Fun times in Fota
Fota Island in east Cork is a great spot for a summer getaway, be it for kids or couples, says Lucinda O’Sullivan, and the new Amber Lounge at the Fota Island Resort is the perfect place for a casual bite pre or post safari
Here we are at the height of the holiday season and, hopefully, you’re all around and about the country with my Lucinda’s Ireland guide in your pocket! Two of the best family attractions we have are in east Cork. The first is Fota Wildlife Park, on Fota Island, which is on 100 acres and dedicated to wildlife conservation. Here, you can get up close to amazing animals ranging from cheetahs to Chilean flamingos to Brazilian tapirs.
The second is the Titanic Experience Cobh, in what used to be the original White Star Line ticket office on Casement Square. It was from here that thousands of Irish people emigrated to the US, including those final unfortunate 123 passengers to join the Titanic on its last port of call before it struck an iceberg and sank. It’s a very poignant experience, during which you will view Heartbreak Pier, the last land point of contact for those on board, and you’ll also get the real feel of what life was like on board for both first-class and third-class passengers.
During our recent visit to both, we stayed at the fantastic Fota Island Resort and dined in their big new Amber Lounge. The executive chef is Kenneth Murphy, who has returned to Ireland after 12 years working in the Far East for the luxury Anantara Hotel Group, and for Richard Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition hotels at the Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco, and Ulusaba luxury safari lodge in South Africa.
There’s the more formal Fota restaurant at the resort, but the all-day Amber Lounge menu offers people the opportunity to also enjoy great casual food. It covers everything from scones and smoothies to afternoon tea, plus ‘snacks’ including Asian dishes drawn from Murphy’s experience, like Thai tom kha kai soup or raw Vietnamese vegetable rolls. And let’s not forget the great posh sambos such as slow-roast lamb on sourdough; prawn bap; ciabatta with tuna loin; pizzas and burgers; braised lamb shank, et al.
From the ‘snacks’ section, or what I might call small plates or starters, Brendan kicked off with plumptious skewers of grilled tandoori chicken (€9) with little dishes of yoghurt dressing, pickled cucumber and tomato salsa; while I had a smashing little cast-iron cassoulet of Portuguesestyle prawns pil pil (€12.50) which were bathed in chilli oil, roasted garlic and parsley, with warm toast, criss-crossed on a slate, beside a charred lemon half.
Brendan followed up with a mighty portion of beer-battered fish and chips (€19.50), served with mashed minted peas, tartare sauce and hand-cut fries, which, although delicious, was so big he couldn’t finish it. I stuck to the ‘snacks’ section and moved on to what was called the ‘Barryscourt slider plate’ (€12.50). I’m not quite sure where the connection between Barryscourt and the trio of sliders comes in, but they were darn good, and certainly more than a snack in anyone’s terms. Three different buns (plain, poppy and cumin) held delicious, moist burgers of Irish beef, turkey and lamb, accompanied by little dishes of relish and a side order of fries (€3).
Desserts (€8) included an ‘artist palette’ of home-made ice cream and sorbet; fruit pavlova; a taste of apple; and a selection of Irish cheeses with frozen grapes, truffleinfused honey and home-made chutney. We shared a sinful darkchocolate mousse with a peanut crunch and vanilla ice cream, and, with a delicious bottle of citrusy New Zealand Marlborough Ribbonwood Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (€35) and optional service, our bill came to €109.50. Five-star stuff in a five-star location.
Amber Lounge, Fota Island Resort, Fota Island, Cork. Tel: (021) 488-3700 fotaisland.ie