Market Lane, outstanding restaurant and popular pillar of Cork food scene since 2007

 Market Lane, outstanding restaurant and popular pillar of Cork food scene since 2007

Lamb Raan, at rear, under yogurt and almonds (sliced)

Friday evening and the place is buzzing, just like pre-Covid times, but not unusual for Market Lane in Oliver Plunkett Street in Cork city centre. Multiple conversations add to the ambience as we arrive for our 6.15pm reservation. I look around the crowded room and can’t see an empty table. But, after a warm welcome, we are led to our comfortable station for the 90 minutes or so, remarking to one another that it was just as well we had booked.

Paté

For years now - it first opened its doors in 2007 - Market Lane had been an outstanding restaurant and a popular pillar of the Cork food scene. The initial aim was to provide high-quality food inspired by the nearby English Market and to become a staple of the city's food scene. It , along with its satellite restaurants (Elbow Lane, Goldie, ORSO and Castle Café), had certainly achieved that status.

From day one, The support for local produce has been immense and contestant. You can see a full list of their suppliers, including photos here.  Here, also you’ll see a running total of what they’ve spent so far this year. By the first of May, it was no less than €318,961.

Heavenly Stout

How that local produce, from Skeaghanore Duck in West Cork, to Baldwin’s Ice Cream in West Waterford, is enhanced with a worldwide palette of influences from Argentina to Persia (Iran), is well illustrated on the current menu.

Local drinks too, including the ultra local beers, brewed next door in sister restaurant Elbow Lane and available here in draught: ales, lager and the amazing Angel Stout. I can never pass up a pint of Angel, one of the very best stouts in the country.  Other local drinks include Black’s beer, Stonewell cider, Maharani Rebel City and Beara Ocean Pink gins, Poacher’s mixers, and Dingle Vodka along with a good selection of Irish whiskey.

French onion soup with Coolea cheese and sourdough croutons a classic starter here but this time I picked the Garryhinch oyster mushroom ragu in a shortcrust pastry tartlet with miso caramel and topped with tempura enoki (very small mushrooms), a delightful mix of flavours and textures. 

Chupin de pescado

We had also been tempted by the Crispy fried calamari, Vietnamese slaw, chilli dressing and crushed peanuts  before CL decided on the classic Chicken liver pâté, spiced apple chutney, crunchy pickles and toasted sourdough.

  

The mains were something else, big talking points for quite a while after the meal was finished. Their Ballycotton Monk fish was considered before CL gave the nod to the Chupin de pescado, an Argentinian fish stew of hake, prawns and mussels with potatoes, tomato, pepper, olives, capers, herbs and lemon chimichurri . Served with sourdough (to mop up), Market Lane’s version of this Latin American dish was an top notch one!  

I have tried some of the other dishes previously including the low cooked Crowe’s bacon collar, and my pick this time was the Braised Lamb Raan, Persian rice, spiced green beans, sheep’s yogurt, pickled red onion. There was nothing on this plate that didn’t get a look in, the small grain rice, those spicy beans, the yogurt, the almonds and the onion, but no doubt the lamb itself, so tender, so tasty, was the star. Very Highly Recommended.

Quite a lot on our earlier plates so no room for desserts, which says a lot considering their famous Orange and Vanilla bread and butter pudding, with custard and whipped cream was on the list, along with a slew of other tempting choices!  

Mushroom on the double: Oyster mushroom ragu crowned with tempura enoki mushroom

The warm welcome was the start of a marvellous service. Time for a chat or two and a few laughs but efficient as well. No wonder, the Market Lane group regularly features on national lists that rate the best places to work. And, of course, the best places to eat!

Elbow Lane rebounding Bite by Bite. A new less formal menu!

Elbow Lane rebounding Bite by Bite.

A new less formal menu!

Bulgogi goat sausage

“As we gear up to open fully, we are hoping to introduce some new diners to a taste of Elbow Lane with this more relaxed format”, says Harrison Sharpe, head chef of Elbow Lane. We sampled that new format, under the heading Bites at Elbow Lane, last Tuesday, and were very impressed indeed by the Bites, their quality and variety.

Indeed, we got through quite a few Bites from this

Elbow Lane ‘Bites’ Back!

 Elbow Lane ‘Bites’ Back

Head Chef Harrison Sharpe. Pics by Clare Keogh

Elbow Lane Smokehouse & Brewery has opened its doors again with a temporary new menu called ‘Bites at Elbow Lane’.  More informal than its usual offering, 'Bites' is packed with bold flavours, small and large plates and casual bites; all made in-house and paired with the drinks that regular diners know and love. The move follows a small fire at the restaurant earlier this month, which caused some external chimney damage and necessitated a temporary closure. 

