Sketch opens at the Imperial. Cocktail and Birdcage with Grace and Jazz.

Oriental Martini

Sketch opens at the Imperial.

Cocktail and Birdcage with Grace and Jazz.

You’ll see illustrated echoes of Jazz and Princess Grace when you visit Sketch, the classy new Wine and Dine venue at the Imperial Hotel. Sketches by Ethan Desmond (From the Sketch Up) evoke the good times when Princess Grace stayed here some sixty years ago and also the hotel’s enduring links with the annual Jazz festival in this comfortable corner with its overall Rus en Urbe vibe created, with a light touch, by Sandra Looney of To Have and To Hold.

Les bon temps rouler

Let the good times roll! Grab a buddy and dust off those glad rags and head for the Sketch entrance on Pembroke Street (though you can of course access it also through the South Mall entrance). Here, relax and enjoy a cocktail or two and, of course, a Bird Cage full of top notch snacks, the produce sourced from the nearby English Market.

#2 Birdcage

We had the privilege of doing just that last weekend when the official opening took place. Hotel GM Bastien Peyraud had a warm welcome for his guests: “We are truly delighted to launch Sketch and to welcome you all to the opening. The Imperial family have worked incredibly hard over the past year, and we are extremely proud of our focus on local, sustainability and what we have created overall. The most important thing to us is creating memories and I anticipate Sketch will be a fantastic melting pot of people, style, music, good food and great drinks.”

And fair play to Bastien and his team as they went on to illustrate exactly what he had in mind for the rest of very enjoyable evening with superb cocktails and those tasty Birdcages! 

The mini cocktail on the way in, a welcoming shot of Glendalough Rose Gin and Taittinger, set the mood and, after that liquid amuse bouche, a good time ensued.

Appropriately, the first cocktail delivered to our table was Princess Grace, a delicious one of Ketel One Vodka, raspberries, Triple Sec, their own champagne syrup and Prosecco. 

The opening shot

They have a few smoked cocktails on the regular menu and we enjoyed the Spike Island (Oak Smoked Spike Island Rum Old Fashioned).

The most popular drink of the evening appeared to be the Eau De Champagne. The mix here is Taittinger Champagne, Glendalough Rosé Gin, Homemade Rosemary Syrup, Egg White.

There was a bit of theatrical fun to end with. The final cocktail, Lemon meringue (Ketel One Vodka, Lemon, Pineapple, Homemade Limoncello, Meringue) was served with the selection of petit fours. The ooh and aah bit came when the Meringue was blow torched at the table.

The regular menu has four Birdcages, each inspired by the English Market: Sushi, Charcuterie, Cheesy and Meaty.

The Princess Grace

Our selection, an extensive sample of what is available on a regular Sketch night, came in two servings. First top was Charcuterie & Cheesy with Tom Durcan’s Spiced Beef, Gubbeen Salami, Iberia Chorizo, Gubbeen Smoked cheese, Cashel Blue, Ardsallagh Goats Cheese, and Carrigaline Garlic and Herb. 

Quite a start to the evening and that was soon followed by Meaty, Seacurterie and Vegan and here we were tempted by Fribbins BBQ Glazed Ribs, Imperial Spiced Wings, Southern Fried Tenders, and Asian Duck Roll. The fishy bits were Peeky Toe Crab Roll, Sake Salmon, Torched Seabass and Ballycotton Smoked Salmon. And the third plate had Grilled Courgette, Ras El Hanout Spice, Avocado Mousse, Vine Tomato, Plum Tomato and Basil Bruschetta.

If you do call in, you don’t have to stick strictly with the cocktails and Birdcage. There are small plates of ribs, wings and Ham Hock Croquettes for instance. And, on the drinks side, there are many wines, also Prosecco and Champagne (including a flight for €20.00) listed. There’s a full bar at hand, so plenty of beers, gins and whiskeys to choose from. 

Read all about Sketch, including full menus, here.

