A Welcome Warming Lunch at the Mill Food Truck in Blarney

A Welcome Warming Lunch at 

the Mill Food Truck in Blarney 

Korean Chicken Fries

After an energetic walk around the grounds of Blarney Castle, we were in the need of some warming food. We had intended to eat outdoors (there is another smaller café just inside the entrance) at the Coach House Café alongside the castle but the heavy showers ruled that out.

Here, they serve a variety of hot dishes, including an Irish Stew, soups, scones and sweet treats, some pre-made sandwiches and tea and coffee and they also have seats indoors.

The Coach House in Blarney Castle.

We headed on foot across the road to the Blarney Woollen Mils to check what was on offer there food wise. We knew they serve meals in Christy’s Bar and Grill and in the hotel’s Mill Restaurant, both very busy with busloads of visitors around. 

But it was a surprise to us to see the Mill Food Truck set up in a large fairly well covered outdoor area (see it here) at the front of the restaurant. Not too many there as we arrived but is was almost full when we departed 30 or 40 minutes later.

Pork and Fries

The truck is on duty daily from 12pm until 8.00pm and has quite a choice including Burgers, Fish, Chicken, a variety of fries (including Taco and Curry Cheese versions). And a short Kids Menu. All their beef is Irish.

With a bunch of crows watching hungrily from the side, we tucked into our dishes, each well priced at €9.95. There was a little dog there also, relaxing in a seat as his “master” enjoyed his food.

One of our picks was BBQ pulled pork fries. The pork along with Texas Bourbon BBQ sauce, Ruby Slaw and crispy fried onions was loaded on to a base of chips. The carton was packed to the top and it was a much bigger meal than expected, quite good too.

Our other choice was the Korean Chicken Fries. Buttermilk Fried Chicken Strips in a Spicy Korean Style Sauce, Toasted Peanuts and Cashews, Fresh Coriander, Pickled Red Onions and Sesame seeds were loaded into the carton. Took some eating, much more than the light lunch we had intended to find, but very enjoyable indeed.

Looking forward to meeting this quintet

When you enter, approach the truck, check the menu, make you choices, pay up and take the little “alarm” back to your table and you’ll soon hear it go off. Servers are very friendly and helpful.

A dog and his man!

We then had a quick look at the shop in the Mills itself, at least the part that sells spirits and beers (including the brews by Blarney Brewing). Great to see local producers supported in this way and the same continued in the whiskey section with the likes of Clonakilty, Teeling's, Midleton and West Cork featured. Treated myself to a five-pack of the West Cork Single Malt (50 ml), all different cask finishes.

* Amazing how many opportunities there are these days for “grab and go food”. On the following day in town we were on the lookout for something ready-for-lunch and found it at the Urban Pantry in Tesco Paul Street, a very tasty Lobster Roll by Ballycotton's Trawler Boyz. 

For dessert later on, the pick was the Tres Leches Cake by La Latina (familiar to those of you that frequent Douglas Famers Market). The dessert is just the job if you have a super-sweet tooth! Good to see the products of Timoleague’s Ummera Smoke House here and we bought one of their fabulous Smoked Chickens for the freezer.

Passed Blarney House on our walk. It opens for tours in peak season.