The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Saturday
LOCAL HEROES
Food insiders reveal their neighbourhood favourites
For Darina Allen, founder of the legendary Ballymaloe Cookery School in Co Cork, the past year has been as busy as ever. Having kept the local community supplied with produce from its 100acre farm throughout lockdown, the school and restaurant at Ballymaloe House are back up and running, and Allen herself has been busy working on a cookbook, How to Cook, out in September. With hospitality in Ireland now open, it’s a table at her local Palestinian restaurant or an old-fashioned ice cream that might tempt her away…
THE CUSTOMS HOUSE
“The chef at this restaurant, Ahmet Dede, uses local produce to create amazing Turkish dishes. He won a Michelin star this year, but it’s all very down-to-earth and welcoming. He creates some absolutely delicious flavours; last year I ate a gorgeous salad with tiny heirloom tomatoes and smoked paprika.”
The Customs House, Baltimore, Co Cork; customshousebaltimore.com
CRAWFORD GALLERY CAFÉ
“We’re lucky to have so many lovely places to eat in Cork. One of my favourites is the Crawford Café, attached to the art gallery. Sinead Doran cooks deliciously simple food there. Some of the dishes have been on the menu for 20 years because the locals won’t let her take them off! It’s lovely to go down and have a dish of bone marrow with parsley and caper salad (Fergus Hendersonstyle), and a slice of her praline cake with a coffee to finish.”
Crawford Art Gallery, 1 Emmett Place, Co Cork; crawfordgallerycafe.com
IZZ CAFE
“An authentic Palestinian restaurant run by refugees and asylum seekers. After coming to Ireland a couple of years ago, the community helped them to get started with the business, and since then they’ve become a
Some of the dishes at the Crawford Café have been on the menu for 20 years – the locals insist on it! much-loved part of the Cork food scene. They do the most amazing manaeesh, chunky soups and breads. Well worth a stop-by.”
14 George’s Quay, Ballintemple, Co Cork; izz.ie
ARDSALLAGH GOAT FARM
“Jane Murphy, who owns the farm, supplies the cheese that goes into our restaurant salad and it’s really fantastic. Jane and her family have been making goat’s cheese for over 20 years; she knows the name of every one of her goats! She makes a variety of soft and hard goat’s cheeses, as well as her own feta, and is always experimenting to produce new flavours.”
Woodstock, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork; ardsallagh.ie
CONEY ISLAND ICE CREAM PARLOUR
“This little, traditional parlour opened this year close to the pier in Ballycotton. It serves home-made ice creams in wonderfully nostalgicsounding flavours, including Ballycotton Banoffee and East Cork Mess.”
The Trawl Door, Midleton, Co Cork; @the_trawl_door_ballycotton
As told to Pip Sloan