Relish your local restaurant this April
We’re lucky enough to have one of the most impressive restaurant industries in the world, writes Lucinda O’Sullivan, but to keep it that way, we must support traders to keep them in business
Unfortunately for everyone here in Ireland, our restaurant industry has suffered over 300 closures in the past six months due to rising costs across the board. It’s a very tough business and it’s important to appreciate what this hard working and resilient body contributes to our lives and communities every day of the week.
Adrian Cummins, chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland has been vocal in calling on the Government to return the VAT rate from 13.5pc to 9pc for a further period, as many businesses really haven’t recovered yet from the effects of the pandemic.
I know things are tight, but we’re lucky to have so many excellent restaurants and such high standards of cooking. It’s why Ireland is a food destination — you should have seen it when I started critiquing almost 30 years ago, deep fried everything and maybe a good seafood platter. If we don’t want to lose our superb hospitality scene, we need to get out there and support it, and so today my mission is to whet your appetites with some of what’s happening on the food and restaurant scene in April.
IN DUBLIN
In D2, at sister restaurants Fire Steakhouse at the Mansion House on Dawson Street and Sole Seafood & Grill on South William Street, they have excellent 2/3 course menus €39/€45 available Monday-Friday, 5pm-6pm, and Saturday/Sunday from 1pm-5pm with a choice of 6 starters, 6 mains, 5 desserts and coffee with petit fours. firesteakhouse.ie, sole.ie
In D18, Sandyford Industrial Estate is home to arguably Ireland’s best Chinese restaurant, Kevin Hui’s China Sichuan. A stylish spot, with a great team of chefs — Jian Liao, Yang Cheng and Li Ke — the food here is incredible. Kevin is ever on the ball and, following a visit to Sandyford by his friend, executive chef KC Liang of Park Chinois, Mayfair’s most prestigious Chinese restaurant, I’m told we can expect even more dynamic new dishes. China Sichuan is also open for a two-course lunch, €26, Wednesday-Friday, from 12pm-2pm. china-sichuan.ie
A great addition to D6 dining is the Yew Tree in Terenure by Geoff Carty and Máire Ní Mhaoile. Describing themselves as a neighbourhood restaurant, they’re giving a great service with lunch Tuesday-Saturday, 11pm-3pm; Sunday roast 1pm-6pm; and evening small plates WednesdaySaturday, 5.30pm-9pm. For the month of April, from 5pm-6.30pm, they’re offering an early bird plates menu consisting of 2 small plates plus a side at just €20pp. Get in there fast! Oh, by the way, they also have a click and collect lunch menu. yewtree.ie
With a number of excellent restaurants in the beautiful SoCo coastal village of Dalkey, I’m particularly fond of the Guinea Pig owned by French chef Jérôme Fernandes. Over the years it’s seen everyone from John Wayne to Bono cross its doors. With a lovely vibe,
We’re lucky to have so many excellent restaurants and such high standards of cooking. You should have seen it when I started critiquing almost 30 years ago
lovely food and lovely service by Kevin O Gorman, the snip of the day is their 2/3 course early menu at €31/€33 from Sunday-Thursday, 5.30pm-7.30pm and Friday/ Saturday 5.30pm-6.30pm. Think maybe moules mariniere followed by gratin de poisson and tartes aux poires William Amandine. guineapigrestaurant.ie
A unique Indian restaurant in Blackrock Market, 3 Leaves never fails to please. While Milie Mathew’s smile lights up the place, her husband Santosh Thomas dazzles you with his food. Starting out as a stall, it now occupies three neighbouring units, and it’s Michelin listed. Last time I was there, sitting by an open window, it felt like being in a train carriage in India watching the passing parade of people go by. On weekdays, they have a brilliant taster thali at just €18.70 for lunch. At weekends, the lunch menu is street food (€12.99the
€17.99) and mains (€18.20-€19.95) and, finally, a 2-course dinner menu (starters €12.99-€17.99; mains €17.99-€20) is served on Thursday and Friday evenings with booking required.
