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Twice is nice.

Once again, Frederick's Irish restaurateur and former mayor is behind the bar and directing the menu at an eatery in the heart of downtown.

Jennifer Dougherty, along with business partner Bruce Rhoderick, have created the feel of an Irish pub and settled into comfortable new digs at the corner of West 2nd and Market Streets. They call their new venture Magoo's.a

There is an Irish proverb: "Laughter is brightest where food is best." Entering Magoo's gives the diner an immediate impression that fun and food are both on the menu. A quick glance at tables nearby showed small groups of friends and family enjoying company and companionship in a convivial atmosphere.

The restaurant's ceiling has been painted black to encourage a feeling of coziness and signs of the Irish abound on tables sprinkled with golden shamrocks and advertisements for that nectar of the gods – Guinness.

My dining companion and I have travelled to the Emerald Isle, land of our ancestors, and were anticipating a touch of the homeland in Frederick's version of a Irish pub. We were not disappointed.

Dinner began with an order of Irish Dipped Bread ($7). Warm, soft, well-seasoned bits of doughy deliciousness proved addictive and were dispensed with rapidly. And although served with a bowl of "Bloody Mary" sauce for dipping, in my opinion, they were just fine on their own.

Other starters (priced $6-$9) include Maryland Crab Dip, Borneo Satay, Chicken Poppers, Brie Avacado Melt, Bantry Bay Mussels, Smoked Salmon and Spinach and Feta Dumplings.

The menu offers sandwiches, salads and pizzas all well-priced and generously served.

Sprinkled throughout the menu are names of local residents, like Karlys' Maine Salad, Putter's Crispy Shrimp and Lynch's Skinny Leprechaun.

The Skinny Leprechaun symbol can be found other places on the menu, as well, serving as a guide to health-conscious selections.

Entrees range from simple dishes like a Vegetarian Pasta ($12) to the traditional GJ's Dublin Coddle made with mussel, shrimp and scallop in a white wine and garlic cream sauce ($22).

For dinner we ordered first cousins – Lamb Stew and Shepherd's Pie (basically the stew topped with mashed potatoes and a little cheese). Both contained chunks of tender lamb and carrots in a gravy that can only be created with care and obviously given time to develop its flavor. The mashed potatoes were creamy and proved the perfect complement to the savory stew. This is Irish comfort food of the highest order.

Promising to lift your spirits, other comfort foods include a chicken pot pie, fish and chips and meatloaf ($9 each).

The lamb and bread left me full and satisfied. Longing for something sweet to follow this delicious meal, though, I settled on something small and just right to satisfy a sweet tooth – a Grilled S'more.

A glass ramekin was filled with graham crackers, topped with chocolate and then mini marshmallows and baked until the chocolate melted and the marshmallows puffed up and became lightly browned. A small but wonderful wallop was baked in to the end of a wonderful meal.

Magoo's

1 A. West Second St.

Frederick

301-378-2237

www.magoos-frederick.com

Hours: 8 a.m. to midnight, 7 days a week (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.)

Starters: $6-$9

Sandwiches/salads: $6-$9

Entrees: $9-$22

Desserts: $2-$10