Think small plates such as “Deep fried pork belly, fish sauce caramel, chilli & peanut crunch” and “ Koji Beet carpac­cio, pick­led wal­nut, gar­lic scape, water­cress and Cais na Tire” and sharing plates like ‘Slow smoked baby back ribs with house sauce’ and ’Pan seared hake, pis­ta­chio beurre blanc with glazed veg’.

“While the grill gets a makeover and everything comes back up to full steam, we are taking this opportunity to freshen things up and try out some new ideas on our menu,” says Harrison Sharpe, head chef of Elbow Lane.  "Although reservations can be made up to a week in advance, we welcome walk-ins and guests who just want a drink and a quick bite. As we gear up to open fully, we are hoping to introduce some new diners to a taste of Elbow Lane with this more relaxed format" he adds.

Cocktail ace Joe Timbrell announced as new General Manager at Elbow Lane

Cocktail ace Joe Timbrell announced as new General Manager at Elbow Lane.

Timbrell, 34, from Innishannon, West Cork, has been with the business for 8 years and has worked his way up from barman to his current position on this young team. Over the years, he has developed and expanded the restaurant's cocktail list and created Elbow Lane's Amaretto. Called Joe's Amaretto, it took a Silver at the World Spirits Awards last year. (This is the primary ingredient in the restaurant's signature cocktail: 'The Sweet, The Smoked and The Sour'.)


This is one of the experimental new drink developments at Elbow Lane. The brewery also collaborates with local brewers and distillers to develop a host of new beers for its diners such as a gin barrel-brewed beer with Rebel Distillery called Skiddys Sour. In addition, the restaurant also houses a fermentary, which experiments with the by-products of the brewery to create new flavours on the menu.


The restaurant has won a slew of awards, including Best Casual Dining Munster, Best Employer in the Food & Drink industry and Best Restaurant Manager. Critics regularly mention it as one of the top 100 restaurants in Ireland. It is part of the progressive Market Lane Restaurant Group, which also includes Market Lane, goldie, ORSO and The Blackrock Castle Cafe.




"I am really looking forward to working with the fabulous team here at Elbow Lane to create memorable food experiences for our guests," says Timbrell. "I would like to build on the strong foundations laid down by my predecessors to provide top quality local produce and excellent service sustainably and to keep bringing new and interesting flavours to the people of Cork and beyond".


For further information, click on www.elbowlane.ie

Sardinian Seafood Pasta a Highlight of Market Lane Lunch

 Sardinian Seafood Pasta a Highlight

 of Market Lane Lunch

Orzo pasta centre right of pic (via Couleur on Pixabay)

Sardinian Seafood pasta was the highlight of a recent lunchtime visit to Cork's marvellous Market Lane Restaurant which has been feeding us well in Oliver Plunkett Street since 2007. It was founded with the aim of sourcing much of their incoming produce from local suppliers and the nearby English Market.

The full description of my dish was Sardinian Seafood Pasta, featuring prawns, mussels, hake, and braised squid in a tomato and chilli ragu, served with orzo pasta and pangrattato.(€23.00

I could see that my Orzo pasta is a type that resembles large grains of rice. It's typically made from wheat and is often used in Italian cuisine, also in neighbouring countries (such as Greece). Its small size makes it a versatile ingredient that can easily absorb flavours.

Had to do a bit of research to find that out! I had an idea, though, that the following word, pangrattato, would have something to do with bread. Considering its musical name, I was hoping for something more glamorous than breadcrumbs, even toasted and seasoned! I’m something of a sucker for those magical Italian names that have graced our football fields for many years, names such as Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Del Piero. You’d really have a head start in romance, whatever about football, with monikers like that!

Mossfield Gouda and asparagus tartlet

Back to the stellar Pasta dish. It may not have been the most glamorous to look at, but its performance on the plate was faultless, a formidable mix of fish with the chilli and juicy tomatoes playing a blinder, backed to the hilt by that Orzo and even by those humble breadcrumbs.

Hard to believe that back in 2009 Bord Iascaigh Mhara felt the need to mount an extensive promotion campaign to get people to ask for hake and other lesser-known fish.

Nowadays, hake appears on virtually every restaurant menu in the country. It is a favourite with CL, and no big surprise when she picked the pan-fried hake, potato, parsnip, and rosemary gratin, tenderstem broccoli, dry cider, and fennel sauce (€23.20). It was well-cooked and presented, and earned a big thumbs up.

