Showing posts with label Market Lane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Market Lane. Show all posts

Saturday, February 27, 2021

MARKET LANE SERVES UP A CULINARY TREAT TO CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY & ST PATRICK’S DAY

MARKET LANE SERVES UP A CULINARY TREAT

 TO CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY & ST PATRICK’S DAY

Bacon & Cabbage


There has never been a more important time to celebrate our loved ones and to say thanks for being there.  With this in mind, and two very important dates coming up in March, Cork’s beloved Market Lane Restaurant on Oliver Plunket Street has created a very affordable and simple to use ‘heat at home’ food box menu for Mother’s Day on the 14th March and St Patrick’s Day on the 17th.   So, while you may not be able to go out for dinner, you can still treat loved-ones to a culinary feast at home without having to break the bank.


Choose from ‘Ballinwillin Venison Pie with Wisdom Ale’, ‘Slow cooked Rosscarbery Bacon and Mustard Glaze’ (picture attached) or Spiced Veggie Moussaka with Toonsbridge Feta. Puddings include an Orange and Vanilla Bread & Butter Pudding with Custard and Chocolate Cheesecake with Hazelnut Praline’. A 2-course meal, including a range of sides, is €25 per person and there is a children’s menu for €9.50. Elbow Lane beers, signature cocktails and wine can be added to the order and diners will also get a gift of a trendy ‘Always Cork’ tote designed by the restaurant group. Orders can be placed via marketlane.ie for collection at the restaurant.

The Market Lane group of restaurants includes ORSO, Elbow Lane Smokehouse & Brewery, Castle Restaurant Blackrock, Goldie and Market Lane.

press release
 

Thursday, January 7, 2021

Keep Going Cork. Competition! CLOSED!!!!

Keep Going Cork 

Competition! CLOSED!!!!

Correct Answer: Goldie's

And the winner is: 

crazy_chemist_coffee via Instagram


Back in the early stages of Covid, back when we thought it would last a couple of months rather than a couple of years, the Market Lane group commissioned the Keep Going Cork logo. They displayed it on the windows of their restaurants around the city and it became very popular and the group allowed other businesses use it as well.

Covid hasn't gone away and neither has Market Lane. Conrad Howard has just been in touch: "We are going to sell tote bags in January and February with the #keepgoingcork message on them. €6 per pop from the front door with all profits going to SVP." A lovely thought from Conrad and his team, all for a great cause.

He has sent on a couple of the bags and you can win them through this competition (Closing Date 9.00am 12th Jan 2021 and open to Republic of Ireland addresses only ). Just answer the following question:

Q. Name the Market Lane group restaurant that specialises in fish.

Send you answer, name and contact details, to cork.billy@gmail.com 




Thursday, March 26, 2020

Morale boosting window messaging by Cork's Market Lane

MARKET LANE GROUP CREATES WINDOW MESSAGES TO BOOST MORALE 

Picture Shows: Morale boosting window messaging created by Cork's Market Lane Group of Restaurants for their establishments in the Oliver Plunkett Street area of the city center including Market Lane, Elbow Lane Smokehouse & Brewery, Goldie and ORSO.
As a gesture of solidarity, this window display is now being used by several other businesses on the street which have also been forced to close. The initiative has also been getting lots of traction on social media from those who are still using the city centre. 
Any other establishments who would like to display these messages can download the artwork freely and find out more information from bitedesign.com/love-cork
Stay safe!    

press release

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Time to go fishing folks! Head to Goldie

Time to go fishing folks! Head to Goldie
Monkfish

The much loved salmon, popularly known as Goldie, swims forever on top of the tower of St Anne’s in Shandon, in one of the most elevated positions in Cork City. The fish and ale restaurant named Goldie, in the flat of the city, is already in an elevated position when its comes to matters fish on the plate. Our first meal there a few months back was impressive, this latest even more so.They appear to be getting into their stride. Who knows what heights this creative kitchen will hit in the seasons ahead.
Aishling

Lots of hard work here too. After all, they get the whole fish in here every morning. But Head Chef Aishling Moore is relishing it, the head to tail ethos, the challenge that each delivery poses, plus the freedom to create that it also makes possible. “I’m living the dream,” she said on our latest call.