3leaves.ie
IN CORK
At Samphire Restaurant in the Garryvoe Hotel, East Cork, they’ve introduced an excellent value 3-course dinner menu at €55. With head chef Kevin O’Sullivan a staunch supporter of local producers, starters here include Ardsallagh goat’s cheese bonbons with charred asparagus, pepperonata, rocket and balsamic. Mains feature a traditional honey roast half duck, while monkfish goujons are in a Rebel Red beer batter with a saffron aioli and the eponymous samphire. O’Connell’s Irish 10oz sirloins and 8oz fillet (€5 supplement) are available from chargrill. Luscious desserts, or a selection of 3 cheeses to finish, and tea or coffee are included. garryvoehotel.com
In Cork city, located just behind Brown Thomas on Caroline Street, at Greenwich cafe, Dermot O’Sullivan’s new all-day brunch menu showcases local produce “with value for money in mind too”. Flahavan’s Irish porridge with a berry compote is there (€6.95) — served until noon — as is a toastie (€12) of Tom Durcan’s spiced beef with melted Bandon Vale cheddar. Ballycotton smoked salmon is featured by way of an open sandwich (€12) or with, my favourite, eggs royale (€15.50). If, however, your fancy is for French toast, it’s made here with challah bread, dipped in egg and cream, fried in butter and served with Rosscarbery bacon and maple syrup (€12.95). greenwichcafe.ie »
» In Ballincollig at the popular White Horse Gastropub ,ahubof great comedy and music events, they do good food at good prices, including Sunday roasts, and on Tuesday nights you can have a curry and a pint for €20pp. With chefs from India and Mauritius, they love to showcase their ‘home’ curries as well. whitehorse.ie
Moving southwest to Ireland’s gourmet capital, Kinsale, on April 13 there’s a Street Food Festival from 1pm-4pm which is part of that weekend’s celebrations of the 25th Anniversary of the twinning of the town with Newport, Rhode Island. Follow that up with dinner in one of the fab restaurants for which Kinsale is noted, including Jim Edwards which does great seafood and steaks; Rare at Blue Haven for chef Meeran Manzoor’s dynamic dishes; the legendary Man Friday overlooking the harbour for luscious lobster and more; the Michelin-starred Bastion restaurant; or indeed the Crosbie brothers brilliant Bulman Bar at Summercove, where you can dine casually in the rustic bar or in the chic upstairs restaurant. kinsalegoodfoodcircle.ie
BEYOND
On April 16 the stars align for one night only in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, when ‘The Apprentice welcomes The Master’ to his kitchens at Mount Juliet Estate. This will be a very special dining experience as chef John Kelly of the 1-star Michelin Lady Helen Restaurant, will be collaborating with his former mentor chef Guillaume Lebrun of Dublin’s 2-star Michelin Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. The tasting menu with wine pairing is priced at €175pp, or with accommodation in the splendour of the Manor House at €350pp. mountjuliet.ie.
Also in Kilkenny, at Brian Walsh’s The Cookie Co-Op on Friary Street, they have a ‘5 for €5’ on their handmade cookies — including vegan and gluten-free Belgian chocolate chip versions. Alternatively, a coffee and a large cookie or coffee and any two sweet treats from their bite-sized range is €5. thecookiecoop.ie
Overlooking the fishing boats on the quay in Wexford, at the lovely La Cote restaurant les poissons are the specialty of chef Paul Hynes. Here you can enjoy a great early bird menu with 2/3 courses at €32.95/€39.95 respectively, available all night on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and on Fridays from 5.30pm-6.30pm. lacote.ie
From April 19 to 21, you can indulge your foodie desires to your heart’s content at the 3-day Waterford Festival of Food which encompasses events like markets, tasting tours and a burlesque cabaret, not only in Waterford City but in county towns including Ardmore and Cappoquin. In Dungarvan, legendary UK chef Rowley Leigh will be presiding at The Tannery on Saturday 20 (€85pp). On the same night, Seáneen Sullivan, Santina Kennedy and Anthony O’Toole will be creating a banquet (€130pp) at the magnificent Lismore Castle. It seems there’ll be something to keep you entertained every minute of the day. waterfordfestivaloffood.com
Responding to the general trend of people wanting to dine more casually, Patricia Roberts of the fabulously elegant No.1 Pery Square in Limerick’s Georgian Quarter has introduced a delicious new easier breezier Townhouse dinner menu served in the more relaxed setting of The Long Room, rather than the former Sash restaurant upstairs. The new menu consists of snacks, small plates, mains, puddings, with a carefully curated wine menu featuring mostly natural, organic and bio
You can indulge your foodie desires to your heart’s content at the 3-day Waterford Festival of Food which encompasses events like markets, tasting tours and a burlesque cabaret
dynamic wines, not to mention their great cocktails. oneperysquare.com
In the heart of Galway at MacNeill’s Gastropub, in the cellars of The Hardiman on Eyre Square, you can enjoy an early bird bonus of 20pc off dining between 5pm–6.30pm from Thursday-Sunday. thehardiman.ie
Galway too is the home of those great pizzas from The Dough Bros, Ronan and Eugene Greaney. Absolutely delicious (€10.95€15.50) and so handy for eating on the hoof as you take in the sights of the City of the Tribes. Try the vegan Legalise Marinara! thedoughbros.ie
Further north in Sligo, Anthony Gray’s Hooked is a lively colourful spot offering a wide range of enticing menus at good prices taking you from brunch to dinner. hookedsligo.ie
In Comber, Co Down, at No.14 at The Georgian House, on April 18, Waterford chef Keith Boyle will be dazzling diners with his exemplary skills in a one-off collaboration, hosted by Alexandre Graffard of Maison Henri Champlain in conjunction with Robb Brothers Wine Merchants. The 5-course dinner, along with paired wines, is being priced at £120pp (€140). Boyle — ex Restaurant Lady Anne in Castlecomer and Bridge House, Kilkenny — has recently joined Mountain View at Ballyhale, Co Kilkenny, which I look forward to visiting knowing he will put his own inimitable stamp on it. no14georgianhouse.com l