The annual green day, better known as St. Patrick’s Day, is happening close to mid-week this year. But that’s not stopping those who have shamrock celebration in their minds and hearts. There are plenty of places to go to grab a green beer, but only two places – that we know of – to treat one’s palate to the day’s traditional food fare – corned beef and cabbage – and, maybe, even listen to bagpipe music played by a bagpipe player in complete kilt gear.
But here’s an even better news when it comes to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Manteca. While everybody else we contacted were offering something for just that specific day – Tuesday, March 17 – at least two dining destinations – one in downtown Manteca, the other on Airport Way near the corner at Fisk Road – are serving the traditional corned beef and cabbage feast fare.
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Hillbillie BBQ goes Irish
Hillbillie BAR-B-Q is offering its original family-recipe dish of corned beef and cabbage that three generations have been enjoying on their dining table. The restaurant is located at the corner of Manteca Avenue and Pierce Avenue, the city’s shortest avenue located just across from the interactive water feature at Library Park.
Hillbillie serves its corned beef and cabbage meal all day – lunch through dinner. It serves a very generous portion of three thick slabs of tender and juicy beef served with equally scrumptious baked potato and a pile of cabbage. If you so desire, you can have a choice of any of Hillbillie’s nine sauces, all original concoctions by the family that owns the barbecue restaurant. That’s Brenda Pine, and her daughter and son-in-law, Stefine and David Thomason. The sauces are actually from the recipes created by Pine’s husband, David, who is an award-winning cook. She is the creative brain behind the restaurant’s rustic décor. You can enjoy the generous serving of corned beef and cabbage along with beer, wine or soda if you prefer.
Why did they decide to serve the St. Patrick’s Day food fare for the entire month of March? “It’s because some people can’t come out on St. Patrick’s Day because it’s on a week day, and some people can’t get out, say, from work. So they can come out on Monday, Wednesday or Thursday,”or the rest of the week, for that matter, Brenda Pine said. But except for Sunday when the restaurant is closed. They are open Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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The other places for corned beef and cabbage, plus bagpipe music
Who else are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day by serving corned beef and cabbage? These two places are Finley’s Bar and Grill on South Airport Way, and St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church’s YMI (Young Men’s Institute) organization. But while Finley’s will be serving the traditional food on the actual day of the celebration, like the others, the YMI dinner will be offered to the public the following day, Wednesday.
The corned beef and cabbage feed is actually a long-standing tradition for this fraternal organization and is held every year as a fund-raising event. Food will be served in the St. Anthony School cafeteria, where the sit-down dinner also will be held.
The meal will be served from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Both take-out and sit-down meals will be available. Take-out orders will start at 4:30 p.m.; the sit-down dinner will begin at 5 p.m.
Donation is $12.50 each for adults, $5 for children under the age of 8. Dinner will include beverage.
YMI member Pete Padron said no advance tickets are being sold. You can also pay at the door. For further details, call Pete at 209.482.7246.
At Finley’s Bar and Grill, the St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage meal offering is also an annual offering at the restaurant.
“We’re doing our regular corned beef and cabbage and will be served all day. There will be a bagpipe player also – it’s loud so he will be playing outside,” said restaurant owner Deborah Finley.
“He comes every year and wears a kilt. He’s invited every year to come bay (on St. Patrick’s Day). We’re fortunate that he comes by and plays for about an hour and a half. Last time, I think, he played for two hours,” Finley said.
She is not sure exactly what time the bagpipe musician, whose name she could not recall, will be at the restaurant since he stops by anytime that’s convenient for him.
The corned beef and cabbage dish is also a family recipe. Like many other restaurants, Finley’s will also have the usual St.Patrick’s Day green beer. “We also have several nice Irish whiskeys,” added Finley.
The restaurant is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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Other places that will mark the day with St. Patrick’s day green beer and treats:
• Rookie’s Sports Bar & Grill, 1251 E. Yosemite Avenue at Manteca Bowl Family Entertainment – There will be drink specials like green beer. With St. Patrick’s Day falling on spring break, there will be plenty of bowling action expected. There will be no live band but the place has a DJ booth which will be playing music for dancing.
• Applebee’s – Located on East Yosemite Avenue in the Spreckels shopping center, the restaurant will have a couple of things going on for St. Patrick’s Day. Anyone who wears an all-green outfit will be given a 10 percent discount on all food and drinks. There will be games as well to celebrate the day, from 9 p.m. until midnight.
• El Jardin Restaurant – “We tend not to do too much on St. Patrick’s Day; Cinco de Mayo is the big celebration for us,” said an employee at the restaurant located in the Walmart shopping center on South Main Street and Mission Ridge. But they will be offering green beer plus some food fare “with a little bit of (green) coloring,” she added.
