Showing posts with label Cobh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cobh. Show all posts

Friday, April 4, 2014

In Praise of East Cork. Well Worth a Visit!

In Praise of East Cork. 
Well Worth a Visit!

Friendly people, great food, attractions, on land and sea, both natural and man-made, make East Cork a gem of a place to visit. From the fantastic 13th century St Mary’s Collegiate Church in Youghal to high class Fota House Gardens and Arboretum, with Barryscourt Castle in between, all free to enter, there is a treasure chest of places to visit in the area.
Cliff walk (and lighthouse in distance) at Ballycotton

Let me take you on a trip to see part of it. We’ll also enjoy some delicious as East Cork is a foodie’s paradise with top notch restaurants including Barnabrow  (ideal for a Sunday lunch), Midleton’s pioneering Farmers Market and the food mecca of Ballymaloe.



Ballymaloe

Coming from the city on the main Cork-Waterford road, take the Cobh exit ramp and head for breakfast at Bramley Lodge.  Now, set up for the morning, go over the nearby bridge to Fota Island and its many attractions.



If you have kids, go the Wildlife Park; if not, walk through the renowned Fota Arboretum  and maybe add a tour of the Georgian House. If you like it around here, you may also try the high class  Fota Island Hotel and Golf Resort.


Sailing ship at Cobh, exactly where the liners dock in summer.
Moving on, go over the Belvelly Bridge and you find yourself on Great Island where the cathedral town of Cobh is situated. Much to do here including the Sirius Art Gallery, walking tours (including the Titanic Trail and Spike Island), harbourside bars and restaurants and of course the Cobh Heritage Centre which tells of forced deportations  and also the tales of the ill fated liners, The Titanic and the Lusitania. Cruise liners now call here regularly during the season, with a carnival atmosphere in the town on the days they are in port.

Time now to head out of the islands, maybe call to the Bakestone Cafe at Ballyseedy (Cobh Cross) for a tasty bite to eat before heading east for Midleton and a tour of the Jameson Experience. If you give the right answers here, you’ll end up with a certificate of proficiency in Whiskey!
Roche's Point, worth a detour.
You may have lunch at the distillery cafe here. Quite a few others to choose from but I have a particular in Kevin Ahern's Sage and his amazing 12-mile menu.

There will be detours, of course. One that I like is off the Whitegate road, out of Midleton. Look out for the signs for East Ferry and enjoy a walk by the estuary and maybe reward yourself with a well cooked meal at Murph’s, a restaurant with a lovely view.
Next stop though is Ballymaloe, the home of modern Irish food. You could spend a day here. Maybe an overnight stay to sample the world renowned cooking. Be sure to take a look at the impressive Cookery School gardens and call to the cafe for a mid afternoon or mid morning  coffee. The cafe at the Stephen Pearse pottery in Shanagarry is now gaining quite a reputation.
Youghal has many miles of beaches. Many more all along the East Cork coast.
In the nearby seaside village of Ballycotton, take a stroll down to the pier and see the fishermen come and go. If you feel you need to stretch the legs, then there is a spectacular walk along the cliff tops. After all that exercise, treat yourself to a gorgeous meal at Pier 26.
Time now for dinner. If heading back towards the city and make a stop at the estuary village of Glounthaune and the Rising Tide Bar Bistro. Enjoy your meal here, as Lady Gaga did, and take time for a deserved pint in the bar afterwards. If heading east, then you’ll find a lovely cafe called Sage or a fine seafood meal at Aherne’s, both in Youghal. Maybe you'd like to rest up for the night and have a meal in the Old Imperial Hotel on the main street, maybe just a drink in its old Coachhouse bar.
Fresh fish at Ballycotton's Pier 26






Monday, January 13, 2014

Always Busy at the Bramley Lodge Café

Always Busy at the Bramley Lodge Café
 I think Bramley Lodge Café has been perpetually busy since Gillian Kearney opened the café in 2009. It is situated just off the N25 (main Cork-Waterford-Rosslare road) at Cobh Cross. Parking has been improved here, it has long opening hours and so it is a very convenient stop. And  a highly recommended one.


My latest visit came this weekend. The welcome is informal but warm, reflecting the friendliness of the staff. By the way, informal doesn't mean inefficient service, far from it. We were immediately directed to a table and soon had the menu and the list of specials and, as it turned out, we ordered mainly from the latter.


