Killavullen Farmers Market. Next Market Saturday 21st (10.30 am to 1.00pm)

Killavullen Farmers Market
Next Market Saturday 21st (10.30 am to 1.00pm)

Mary Sleeman gets a little help from Cathy Fitzgibbon (right)
during basketmaking demo at Killavullen Market

Called to the Killavullen Farmers Market, the one in the polytunnel, on April 7th. Brought the bags, as usual - no point in going to a market unless you bring bags - and filled them up, no bother.

 The Killavullen market is held about twice each month, dates on their Facebook page, in the Nano Nagle Centre  on the Mallow-Fermoy Road and it is appropriate that organic produce features highly. The centre’s mission now “is to promote a vision of eco spirituality” and it runs a 32 acre organic farm here. Indeed, the Nano Nagle Centre has its own stall in the market. All of the stalls are indoor, sheltered under a large polytunnel so the market is weather-proofed. Great idea.


You can also have a cup of tea or coffee and some home baking, maybe before or after the market or perhaps after taking one of several walks through the centre. Why not try the Cosmic Walk that takes you past a very large and impressive sundial.

Then stroll down to the peaceful banks of the lovely Blackwater. When finished, we could have headed back towards Mallow and retraced the journey up but instead we took a quiet cross country drive through the drizzly hills as we returned to the city via Glenville.

In the tunnel

Dip into Spain and France with Mary Pawle Wines

Dip into Spain and France with Mary Pawle Wines

Azul y Garanza Garciano Navarro (D0) 2015, 14.5%, €16.00 Mary Pawle Wines

This nicely assembled blend of fruity and spicy Garnacha with the “subtle acidity” of the Graciano is produced organically and matured in cement tanks. But Azul y Garanza go further, planting fruit trees and native aromatic plants around the vineyards. “Working this way, we break the monoculture and we create a wider eco-system.”

They create some pretty good wines too if this one is anything to go by. It is mid-ruby in colour with red berries prominent in the nose. Fresh red fruit, raspberries mainly, on the palate, spice too, tannins just about in the mix. This medium bodied blend is quite intense, smooth and acceptably balanced with the Graciano acidity doing its bit. There is a hint of sweetness on the long finish. Very Highly Recommended.

Punctum Viento Aliseo La Mancha (DO) 2016, 13.5%, €13.30 Mary Pawle Wines

This joven (young) wine is a blend of Tempranillo (70%) and Petit Verdot. Organically and biodynamically farmed (Demeter approved) and made from “our estate-grown grapes”.

Cherry is the colour. Cherries and blackberries feature in the aromas. And the same fruit too on the full and smooth palate, matched by a lively acidity, the tannins just about in evidence. Quite complex for a joven and Highly Recommended. Good value too by the way.

Feely Résonance Bergerac (AC) 2012, 13.5%, €17.70 Mary Pawle Wines

In Bergerac

Crafted by Sean and Caro Feely in Saussignac (known for its dessert wine appellation but in the Bergerac appellation for red and white), this red is organic, unfined and unfiltered. It is basically a Merlot (98%) with a little Cabernet Sauvignon.

Merlot is the most widely grown red grape in France, most famously in the Pomerol area of Bordeaux where a bottle of Pétrus could set you back several thousand euro.

Colour is a deep ruby. Aromas of dark fruit, plum and black cherry. Full bodied, with power and elegance combined, balanced enough with a long spicy finish. Highly Recommended.

Match with pizza, pasta, and beef, say the winemakers, with Osso Bucco according to an acquaintance of mine.

Killarney’s Yew Tree. Emphasis on Seafood. Mungo and one-eyed rabbit Sushi harvest their seaweed.

Killarney’s Yew Tree. Emphasis on Seafood

Mungo and Sushi harvest their seaweed.

Scallop Starter

Mungo Murphy lives in the West of Ireland on bogland by the sea. He lives with his one-eyed rabbit called Sushi and a tailless cat called Parnell. You may read these details on the menu at The Yew Tree, the main restaurant at the five star Muckross Park Hotel on the Muckross Road in Killarney.

