Review: Flanagan's Ale House

Flanagan's Italian salad comes with a hearty breadstick and would make a perfectly fine summer meal. (Credit: Jim Winn)

The women in the Friday Night Five are as frugal as they come. They have spent most of their professional lives (serving in elected office, running government agencies and heading nonprofit organizations) squeezing three dimes out of a quarter.

Over time, the composition of the group has changed, but the mission stays the same: politics, problem solving and irreverent banter over burgers and beer — at bargain prices.

These days, the Five have settled in at Flanagan's Old Ale House, as fine a pub as you can hope to find in Louisville. In fine weather, they sit out back, in a cozy patio; on rain-drenched evenings, they find a booth looking out over Baxter Avenue — with a window that opens, admitting the afternoon breezes.

This is a classic pub. It has a weathered grace illuminated by burnished wood, green ceiling tiles and dim lights.

Not so long ago, Flanagan's staked its culinary fortunes on a short list of pizzas and sandwiches. What it did, it did well, but the food was mostly a backdrop for one of the better beer lists in town: a list that includes bottles and drafts from all over the world.

Recent draft selections included Delirium Tremens and Hoegaarden (Belgium), BBC Jefferson Bourbon Stout (Louisville), Bar Harbor Blue Berry Ale (Maine), Strongbow Cider (England) and, of course, Harp and Guinness.

These days, the food is no mere backdrop. My wife joined the Five a few years ago, and every once in a while they permit the menfolk to come along.

On a few recent visits, I found a mix of pub standards and surprises — all exceedingly well-executed and all priced to please. Service is quick and accommodating (the servers seem to have no trouble tracking separate drink and food orders for parties of 10 or more).

The standards include brilliant fried goods. A generous order of fish and chips ($8.99; $6.99 for a fish sandwich) brought sweet white fillets crisply outfitted in a house-made batter based on Smithwick's; fries are hand-cut. The onion rings ($4.99) may be the crunchiest in the city.

Surprises include a half-dozen entrees that include grilled chicken over a rice pilaf with steamed vegetables ($8.99), blackened chicken with fettuccini and a Cajun Alfredo sauce.

On one recent visit, a flatiron steak ($10.99) was the very model of a medium-rare trapezoid, tender but firm, accompanied by mashed potatoes that oozed garlic from every spoonful and a vegetable medley that included too-squishy carrots, but crisp-tender broccoli.

There can be few better bar snacks than Flanagan's hot, house-made pretzels, served with tangy Guinness beer cheese ($5.99). As for sandwiches, burgers ($5.99-$7.99) made from beef or ground turkey are dressed with things like cracked peppercorns and Roquefort, smoky strips of bacon and cool, fresh vegetables. Avoiding burgers? Substitute a grilled chicken.

My taste in pizza is minimalist. A simple cheese pizza is all I crave. Flanagan's turns them out crisp and saucy. But if you lean toward pesto, portobello, pineapple or Popeye (fresh spinach, bacon bits and a pesto-based sauce), you can find those at Flanagan's.

For that matter, you can skip all this, and make a fine light meal out of salad and a breadstick. These are hefty breadsticks, hot and crunchy (and served a la carte with garlic butter and marinara for $4.99). With a generous-portioned Italian or Caesar salad ($4.99/$5.50, breadstick included), you have the makings of a perfectly fine summer meal.

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