Tickets now on sale for Cork Business of the Year Awards and President’s Dinner At Home

 CBA launches tickets for Cork Business of the Year Awards

and President’s Dinner At Home

Beetroot Starter - Metropple

~ Taoiseach to address Cork’s business community at virtual event ~
~Taste of the City at Home food experience will be a collaborative showcase of Cork hotels and producers ~

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will make an address to Cork’s business community at their upcoming President’s Dinner At Home and Cork Business of the Year Awards, which takes place virtually this year on April 17^th.

An exceptional evening of celebration, awards, great food, light entertainment and networking, and panel discussions with business and civic leaders, has been planned for the evening.

The dinner is always a stunning showcase of Cork produce, and this year will be no different.   Attendees will enjoy a Taste of the City at Home culinary experience, which is a collaboration between Cork’s top hotel chefs and well-known Nash19 owner and past CBA President, Claire Nash.  Claire, who has been a leading organiser in Cork’s famous Long Table Dinner over the past few years, says “the quality of the food will be on a par with the Long Table and will showcase our favourite local producers and the extraordinary talent of local chefs who are pushing the boundaries with their food.”

The Cork Business of the Year Awards will also be presented on the evening.  The finalists were announced last week and 7000 public votes have already been received.  Voting is open on CBAAwards.ie for the remainder of the month.

Commenting on the annual President’s Dinner and Awards, President of the Cork Business Association Eoin O Sullivan said, “The event will not only recognise businesses and individuals who have made an outstanding contribution over the past year, and those who have shown true resilience in one of the most difficult of trading years, but it will also be a stunning showcase of Cork produce and the amazing culinary talents of local chefs. They have put their creativity and their hearts into the dishes to make the menu truly unique.

Nettle Soup - Cork International

“This is a sharing dinner for two and is the perfect way to say thank-you to your team who have put down an extraordinary year, as behind every good employee is a great partner or friend.  We hope the night will give everyone a much-needed lift. We are also very grateful to An Taoiseach for taking time out of his incredibly busy schedule to make an address, and to our sponsors JCD, Centra, Peninsula and the Irish Examiner for their incredible support.”

The dine-at-home experience for two, which will be available for collection from The Imperial Hotel on the day of the event, includes six courses of daring and delicate dishes from six different chefs that will not only showcase their individual creativity but will also use the best local produce that can be found in and around Cork. 

The mouth-watering menu includes a carpaccio of Waterfall farm beetroot, Ballycotton seared scallops and crab remoulade, locally foraged nettle soup, West Cork Angus filet of beef wellington, locally grown rhubarb, along with Cork cheese and breads. (see the full menu below).

Not only that but there will be champagne and wine pairing, along with tasting notes for every course, and guests will finish the meal with an Irish coffee made with local Jameson Whiskey, Mahers fairtrade coffee and Glounn Cross cream.  Other surprises will also be included in the dine-at-home boxes for two.

The chefs involved in the food experience are from the Metropole, the Imperial, the Cork International, the Kingsley, Nash19, and Vienna Woods.

The Cork Business Association is encouraging everyone to dress up on the night and to share their experience on Twitter.  They will be linking into people’s homes via social media and there’ll be plenty of prizes for the best dressed, the best presented meal, and the best tweet!” 

 

Beef Wellington - Kingsley

The charity partner is Marymount University Hospital & Hospice, and the awards and event are sponsored by JCD, Centra, Peninsula, and The Irish Examiner is the media partner.

 

Tickets are priced at €95 per person (€190 for the dinner for 2) and are on a first come first served basis.  They will go on sale at 12pm noon on 18 March. To book or for more information see CBAAwards.ie, contact (021) 427 8295 or info@corkbusiness.ie . 