Had seen their Cajun style Salmon with a Mango Salsa and Rustic potatoes and seasonal veg (13.95) on their Facebook page earlier and went for that as my mains. It was terrific, cooked and assembled with a light touch, and thoroughly satisfying; it looked well and tasted well.


CL too was very happy with another nicely presented special: Roast Loin of sugar baked Pork with an Apple and Raisin Chutney, served with seasonal vegetables and potato (12.95). An excellent piece of meat and enhanced no end by that beautiful chutney!

 My Halloumi affair continued with my starter, this from the regular menu: Grilled Halloumi with organic leaves, char grilled melon, rustic potatoes and honey and citrus dressing (7.95). That dressing was superb and I totally enjoyed the combination of the cheese and the melon, a combination that I haven't come across in recent weeks.


Our other starter was the soup of the day: Broccoli and Courgette (5.50). Much more than the two veg went into this very flavoursome warming bowl.


The café puts much of its success down to using “the best ingredients available from our local producers”. Their website lists Ardsallagh Cheese, Ballycotton Seafood, Riverview Eggs, and Clonakilty Black Pudding among those suppliers and I also noticed Woodside mentioned on the menu.


In addition to the café, they have a food store full of their own and other producers’ good things, a huge range of lovely stuff including cakes, take-out meals, soups and chowders and salads. And, they also do outside catering!


Bramley Lodge,

Tullagreine,

Carrigtwohill,
Co. Cork.
t: 021 4882499

  • Opening Hours

  • Monday - Thursday 8AM- 7PM Last orders 6PM.
  • Friday - Saturday 8AM-9PM Last orders 9PM.
  • Sunday 9PM - 8PM Last orders 7PM.


Friday, July 5, 2013

Al Fresco at Cobh's Titanic Bar & Grill.

Titanic Bar & Grill
Hard to beat eating by the water when the weather is as good as this. I enjoyed a leisurely lunch at the Titanic Bar and Grill in Cobh yesterday. On the outdoor deck, of course, watching the harbour cruise and Spike Island tour boats come and go and the kids diving into the deep cool water from the nearby pier.

Had started the morning with a visit to Fota Wildlife Park. Great to see the car park close to full and many punters, including lots of children, who are well catered for with special events and play and activity areas.

On then to the harbour town itself which was quite busy as well, people out and about and that five foot walk (by the deepwater quay) proving popular. Parked there and made my way on foot for a hastily arranged rendezvous with another couple at the Titanic.

I went for one of the specials: the Pan Fried Hake Fillets served on a bed of rocket with cherry tomato and spring onion salsa and rustic potatoes (11.95). Another winner at the table was the Green Thai Curry (13.95). This came with sauté vegetables and basmati rice and you had a choice of chicken, prawn or beef. Beef was the chosen one here.

Quite a choice of mains as you could pick from a Prime Irish Beef Burger, Traditional Fish and Chips, Smoked Salmon and Gubbeen Bruschetta, a Cajun Chicken Wrap and many more.


No shortage of choice in the Starters either. One of our gang enjoyed the Hot and Sticky Chicken Wings (extra napkins provided without you having to ask for them). Mussels were also available as was a Traditional Chicken Caesar Salad and A Sesame Crumbed Brie Cheese. More too including soup of the day, which was Celeriac, Apple and Sage.

Great to eat outdoors but quite a few were inside as well, closer to the bar! It is of course a full bar so you have all the usual choices but they also have some craft beers including Galway and Dungarvan and the popular Stonewell Cider is also available.




Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The Ring Of Cork

Secad Event To Highlight ‘Ring Of Cork’ Brand

Branding Experts to discuss the value of “Ring of Cork” brand.
Cobh, Co. Cork

Leading brand champions will convene to discuss the importance of the Ring of Cork brand for the Region at an event organised by the South and East Cork Area Development company (SECAD) on Monday, 4 March 2013 at 7:30pm in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Little Island.

The aim of the event, which is open to all and free to attend, is to promote the opportunity of extending the Ring of Cork brand to include; tourism, hospitality, adventure, food and craft businesses in the Region.

“We launched the first phase of the Ring of Cork brand last year with good success”, explains Ryan Howard, CEO SECAD.  “The focus of that initial phase was the tourism and hospitality sector, and now we are looking to push the brand out to the next level and incorporate the food and craft industry along with tourism.  We feel branding the South and East Cork area of Cork can add real value and attract more business and more trade for our Region.  We are extending an open invitation for any business in the Region to attend this important event to understand the appetite for this branding exercise, which should ultimately have a very positive impact on the Region”.