Amuse

Mungo is listed as one of the many west coast suppliers that head chef John O’Leary relies on. Mungo is a seaweed forager and his presence on the list indicates a leaning towards the sea on the menu. From the mackerel Amuse Bouche, fish features strongly here. But don’t worry. Duck and beef were also available during our recent visit.

And, after that tasty mackerel, I continued with Suckling Pig Belly, Baby Vegetables, Apple, Alsace Bacon. Looked well on the plate and tasted even better, even the apple was amazing. CL’s Scallop with Chicken Wing, Peas, Wild Garlic, Lardo, Truffle Crumb was another well executed well presented treat. Other starters included a Country Style Terrine, Foie Gras, Wild Mushrooms Veloute and a Herb Ravioli.

Suckling Pig

There is a huge wine list, lots of expensive stuff included, some available by the glass and others by the half-bottle. I continued on my Muscadet revival with a Domaine de la Chauviniere Muscadet Sur Lie, Loire, France, 2016. Great intensity on the palate and a decent finish and a good match with the fish. There are wine pairing recommendations under each dish but no sommelier, at least not on the night we visited.

Halibut

Now, we were on to the main event. CL picked the Wild Halibut Smoked, Razor Clam, Oyster and Vermouth, Lardo. Faultlessly cooked and well presented, and well finished off too! I was equally happy with my Turbot Fillets, Baby Gem, Burnt Lemon Gel, Soy Emulsion. The other fish dish on the night was Cod with Herb Gnocchi, Cauliflower, Pine Nuts, Chervil. 

I often look to the smaller elements in a meal as I think they give a great indication as to the standard of the kitchen. I already mentioned the apple with my starter. Another example came in the vegetable served with the mains. Not your usual winter root vegetable. But cauliflower, cut thinly in cross-section  (think carpaccio),  and roasted with pistachio nuts. Amazing textures and flavour.

The non fish dishes were very tempting. One was Duck Breast, XO Turnip, Polenta, Cabbage, Orange, Jus. And the other was Beef Fillet, Tongue & Cheek, Bone Marrow Brulée, Mustard, Beef Sauce. By the way, a separate vegetarian menu is available “with a choice of delectable options”.

Turbot

John O’Leary's desserts are very tempting indeed though we could only manage one between us but the Rum Spiced Pineapple with Cocoa Nib Tuile, Green Tea Crumble, Mango & Passion Fruit Sorbet was a beauty. 

Dessert

Next time, I think I’ll try the Chocolate Textures, maybe the Blood Orange Cremeux, perhaps the Artisan Cheeses (West Coast Cheese, Crisp Bread, House Preserves). Oh, too hard to make up my mind. Better wait until the night.

The award winning Yew Tree is located in the original Victorian lounge at the hotel. It is a beautiful room, comfortably appointed. Service while friendly and warm lacked a bit on the language skills. Took one server some time to think of the word mackerel and in another instance the French was used for cauliflower. Early in the season yet, so time to improve for the busier nights ahead in this inviting place.

See also

Quinlan's Seafood Bar Killarney
Celtic Whiskey Bar and Larder
Visiting Killarney's Big Houses
Dine and Stay at The Brehon Hotel Killarney

36 Hours in Killarney, inc Killarney Brewing

Taste of the Week. Maura’s Kitchen Spicy Beetroot Chutney

Taste of the Week

Maura’s Kitchen Spicy Beetroot Chutney

Found my current Taste of the Week during a pleasant visit to Killavullen Farmers Market last Saturday week. Stopped at Maura’s Kitchen Stand and spotted her Spicy Beetroot Chutney. 

It is great with cheese, particularly cheddar. And Maura herself says it really livens up what could otherwise be a rather mundane meat sandwich.

It is packed with beetroot and other ingredients include onion, eating apples, zest and juice of orange, yellow mustard, red wine vinegar, sugar and ginger. Recommended, well worth a try.

Maura also has some terrific jams here and, as with the beetroot, is quite generous with the fruit. Watch out for her Wild Plum and Raspberry jar in particular. And watch out for this lovely market which will be on again next Saturday.

