I’ll admit it, I was hesitant — a restaurant that is a combination of Irish and Mexican food? It just doesn’t roll off the tongue like, say, Peanut Butter and Jelly. I love Mexican food, and my husband loves Irish food, so really Papa P’s should have been a no-brainer for us. Still, I was reluctant. But then one Friday night, after sitting through a meeting at my son’s school longer than I had expected to, starvation was setting in. (Sidenote: starvation for me occurs about every 3 hours.) So I crossed my fingers and rushed into Papa P’s.
The atmosphere leans more toward a traditional Mexican restaurant than an Irish Pub; vibrant and fun. Chips and salsa are brought to your table right away, and then you must make the big decision between a margarita or a Guinness.
When I started to read the menu, I let out a sigh of relief. Most of the choices on the menu were either very clearly Mexican or definitively Irish. Tacos, fajitas, burritos, and then shepherd’s pie, corned beef and boxty were all listed. Relief! I suppose I was expecting fajitas made out of bangers and mash.
Now, for those of you who do want to mix the Irish and Mexican, Papa P’s offers corned beef tacos, a boxty (Irish potato pancake) quesadilla, and Dublin style nachos. Otherwise, you can keep it simple and have traditional Irish or Mexican. Dessert choices include tres-leches cake and bread pudding — my advice is to get one of each.
Papa P’s owners Caron and Alberto — an Irish girl and a Mexican boy — met while working together at another restaurant. The two married and started Papa P’s, and have done a great job blending their cultures while getting involved in the community. So if you are looking for a twist to your Mexican, give Papa P’s a try. And tell them Scoop sent you!
Papa P’s is located at 2295 Towne Lake Parkway, Woodstock GA