Cork's Goldie Fish (Shandon) and Goldie Angel (Saint Fin Barre's)

The Goldie Menu has three main sections: Snacks, Small Plates, and Mains. You also have sides and desserts of course. And then there’s the beers, all from their own brewery across the road in Elbow Lane, ales formulated by brewer Russell to “specifically suit the foods that we offer”, three on draught, two in bottle. They do have a matching wine list of course and, on the night, had some interesting special offers on.
Snacks

You can expect to see quite a range of fish on the menu. On our visit last week, squid, prawn, ling, oyster, mussel, salt fish brandade, plaice, ray, and monkfish were all in the mix to some degree or other. No meat here but vegetarians are catered for at all stages including a mains of Piccalilli Panisse, Coolea Cheese sauce, and kale.

We started with beers (Elbow Lager and Jawbone Ale - all their beers are named after Cork lanes) and a couple of snacks. The Chickpea Wafer, fennel and Coolea Cheese, was a delicious wee bite but my favourite was the Salted Ling fish finger, with gherkin ketchup.
Oysters

CL continued on the vegetarian path with a small plate of Beetroot, gherkin ketchup, yogurt and horseradish. Absolutely superb, so good I persuaded her to share. She did well too though as she was full of praise for my Tempura of Oysterhaven Oysters, with ponzu sauce. 

That sauce was magic and indeed I thought the combination well capable of converting oyster haters and when I mentioned that to our server, she said she’d seen it happen here. So if you are a bit doubtful about oysters and you find yourself in Goldie, do go for it. Other small plates on the night included Steamed mussels, creamed watercress and cider and also Salt Fish Brandade, seaweed cracker, pickles.
Beetroot

Now, for the main event. We were both tempted by the Whole Roast Plaice, bok choi, café de Paris but that will have to wait for another night! Instead we went for the Ray and Monkfish dishes and a delicious side (shared) of Sea Salt shoestring chips.

Sauces and relishes here are key - like the ponzu earlier. Now it was turn of a well-judged red wine sauce to work its magic with the Pan Fried Ray and the parsnip. And superlatives too for the oyster velouté  and fennel that enhanced the Pan Fried Monkfish. Umami on the double.
Ray

And those thin little chips were also top notch. Other tempting sides available included Chinese cabbage squid, peanut and tahini dressing and also Roast cauliflower and hazelnut brown butter.

Just a short dessert list. We had tried, and enjoyed, the Killahora Orchard apple port Panna cotta on the previous visit and this time picked the equally enjoyable Blood orange posset, brown butter Madeleine, white chocolate and tarragon ganache. Quite a delightful plateful that we shared.

Then time to say goodbye to the very friendly and efficient crew here. But we did have a peek at the upstairs room that has just been opened for service. Downstairs, it is very bright and modern. Upstairs, there is more by way of decor, lots of foliage. Will definitely take the pressure off downstairs at weekends and would also be a lovely room for a midweek party (up to 15 people or thereabouts). 

Party or no party, go fishing folks! Head to Goldie.

128 Oliver Plunkett Street (opposite Market Lane)
Cork
Open 5pm, Tue - Sat.
+353 21 239 8720

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Goldie. Where Fish Reigns


Goldie. Where The Fish Reigns
Sardines

It’s new and cool. Check out those white tiles with black designs opposite the counter. Ease yourself into those comfortable low-backed chairs and, if someone to the side talks to you, just swing round a few degrees and go face to face. But most of all, Goldie is all about the fish.
Crumpet

The clue of course is in the name. Most natives and many visitors will know that the big fish that forever swims at the top of the tower in Shandon has forever been nick-named Goldie. And the city loves its fish both in sentiment and in tasty reality. And Goldies makes that reality even more flavoursome.