Also in contention! Korean bulgogi steak sandwich on a sourdough baguette, with chilli, sesame, and soy marinade, carrots, spring onions, and lime mayo, served with house chips. I enjoyed this here previously and can highly recommend it.  

While the hake may have been familiar, that was not the case with the starters and my Mossfield Gouda and asparagus tartlet, asparagus salad, shaved parmesan and chives (11.90) was a beauty with a distinctive flavour and texture. 

That starter was vegetarian while CL’s Cauliflower croquetas, butterbean and green herb purée, sun-dried tomato sauce vierge, toasted pumpkin seeds, crispy cauliflower leaves  (11.50) was vegan and also excellent, even though the cauliflower leaves were far from crispy.

There’s always a terrific choice, both at lunch and dinner, at Market Lane. Also in contention as a starter was the Frenchman’s Heaven: French Onion Soup with Coolea cheese and sourdough croutons. I was very tempted, as it's a favourite, but I decided to try the tartlet instead!

Suppliers included: Churchfield Community Trust, The Singing Frog Garden, Mealagulla Orchard, Bushby Strawberries, and the likes of Mr Bells and The Chicken Inn (two from a half dozen from the English Market). A little further afield, you’ll note Blasket Lamb (Kerry), Tom Baldwin (Waterford), and Crowe’s Farm (Tipperary).

Speaking of local, they have their own superb beers, produced next door at their Elbow Lane Brewery. The stout is my favourite but I certainly wouldn’t refuse any of them.

More pros at Market Lane.

If you buy a voucher, you’ll be giving the lucky recipient a choice of the five restaurants in the group: Elbow Lane, Goldie, ORSO, Castle Café and Market Lane itself (which has a city centre location and a friendly and helpful staff on the floor).

SPRING SINGS FROM THE NEW MENU AT ORSO

SPRING SINGS FROM NEW MENU AT ORSO

 now open 6 days a week from 11 am until late, including Monday

Cork City’s little gem of a restaurant, ORSO, renowned for its flavour-filled Levantine cuisine, has put seasonal produce from local producers and growers centre stage of its new spring menus.  At the same time, its newly renovated dining room is now full of light and uplifting colours, reflecting the fresh-forward, seasonal direction of the food.

Expect to see fruit and vegetables such as Jerusalem artichokes, cauliflower, fennel, pea shoots, blood oranges, pomegranate and beetroot highlighted in dishes such as ‘cauliflower with caramelized fennel cream and sauerkraut’. New season lamb appears in mains such as a hearty ‘Lamb Harira with black olive and chorizo’.  As well as a delicious Seafood Cioppino, there is a daily changing fish special.

Cocktail syrups, dressings and desserts are also homemade using fresh flowers, herbs and fruit from growers.

While it is well known as a lunch destination, ORSO has also made the night-time its own and is now open 6 days a week from 11 am until late, including Monday.  Dee Munnelly, owner-manager of ORSO, says “As we have evolved into a lunch and evening venue to cater for the changing needs of our diners, so too have our menus.  As well as vegetarian dishes we also have great options for meat and fish lovers.  Our wine list has expanded; we serve our estate exclusive Elbow Lane beers and cocktails have become a speciality.

"All produce at the restaurant is sourced from local producers, where possible from the larder of The English Market.  Spices are prepared in-house daily, and all of our bread is freshly baked to order. Some of our growers are hyper-local to us and we love working with what they provide us with each day."

Orso is part of the award-winning Market Lane Restaurant Group, which also includes Market Lane, Elbow Lane Smokehouse & Brewery, goldie and Blackrock Castle Café.

press release

On the craft trail with Dungarvan Brewery and Elbow Lane

On the craft trail with Dungarvan Brewery

Russel Garet
Elbow Lane brewer

and Elbow Lane

Elbow Lane Angel Stout 4.4% ABV, on draught in Goldie

Available in Market Lane restaurants in bottles (all), in draught (some)

A stout made for the restaurants' food!

Great to renew my acquaintance with Angel Stout at a recent dinner in Goldie Restaurant (Cork). 

Elbow Lane’s Angel Stout is one of the best, a superb combination of hops and malt, made with the Market Lane restaurant's food in mind. Both Goldie and Elbow, along with ORSO, Castle Café and Market Lane itself make up the five in the group.

My very first sip the other evening confirmed previous impressions as the roasted malt showed well in the flavour. The hops - Hercules Germany, Pilgrim UK and Willamette USA - go in early in the process, and their bittering qualities make for a lovely balance, a delicious pint and even better with the dishes that follow.