 

The President’s Taste of the City at Home Dinner includes:

Carpaccio of Waterfall Farm Beetroot, Roasted Almonds, Metropole Hotel

Ballycotton Seared Scallop & Crab remoulade, Smoked Salmon, Blas Caviar, Sea Asparagus, Imperial Hotel

Soup of Foraged Nettle and wild garlic, Bacon salt, Cork International Hotel

West Cork Angus, Filet of Beef Wellington, Fermented Barley, Celeriac & Black Garlic Puree, Morel Jus, The Kingsley

Cheeses, Mature Gubbeen & Ash Ardsallagh Goats, Fig Confit, Nash19

Rhubarb & Rosewater Posset, Gingerella & Pistachio Crumb, Cherry Flake, Apple Blossom Syrup, Cork’s Vienna Woods

Breads, Brown Soda & Sourdough, Alternative Bread Company

***

Champagne and Wine Pairing

Irish Coffee, with Jameson, Mahers Fairtrade, Smothered with Glounn Cross Cream

Imperial Hotel Launches ‘Thyme at Seventy Six on the Mall’

The Imperial Hotel, Cork, announces launch of a brand-new Brasserie…

‘Thyme at Seventy Six on the Mall’

Bastien Peyraud, General Manager at The Imperial Hotel 

Regional producers, charity partnerships, and a sustainable approach

During the closure for the COVID-19 lockdown, the hard-working team at The Imperial Hotel, Cork, were busy putting the final preparations in place for the opening of a stylish new brasserie at the hotel: Thyme at Seventy Six on The Mall, which is officially now open.

With the introduction of excellent cocktails using high-quality Irish liquor from Killahora Orchards, ornate bird cages inspired by The English Market, and quirky desserts by the famous duo Ber and Becky, The Imperial’s offering has evolved into something modern, dynamic, and fun.

The emphasis is on regional, seasonal, and sustainable, and is in line with the hotel’s recent ‘Because We Care’ programme, which was launched as a response to COVID-19. Sourcing from their neighbours is important, not only to support the local economy, but also to minimize their carbon footprint, and the impact on the environment.

Charity donations have been built into Thyme’s menu, with a €1 donation on a selection of menu items. Each time these items are ordered, a donation will be made to The Cork Simon Community and The Irish Guide Dogs.

Executive Head Chef, Jerome Joyce, is working with a vast array of suppliers from County Cork and Cork’s famous English Market, which is located a mere 400m from the hotel’s front door. Ballycotton Seafood, Tom Durcan meats, and the world-renowned Fingal Ferguson’s Gubbeen Smokehouse, to name but a few.

The new menus feature Ballycotton Seafood Platters, Irish Gigas Oysters, and The English Market’s Fish of the Day, as well as some delicious cuts of local Hereford Ribeye on the Bone, the classic fillet, and Farrell’s of Midleton Lamb Cutlets. Desserts include a wonderfully light selection of Café Gourmand, and decadent treats like Hazelnut and Chocolate Cookie Fries, Pornstar Martini Cake, and Kinder Bueno Éclairs.

Bastien Peyraud, General Manager at The Imperial Hotel says: “We are so passionate about supporting our local economy here at The Imperial Hotel and Thyme was designed with that as the main focus. Supporting our local farmers and producers, and donating to our local charities, is at the forefront of what we want to achieve. We want to do business in a way that makes us really proud. We also want to create a really fun experience for our guests so we will also have live music every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.

We are so excited to unveil ‘Thyme’ to our guests and we look forward to welcoming you back to the Grande Dame of Cork”

Thyme at Seventy Six on the Mall is now open for reservations Monday to Sunday from 5pm til late. For reservations call 021- 4274040. www.imperialhotelcork.ie

press release

Walk The Long and Local Table

Walk The Long and Local Table

You'll Never Eat Alone

G&T for the gang in Electric Fish Bar

Welcome to Ali's

Why not start a very fine event with a very fine perry? That’s exactly what happened when we joined a group to Walk the Long Table at Ali’s Kitchen. Ali herself would be our guide for the afternoon (and well into the evening) and, as she told us what to expect, she served a glass of the gorgeous Killahora Poiré. The event is all about local produce and the Glounthaune produced perry set the tone along with some delicious and potato bread with home-made butter.