Prawn cocktail crisps
The restaurant takes the ‘whole catch’ from the Ballycotton small day boats (so they take whatever is caught on the day, regardless of the quantity and species) ensuring a daily changing menu featuring the freshest produce available. They also buy in the English Market. 

Goldie operates a ‘gill to tail approach’, using as much of the fish as possible. So you’ll see some surprises on the menu, not just the species on offer but also the parts. Anyone for crunchy fish spines?
Lemon Sole

We were prepared to be surprised when we visited the other day. Front of house is very friendly and on the ball here. There’s an immediate welcome, help with the menu if need be and a chat or two over the evening. We were in early and it filled up quickly enough. Another upstairs room is being readied even as the confident new restaurant takes its first accomplished steps.

The window, more or less facing the “parent” Market Lane, shows the words Fish and Ale under the main title. And the beers come from the Elbow Lane Micro Brewery, also across the street. Brewers Russell and Davide have specially formulated the ales to suit food and, as customers of Market Lane and Elbow Lane itself will tell you, they have been very successful in that regard. 

I enjoyed a pint of the Jawbone Pale Ale with my fish. It is on draught as are the others: Angel Stout, Elbow Lager and Wisdom Ale, all named after Cork lanes.
Gurnard

Jawbone
The menu is divided into four sections. Inexpensive options come under Snacks. Next step is Small Plates, followed by Mains, and Desserts (no fish but they do use sea salt!). A quartet of sides available also including Sea Salt Shoestring Chips, Crushed baby potatoes (with scallion and seaweed), Roast Cauliflower (with hazelnut brown butter), and Sea Vegetable kimchi salad (with squid).

There were five snacks on the Friday we called and we enjoyed the Golden Crumpet and seaweed butter and enjoyed, even more, the Prawn cocktail crisps with cultured cream and seaweed, each priced at €2.50.

Harty’s Oyster feature on the small plates but our choices were the Salt Fish brandade, seaweed cracker and pickled celery, a very tasty combination indeed (7.5). The similarly priced Seared devilled sardines with pickled celeriac were superb, so good I thought briefly (it was raining outside) I was back in the old town of Albufeira enjoying a plateful in the hot sun with a glass of wine. By the way, they have a wine list with most of the whites very well suited to the fish.
Panna Cotta

The superb mains were yet to come. I’m a sucker for Gurnard but rarely come across it when eating out. The Pan fried Gurnard here (21.50), with bok choi and lasooni butter, is a delight. Simply delicious, especially with the sauce.

And the chicken butter sauce with the Pan Fried Lemon Sole (22.50) was also a winner. There was a decent chunk of swede (how often do you come across that veg in restaurants?) on the plate as well. We could have had sides but resisted the temptation as we were determined to go through all three courses.
Budino

As it turned out, the strategy worked very well indeed. We completed the three and felt good for the fourth! Just a short list of sweets but two were enough for us. The Pom ‘O apple port Panna Cotta with caramelised apple and crumble and the Achill Island Sea Salt and caramel pudding with hazelnut biscotti were each that bit different to the usual dessert and a lovely finalé to a superb fish dinner.

Goldie is the result of an exciting collaboration between Aishling Moore (25), former head chef of Elbow Lane, and Stephen Kehoe, (39) executive chef of the Market Lane Group. 


