Favourite Delicious Dishes 2025 (so far!!!). Best for Breakfast? Sunday Lunch? Tasting Menu?

Favourite Delicious Dishes 

2025 (so far!!!). 

Bright dishes enliven the usually dull November. 

Heading towards the end of the year and time to let you see our Favourite Delicious Dishes 2025 (so far!!!). November, the month of the dead, saw a series of delicious plates mostly from city centre restaurants: ORSO's Aubergine Fritters,  Isaac's Chocolate Saint Emilion, rotisserie expertise from Spitjacks and Bakestone's Hot Nashville Chicken. A first encounter with  the new lunch menu at CUSH, and a rather special pasta dish!

Mains  - Meat & Poultry 

51 Cornmarket (free-range pork chop)

Amicus (Medium curry)

Bar One, Castlebar. Bacon Chop

O'Mahony's Watergrasshill. Glenbrook Farm Pork Ragout

ORSO (Lamb shank)

Poachers, Ballina. Steak

Thompsons (steak)

Sea Church, Ballycotton. (Boeuf Bourguignon)

Jim Edwards Kinsale (Duck)

Nua Asador (Picanha)

Cornstore (Beef cheek)

CUSH Midleton, Beef Cheek

Monk's Lane Timoleague (African-style lamb)

Sea Bass at Sea Church

Mains - Fish

Canopy at Castlemartyr Resort (Salmon with butternut risotto)

CUSH, Midleton  (Grilled Hake)

Farmgate Café (Pan Fried Cod with Peperonata, etc)

House of Plates, Castlebar. Halibut

Market Lane (Sardinian Seafood Pasta)

Salty Dog, Ballycotton (John Dory)

Sea Church, Ballycotton. (Sea Bass on bone)

K. O'Connell Fishmongers at Dunne's Stores Patrick St (Salmon Arancini)

Arundel's by the Pier, Ahakista. Fish and Chips

Ferrit & Lee, Midleton (Featherblade, Chicken Liver Paté)

Fish Factory, Dingle. (Prawn & Thai Curry)

The Bosun, Monkstown (Prawn Cocktail)

Mains - others

Bella Napoli (Ragu Alla Genovese)

Good Hood (Diego Pizza)

Ichibanya (Bento Box)

Sullys (Tacos, Nachos)

The Wine Tavern St Luke's (Sharing Board, charcuterie & cheese)

Bakestone  (quiche)

The Lodge Myrtleville Curry

Izz Café (Palestinian cuisine)

Lifeboat Inn Courtmacsherry (aubergine bake)

The Malthouse Midleton (Szechuan chicken stir fry)

Lamb Shank at ORSO

Soups, Chowders, Starters

Azure Bistro, Cobh (Bouillabaisse)

Canopy at Castlemartyr Resort (Aloo Tikki)

Goldie (Oyster Paté)

Sea Church, Ballycotton. (Chowder)

The Lodge, Myrtleville (Bao Buns)

Half Door, Dingle (Lobster Bisque)

Sweet at Bakestone!

Sandwiches:

Food Club at Fota House, chicken sandwich

Pop Crowleys, Macroom (toasties)

Desserts

Izz Café Basbouseh

Bakestone  (pastries)

Le Bistro (Carrot Cake)

Maison Gourmet, Kenmare (Strawberry Tart)

Sea Church, Ballycotton. (Crème Brûlée)

The Lake Hotel, Killarney (Bread & Butter Pudding)

Thompsons (Swiss Roll)

Rí Fern at Louis Mulcahy’s Dingle peninsula (Peach Crumble)

Full Irish at Granville (less some requested deductions!)

Tasting Menu

Glass Curtain

Sunday Lunch

The Cornstore

Breakfast

Granville Hotel Waterford (breakfast)

Schull Harbour Hotel, French Toast

Greenmount House, Dingle (Full Irish)

Carvery

The Elm Tree (carvery) 

Behind the Glass Curtain lies the holy grail! Flavour is our holy grail.

Behind the Glass Curtain lies the holy grail!

"Flavour is our holy grail"

Flavour is our holy grail* is the motto at MacCurtain Street’s Glass Curtain. Here, experienced  and dedicated Chef Patron Brian Murray, aided by equally dedicated acolytes, harnesses the essence of each season and fresh local ingredients to craft refined dishes, meals fit kings and gods. The pinnacle is consistently realised, the customers regally dined and wined.

The quality is evident on each and every plate. The local elements include fish and meat but also “minor” foraged items such as Sea Spaghetti and Blackberry. And these Irish blackberries, especially the smaller varieties, are full of flavour, unlike those tasteless giants from Central America that you occasionally see used as decoration on desserts. 

Tasting Menu 23.10.2025

Those blackberries featured twice on the meal that we enjoyed for a birthday occasion recently. We splashed the cash and went for the 5-course Tasting Menu. That delicious journey ended with a three part dessert and the blackberry combined with almond to good effect in one of them. Earlier, it was a welcome element in the venison which was perhaps the star course of the evening. The five courses didn’t, by the way, count an excellent Amuse Bouche at the beginning nor the petit four at the end.

Beaujolais by Morel

The first course was a duo of snacks, a Crudo (raw fish) with blackened citrus and a Sea Spaghetti fried Watercress (this latter an illustration of the Glass Curtain’s fondness of foraging)

Now we were on to the fish course (monkfish) and here the scallop XO sauce was a shining star. XO was developed in Hong Kong in the 1980s and the name is borrowed from cognac terminology to signify its high quality. Perhaps Brian came across this during his extensive travels as a chef. He learned it well and the umami flavour here on MacCurtain Street was striking.