A big welcome next at The Farmgate Cafe where our plate was based on produce from the Olive Stall in the market. The dish featured Toonsbridge Mozzarella with tomato and tarragon salad and crispy kale. Here we also enjoyed a glass of Elderflower/Prosecco and a shot of Gazpacho.

Farmgate

Nash 19

Next stop was in Nash 19, 27 years in business and involved in the Long Table from the very start. A very tasty dish here: Cod from Pat O’Connell in the English Market, in a light crispy batter featuring Longueville House cider. Longueville’s Rubert told us, as he filled our glasses, that the cider is made from their own apples and that nothing is added. “Should pair well with the fish,” he said. It was indeed a winning match.

Claire Nash emphasised that their menu is local and seasonal driven. And she credited the Long Table with enhancing the cooperation between the local restaurants. “It is raising the standard, “ she said and Rubert agreed.

A few minutes later we in were in Fish Bar at Electric where oysters were on the menu. At least one of the group tried one for the first time! There was one for everyone in the audience and a generous glass too of Kinsale Gin.

Perfect serve (gin & oysters) at Electric

A short walk took us to Jacob’s On the Mall where Michelle was on the street to welcome us in and tell us a bit about the fascinating venue. And they had quite a dish for us, all local of course. A generous slice of Jack McCarthy's famous Queen’s Pudding and a few fritters featuring Cashel Blue cheese went down very well indeed with a glass of wine.

Jacobs on the Mall

Ali then found the shortest way to reach Crawford and Co on Anglesea Street. Sarah told us all about the changes here and was full of praise for Eoin O’Mahony, the well-known butcher in the English Market. The informal and enjoyable atmosphere continued here as we sipped our Beamish and tucked into the superb fillet of beef from Eoin.

Tender stuff at Crawford & Co

Time for something sweet now and Beth at Dockland had just the job: Bushby strawberries, marshmallow meringue, lime, vanilla + basil cream, strawberry daquiri sauce with, for good measure, a glass of prosecco, pomegranate, passion fruit + mint spritz. Think she mentioned there was a drop of Kinsale gin in there too!

Dockland

Beth and Harold have been in this location over 11 years, thanks to her "amazing customers". About 18 months ago, they closed the old Club Brasserie and a few hard weeks later opened up on the same spot as Dockland! The customers loved it and why not. Here you enjoy a a great variety of local produce.”We love local, our food is not fussy, just tasty good food.” The menu is quite large and has something for virtually every taste and budget.

Dockland

The finalé was close at hand and we were welcomed to the 200 years old Imperial Hotel (Charles Dickens and Michael Collins have been guests) by new manager Bastian who guided us to their Whiskey Experience, three local bottles paired with pastries cooked by the hotel’s pastry chefs.

Bastian

Alan took over for the tasting in the lovely Lafayette’s, introducing the West Cork Bourbon Barrel, the Jameson Black Barrel and the well known Paddy. The Jameson seemed to be the favourite whiskey and was also my pick of the three. But the best pairing, I thought was, surprisingly, the Paddy and a Milk Chocolate Fudge. Even better with a hot Paddy according to the ebullient Alan. 

So a very fine start at Ali’s and now a very fine ending in Lafayette’s as we reflected, with a Cosmopolitan cocktail in hand, on the happy hours we had passed as a group. Until the next time! Cheers and well done to all the restaurants involved. Walk the Long Table is a tour through a string of Cork's best restaurants. It continues this week with two walks each of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. They are all booked out but, just in case a few become available (as happened last week), do keep an eye on #WalkTheLongTable and @CorksLongTable. Website: https://www.corkmidsummer.com/programme/event/walk-the-long-table1  

Alan takes us through the whiskey!

New Chef and Tempting New Menu in Pembroke Restaurant at Imperial Hotel

New Chef and Tempting New Menu

 in Pembroke Restaurant at Imperial Hotel

It seems the public has already heard about the tempting new menu in the Imperial’s Pembroke Restaurant as the place was full when we called last Tuesday. Jerome Joyce is the new Executive Chef at the Flynn Family owned Imperial Hotel and has been busy with the new dishes. And his first converts were the staff. Each one that we met is fully conversant and already has a favourite or two - rarely have I come across such enthusiasm.