Wednesday, October 16, 2019

GOLDIE AIMS TO MAKE A SPLASH IN CORK'S CULINARY SCENE


GOLDIE AIMS TO MAKE A SPLASH IN CORK'S CULINARY SCENE

- Cork city’s burgeoning culinary reputation has been boosted with the opening of a new restaurant on the bustling Oliver Plunkett Street -


Goldie is a small restaurant aiming to have a big impact on Cork's dining scene, serving the freshest and most exciting fish dishes in the city. It is the result of an exciting collaboration between Aishling Moore (25), former head chef of Elbow Lane, and Stephen Kehoe, (39) executive chef of the Market Lane Group (pictured right). 
Goldie sources its fish from the day boats that operate out of Ballycotton in East Cork and the English Market. The restaurant takes the ‘whole catch’ from these boats (so they take whatever is caught on the day, regardless
of the quantity and species) ensuring a daily changing menu featuring the freshest produce available.
The name of the restaurant is a nod to the much loved ‘Goldie’ fish-shaped weathervane that sits on top of the famous Shandon Bells at the ancient St Anne’s church in Shandon, just north of the city centre.   The weathervane symbolises the historical importance of fishing to Cork.

Moore and Kehoe show excellent form.  Under their stewardship, Elbow Lane regularly appears in the top 100 list of the best eateries in Ireland and they were arguably at the vanguard of open fire cooking in Ireland.  With Goldie, the pair have spread their wings and created a mostly fish menu that will delight and surprise.  Dishes include the likes of ‘Pan-fried Ray with fennel and langoustine butter sauce’ and ‘Salt fish brandade with dillisk cracker and Churchfield tomatoes’.

The interior of the restaurant is contemporary chic and the atmosphere is intimate and relaxed.  The duo has kept price points extremely accessible; snacks start from €2, small plates from €7.50 and large plates from €18
As well as taking the whole catch, Goldie operates a ‘gill to tail approach’, using as much of the fish as possible.  Some of the most notable dishes are fish spines served with house togarashi, made with hops from Elbow Lane’s brewery and Pollock collar Teryaki.  The ultimate aim is to utilise as much of the fish as possible, with an emphasis on serving parts that are usually discarded.
Elbow Lane’s beers feature on the drink’s menu alongside a small, but carefully chosen wine list. Says Moore "While it has been extremely hard work opening my own restaurant, it has also been so enjoyable and is absolutely a career highlight for me.  To be doing so with Stephen as a business partner, who has been such a huge influence on my cooking, is a dream come true”
 Opening times are Wednesday – Sunday from 5 pm until late.  For further information please visit www.goldie.ie.

Press release

Sunday, October 13, 2019

It’s Blasket Lamb Time at Market Lane Group.


It’s Blasket Lamb Time at Market Lane Group.
Uan Blasta at ORSO, Castle Cafe and Elbow Lane
Lamb Shank

It’s that time of year again. The Market Lane’s precious quota of delicious Blasket Lamb has arrived in Cork and the chefs at ORSO, Elbow Lane, Castle Café and the parent restaurant itself are trying to outdo each other with tasty expressions. Every bit of the lamb will be used and there’ll be quite a variety of offerings to choose from.

Diners can look forward to dishes such as ‘Spicy Lamb Sausage, grated tomato, red onion, parsley pine nuts, mint, and sumac served with flatbread, ‘Slow Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma with tahini, green peppercorn and pickled squash, ‘Braised lamb breast with black garlic mash, wild mushroom and Tawny cider jus’, and ‘Loin of lamb with pancetta and potato terrine, aubergine puree, winter vegetables and a lamb jus’.

When I got the call to try out the dishes at Elbow Lane, there was no hesitation. We got in early on Friday evening last and enjoyed two fabulous courses from their famous grill and some of their own superb beers as well.
Lamb Cutlet

Not too many restaurants use kidneys nowadays, maybe the customers are reluctant. But we had no hesitation when our fantastic server detailed this starter dish for us: Blasket Lamb Kidneys, with Quince, Rhubarb and Kombucha glaze and sautéed Chard.

Kidneys with Chard
Quite a hat trick on the plate. The glaze was unreal, the green Chard provided an extra texture (and flavour of course) and the interaction with the kidneys rounded the potentially robust and rustic dish into a very sophisticated mouthful indeed. Quite a few mouthfuls actually!

