Flawless meal at CUSH Midleton

 Flawless meal at CUSH Midleton

You walk in from the street to the little courtyard and, just past the colourful vintage shop, you see the new sign, CUSH, where the much-loved Sage used to be. Not just CUSH but CUSH Midleton, as the Ballycotton restaurant has transferred its Michelin Bib operation from the fishing harbour to the capital of East Cork. 

And then you notice - not as prominent as the characters of the name -  the four minimalist line-drawn symbols. They stand for the four seasons, for Dan Guerin’s menus reflect the seasons, and also the best that East Cork has to offer, with bountiful produce sourced from neighbouring farms and fresh fish from the nearby ocean to tell the story of that time of year, a synergy that, with Guerin’s kitchen expertise, lifts dish after dish to well above the ordinary, making for memorable dining visits.

The symbols, from top:
Spring, Summer,
Autumn, Winter

Walk past the sign and the burgeoning greenery on both sides of the warmly toned tiled pathway. Go around the corner, and you see the new blue of the building and (hopefully) the blue of the sky. Your evening begins with a warm welcome, and soon, you are at your table with the short menu and those symbols again!

We were in early (5.00 pm) in midweek and were given the Early Bird menu; the A La Carte (Tasting) menu isn’t available until about 90 minutes later.  Front of house maestro James Walsh will guide you through your menu.

Hake supreme

On the Early Bird, you have two starters and two mains (four of each on the A La Carte). We had both starters: Warm Natural Smoked Haddock, Potato Velouté, Crispy Hen’s Egg, and the Ballinrostig cheese agnolotti and Cevenne onion soup, two superb dishes. Each was outstanding. I had the agnolotti (cheese-filled pasta squares), and that onion soup begged to be spooned up, as did CL’s velouté.

CL’s Mains, one that she heartily recommends, was the Roast breast of Irish chicken, chanterelle mushrooms (Maitake were listed but on-the-ball James had tipped us off about the change), cauliflower cheese croquette, and Madeira sauce.

Chicken

Picpoul

 

My pick was the Grilled fillet of hake, new season spring greens, gnocchi, and dulse seaweed butter. Possibly the best Hake I’ve ever tasted, enhanced by the asparagus and the seaweed butter. Even the humble gnocchi played a part. We had two sides included, a dish of perfectly cooked vegetables and a smooth as could be mashed potato.

Smoked Salted Caramel Tart 

The presentation was unfussy but elegant and tidy. That was the case with all the dishes, including the Smoked Salted Caramel Tart and Vanilla Ice Cream, our shared dessert, appetising to look at, the cut so precise, the balance of textures and flavours so flawless, and just perfect for the end of a perfect meal in a lovely room.    

Check the times and menus on their website here https://cush.ie/