Wednesday
Feb022011

The Irish Shanti - Gunder

On our way home from a recent road trip to Wisconsin, we made it a point to find this spot on the Iowa map....

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We were, of course, looking for The Irish Shanti, in Gunder, Iowa. The owner of the restaurant was on the same "Talk of Iowa" program that we did on Iowa Public Radio back in June, talking about their famous Gunderburgers. We knew it was a perfect stop for Iowa Foodies on the road.

Although famous for their 1 pound Gunderburgers, The Irish Shanti menu features a variety of great food. They have the usual wings, onion rings and cheese curds on the appetizer menu, plus a relish tray - an assortment of veggies, ham salad, cheese and crackers - such an old school touch that you just don't see much anymore. Love it.

Their sandwich menu includes Reubens, grilled pork loin, chicken, and more - with a unique Irish Philly Steak, which is a Philly cheese steak sandwich with no bun, served over a bed of golden brown hash browns.

There are also salads, homemade soups, and a wide selection of dinner entrees like steak and shrimp, Iowa chops and fish. They feature nightly specials on Tuesday, Thursday (Home Fried Chicken - yum) and Friday nights. Homemade dessert is also available.

But we were there for the Gunderburgers! And a Guiness, of course.

All Gunderburgers are one pound of fresh ground beef served on a homemade bun with a side of pickles. Owner Kevin Walsh said they get the fresh beef ground for them at a grocery in Elgin, IA. You have several Gunderburgers to choose from - Plain, Cheese, Mushroom-Swiss, Vegetable, Bacon-Cheese, Jalapeno-Swiss, and Loaded. We went with the Bacon-Cheese Gunderburger with a side of mayo and some fries. Cooked to perfection and topped with 2 big pieces of bacon, it was juicy and very tasty. We split the Gunderburger and it was still plenty to eat!

Our friends had the Loaded Gunderburger - it came piled with cheese, bacon, grilled mushrooms and onions, plus lettuce and tomato on the side. What a beauty.

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We visited The Irish Shanti on Monday for lunch and for a wide spot in the road, it was really busy! I would recommend calling for reservations if you plan to visit on a weekend.

Here's owner Kevin Walsh visiting with Grant. He took Grant back in the kitchen and we talked about the joys and pains of owning a restaurant. He's a great guy and we were glad to catch him and have a chance to meet up.

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The Irish Shanti also has a wonderful bar area - a nice wood bar and plenty of seating up at the bar, too. They can serve up a Guiness or an Irish whiskey, wine or a cocktail.

So if you find yourself in tiny Gunder, Iowa, you really need to stop in at The Irish Shanti. Some of the best burgers we've had and fun, friendly people make this place a destination if you are in the area. We'll be back.

The Irish Shanti

17455 Gunder Rd.
Gunder, IA 52141

563.864.9289

Hours

Kitchen hours change seasonally, check their Facebook page for current hours

Menus and more information at www.thegunderburger.com