The sauce in the next dish, a preserved lemon and marjoram beurre blanc, was another standout. You could have either Lamb Leg (no bone) or Lamb Chops. Both had the same sauce and also a crunchily delicious caper roast cauliflower. 

So one of us  had the Chops, the other the Leg, and there was a bit of swapping going on. If it had been a contest, I think I’d have given the chops, with their amazing fat enhanced flavour (or was it the Angel Lane stout factor), the edge. Must admit I know little about the grill here but it sure delivers fantastic flavours.

Elbow Lane Smokehouse and Brewery, as you may know, is not the biggest, but the crew here make the very best of it, whether it’s the chef is his very confined quarter or the front of house people explaining the various dishes, helped diners make their own choices, in the narrow dimly-lit space,  and it all runs very smoothly indeed. Quite an enjoyable customer experience and highly recommended, especially for couples and foursomes.


Just a bit of background on the Blasket Lamb….

The habitat on the islands is what makes this product so special. The animals mostly graze on the small island of Beginish, a natural bird sanctuary, which makes the soil incredibly fertile.  There, the animals graze at leisure in a marshy meadow full of heather, grasslands and wild herbs.  They have even been known to nibble on the seaweed which washes up on the natural beaches that provide access to the island.  The grass is salty from sea spray and this gives the lamb its highly valued flavour.
Donnacha (farmer) and Jerry (butcher) inspect the sheep as they arrive on the mainland.
As the animals are free to roam uninterrupted, there is no forced ‘fattening’.  This means that the lamb is leaner, ‘creating a near-perfect fat to meat ratio’ says award-winning Dingle Butcher, Jerry Kennedy.  “Fortunately, there is no liver fluke on the islands, so the lamb is not treated for anything other than worms.” 

Conrad Howard, head of the Market Lane Group, who has been supporting Blasket Island lamb for many years now says “We are delighted as a group to highlight this very special produce.  The impeccable provenance of this lamb is reflected in its superb quality and flavour. We are also very proud to be the only restaurants to serve it to our customers. Our chefs begin creating their dishes in August in the anticipation and hope that the lamb will arrive.”