Maura’s Kitchen, 

Derryvillane,

Glanworth,

Co. Cork

Mise en place saves your ass. Chatting with Oyster Tavern Head Chef Kate Lawlor

Mise en place saves your ass 

Chatting with Oyster Tavern Head Chef Kate Lawlor

Kate in her Fenn's Quay days with John and Sally McKenna (left). See Kate
on RTE 1 on April 18th (8.30pm) in Healthy Appetite

Kate Lawlor, for so long associated with Fenn’s Quay, is now enjoying her Head Chef role at The Oyster Tavern in Cork city centre. And the team there, quite a young one, have a great chance to learn from one of the hardest working chefs around but one who enjoys “teaching others the joy of cooking, taking raw ingredients and making wonderful dishes.  I also enjoy heading to the English Market and meeting suppliers”. 

Her aim now is make the Oyster and its food offering better known among the public. We caught up with Kate after a lovely meal in the Oyster and enjoyed this chat.

I know you were sad to leave Fenn’s Quay. But you’re still on familiar ground and things have worked out well?

 After a little break after closing Fenn’s, it felt right to take on the role in the Oyster with its history and of course its location on Market Lane into the English Market. It’s taken me a few months to settle into new surroundings but, with the support of Bob (general manager) Dee (restaurant manager ) and Chris Curtin (assistant head chef)  and team, menus are coming together nicely. 

What direction is cooking here at The Oyster taking? What can we expect in the near future?

It’s very much a simple approach to good quality produce sourced within the English Market with a few Fenn’s classics popping up such as the flourless chocolate pudding  and the warm chicken salad on the lunch. There is a big emphasis on steaks and fish which will continue to evolve with the seasons. 

How did you start in the business? Was there a good cook at home or other family inspiration?

 Having taken up Home Ec in Secondary School my first summer job was in a cafe kitchen aged 16. I really enjoyed it, the cooking, the creating, so it was suggested I apply to what was then Cert in Cork Institute of Technology and the rest you could say is history. In later years I returned to complete a degree in Culinary Arts. 

Do you shout in the kitchen?

I tend not to. I learnt early on I didn’t like being shouted at and therefore I shouldn’t shout at someone, it only makes the situation worse. 

The importance of prepping. Do you ever have enough time in the kitchen?  

Some days are easier than others. There is  a great saying “mise en place saves your ass “ and it’s true. Still, you do have days when you feel you’re never on top of it but, with a great team behind you, you get there in the end.

Sourcing and provenance is important to you?

For me it is. It may cost a bit more but it’s worth it as I like to know the person behind the products and learn about how it’s made 

Have you ever come up with a dish by accident, a fluke?

Specials for me are always a bit of a fluke as always last on the prep list. Recently I cooked some pearl barley with carrots onions and some fennel seeds, added cabbage & prawn & a dash of lemon served with turbot & butternut squash purée. It truly was a dish I was super proud of.  

Meat as back-up, not the main feature in a dish? Will that happen?

Attitudes to food are changing but still our meat sales outweigh the vegetarian at present so I can’t see that happening. 

What non-Irish cuisine do you like most?

At present Japanese. Its clean flavours in the broths and the precision is mesmerising .

What is the best meal you’ve ever had?

Hard to pick out one in particular. Really enjoyed Nathan Outlaw and JP McMahon's collaboration in Aniar, Purnell's in Birmingham , 1826 in Adare. But best in the last 12 months was when I collaborated with Derry Clarke’s menu at the Oyster last November. 

Kate is set to star, along with Donegal's Gary O'Hanlon, in the first episode of a new RTE cooking series called Healthy Appetite, which is all about good food.  Episode one kicks off on RTE1 on Wednesday, April 18th at 8.30pm. @MindtheGapFilms

See A Specials Evening at The Oyster Tavern.

The Winemason do Spit in Cork. My focus on Riesling and Portugal

The Winemason do Spit in Cork. 