It has a distinct malt character and pronounced hop bitterness, typical of the style. Dark roasted malts contribute to the bittersweet chocolate notes, while a generous hop addition lends to a dry but smooth finish. This stout will suit robust dishes like steak, stews and curries. And I found it went very well with their Oyster Paté, a relatively new dish from renowned Head Chef Aiushling Moore.

Elbow Lane is one of the few Irish breweries that strictly adheres to the principles of the ancient German Purity Law, “Reinheitsgebot”, which means that only four ingredients are used: malted barley, hops, yeast and water. There are no additives and the fermentation of the beer is not artificially accelerated, nor is it filtered – so it is all totally natural. 

Dungarvan Mine Head American PA, 5.5% ABV

 one for your short list

The brewery had a plan as they developed Mine Head. It would be dry-hopped, a process of adding whole leaf hops into the fermenter. This gives more of a hop aroma to the beer and a fresh initial hit of the hop flavours. 

And, with the Cascade hop the only one used, that is exactly what happened.

Cascade, of course, goes hand in hand with the American Pale Ale. Here, you notice it straightaway with that initial hoppy hit in the aromas, rising from an amber body topped by a soft white head. That hoppy hit is easily confirmed by the old finger-in-the-head test - stick it in and suck it!

Then, it is citrus all the balanced way, with a teeny touch of marmalade sweetness later on and that bitter at the end but nothing over the top. A pleasant and harmonious beer indeed. Another one for your shortlist.

Food pairings suggested by Dungarvan are spicy Thai or Vietnamese food, or “keep it American with a burger! Works great with lighter fish or with earthy meats such as lamb or beef. Great with a creamy camembert-style cheese or a tart sheeps cheese. Best served lightly chilled, from 8-12°C”.

The name: Mine Head is a high headland west of Dungarvan; it and its lighthouse form a dramatic landmark on the Atlantic Coast.

Geek Bits - 

Style: American Pale Ale

ABV: 5.5%

Hops: Cascade

IBUs: 38

On the Craft Trail with Elbow Lane Lager and Kinnegar Kölsch-style Pale Ale.

On the Craft Trail with Elbow Lane Lager and Kinnegar Kölsch-style Pale Ale.

*******************************

Elbow Lane Elbow Lager 4.4% ABV

Quality and taste are paramount to us

Classic in. Classic out. And the top judges agree. They made this Cork beer a winner in the World Drinks Awards 2024. This Cork beer is crafted using traditional ingredients, including Pilsner and Munich malts, along with Noble hop varieties sourced from Germany and Czechia—two countries celebrated for their exceptional lagers.

This continental-style lager is particularly refreshing and bursting with flavour, thanks to the carefully selected malts and hops. It pairs well with most lighter dishes and is a delightful choice for beer enthusiasts. Very Highly Recommended.

For the best experience, enjoy it at one of our locations, as Elbow Lane beers are specifically brewed to complement the cuisine offered at our five restaurants: Market Lane, Goldie’s, ORSO, Castle Cafe (Blackrock), and Elbow Lane. For an enhanced experience, consider joining a Tutored Tasting at Elbow Lane. Details can be found here.

They say: “We’re really proud of the beers we make in our tiny brewery. There are no additives, and we proudly brew according to the principles of the German Purity Law, which means we use four ingredients to make our beer. Quality and taste are paramount to us.…”

*******************************

See expanding list of our favourite 2025 beers here

*******************************

Kinnegar Limeburner Kölsch-style Pale Ale, 4.7% ABV, 440 ml can, O’Briens

One of Kinnegar’s first beers and still going strong

It has a lovely light gold colour with a slight haze, and you can see the bubbles rising. The aroma is floral and hoppy. On the palate, it's crisp and refreshing, finishing with a pleasant hoppy note that is not overly intense. It is easy to drink and definitely worth noting if you haven't tried it yet. One of their first beers and still going strong as part of their core range.

It is unfiltered and naturally carbonated. Well-balanced and easy to enjoy this one! “Kölsch Style” means it’s inspired by the eponymous beer originating in Cologne (Köln), Germany. Like lager, Kölsch is a top-fermenting beer.

The Kinnegar version is an ideal introductory craft beer with characteristics similar to those in quality German lagers. As they point out themselves, Limeburner is an enduring favourite for many. It is light, crisp, and refreshing, with a hoppy accent at the end. It is excellent with food, particularly fish.