Friday, October 4, 2019

MARKET LANE GROUP TO CELEBRATE ARRIVAL OF BLASKET ISLAND LAMB ON MENUS

MARKET LANE GROUP TO CELEBRATE 
ARRIVAL OF BLASKET ISLAND LAMB ON MENUS

As the tiny flock of lambs arrived safely on shore at Dun Chaoin harbour late September, following a choppy boat ride from Beaginish island, across the Dingle Sound, there was an audible sigh of relief. In 2018 the weather was so bad in Dingle that it was too dangerous even to attempt to get the lambs off the islands, so their safe arrival this year is seen as a blessing.
In the meantime, Cork’s Market Lane Group of restaurants, which includes Market Lane, Elbow Lane, ORSO, Goldie and Castle Café, have been preparing for weeks to celebrate this unique, award-winning Autumn lamb.  Dishes, which have been created to use every part of the animal, will be on menus from mid/end of October until their exclusive supply of this wonderful product has run out. 
The habitat on the islands is what makes this product so special. The animals mostly graze on the small island of Beginish, a natural bird sanctuary, which makes the soil incredibly fertile.  There, the animals graze at leisure in a marshy meadow full of heather, grasslands and wild herbs.  They have even been known to nibble on the seaweed which washes up on the natural beaches that provide access to the island.  The grass is salty from sea spray and this gives the lamb its highly valued pre-sale flavour.
As the animals are free to roam uninterrupted, there is no forced ‘fattening’.  This means that the lamb is leaner, ‘creating a near-perfect fat to meat ratio’ says award-winning Dingle Butcher, Jerry Kennedy.  “Fortunately, there is no liver fluke on the islands, so the lamb is not treated for anything other than worms.” 
Conrad Howard, head of the Market Lane Group, who has been supporting Blasket Island lamb for many years now says “We are delighted as a group to highlight this very special produce.  The impeccable provenance of this lamb is reflected in its superb quality and flavour. We are also very proud to be the only restaurants to serve it to our customers. Our chefs begin creating their dishes in August in the anticipation and hope that the lamb will arrive.”
Diners can look forward to dishes such as ‘Spicy Lamb Sausage, grated tomato, red onion, parsley pine nuts, mint, and sumac served with flatbread, ‘Slow Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma with tahini, green peppercorn and pickled squash, ‘Braised lamb breast with black garlic mash, wild mushroom and Tawny cider jus’, and ‘Loin of lamb with pancetta and potato terrine, aubergine puree, winter vegetables and a lamb jus’.
The story begins with smallholder, Donnacha O Ceileachair, who shepherds his small flock of sheep on the Islands.  When the April-born lambs are ready in September, he brings them from the island onto his farm on the mainland.  After a couple of weeks, Kennedy then picks out the premium lambs which are sent for slaughter.  “Timing is very important,” says Kennedy.  “The lambs have been used to the peaceful surrounds of the islands and they can lose weight very quickly when they are distressed.  After selecting out the lamb for the Market Lane Group, the remainder will be sold through his shop in Dingle town to a waiting list of customers.
It is a very dangerous job to get the animals off the islands.  “You have to be pretty fit and healthy,” says O’Ceileachair.  “We will be looking very soon to get the younger generation involved to make sure that this tradition is kept alive and well - so the public can continue to enjoy the unique and delicious taste of this special lamb.”
Updates for the Blasket Island Lamb Celebration at the Market Lane Group of restaurants will be available on its social media channels.
press release

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

ORSO FOCUSES ON NIGHTTIME AND RENEWS COMMITMENT TO LOCAL SOURCING


press release
Dee (left) and Tracey

ORSO FOCUSES ON NIGHTTIME AND RENEWS COMMITMENT TO LOCAL SOURCING


Pictured are ORSO managers-owners, Dee Munnelly and Tracey Corbett, who revealed their new interior makeover and evening food and drink menus, all sourced locally, aimed at the growing nightlife market in Cork city centre. The Market Lane Group which includes iconic Cork restaurants Market Lane, Elbow Lane Smokehouse & Brewery and Castle Café Blackrock, also announced that its spend on local producers has exceeded €500,000 since Jan 1st, this year.

ORSO, Cork city’s tiny Levantine restaurant is famous for its delicious, fresh, flavour-forward dishes inspired by the cuisines of Eastern Mediterranean countries and islands. Following a colourful interior makeover at its Pembroke St location for its 7th Birthday this month, and the introduction of new evening food and drinks menus, owners and managers Dee Munnelly and Tracey Corbett have created an exciting, night-time experience full of rich, exotic tastes and flavours for new and existing customers.


Says Dee Munnelly “We wanted to offer something different with a great atmosphere and fantastic food to open up the night-time at ORSO. We are delighted that many of our regulars are now making ORSO a starting point for their evenings out. We are so lucky to be part of such a vibrant and diverse neighbourhood, a microcosm of independent retail, that has so much to offer locals and visitors alike. This also goes hand in hand in collaborating with local suppliers and small local producers where possible“

One of the best-loved breakfast and lunchtime spots in the city, the new evening menus build on ORSO’S culinary roots. It has a new Mezze section with lots of sharing plates such as ‘whole roasted Harissa prawns with confit of garlic’, ‘Sfeehas - Moroccan spiced beef in pastry with fennel cream’ and ‘Batersh - roasted aubergine, crispy lamb served with flatbread’.


Bigger plates offer dishes such as ‘Clay baked seafood, chermoula and garlic crust’ and Beef fillet skewers with tahini, fried sumac onions and dried limes’. Desserts include a ‘to die for’ homemade Pomegranate and pistachio ice cream sandwich with lime curd and a delightful chocolate board.