So now we are in to try but of course we can't try everything! We do however have enough to know that this is an excellent set of dishes, top class local produce very well handled and presented indeed. There is a separate steak section (locally sourced Hereford) but the menu is really well balanced overall with something for meat-eaters, fish-lovers, and those that eat neither aren't forgotten either.

We had a plate of tasty breads to choose from as we studied the menu. Among the starters, we could have had the tempting Ardsallagh Goats Cheese, Feuille de Brick, Mango Chutney, Confit Vine Tomato, Salted Pine Nuts, Pea Shoots (8.95).

My pick though was the rather unusual Lemon Sole Tempura Batter, Red Pepper and Tomato Stew, Basil Mayo, Lemon and Olive Oil Emulsion (8.95). Unusual in the sense that you don’t see this very often on a list of starters. This version, with the red pepper and tomato stew, was excellent. 

And another beauty that we enjoyed was the Organic Duck Liver Parfait, Cinnamon and Star Anise Poached Plums, Homemade Brioche Loaf, Hazel Nut, Green Bean Salad (7.95). A good one too, enhanced by the Poached Plums. All part of our excellent start to a lovely evening in a very comfortable place indeed.

Taittinger champagne features on the wine list (they do a well priced flight in the bar) along with a port and Beaumes de Venise (one of my favourite dessert wines). A good selection of white and red also, many available by the glass including white favourites such as Albarino and Sauvignon Blanc and popular reds like Montepulciano and Cotes du Rhone. 

We go for the Picpoul de Pinet, Saint-Peyre, France (fresh and fruity with a long lingering finish) and also the intense and elegant Domaine Peirière Pinot Noir, France. Each comes at €7.50 per glass, €29.50 a bottle.

CL spots a favourite fish and the Halibut (26.95) Fennel Pollen Brioche Crust, Kale, Chorizo, White Bean and Broad Bean Cassoulet, Crispy Crab Claw, doesn't disappoint at all. Might have preferred a little less chorizo but the Fennel Pollen Crust is a delightful touch, a little crunch with a little aniseed. A lovely dish, so well presented. Interested in the Fennel Pollen as I’m saving some seeds at the present.

I rarely turn down duck and so I choose the West Cork Duck Breast, Brussel Sprouts and Smoked Bacon, Duck Fat Roast Potato, Black Berry Gel, Broad Beans (23.95). Well thought out, well executed, and well presented. Great combination of flavours and textures and I was well satisfied.

Indeed, we both were. But we were persuaded to check out the dessert menu and decided to share the Strawberry Panna Cotta with Elderflower Infused Strawberries, Ginger Textures, Rhubarb Tuile. Colourful and easy to eat, a sweet finalé to a superb meal.

By the way, you may check out the dishes and can see the great choices now available in the Pembroke here. 

The Pembroke Restaurant opening times are as follows:

Breakfast from 7.00am to 10.30am - Monday to Friday

Breakfast from 7.30am to 11am - Saturday and Sunday

Carvery Lunch from 12.00pm to 3.00pm - Monday to Saturday

Carvery Sunday Lunch from 12.00pm to 3.00pm

Dinner from 5.30pm to 9.30pm - Sunday and Monday  

Dinner from 5.30pm to 10.00pm - Tuesday to Saturday

Contact: 
021 4274040 or by emailing pembroke@imperialhotelcork.ie

Friday Fuar Fliuch! Here’s the Fix! Bubbles. Burgers. Beers.

Friday Fuar Fliuch! Here’s the Fix! 

Bubbles. Burgers. Beers.

For burger lovers, Coqbull Cork seemed to be the place on Friday evening last. It was jammers, a great buzz, a lively racket really, music in there somewhere (I heard the odd thud, thud). 

They come in the front door. They come in the back door. And somehow they all get seated. 

