Half-Shell
Located on the riverfront in Rathgar, at what many would call a garden level - half-below ground, the Half Shell is a large public house beneath one of the many fish packing facilities in the city. The fact that it is below street level means that during the highest of tides and largest storms, the big open space, filled with long, bench lined tables, is prone to flooding. On the best of high tides the uneven stone floor is slick and dates written on the wall mark how high the water reached during some of Rathgar's more memorable weather events.
Patrons of the Half-Shell range from fisherman and cannery workers to merchants and members of the Rathgar City Council. The staff treats each with the same respect, seating them where ever space might be found and creating a rare opportunity for the city's elite to rub shoulders with its meanest citizens. What everyone gathers for, of course, is the food. The Half-Shell has only one option on its menu - the Boil. A cauldron of spiced broth filled with yams, shaved corn, string beans and whatever shellfish or fish might have come in on the day's boats. Served with crusty bread alongside a slightly sour ale, the spicy Boil is Rathgar's most famous dish.
Type
Pub / Tavern / Restaurant
Parent Location