The impressive line-up of speakers at the event promises to provide real food for thought in relation to branding the Region.  Cormac Fitzgerald of The Blue Haven Collection will address the event about his experience of developing a food business and the benefits of being part of a regional branding initiative – West Cork’s Fuchsia brand.

Leading retail brand, the Kilkenny Group, is no stranger to the importance of building a strong brand to drive success in business.  Gregory O’Gorman, Marketing Manager at Kilkenny Group, will talk about the experience of building a brand, and how he would envisage Kilkenny working the Ring of Cork brand for the benefit of the Region.

As members of South and East Cork Tourism and Ring of Cork initiative, Trabolgan Holiday Village’s marketing manager Deirdre Mannion will speak about the value of being part of a network, and the opportunities that the brand ‘Ring of Cork’ presents in the industry.

Speaking at the launch of Ring of Cork last year, Minister for Agriculture, Food & Marine, Simon Coveney T.D., welcomed the new brand by saying: “This is a very positive development for the South and East Cork area, and will serve to attract national and international visitors to this region, which has so much to offer.  The Ring of Cork is particularly important as it encourages visitors to explore this ring of Cork from wonderful sites of cultural importance, marine activities, scenic trips, festivals and family activities, to great food and fun.”

The Ring of Cork includes the towns of Cobh, Midleton, Youghal, Carrigaline, and Ballincollig and their surrounding areas, and is supported by the South and East Cork Area Development organisation (SECAD) as well as the town councils of Cobh, Midleton and Youghal.
For registration, please contact Liam Fitzgerald at SECAD, 021.4631432, lfitzgerald@secad.ie and visit www.ringofcork.ie for more information.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Step up to a Dining Room with a View


Jacob’s Ladder



Jacob’s Ladder  is the harbour front restaurant of the Water’s Edge Hotel in Cobh. The views out over Cork Harbour are excellent – indeed you may well see a cruise liner float by between courses – and the food is not half bad either.

It is a bright room with comfortable seating.  Service during our recent lunch call was friendly and efficient. By the way, not all the windows have a view of the harbour.There are a few that overlook the neighbours who are The Quays, another waterside restaurant. 

The lunch, with some friends from the town, was unplanned but none the worse for that. Nobody though wanted to go the whole hog. Just one starter and that was a very tasty Bruschetta of Brie (with roasted peppers, summer squash and onion jam).

One of the party was happy with his Watersedge Toastie. The filling was honey ham, cheddar and red onion.

The most popular main course was the day’s special: Warm Chicken, Serrano Ham and Potato Salad with Chive Dressing. Must say I enjoyed mine even though I thought the ham was rather overwhelmed by the rest of the dish, an opinion not shared by a fellow diner. 

Prices were reasonable enough. For instance, the Toasted Sandwich cost €7.95 while the Warm Chicken salad came to €11.95. The house wine (both red and white) was €5.25 per glass (perhaps not the greatest value you’ll get).

We had been in the town for the Food and Heritage Day  and were royally entertained for a few hours. Really enjoyed the day and the lunch. 

Saturday, December 3, 2011

AVRIL: ON THE ROAD FROM ROSS



ROSSCARBERY RECIPES


On Friday morning, I drove down to Supervalu in Ticknock in Cobh to see Avril Allshire-Howe who was on duty with her samples of her Rosscarbery black and white pudding. The black is very good but the white is really amazing and is a great match with scallops. Avril is on the road regularly and will be travelling all over the county every day ‘til Christmas and still finds time to help the food movement in West Cork.

Avril is the public face of Rosscarbery Recipes and Caherbeg Free Range Pork but she will be the first to tell you that husband Willie and the rest of the family are major players on the West Cork farm. On Friday, she was also serving sample slices from her delicious Cheddar and Stout Cake which is not commercially available but which goes well with the puddings.

But don’t worry. The busy Avril also produces a newsletter and the latest edition contains the recipe for the cake and much more foodie information besides. You can read most of it, including the recipe, at the end of this post.

I hope to meet up with Avril again in the New Year and do a full post and I have also featured her here  in a Buy Local plea.


Speaking of local, there were quite a few people showing their wares in the Supervalu in Ticknock and I really enjoyed meeting them. Loved the in-house mince pies (with custard) and also the rashers from Truly Irish.  Very tasty.

Also met a few of the staff as I walked around and must say I’ve rarely met a nicer friendlier helpful bunch in any supermarket. Great atmosphere there.

For the Rosscarbery Recipes newsletter