Fans find sports haven at Tir Na Nog

At first glance, you might miss the street entrance to Tir Na Nog, located on the ground floor of the Phoenix Apartments at 1600 Arch St.

But despite the nondescript exterior, there is always plenty going on inside.

During the day, Tir Na Nog is a haven for soccer, rugby and Gaelic sports fans, with a game from somewhere on TV at almost any hour.

At night, the bar is transformed into one of Center City's hottest night spots, with Quizzo on Mondays and live music throughout the weekend.

No matter the hour, though, the waitstaff is always friendly and the food is always top-class.

As a self-confessed Anglophile, I made the trip to spend an afternoon enjoying the world's preferred form of football, which on this day came from legendary club Manchester United in the Champions League.

My companion and I were seated facing a projection television, with a small but vocal contingent of Manchester United fans seated behind us at the main bar. It really did feel like a slice of London in Philadelphia, with cigarette smoke and Guinness permeating the air, and dark wood paneling along the floor and walls.

For starters, my guest had a green salad and I had the potato leek soup. The salad ($6.95) is a simple mix of field greens with tomatoes, onions and vinaigrette dressing. For a few dollars more, you can add chicken, beef tenderloin, smoked salmon or tuna steak.

The soup came in a huge bowl, a fine value for $5.95. It is not too thick, but it has enough consistency to soothe fears that there is not much more in it than pureed vegetables.

For entrees, we decided on a pair of British staples -- shepherd's pie and fish and chips. They are also among the restaurant's specialties, and although the menu changes throughout the day, those two dishes are always there.

The shepherd's pie ($12.95) is served in a large casserole dish. It has a base of lamb, peas and carrots, with a crust of garlic mashed potatoes. The top is garnished with crushed basil and two garlic chips.

The whole thing remained piping hot until the last bite. My companion described the lamb as "succulent," and the vegetables were cooked soft.

The fish and chips, quite reasonably priced at $13.95, would satisfy even the hungriest English hooligan. The platter includes two large pieces of battered cod, french fries and a heap of watercress with vinaigrette dressing. The fish was soft, and the batter was crispy but not overly greasy. The fries were also well-cooked, although a bit limp after spending a good part of my meal under the watercress.

A few minutes after we finished eating, the whistle blew to end the game we were watching. Manchester United had won easily, and as the fans applauded another dominating performance, I was able to hold my meal in equally high regard.

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