The Irish Dip Sandwich zips at Murphy’s Bar & Grill

There are dozens of eateries in Downtown Honolulu and countless dishes served at those establishments that are somebody’s all time favorite. Anyone who works Downtown has one, certainly. I know I do. Having been a Downtown regular since small-kid time, there are bunch of places I love to frequent. My current favorite-thing-to-eat during a busy lunchtime, however, is the Irish Dip sandwich at Murphy’s Bar and Grill, an adaptation of the classic French Dip.

Not technically a food writer (until now, I suppose), I thought I should start with something I know. The love of a good sandwich is something I learned from my father, an otherwise impeccably dignified man who was, nonetheless, prone to get elbow deep in Philly Cheesesteaks.

The Irish Dip at Murphy’s begins and ends with the beef. It’s hand selected for quality by owner Don Murphy and prepared and roasted in the kitchen twice daily (one batch for lunch and another for the dinner crowd). Sliced almost impossibly thin and roasted to ideal moistness, the roast beef is piled on a soft French roll with the generosity typical of a man who donates much of his time and energy to worthy causes. It’s a lot of beef.

But that is where the similarities to a French Dip end. The Irish Dip comes with a horseradish mayo that has good zip but doesn’t overpower the natural flavor of the roast beef. What truly makes the Irish Dip unique, though, is the au jus. Also made fresh twice daily, it’s made with Guinness Stout. It’s ingenious, almost diabolically so. Robust and savory, it tastes like something that could well cure a hangover drank straight. It actually makes the pickle taste better.

I prefer to have a Boddington’s Cream Ale with the Irish Dip, but, really, any beverage is suitable: Tea, a Coke, Guinness, Jaegermeister or plain warm water would all do.

At $10.50, and served with fries or potato salad, the Irish Dip is one of the better hot lunch options to be found in Downtown for those looking for a quick bite at the bar before heading back to the office. But certainly not the only one.