AUGUSTINE’S
When in Augustine’s, have the superlatives ready.
Back last night to the Clarion Hotel venue (right) for the second time in ten days, this time to try out their Tasting Menu, Augustine's contribution to Dine in Cork Week. And what a contribution! Six courses of perfection. Impeccable food, cooking, presentation and service.
Started off with a Spicy Tomato and Herb Gazpacho. It comes in a little shot glass and certainly wakes up the taste buds.
All ready then for course number two: a Salmon tartare built into a little tower with lentils, topped with flat leaf parsley and a quail’s egg. Taste buds are wide awake now, taking it all in.
Then comes the soup. An ordinary little food word. But nothing ordinary about this Mushroom and Truffle combination. Linger with this as every “beefy” spoonful should be caressed before dispatch. Excellent.
Now for the piece de resistance: the game pie. The pastry envelope was packed with shredded venison, rabbit, pheasant and chicken. This is rich stuff, embellished by chutney, boudin noir and potato. Wow!
Course five is the cheese. Choices here now with Milleens, Gubbeen Smoked and Bleu D’Auvergne available. I really enjoyed that blue, accompanied by relish and watercress.
Time for dessert, pretty as picture as usual. And the Real Fruit Jelly, the balancing tangy Blackcurrant Sorbet and the so tasty homemade shortbread biscuit, were delicious to eat as well.
And the wine wasn’t bad either. I enjoyed a couple of glasses of Vinasperi Rioja Crianza Tempranillo 2006. Costs: Six course tasting menu €25.00, wine €7.00 per glass.
See all the Dine-in-Cork menus here: http://www.dineincork.ie/participating-restaurants.html
By the way, the €25.00 Tasting Menu, which has been on all year, will be taken off in the run-up to Christmas but will be renewed early in the New Year.
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