Perfect Pints - Blackthorn Irish Pub Parsippnay NJ

By WARREN BOBROW
SPECIAL TO PARSIPPANY THIS WEEK

The Perfect pint. I've been searching all over Morris County for the perfect pint.

Usually this Irish brew is poured too cold, too quickly and without much care. There are many pubs and restaurants that serve Guinness, but the new Blackthorn Restaurant and Irish Pub is only one in the area that with the know-how to pour a perfect pint.

I suppose the fault of this is firmly in the hands of the bartenders, having never been taught how to pour.

At the Blackthorn, which opened in late August, it is patience that guides the art of pouring a perfect pint. But how do you pour a perfect pint? Try asking owner Eugene Gillespie.

He carefully explains that you cannot just pour Guinness in one motion and serve it straightaway. You must have patience. The secret is the way the brew both rises and falls within the glass.

The slightly convex head of Guinness will taste at first just like freshly churned butter. It is at first sweet, then bitter, from the deeply colored roasted grains. At the peak of your glass there is a small shamrock carved into the head of the stout. This little extra touch of creativity links the pint in your hand to those served in old Ireland.

The bartender is Jenna Martinez of Parsippany. She asked me at the halfway point of my pint if I'd like another. She wasn't rushing me — far from ... It takes time to pour a perfect pint. The head of this thick foam must be built and this takes time.

If you don't have the time, then order another kind of brew. They have a fine selection of beers at Blackthorn. But what I came for was a pint of dark, a perfect one at that.

At this temple of Guinness, much effort has been given to make the pub as an authentic Irish experience as possible.

The soft luster of hand-polished wood, burnished stone and a cheerful fireplace are the bedrock to this Gillespie family enterprise. They're hitting their stride. A recent lunch included Shepherd's Pie, savory beef and lamb woven with carrots, peas and real mashed potatoes piped over the top. It then was finished under the broiler, creating a crunchy, steamy mouthful.

They also serve a fine portion of country food and more modern offerings — such as their flavorful burgers — and take the time to care about how your food tastes at Blackthorn.

Richie Fagin, originally from the Bronx and now living in Glen Rock, has known Gillespie since he came to this country. He exclaims that the "food is good and the drinks are well-poured."

Matt Keefe of Annandale is visiting with his friend, Erin Goss of Denville. They are enjoying their lunch and suggest trying the fish and chips — crispy, beer-battered and perfect with malt vinegar, or the Celtic burger with Irish bacon and cheddar Guinness sauce on a Brioche bun. A bread pudding made from Irish Soda Bread is topped with caramel and whipped cream. It's just the thing to finish a fine luncheon.

Gillespie and his wife, Rosemary, are extremely busy running two restaurants. They run the Parsippany location and their other restaurant in Kenilworth with a smile and abundant "Craic" (friendly Irish-style conversation).

The Blackthorn restaurants are a family affair with their MBA-educated son, also named Eugene, and daughters, Karen and Laura, helping to run the show.

Step into Blackthorn and there is a friendly greeter there to show you either to the front bar, one of their graciously appointed private rooms or perhaps the lovely outdoor terrace.

Great efforts have been made to give this pub a decidedly Irish feel. With the classic interior colors in warm yellow, deep red and miles of gleaming dark wood, Blackthorn looks like you're in a rollicking pub somewhere in Ireland's rough-and-tumble west coast. Peel back the layers of good cheer and fine food and drink and find their own tried-and-true system for hospitality that is essential to running an Irish Pub in Parsippany.

But first, it's all about pouring a perfect pint.

BLACKTHORN PUB
ADDRESS: 1735 Route 46, Parsippany
PHONE: 973-334-4900
HOURS: 11 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. daily, open every day except Christmas Eve.
CUISINE: Irish pub with a twist
LIQUOR: Full bar and that elsewhere hard-to-find perfect pint of dark
RESERVATIONS: Recommended for groups of five or more
DRESS: Casual
ATMOSPHERE: Cheery and bright
OUTDOOR DINING: Seasonal on patio
PARKING: Excellent, and wheelchair access
PARTY ROOM: Several, call for details
TAKEOUT: Yes
WEBSITE: http://www.blackthornonline.com

http://parsippany.injersey.com/2010/10/14/eating-out-in-parsippany-blackthorn-restaurant-and-irish-pub/

Blackthorn: A Pint of Old Ireland on Route 46

The Blackthorn Restaurant & Irish Pub didn't need any gimmicks on opening weekend in September.

The crush of patrons lining up at the bar had been waiting for months, since construction began at the former Bennigan's site on Route 46 East.

The Gillespie family, who owns the Blackthorn, knew the township longed for a true Irish pub. And three months after opening, it's obvious they were right.

"The community has embraced us,'' said Eugene Gillespie Sr., who runs the pub with his wife, Rosemary, and son, Eugene Jr.

The Parsippany Blackthorn is modeled after the Gillespie's Kenilworth pub, also called the Blackthorn. But that doesn't make it any less authentic, according to Eugene Sr, who's from Rathball, a small village in Ireland's Ballina, County Mayo.

"Sometimes, believe it or not, someone will come in here and ask me if Blackthorn is a chain [restaurant]. I respond, 'Sure, two links—myself and my wife,'' he joked.

At Blackthorn, you can enjoy Shepherd's Pie, chicken pot pie and bellmuller bangers and mashed potatoes, along with the Gaelic atmosphere.

The pubs' namesake is framed on the wall: Nine dark thorns, fresh from being plucked from a blackthorn tree in Ireland.

Eugene Gillespie Sr. emigrated to America in 1972, and in the process owned a few eateries in New York and New Jersey. He and his brother, Matty, opened The Waterfall Tavern in New York City. In the 1980s, they purchased 12 Pins in NYC.

In 1991, they bought Rosie's Steakhouse & Pub in Bergen County. Later, they bought The Porter House in Pearl River, N.Y. But the Gillespies sold both of these eateries and opened their initial Blackthorn in Kenilworth.

"Eugene is responsible for the construction [of the Parsippany facility], and my husband did the layout,'' Rosemary said.

"This took a long time to build,'' Eugene Jr. added. "We cut no corners.''

He grew up in the restaurant business. When he was younger, he bussed tables, peeled potatoes and performed other jobs. Later, he attended Bryant College In Rhode Island, where he majored in business management.

If there is one constant to Blackthorn in addition to the humor and Irish atmosphere, it's hearty food and friendly service. In addition to Irish favorites like corned beef and cabbage and fish and chips, there are chicken, lamb, steak, and even pasta dishes.

Yes, you can have an Italian entrée at Blackthorn. Separate restaurant and pub menus are available. Pair your meal with your favorite wine, beer or Irish whiskey, and it's easy to be green.

http://parsippany.patch.com/articles/blackthorn-a-pint-of-old-ireland-on-route-46