Monkfish, scallop XO

Cultured butter (with the Focaccia)

"Half-time" was marked by the Glazed Beetroot course. Enjoyed that too but we were looking forward to the venison as we sipped from glasses of Dominique Morel, Beaujolais-Villages, France, 2023, also available by the carafe and bottle (imported by Liberty Wines). Morel himself is proud of this one and rightly so. It is full of fresh red berry fruit, elegant with good acidity, and is a great example of Beaujolais-Villages. 
 

The venison came in two dishes, done two ways: Venison, blackberry, charcuterie sauce and Quince braised venison under a potato foam and onion crisps. The meat was a perfect combination of juiciness, tenderness and flavour.  Even here blackberries played a noticeable and delicious role. The braised version was even more tender, so thumbs up on all counts.

Starters

When we first read the dessert listing we were thinking one plate and were surprised when three were served. On one, we had the Kilbrack Apple, on another the Muscovado Ice Cream and then a slice of blackberry and almond tart, all delicious although the humble locally grown apple was perhaps the standout.

Desserts x3, with the Kilbrack apple to the fore.

Bushmills 14

• Chef Murray, a native of East Cork, returned home after working in kitchens around the world, including on yachts and in Dubai, to open his own restaurant here in 2019. It is based in the old Thompsons Bakery. More on the Glass Curtain here.

• Tea Cakes, crumpet, slim and griddle cakes, rich and plain cakes (all of “superior quality”) and Swiss Rolls of course, were made here when Thompsons operated their bakery from 1826 to 1984 (when a liquidator was appointed).

* From Old French graal, from medieval Latin gradalis ‘dish’

Santa Paws returns to The Kingsley in partnership with Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland

 Santa Paws returns to The Kingsley in partnership with Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland

Make your (and your pups!) Christmas wish come true with a visit to Santa Claus himself at The Kingsley in Cork city on the banks of the River Lee.

 

This festive season, on Saturday 22nd, November The Kingsley are bringing back their much-loved Santa Paws event to raise money for their charity partner Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland. 

 

Since becoming pet-friendly in 2022, The Kingsley has welcomed countless pets through its doors for unforgettable stays in Cork city, and this November The Kinglsey are inviting some of their valued guests back, plus their humans, to visit Santa Claus and capture the moment with a professional shot that is sure to be a contender for the Christmas card this year!

 

Taking place on Saturday 22nd November from 9:30am to 11:00am in Perch Coffee and Wine bar at The Kingsley, enjoy a very merry morning with your four-legged family member who can meet Santa Claus and capture the moment with a professional photographer. 

 

Whether you’re an individual, couple, or family, the experience is available for just €20 per ticket (per dog ) ensuring everyone can enjoy a magical holiday moment with their pooch. Tickets are limited and pre-booking is essential via Eventbrite -  each dog will be given a time slot on the morning between 9.30-11am.

 

All proceeds from ticket sales will go to Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland, a charity providing highly trained service dogs to children with autism.

 

An evening with Bodegas Muriel at The River Lee – a Spanish wine dinner in The Grill Room

An evening with Bodegas Muriel at The River Lee – 

a Spanish wine dinner in The Grill Room

On Tuesday, November 18th, 2025, The River Lee will host an evening of Spanish wine and food in the glamorous surroundings of The Grill Room, featuring Daniel Ramírez of Bodegas Muriel, one of Rioja’s most esteemed winemaking families.

The evening will begin at 7pm with a sparkling introduction to Muriel’s celebrated portfolio, followed by a specially curated six-course menu created by Executive Head Chef Paul Pane, each course thoughtfully paired with wines from across Spain’s famed wine regions. Enjoy a journey through Albariño, Viura and Tempranillo, with Daniel guiding diners through the stories, regions and family traditions behind each wine.

Highlights of the evening include an Oscietra Caviar Royal blini paired with Albariño Viña Eguía 2023 from Rías Baixas, and a delicate Ballycotton scallop carpaccio with pickled fennel and yuzu gel matched with Viura Bodegas Muriel Blanco 2022 from Rioja. A rich wild mushroom risotto with truffled espuma and manchego will be served alongside Tempranillo Bodegas Muriel Crianza 2019, while West Cork wagyu featherblade with celeriac and grain jus will accompany the Viña Muriel Reserva 2016 from magnum. To finish, guests will enjoy The Lost Valley Cork cheese board with Tempranillo Bodegas Ollauri ‘Conde de los Andes’ 2016, followed by petits fours, tea and coffee.

Daniel Ramírez has built a distinguished international career in wine, combining academic expertise with over a decade of experience in Spain’s most prestigious regions. Now Head of Export at Muriel Wines, he represents the third generation of a family deeply rooted in Rioja’s winemaking tradition.

Founded in 1926 by José Murúa, Muriel Wines has since become one of Spain’s most respected and far-reaching wine groups. Today, the family’s eight wineries span Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Rías Baixas, producing wines that balance classic craftsmanship with modern precision. At The River Lee, guests will have the opportunity to hear firsthand from Daniel about the Muriel family’s history, its evolution through three generations, and its passion for sharing the excellence of Spanish viticulture with the world.

The River Lee’s wine dinners celebrate exceptional winemakers in a relaxed and elegant setting, pairing culinary creativity with storytelling and discovery. 

The Bodegas Muriel dinner takes place on Tuesday, November 18th, from 7pm, and tickets are priced at €95 per person, including the full six-course menu and wine pairings.

For more information or to book, visit https://sevn.ly/xVmHmOpx.

press release