My focus on Riesling and Portugal

Soizic (Les Gourmandise) with Ben

Last week, one hundred bottles of “wine without make-up” were up for tasting in the River Lee Hotel thanks to the combined efforts of four Dublin wine companies. Spit, as the combination is called, consists of Winemason, Nomad Wine, Vinostito, and Grapecircus and virtually all the wines were organic. And there wasn't a dud among them. In this post, we’ll look at Ben Mason and his Winemason contribution.

Winemason is owned by Barbara Boyle (MW) and Ben and they provide restaurants and independent retailers with original and distinctive wines from Germany, Portugal (a favourite), Austria Spain, France, Italy and South Africa. “We are constantly evolving with the ever-changing wine world and we work to reflect this in the wines we sell.”

Graham was helping Ben in the River Lee and I asked him if there was a wine on the stand that deserved to be better known, one that was maybe under-appreciated at present, and he soon filled me a taster of the Julien Schaal Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay 2016. The winery is in Elgin Ridge, South Africa, the winemaker is “from Alsace” and the wine itself is very pleasantly distinctive. Crisp on the palate with citrusy flavours and minerality, tart on the finish, very engaging indeed.

I had picked a trio of Rieslings and started with one from the Nahe region, the ES Trocken 2016 by Emrich Schonleber. Quite intense on the palate, with a light spiciness and outstanding minerality. My favourite kind of Riesling.

Chardonnay to note
from South Africa

The next Riesling came from the Mosel and was the Zeppelin (Mulheim) 2016 by Max Ferdinand Richter. Apparently this wine was served on the flying Zeppelins. This too is elegant, no shortage of minerality, well balanced, and it is the tropical nature of the fruit flavours that catches your attention.

And, if we were in the skies for the Zeppelin, we now moved up a notch to the Kingdom of Heaven with the JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 2016, the Himmelreich being the heaven. Here the aromas are a subtle but tempting floral, it is soft and fruity right through to a sustained finalé. Quite a hat trick of Rieslings there!

Ben had a superb selection of reds also but again I focused on a hat trick, all from Portugal, an area where Winemason is strong though Ben has noted that prices are rising there. First up was the Mouchao Dom Rafael Tinto 2015 from Alentejo, a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Trincadeira. Ripe dark fruits and tannins, a bit of spice too, combine in a rich and complex wine. 

Zeppelin

Next we called to the Lisbon area and tasted the Fossil Tinto 2015 by Vale da Capucha, an organic producer; this a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Syrah. Rich dark fruits, hints of spice, fresh and elegant, and with a long dry finish. Excellent.

Then I enjoyed very much the Niepoort Vertente 2015 from the Douro, enjoyed it as Graham sang its praises: the rich blend (Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and others), its long dry finish. “And it’s low in alcohol as well,” he said. It’s a gem, elegant and smooth. One to stock up on before those prices rise or even when they do!

Would have loved to have stayed longer and tried more of the Winemason wines, including those from Austria and South Africa, but time to move on up the line! Here’s to the next Spit.

Read about Nomad Wines at Spit here

Read about Vinostito at Spit here 
About  Grapecircus here

Grapecircus at Spit Cork. Fantasia. Insania. Campania. Italia.

Grapecircus at Spit Cork.

Fantasia. Insania. Campania. Italia.

Enrico, with square halo, and Aileen

Enrico Fantasia is enthusiastic about wine #77 on his stand at the Spit Cork event in the River Lee Hotel. It is Falanghina ‘Insania’ 2016 by Bambinuto. That Falanghina is the grape variety and the best known variety from this area in Campania is Greco di Tufo which is also produced by Bambinuto.

The vineyard is about an hour east of Naples, yet in 2006 Marilena Aufiero was told she was mad to start her operation here, hence the name Insania. “She took a chance,” said an admiring Enrico, the man behind Grapecircus who are best known for Italian wines. The wine, which has spent six month on lees, is delicious, fresh with minerality. This, and others from the Grapecircus portfolio, are available via Sheridan’s Cheesemongers. Others available online via SIYPS.

Enrico has been described as “the charismatic ringmaster of Italian wines in Ireland”. He also owns a wine bar, Piglet in Temple Bar. It is not his first restaurant venture. “I couldn't stay away.”. While Grapecircus have a strong Italian list, they now include wines from all over Europe, “made by passionate people with respect for nature.. that express terroir and tradition.”

