Breakfast at The Field

This past Sunday I made another morning foray down to the Gaslamp Quarter, the center of San Diego's tourist trade and where many of San Diego's Nightclubs and Restaurants are located. This time I decided to actually have breakfast at The Field. I found parking right in front of The Field, a feat that would be impossible in a few hours, and since it was Sunday, I didn't have to feed the meter either.

The Field is my favorite Pub in San Diego and has a small but nice selection of ales and Porters. My usual beverage of choice here would be either a Draft Guinness or a Murphy's. I also enjoy the "Chips" at The Field, as well as the "Boxty" Dishes, which is a Traditional Potato Pancake filled and rolled with "filling". And we're not talking about an ordinary filling! My favorite is the Shepherds Pie Boxty, with a side of chips, and potato leek soup. So let's see there's the mashed potatoes from the Shepherds pie, the potato pancake, the chips, and the potato from the potato and leek soup - that'll be at least 4 starches! I'm in Carb heaven!

The interior of The Field was supposedly a genuine turn of the century Irish Pub that was moved piece by piece from Ireland. There are many funny and charming signs and memorabilia adorns the walls. Seating nooks and crannies are located through the Pub, which would either strike you a dark and dank, or if you're like me, warm and cozy. Many of the Employees of The Field are from Ireland, and the wonderful Irish accent is heard everywhere here, and definitely adds to the atmosphere.

This morning for breakfast you could start with items like Corned Beef and Eggs, Rasher(Irish Bacon) and Eggs, or what I usually get Sausage and Eggs. Or if you prefer to get an "early start", or need to approach "equilibrium", you could order Hare of the Dog - A Pint of Guinness and a Sausage or Rasher Sandwich. There were a few people having a pint of Guinness and Corned Beef Sandwiches this morning(at 9 am), I guess their watches were set at Eastern Time, following that old saying; "It's noon somewhere in the world."

So what did I get?(Pardon the pictures, it's always night in this Field)

No it's not a burrito, but a Ploughman's Boxty($7.95), which is scrambled eggs with rasher, sausage, and Irish Cheddar, wrapped in a potato pancake, and covered with a white gravy . My arteries shudder in fear at the very thought of eating this. To make this a complete 3 carb meal, Rosemary Breakfast Potatoes, and Wheaten Toast (which I love) are also served. For those worried about the other food groups; a slice of orange(fruits) and some parsley(veggies??, ummm, nice try, but maybe not) are also provided. Overall, I found the boxty to be a bit on the "dry" side, and the flavor of the eggs was not enough to carry through to the pancake. I think I'll stick with my Sausage and Eggs for breakfast; and "save" my boxty's for dinner. The potatoes were fine, well seasoned, and I really enjoy that dense, slightly sweet, and moist bread.

This was a fairly calorie-dense breakfast. I finished the toast and potatoes, but only manage half the boxty, and didn't even eat lunch! But if you're ever in need of a hearty breakfast in the Gaslamp, The Field deserves some consideration. But don't have too many of these, or the next "Field" you see, will be the one you're buried in!

The Field
544 5th Ave
San Diego, CA 92101

Postscript:

One last short funny story. One evening the Missus and I were having Dinner and a Pint at The Field. And the Missus sure was enjoying her Irish Stew(No longer on the menu), but something was obviously missing. Finally, unable to help Herself, She flagged down the Server and asked, "This is so delicious, but do you have any RICE?" The look on the Servers face was priceless! I got a nice sharp elbow when I whispered to the Missus, "And make sure to ask for some chopsticks too......."

Comments

[clare eats]

LOL!
I love the side story as well....
I would love to try one of those Boxty's, I still haven't managed to spy one down under yet :(

[stef]

calorie-dense is right LOL. that white gravy looks DENSE period. but oh so yummy!!! i have fond memories of our one trip to the gaslamp quarter in '98. wish to go back sometime. thanks for sharing, kirk.

[penny]

Wow Kirk, the boxty looks good (why is it called a boxty?)but talk about carb-a-licious! If you and the missus ever visit SF again, you gotta check out Liverpool Lil's. They have something called the Manchester Wellington, ground chuck wrapped in ham & pastry, baked in béarnaise sauce-it's literally the size of a small nerf football. Oi! I've only had it once and had to stop about 1/3 of the way through cause I thought I was going to burst. It's on Lyon street sort of in the Marina.

