My friend Joyce, who now lives in Dallas,
recently requested two food items during a visit to her hometown of
Springfield: a Vose’s corn dog and a D’Arcy’s
horseshoe, not necessarily in that order. Joyce isn’t the only one who knows that
D’Arcy’s Pint has made a name for itself by serving some of the
city’s best horseshoes (its version of this artery-clogging
sandwich was featured in an episode of Roker
on the Road, a Food Network program
that stars Today Show personality Al Roker). And readers of Illinois Times have
repeatedly picked D’Arcy’s as the best place in
Springfield for horseshoes. Since 1998, it’s also been a
popular place for such traditional Irish dishes as shepherd’s
pie and Dublin pot roast. So it was cause for consternation when
D’Arcy’s closed its doors at its Town and Country
Shopping Center this year and moved to a new building just down the
road. After the restaurant opened at the new
location, I heard rumblings about long lines and crowded rooms
— but, to me, that sounded a lot like the old place. So here
are my criteria for comparing the new and the old: Does the
horseshoe still melt in your mouth? Yes. Is the new
D’Arcy’s crowded and noisy? Yes. Will you have to wait
for a table? Yes. Is the wait worthwhile? Yes.
The outside of the building, featuring tan
stonework, is definitely more attractive than the old
D’Arcy’s, although it looks more like a chain
restaurant than a neighborhood watering hole. The décor is
homey yet elegant, with gold walls and dark-wood wainscoting, a
stone fireplace, and massive antique oak bar, with a harp and other
musical instruments adorning a wall. The old soul is there, just
wrapped in a more upscale package. The new space features an
inviting patio for warm-weather dining. When I visited D’Arcy’s recently
with three friends, we waited approximately 20 minutes for a table
after arriving at 7 p.m. on a weeknight. We started our meal with
an order of Irish boxty, D’Arcy’s version of
Ireland’s traditional potato cakes. The three flaky cakes,
graced with a crunchy coating, were topped with bacon and
scallions, then drizzled with homemade cheese sauce. They were a
delicious and unusual start to the meal. Other options include an oyster
combination platter, spinach-and-artichoke dip, chicken wings, and
Irish nachos (made with waffle fries instead of chips). For her entrée, my friend Amy chose a
grilled-chicken sandwich with just tomatoes and pickles. It was
served exactly as she ordered it, proving that you can order a
healthy meal there. I tried the evening’s special: red
snapper stuffed with crabmeat. The light, flaky fish, adorned with
a gently browned breadcrumb coating, was flavorful and filling. My
friend Joyce indulged her craving with a Buffalo-chicken ponyshoe,
a heavenly concoction of large, meaty chicken strips, bread, and
fries, all covered in white sauce and served with red-hot sauce and
blue cheese. (Take our advice: Mix the sauces together to drizzle
over the sandwich.) Every bite was better than the one before it.
We also tried the hamburger ’shoe, which was slightly
overdone. The only disappointment was the french fries — both
as a side dish and on the horseshoes — which were soggy and
limp. I suspect that the fries were a casualty of a busy night;
diners all around us were scarfing down horseshoes, and their fries
looked better than ours. The menu also features such traditional
sandwiches as corned beef and an Irish Reuben, as well as a
muffaletta (an old New Orleans favorite: ham, salami, Provolone
cheese, and homemade olive salad, served on French bread). D’Arcy’s also offers a nice
selection of burgers and chicken sandwiches. Dinner options include
corned beef and cabbage, steak, fish, seafood, and pizza. Irish
specialties borrowed from the pubs of Ireland include the
aforementioned shepherd’s pie and pot roast, as well as
Galway Bay mussels. Most important, the menu still boasts 12
varieties of ’shoe, including ham, corned beef, turkey,
bacon, Italian sausage, walleye, and the deluxe, featuring seasoned
ground beef, onion, and bacon bits.
D’Arcy’s is located at 661 W.
Stanford Ave.; 217-492-8800. Carryout is available.
This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2005.
