The Bosun is one of Cork’s treasured food traditions

The Bosun is one of Cork’s treasured  food traditions

After all those decades, the harbourside restaurant still has what it takes!

The Prawn Cocktail may be passé in some restaurants, but not here.
You'll find another excellent example at the Garryvoe Hotel.

It was a beautiful day that we chose to go to

The Bosun, one of Cork’s most longstanding and most loved restaurants. The sun was shining warmly, a few yachts were out sailing, and a large merchant ship passed the car park as we pulled in. We enjoyed a short walk before strolling back to the Bosun, which, in addition to being a restaurant, is a full bar and also offers accommodation.

Inside, the lighting was dimmed as we walked through the various sections of the restaurant, past diners already happily enjoying lunch. At 2.00 pm, the large restaurant was not full, and we had a choice of tables, deciding to sit at one in the innermost section where a skylight allowed the sun to shine in. 

We had been hoping to pick from their more expansive afternoon menu, but that doesn’t become available until 3.00 pm, information that is not on their social media as far as I could see. In any event, we had quite a lot to choose from on the lunch menu, available from noon. 

They offered over a  dozen starters, everything from Pacific Oysters to Golden Fried Irish Brie to Smoky Barbeque Chicken Wings. No shortage of mains either, with Roast Rib of Beef Served with Brandy Pepper Sauce, Baked Fillet of Plaice served with Tartar Sauce and Homemade Beef Lasagne with Salad & Chips. They are well known for their steaks and seafood, and a couple of steaks, along with a Salmon dish with a Teriyaki sauce, were also on the list. 

Chicken supreme. Food is good quality here, portions are large, and the service is excellent.

So, add in a selection of six open sandwiches and you can be sure there was enough to be going on with! In fact, so much so that we had to skip the dessert! Service, by the way, was excellent from start to finish, friendly and efficient.

Fresh Prawn Cocktail with "Mary Rose" Sauce (€16.00) is a favourite of mine and came up trumps once again. The Marie Rose sauce, often served with seafood, was popularised in the 1960s by British cook Fanny Cradock, though it and some variations were in use before then. Not too sure where the Bosun got “Mary Rose”,  but that took nothing away from this delightful, glistening starter.

Cod with velouté. Fish is always well represented on the Bosun menu.
The saffron sauce adds colour,  along with subtle flavour and aroma.

CL, on a previous visit here, became a fan (excuse the pun) of their Chilled Fan of Honeydew Melon with Seasonal Coulis (7.00), and she was more than happy to see it on the menu again last Saturday and happier still to get it in front of her. Thumbs up again!

I had been looking forward to trying their Beef Stroganoff, but that was on the later menu. Instead, I went for Baked Fillet of Cod served with Saffron Velouté (21.00). The sauce added a subtle sweet flavour and delicate floral hints to the fresh and superbly cooked, pearly flesh. 

They have quite a line-up of main dishes at this price, and all are served with Fresh Market Vegetables, Chips or Potatoes. CL also opted for a dish from this selection, the Baked Supreme of Chicken Served with Creamy Mushroom Sauce, always a good combination and particularly so here, where the kitchen got it spot on.

Even without the dessert, it was a happy couple that strolled out into the sunshine for another lazy amble by the harbour waters.

Short video from the Bosun