No doubt, Friday is a busy evening here anyhow but the attendance and the atmosphere was enhanced by the Burger Festival (Jan 22nd to 28th). There was even a guy trying to demolish the six-burger record set earlier that day by Bandon man Colin Minihane who “who demolished 6 burgers, fries & a Coqshake in 10.32 mins yes that’s 10.32”.

One would be enough for me thanks! Coqbull provide the full experience here. You can have starters, desserts, craft beers (including their own lager), cocktails (or coqtails) and choose from a list of top gins.

Our starters were their tasty cool Nachos (with shredded beef added) and the Coqbull Wings with their Blas gold award winning Sticky Asian sauce, a delicious combination. We avoided the Hot Coq sauce though, too hot for chickens they said.

Sipping away at a glass of their lager (CL) and a can of the Metalman Wheat beer, we moved on to the main event. My choice was the most popular burger of the week, and likely to make it on to main menu sometime soon, the Bacon Bomb: double cheese, double beef bacon infused burger, caramelised onion & pickles wrapped in a potato bread bun...served with our FAT BASTARD WEDGES smothered in our new Coqbull secret seasoning. A mega feed for sure, great flavour, especially of the bacon, and that potato bread bun wasn't half-bad either.

CL’s choice was another festival favourite here, the Supreme Bull with blue cheese, bone marrow butter, portobello mushroom, truffle mayonnaise and rocket.

Another interesting one, especially on the Thursday when they had the Cork Whiskey Society in for a Scotch tasting, was The Sloppy Scot, made using the best of Haggis from Mc Carthy's of Kanturk, Beef, Ballymaloe Country Relish, rocket and a whiskey pepper sauce served with neeps and tatties. 

So that was the burger done. Earlier, we had the bubbles, as an aperitivo. Every Friday, L’Atitude 51 on Union Quay have a Friday Fizz between 4.00pm and 7.00pm, featuring a different fizz each time. Last Friday’s was La Jara Rosato Frizzante - a semi-sparkling wine made from red Raboso with a delicate pink colour and wonderfully fresh aromas of red apple and raspberry and juicy peach and pear flavours. It was every bit as delicious as they promised on Facebook, really good and good value too at €5.50 a glass. Watch out for future Fizz Fridays.

Indeed, if you like your bubbles, why not check out the Imperial Hotel too. In their Seventy Six Bar, they are offering a champagne flight, three Taittinger champagnes including a rosé, at a special price of fifteen euro.

After stuffing ourselves at Coqbull, we walked out into heavy rain, heavy enough to halt our planned walk to the beer festival at Franciscan Well. Instead we headed closer to home and, with the brolly up, made it to the new Bridge Bar in Bridge Street where the counter was full and there was live music from the O.C.D. trio. Food (charcuterie and cheese) also available here.

Great to see a long line-up of craft beers here, available on draft. We ended up comparing two ales, one from Yellow Belly, the other from Beavertown. Two excellent ales. The Wexford drink had attractive aromas and flavours and the expected hoppy finish. Beavertown is a London Brewery and their ale was possibly more focussed, a brewer’s beer maybe. Not much between them in any case. May have to go back for a replay.

Lager (left), Red Ale (right). But what's in the middle? The Bridge Bar.

May have to go back for a gin and tonic adventure too. That could take a while though. This is their long long list.

BLACKS OF KINSALE 7.25

BERTHAS REVENGE 6.50

MARTIN MILLERS 6.50

KINSALE GIN 6.70

BLACK WATER 6.10

MONKEY 47 10.10

QUINCE GIN 6.50

SHORTCROSS 6.80

BROCKMANS 6.80

GUNPOWDER 6.10

BEEFEATER 5.10

HENDRICKS 6.10

SIPSMITH 6.80

CORK DRY 4.80 

CAORUNN 7.00

BOMBAY 5.50

DINGLE 6.50

UNGAVA 6.50

JAWBOX 6.50

BLOOM 6.20

OPIHR 6.00