New to the drink’s menu is a range of traditional Turkish Sharbats; fresh home-made cordials served with sparkling water and dressed with fresh herbs (to which alcohol can be added). The wine list has some new organic and sustainable choices. Beer is exclusively from ORSO’s sister establishment, Elbow Lane Brewery.

The restaurant fully caters for vegans and vegetarians and many dishes are gluten-free. Menus are created with the season in mind in the restaurant’s kitchen, where spices are blended, fresh bread is baked daily and food is prepared. For further details about the restaurant’s local sourcing policies please visit www.ORSO.ie. ORSO is located at 8 Pembroke Street, Cork city centre.

Evening opening times are Tuesday – Saturday inclusive. Dishes can also be ordered online www.ORSO.ie

Sunday, June 9, 2019

ORSO Breakfast Brightens Dull Morning


ORSO Breakfast Brightens Dull Morning
Poached Eggs on Sweet Potato and Courgette Cakes with Roast Pepper Relish

It’s a duller than dishwater June morning as we turn into Pembroke Street in a wet Cork City centre. But light is at hand. The bright breakfast menu in ORSO will cheer us up. 

The happy feeling begins with a warm greeting and generous mugs of hot tea, and spreads as we study the new breakfast line-up, packed full of colour, texture and flavour. It promises much and that promise is more than delivered over the next thirty minutes or so.
Shakshuka

There are eleven choices (no sign of a Full Irish) on the new menu, under three headings: Hot Stuff, Healthy Kick and On Toast. Healthy includes Poached Eggs on Brown Soda Bread with mixed leaves and also Egg White, Spinach and Spring onion Omelette with Jalapeno, Tomato and Coriander. On Toast offers Baked Halloumi, Beetroot Spread and Zhoug though you may prefer the Scrambled Egg, Spinach, Pesto, Crumbled Feta, both are served on Toasted home-baked Focaccia. And you may order extra sides like crispy bacon, hummus, avocado and more.

CL spotted her pick in the Healthy Kick selection, though I always thought her kick was healthy enough! That could earn me another one. In any event, she was delighted with her Poached Eggs on Sweet Potato and Courgette Cakes with Roast Pepper Relish (7.80). It looks good in the photo and was superb, really perfect.

Since I first saw the menu published a week or two back, I had my mind set on a particular dish (and never quite made it as far as the Healthy Kick). Must say that I was tempted by the Manoushi of freshly baked flatbread, black pudding, caramelised onion, egg, harissa and cheese. But the Shakshuka with baked eggs, harissa, beans, spicy chorizo and crisp bread (9.00), was my target and it hit the bullseye with that delicious moderately spicy combination, warming and filling and very highly recommended.

The small restaurant, part of the Market Lane group in the city, fully caters for vegans and vegetarians and many dishes are gluten-free.  Menus are created with the season in mind in the kitchen, where all of the spices are blended, and where fresh bread is baked daily and the food prepared.

ORSO and the Market Lane group in general support local producers and you can see a full list of their suppliers here. While you’re on the site, you can also browse the various menus. And, if you are busy at work and can’t get in to eat, you are welcome to phone in your take-out order to 021 243 8000.

ORSO 
8 Pembroke Street
Cork
021 243 8000

Hours
Mon­day 8:30am – 5pm; Tues­day to Thurs­day
8:30am – 10pm; Fri­day & Sat­ur­day 8:30am – 10:30pm; Sun­days in Decem­ber 4:00pm – 10:00pm; All other Sun­days: Closed.



Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Nigel Cotter. His Butcher to Chef Story


Nigel Cotter. His Butcher to Chef Story

Nigel Cotter, the Douglas man who was recently awarded the Market Lane Culinary Scholarship with CIT, has taken a long road to cheffing. He is a qualified butcher and has spent over ten years in the trade.

And it was while working as a butcher that he began to appreciate quality of produce. He credits an early mentor, Flor Kent, with giving him a good all-round picture, of the trade, of food and of life. And that butcher background is now a massive plus as he studies to be a chef.

