M’Coul’s Public House

110 W. McGee Street

Greensboro

Fish ‘n chips ‘n more

Pass the Haggis please. Actually there is no Haggis, but M’Coul’s Public House in Greensboro’s burgeoning artsy downtown has much to recommend it anyway.

Pub style restaurants are nothing new to this area, but it’s difficult to maintain full authenticity with a populace who would rather watch NASCAR than championship darts. Some of these establishments have conceded to the sports-bar model, reflecting British-style pubs in name only. But M’Coul’s seems to be holding fast to its re-creation of a real neighborhood pub.

There is an outdoor dining area that looks like a good place to read Dylan Thomas, drink stout and wax poetic. Inside, the restaurant is dark, with high-backed booths that offer privacy and a square center bar for more single-minded patrons. Van Morrison and the Chieftains played softly in the background.

M’Coul’s service was friendly and patient. Waiters are an underrated lot. Often overshadowed by tempestuous “artist” chefs, so much of a restaurant’s appeal comes from the service-staff. There is a reason so many aspiring actors are waiters; it is a perfect forum for practicing their craft. Plus, the good ones can actually make a decent living.

The beer-menu lists several standard British imports on tap. The Boddington’s tempted me, but I wanted to try a wheat beer so I chose Hoegaarden. An orange wedge garnished the glass. I’m not a believer in mixing beer and fruit, so I declined to squeeze the orange in. The beer was light, and although I might have done better with a Newcastle, the wheat beer accompanied the food very well.
I’ve had fish-and-chips all over Britain (although the best I’ve ever had were in South Africa) so I had to see how M’Coul’s stacked up. These fish-and-chips demonstrated a good marriage between a southern fish plate (cole-slaw, tartar sauce) and the English version (stout beer-batter and malt-vinegar).

I was grateful that the chips weren’t soggy, which is a curse or a blessing of English chips depending on where you stand. The fish was lightly-fried and flakey. Another member of our group agreed that they were “pretty-freakin’-good” fish-and-chips.

The bill for a beer and fish-and-chips came to just under $20. The quality of the experience definitely matched the price-tag. Fish-and-chips may be less expensive in England, but in the long run, if you count airfare and lodging for a trip to England, M’Coul’s is the better deal.

Ploughman’s lunch (cheese, bread, pickles and pickled onions), lamb-pie, and shepherd’s pie (ground beef or lamb, vegetables and mashed-potatoes) round out a very appealing selection of pub-grub on McCouls’ menu. This combined with the restaurant’s low-key efficiency, great draught selection, and its off-the-main-thoroughfare location make M’Coul’s the closest approximation of a neighborhood pub that I have experienced in this area.

It may be a while before I can get back to Edinburgh or the Isle of Skye, so it is good to know there is a place that can duplicate the rich tradition of the British public house right here in downtown Greensboro.