[Kirk]

Hi Clare - I love this place, but can't go to often, or I might end up in a "boxty" myself. The only Boxty I could find for OZ is Irish Times in Melbourne, which doesn't do you much good....

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/melbourne/D42844.html

Hi Stef - Hope your Househunting, and all your running around is going ok! I think dense is a very nice word to describe this, dense toast, dense gravy, dense calories! LOL!

Hi Penny - Welcome back! Nice to "hear" from you. I believe that the term refers to the Potato Pancake, and is an offshoot of the Gaelic "Bacsti" which according to The Fields website referrs to grilling over an open flame - how that became a potato pancake dish I'll never know! Thanks for the recommendation, I'll put that on my SF list for my next visit.

[howie]

I love the chips at The Field! I haven't tried the boxty yet, but it looks like I'll have to give them a chance.

Another cool thing about The Field is that they host a live Irish folk music jam often accompanied by Riverdance-like dancing. Very fun!

[Anon]

I like your blog. The irony is that, I feel very sorry for you, eating so unhealthily. You are eating your way to heart disease and other nasty things. I hope you're doubling up on the vitamins, fruits and leafy vegetables.

[Kirk]

Hi Howie - I enjoy the "Chips" as well, but don't care too much for the "Fish" here. I've visited when they've had the entertainment, and have enjoyed it, though it was very crowded.

Hi Anon - Thank you for your concern. Though seriously, what you see is probably 4-5 meals out of the 21 I have each week. People who meet me are quite shocked that I'm not a huge blob. Everything in moderation.....

[Reid]

Hi Kirk,

That is priceless. Stew and rice. I would have laughed even more if you came up with stew and poi. =)

The boxty looks interesting, but I can understand how you wouldn't want to eat it all the time. That gravy looks quite rich.

[stef]

LOL, about the unhealthy comment. i actually have fears about this on my blog. the ones that are interesting enough to post on the blog -- good for pictures and great for recipes -- are usually the "unhealthy" ones. we try to eat fresh fruits and veggies everyday, but it would be so boring if i blogged about every apple and broccoli stir-fry we ate. we *are* giving people a skewed view of our "food lives", but i don't think many of them realize that.

[Kirk]

Hi Reid - I don't think the Server would've known what poi was, might've though it was some derogatory remark and kicked us out! The Dinner Boxty's are much better, they don't have nor need any gravy - stuff like Guiness Stew and Shepherds Pie! delici-yoso!!!

Hi stef - You're exactly right. I can only do so many posts about eating cold tofu:

http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2005/09/yosolazy_someti.html

and don't particularly think my standard plain yogurt and banana breakfast, nor my usual lunch of turkey sandwich on wheat with mustard instead of mayo is worth writing about. The one thing that I find somewhat irritating though, is the passive/aggressive style of the post - I love this - but feel sorry for you - and the Anon name and bogus email....And the reader obviously didn't read previous posts!

[Beth]

I've been to The Field for drinks, but never to eat. It's good to know that they offer some delicious foodie options.

My husband has a keg-erator so we have a little pub in our house! Haha!

[Kirk]

Hi Beth - LOL! A "keg-erator" would be a dangerous item in this household as well!

[James]

Aaah The Field. Definately one of the cooler places to hang out in downtown SD. Decent food and good drinks, plus great atmosphere. The Fish and Chips are pretty good as well.

[Kirk]

Hi James - I really do enjoy the Field - when it's not too crowded. I like the Chips, but though I think the Fish here looks really nice. I enjoy the Fish at the Princess Pub in Little Italy better(am I opening a can of worms here....). So the Chips from the Field, and the Fish from the POW.

[James]

Ah, I went to the Princess Pub once. Interesting place but I never tried the Fish and Chips there. Speaking of Pubs, have you been by the Shakesphere Pub further down on India near Washington Street Kirk?

[Kirk]

Hi James - I've been to Shakespeare three times, but maybe it was because of the times I went there - it was more of a "meet-market" scene, and the chips were greasy. The fish is served as one large "chunk" and once was still frozen in the middle. A few of my friends swear by the place though.

[Jo]

I think in England the fish are fried whole. I've often wondered about that as well as what sort of fish it was and if different varieties were served in different places.

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - Don't know about that, though still frozen fish is terrible....In places I've been to, most times it's been cod, or another similar fish.

[Jo]

well... I suppose it wouldn't be to thrilling to bite into frozen fish... After all, it's only a step away from raw! ::wink::

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - It's a step alright, a step in the wrong direction....