Traditionally, the Castelli dei Jesi wine-producing zone in eastern Italy is noted for its Verdicchio and Enrico’s example was the Saltatempo 2016 produced by La Marca de San Michele. Verdicchio apparently means the little green one and there are tints of green in the colour and apple notes on the palate. This one is soft and round with a crisp acidity and a pleasant slightly bitter finish.

My next white came from the Mengoba vineyard in Bierzo, Spain, the Brezo Blanco 2016. It is a Godello with some Dõna Blanca, produced more or less organically but with no certification. This relatively full-bodied wine has responded well to five months on lees, pretty intense and with a strikingly long finish.

I had intended to try his Muscadet but Enrico wasn't happy with the bottles supplied - just goes to show his professionalism - so I switched my attention to the Albarino. A taster alongside me remarked there is no such thing as a bad Albarino and this Saras 2015 by Entre Os Rios was another good one. Good colour and aroma (tropical fruits), a richer style perhaps than usual, fruity, juicy and a long dry finish. 

Aileen took me through some of the Grapecircus reds, a brilliant mini-tour, mainly through Italy. Starting with When We Dance 2015, the Chianti by the Sting co-owned winery Tenuta Il Palagio. “It is the entry level wine,” Aileen said. “they are just outside the Classico area so it is good value and 2015 was a very good year.” And indeed, this is a very good wine, cherry prominent, and fresh, organic of course.

When we dance

A quick step over to France and to Bourgueil by the Loire and a tasting of Yannick Amirault’s La Coudraye 2016. Yannick is “one of the top producers and is certified organic.” Cabernet Franc is the red grape all around this area. It is noted for its freshness and that shone through this lovely rich wine, Aileen describing it as dense.

Back to Tuscany now and the Rosso de Montalcino Banditella 2014, produced from Sangiovese grapes by Col D’Orcia. This is a super wine from “the area's third largest producer”. “But the focus is on quality. It was a tough year in 2014 but good producers produce good wine even in bad years.” The winery was certified organic in 1999 and this red is a beauty, balanced, great finish.

The Marche in Italy wasn't too far away and my final stop was Fattoria San Lorenzo for their Rosso Piceno Burello 2014, a blend of 50/50 Sangiovese and Montepulciano, their top wine,  rich but not heavy, superb and with a long long finish.

Last week, one hundred bottles of “wine without make-up” were up for tasting in the River Lee Hotel thanks to the combined efforts of four Dublin wine companies. Spit, as the combination is called, consists of Winemason, Nomad Wine, Vinostito, and Grapecircus and virtually all the wines were organic. And there wasn't a dud among them. 

Vinostito at Spit

Nomad Wines at Spit

Winemason at Spit

Amuse Bouche

Abraham brought me to a buffet line, arranged in the courtyard. Twenty doctors and nurses lined up in their uniforms, blue and white. They were a mixed bunch: Kenyans, whites, Indians, one nurse who looked like a very light-skinned Arab. Abraham helped me with my plate, filling it with chicken and rice and lettuce.

…

He watched me tear into my chicken and rice; I hadn’t had meat in months. He took a bite of a drumstick and stared at me.

-What kind of trouble are you in?

-I’m in no trouble, I said.

-How did you get out of Kakuma?

I hesitated.

from What is The What by Dave Eggers (2006). Very Highly Recommended. 

Frogs Attack #1. Do It Again. Soon!

Frogs Attack #1. Do It Again. Soon!

They came. They saw. They conquered. They, collectively the Frogs Attack, being two pioneering natural winemakers (Jean Foillard and Thierry Puzelat), a guerrilla chef (Antony Cointre) and a comedian (Sebastien Barrier) and they cornered their willing victims in a packed Latitude 51. 

Cork’s leading wine bar was the ideal venue for the French influenced evening. Beverley and her staff caught the informal spirit of the occasion perfectly and we wined and dined, and laughed a lot too. 

