan and an assortment of other tasty treats. The wait staff was very patient with our big group and we left satisfied, having had a great experience.
We rolled out of MacNivens and were greeted by a bustling street scene up and down Mass Ave. I love that neighborhood and I love MacNivens. Next time, however, I will hold off on the haggis.
