Terrific Takeout: Dorrian's Red Hand Restaurant

This is not your average run-of-the mill lousy bar food.

This is however, your outstandingly fresh, hot and flavorful American cuisine that should never be overlooked in a New York minute.

This is Dorrian's, and if you are surprised, you should not be.

In the 8,000 posts Peachy Deegan has written, there is no other restaurant that Peachy has gone to more often in her New York life than Dorrian's.  Every kiddo from her class at Boston College that moved to New York graduated into advance studies at Dorrian's, particularly because Joe Bustros grew up with Jimmy Dorrian.  Joe is such a fan he was nearly the doorman for years and recently married one of the waitresses.  In fact, Peachy even had her birthday parties there for many years.

But what you should know about Dorrian's is that it is much more than an Upper East Side bar that worships at the Church of Prep: it is also a great restaurant for fabulous American food.

Peachy began with a bespoke salad with prosciutto, asparagus and thinly sliced parmesean on a bed of arugula, with lovely little shrimps dancing in it.  There was dressing on the side just like Peachy wanted, and they added cute cherry tomatoes that bursted with flavor and cucumbers.  This salad will be a huge summer hit.

The quesadillas were a knockout.  We tried both the chicken and steak, and they also offer shrimp and vegetable varieties separately.

The party starts when you dip them in guacamole, salsa, and sour cream and if you really want to be on fire, we suggest the jalapeno peppers on the side.  This is a great thing to order when you go in for just drinks too, because our whole point is that you should not go in for just drinks!

The chicken parmesean over pasta is an American staple!

Baked to perfection, the chicken is skillet fried and will melt in your mouth.  Chicken cutlets topped with marinara and mozzarellla is oven-baked and delightful over penne.

And of course, you know Dorrian's is Irish.

Their story is below.

Collars up, Manhattan.

Order from Dorrian's!

It is Terrific Takeout!

Tell Jimmy Peachy sent you.

The Origin of The Red Hand  According to one famous myth, Ulster had at one time no rightful heir. Because of this it was agreed that a boat race should take place (possibly in Strangford Lough) and that "whosoever's hand is the first to touch the shore of Ulster, so shall he be made the king". One potential king so loved and desired Ulster that, upon seeing that he was losing the race, he cut off his hand and threw it to the shore — thus winning the kingship. The hand is most likely red to represent the fact that it would have been covered in blood. The Red Hand is used in the flag of Northern Ireland, the Ulster Flag and on the shields of counties Tyrone, Derry, Antrim and Monaghan. It is also used by many other official and non-official organisations throughout the province of Ulster. Some Loyalist organisations in Northern Ireland prominently display the Red Hand in their insignia and paraphernalia. It is also the badge of baronets other than those of Scotland or Nova Scotia. The revered, late James "Red Dog" Dorrian (l.) , an Ulster County native, a succesful saloon operator in the Theater district in the 50s, was one of the very first bar/restaurant owners to run a popular tavern business in Yorkville, known then as "Old German Town"; he opened Dorrian's Red Hand in 1960. Dorrian's Red Hand Restaurant has been run by three generations of Dorrians ever since and and is visited repeatedly by generations of Dorrian's friends and regular, loyal customers, past and present.

http://dorrians-nyc.com/