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WEE TASTE OF SCOTLAND IN THE RANCH
LAKEWOOD RANCH -- So, yeah, of course they have haggis at MacAllisters pub on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch.
It wouldn't be a Scottish restaurant without at least one menu item featuring that most-famous of Scot fare -- the pungent sausage made of internal sheep organs.
But true to its overall sense of style and comfort, MacAllisters dishes up the haggis in tiny bites wrapped in pastry puffs drizzled with sweet onion sauce and whole-grain mustard.
There's more pastry than the clove-ish tasting sausage, and maybe that's good for newbies to the Scottish way of eating.
MacAllisters, one of a handful of new dining options on Main Street, finds a balance between its beloved Scotland and the reality of its location in suburban Florida.
The menu is only spotted with Scottish dishes (marked by the Scottish flag) like fish and chips, thin-sliced smoked salmon on baguettes, steak pie with mashed potatoes, and cullen skink soup.
(Another definition is called for: Cullen skink soup is a chowder of creamy smoked haddock with onions, potatoes and parsley.)
But more traditional pub grub is available at MacAllisters.
Steamed clams share space with coconut shrimp and even quesadillas on the appetizer menu. Classic American dinner offerings include 8-ounce hamburgers, pork tenderloin and blackened grouper.
But even those who order the New York strip steak will find themselves eating it in a setting more Edinburgh than East Manatee.
Wooden booths with plaid back rests can seat six comfortably with elbow room enough for pint-tossing or Scotch-sipping. Photos of Scotland and famous golf courses dot the walls. Scottish trivia plaques abound; who knew that telephone-inventor Alexander Graham Bell was born in Edinburgh?
Beers on tap in the small but cozy bar area include Scottish faves like Belhaven ale, Strongbow Cider and Guiness Stout from nearby Ireland. The list of fine Scotches available at the bar is too long to list.
Interested?
WHAT: MacAllisters restaurant and pub.
WHERE: 8110 Lakewood Main St.
HOURS: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon to 11 p.m. Sunday.
PRICES: Lunches, salads, sandwiches, $6-$10; dinners $11-$23.
INFORMATION: 359-2424 or http://www.macallisters.com/.
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Staff Report
Published July 13, 2006
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