Hard to keep up with Sebastien as he roamed between the two floors. He even wandered outside at one stage, startling the customers by banging on the window and, with his phone, taking photos of the surprised faces. We were wondering was the ebullient funny man in trouble a few minutes later when a couple of cops appeared at the door but nothing to do with Sebastien!

May I introduce Jean Foillard to you, via Le Caveau catalogue: A vigneron like Jean Foillard doesn’t come around too often. Jean Foillard and his wife Agnès started their handkerchief-size domain in Morgon in the 1980’s when the majority of appellation, driven by big negoces, were (and are still) producing industrial wines. Undeterred by their surroundings, Jean and Agnès decided to embark on their own path. They returned to honest vine growing and wine making the way their grandparents did. The vines are grown organically. The same attention is paid in their cellar. There are no additives in the cellar to hide shortcuts in the vineyards because there are no shortcuts in the vineyards. The hand-harvested grapes are fermented using natural yeasts only. 

Cooking done and Le Gros relaxes 

And, quoting from the same source, Thierry Puzelat: Having met and worked with Francois Dutheil (Bandol) and Marcel Lapierre (Morgon), two pioneers of the ‘natural’ wine movement, Thierry decided he too, wanted to make his wines as naturally as possible. Puzelat’s wines are quite unique, they are highly expressive of their terroir, authentic, filled with life and have very strong personality.

Le Caveau borrowed, as we do here, this quote from Jamie Goode: ‘Thierry and Jean-Marie Puzelat—brothers—are natural wine royalty. They are making some of the Loire’s most interesting wines and are at the heart of the natural wine movement.’

Behind the counter: Jules and Beverley

And the wines really are superb. The night’s list: Thierry’s Clos du Tue Boeuf, blanc and rouge, and the three Morgons from Jean, all 2016, including his “Cote du Py” and the “Corcelette”. And to make things even better, they were available at shop (rather than restaurant) prices. A nice touch that!

According to his website, Antony Cointre, aka Le Gros, is not an ordinary chef, he is an enthusiastic cook. He does not have a permanent restaurant because he likes to change atmosphere and to touch lots of different audiences. …. making tasting meals in 10 steps at home for 6 or popular banquets of 650 people or even weddings in unlikely conditions. 

And Le Gros, in the tiny kitchen, came up with some tasty dishes at L’Atitude. They included a Feta and Kumquat starter, then a Monkfish carpaccio with Harissa sauce, three French cheeses with date, and dessert of chocolate and, believe or not, rhubarb.

Sebastien attacks the window!

In between the six courses, Sebastian kept us entertained and joined up with some Irish friends to play some tunes. And all the time, we were sipping and enjoying those natural wines, the real stars of the show!

I’ll finish with a message to the frogs: Please attack us again, soon!

Kinsale’s Trident Hotel. Spectacular, Inside and Out

Kinsale’s Trident Hotel. Spectacular, Inside and Out 

View from the Bridal Suite

Kinsale’s Trident Hotel must be one of the most spectacularly situated hotels in the country. Whenever I enter a room there, the view over the water makes me stop and look.

And that was even more the case recently as I was part of a group being shown the renovated bedrooms, all with new linen and pillows. The hotel is three-sided (the water completes the square) and all rooms have a view of the water. There are 75 in all, all with breath-taking views of a part of the Bandon River estuary, the harbour or the busy port and pier.

In the Bridal Suite

The Bridal Suite is probably the most stunning. It has an expanded view of the water, at least on two sides, and you can see it even better once you stroll out to its exclusive balcony. Again it is beautifully decorated, with living and loving areas. Even spotted a copy of the Kingdom of Wine by local author Ted Murphy among the distractions there. By the way, it is not just newly-married couples that end up here! So start working on the love of your life and get him or her down here.

The smallest rooms (and they are not really small) are the Superior. This class has just a shower, no bath. But it shares much the same outstanding decor as the others, the colours of the fabrics and the walls, all calm and soothing. While walking along the corridors, I was struck by the restful colour combination, mainly white and grey on the walls, blue and grey in the carpet, and a little extra colour in the curtains. All very peaceful throughout.

