Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug:
Authenticity Comes with Simplicity

By CATHOLINE BUTLER

VANCOUVER - Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug has been open in downtown Vancouver for the past six months. It's not an upscale Irish establishment, nor have the owners scoured Ireland looking for artifacts - it's authenticity comes from the fact that it has no pretensions. Fox's is an Irish snug, and a very comfortable one at that!

BARTENDER JAKE with owner Paul Roberts at Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug on Granville Street, holding a perfect temperature controlled Guinness

When I recently dropped into this new establishment, who was the first person I saw sitting at the bar? None other than Gavan Connolly, the president of the Vancouver Irish Sporting and Social Club. To be very fair to Gavan, it was almost 5:30 P.M., well after working hours on the local construction sites. Right there, I figured this place has merit.

Paul Roberts, the owner of Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug, has Liverpool Irish roots which is, after all, the capital of Ireland! Paul has an extensive hospitality background and Guinness is his favourite beverage, which qualifies him for some insider information on running an Irish snug.

The decor of Johnnie Fox's is very eclectic, including some old benches from Paul's mother's kitchen and pews from a church in Kitsilano. These help make up the snug cubicles that create such a warm homey atmosphere.

Roberts believes there are three items that make up a good Celtic establishment....good food, good beer and good value. Expounding on his theory, Paul said, "I also believe, that we have the best pint of Guinness in town, since our draft lines are clean and short and our Guinness is perfectly chilled to pull the perfect pint."

So, where did the name come from? Could it be associated with the famous Johnnie Fox's Pub in Glencullen in the Dublin mountains? This is one of Ireland's oldest and most famous traditional Irish pubs and undoubtedly the highest pub in the country.

On the contrary explained Paul. Some years ago, he played guitar in a band called Johnnie Star Fox and the Glorious Revolution, and he liked the name Johnnie Fox. Since his establishment can cosily seat 60 people, he decided on the name Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug.

Johnnie Fox's has an extensive and interesting menu starting with their potato bacon and leek soup. Some of their other popular starters are Dublin-dilla, which is a spinach tortilla stuffed with chicken, black beans, corn, roasted peppers, green onions and cheese, served with salsa and sour cream. Patcho's is another entree that would appeal to the Irish with its thick potato coins, cheese, olives, tomatoes and green onions.

There is also a good selection of salads, including a warm spinach and goat cheese salad. And a variety of burgers and sandwiches are available, along with other hearty pub grub such as Kilkenny Irish ale battered cod and chips and bangers and mash.

One item that Robert is especially proud of is his prime rib beef dip on a bun, which he feels will be his signature dish. Another future item that Paul has on the back burner is baked oysters. He's toying with the idea of having an oyster Friday along with entertainment. Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug carries all the favourite Celtic beverages such as Guinness, Kilkenny, Harp Lager, and Strongbow Dry English Cider, to name a few. It is located at 1033 Granville Street in downtown Vancouver and doors open at 4 PM. For more information, call (604) 685-4946, or visit their website at: www.johnniefox.ca.

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