Evening view from Pier One restaurant

The Executive Rooms are very popular. They have thirty of them, ten on each floor, extremely well equipped and very spacious and possibly with the more expansive of the views. 

And if you are bringing the family, they have just the room for you. The Family Rooms are just that bit more roomy with a large sofa (doubles as a pull-out bed) for the kids or maybe it’s for the tired Mom and Dad.

The Signature suites are perched on the water's edge, with breath-taking views of Kinsale harbour from the large floor to ceiling windows and private balcony overlooking Kinsale harbour. You’ll enjoy additional comfort and space, a super king size bed, an Nespresso machine and more.

Pier One, again with a great view, is the restaurant. It is used mainly for large group events, such as wine tastings. And it is also where’ll you’ll get breakfast. They lay on quite a spread here, with real cheese and ham included. Loads of fruit too, plus breads and cereals. And a choice of hot dishes of course, including the full Irish (and any variation you wish) and a fish option. I choose the latter on this occasion and certainly enjoyed my two fillets of plaice (which I think a passing seagull fancied as he lingered outside the window).

Executive

Downstairs is the busy Wharf Bar and it is here that most of the daily dining, including dinner, takes place. They have a new menu and manager Hal McElroy and his staff, led by chefs Shirley Forde and Frank O’Reilly, had quite a tasting set up for our group of visitors that included many service providers in the local tourist industry.

The food (and drink!) was all arranged in the spacious Pier One as the Wharf was, of course, busy serving evening meals to the residents. Lots of local suppliers mentioned on the menu including Riverview Eggs, Quigley Meats, John Barrett butcher, Shannonvale, Clona and Sean Bohan, Matt O’Connell, Haven Shellfish, Horizon Farms, Pallas Green and Allfresh.

Family space

Not surprisingly, the fish samples caught my attention. The Stir-fried Fillet of Monkfish & Mussels on a bed of basmati rice and with its mild creamy curry sauce was a stand-out. Then again the Seared fillet of sea bass with sugar snap peas also impressed as did the slider of the Wharf Burger. 

Lots of other tempting dishes on the new menu including Chicken Supreme, John Barrett’s local Sirloin Steak, the Aged Irish Lamb Rump, Kinsale Seafood Bake, George's Homemade Chicken Goujons, Traditional Fish and Chips, and the Pea and Broad Bean Risotto.  Fairly priced too with prices ranging from 12.95 to 24.95.

Sweet tasters in Pier One, with a Knuttel on the wall.

Some tempting starters too, everything from Mussels Mariniere to Wild  Mushroom Gratin to a sharing Plate of West Cork Charcuterie (featuring Gubbeen chorizo). There is a full bar here of course with local beer and cider featured and a varied wine list too. A Loire Sauvignon blanc will cost you €6.50 a glass and if the budget stretches you may enjoy a bottle of Chateau Corbin Michotte St Emilion Grand Cru 2006 for €80.00.

You’ll find some of the same dishes on the Daytime Menu. The big difference at lunch is the Ultimate Sandwich section. You may have the Smoked Atlantic Salmon Salad, perhaps the Wharf Toasted Special, maybe the Smoked Bacon BLT. Fancy something more substantial? Then the Seared John Barrett Steak Baguette will surely fit the bill!

After all that, I dropped down to the Wharf to finish off the enjoyable evening. This bar has a nautical feel – designed by local yacht designer, Rob Jacob, to resemble elements of an old sailing ship, it is complete with portholes, decking, vaulted panel & beam ceiling and rope-wound galleon masts. And once the weather picks up, you can drink al fresco at the Foredeck Bar on the water’s edge with outdoor seating and splendid views of the harbour and estuary.

Check the ships as they come and go

* Just a reminder from Trident manager Hal McElroy about the 8th annual All-Ireland Chowder Cook-Off 2018, which will take place in Kinsale, Co Cork on Sunday 22nd April. This hugely popular event, hosted by the town’s Good Food Circle and an association of local restaurants, sees restaurants, cafés and bars compete to become the “All-Ireland Chowder Champion”.

Serious reading for the bride and groom!