But cheffing had always been somewhere in his mind and that has much to do with his mother who was a farmer’s daughter. Her roasts were spectacular, memorable. But with a whole animal from the family farm available, she had to use all the cuts and they had meat, stews and steaks and so on, all the year round variety.

Nigel still appreciates the meat of course but nowadays tends to cook a lot of fish at home. “We are an island nation, we should be using more fish.”

And it is not just at home that Nigel cooks these days. As part of his CIT course, he had to find a restaurant that would give him 400 hours placement. Luckily, Brendan Cashman’s Gallo and Galetti, where both Nigel and his wife enjoy eating, took him on and now that 400 hours requirement has been well and truly exceeded.

He was delighted to accept the scholarship that will help him extend and enhance his culinary education, “It is an incredible opportunity for me.” Nigel, who is currently studying for a Certificate in Culinary Skills, will use the bursary to progress to the National Chef De Partie Apprenticeship Programme at CIT, which will set him on a fast-track to becoming a fully qualified chef with access to the best kitchens in the country.

He is an obviously determined young man. His studies currently take up two full days each week and then he works around that commitment. Does he get a chance to relax? He does indeed. He loves watching Rugby and American football. For the past seven or eight years, he has been playing Five-a-Side football out in Ballincollig, enjoying the exercise and the craic. Music is another big interest of his and indeed he “used to play for a few bands”.

He has been strong on getting local producers recognised and his thoughts on the subject were taken on board by Conrad Howard of Market Lane who will be including profiles on their menu in the coming weeks, introducing their diners to the fantastic, passionate producers that supply the restaurant with their produce. 
Nigel, with Dr Noel Murray(left) of CIT and Conrad Howard of Market Lane Group.

Nigel’s interest in local producers was reinforced by Avril Allshire of Rosscarbery Recipes and Caherbeg Pork when she spoke to his group at CIT. “Avril gave us a great talk and very unselfishly promoted other producers as well.”

He is all for diversity and balance in diet. “We should eat better quality meat, but less of it, and definitely eat more fish and vegetables.

Has he a favourite chef? “Marco Pierre White, a working class man who shot for the stars. Also the Roux brothers, Albert and Michel, French-born restaurateurs and chefs in Britain. And I’m sure there are more!”

Nigel is a patient fellow. It has taken him a long while to get to this point but he is not jumping too far ahead. “Of course, it’s in the back of every chef’s mind to have his or her own kitchen and to run the show to his or her own standards. But I’m only at stage one. You’ve got to serve your time, got to learn, then find your niche.”



Monday, January 14, 2019

ORSO: Making a difference. Superb new 3-course menu for €19.00


ORSO: Making a difference.
Superb new 3-course menu for €19.00
Watermelon

For the past six years, tiny ORSO has been making its own distinctive mark, serving fresh and vibrant flavours, in the heart of Cork City. This is Irish food but influenced by the Mediterranean, including the Maghreb and the Levant, and places further east. The Pembroke Street venue may be small but there’s a big variety here and now it's well illustrated in a delicious new 3-course menu for just nineteen euro!

This Prix Fixe menu is available between 5.00 and 7.00pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. And this is not just a January offer. It trialled in December, is now formalised and manager Dee Munnelly and her enthusiastic kitchen team hope it goes on and on. And the reaction so far indicates that it will.
Bruschetta

We were there last week to try it out and can honestly give it a very enthusiastic thumbs up as we enjoyed every bite from start to finish and a bottle of their own (ORSO are part of the Market Lane group) Elbow Lane Jawbone Pale Ale. The drinks - wines, beers and cocktails available - are not of course included in the fixed price!

They have four starters on offer including a Chicken Manti with Tomato Ragu and Toasted Seeds and also a Courgette Carpaccio with Parmesan, and sumac and saffron oil.

But it was the Seared Watermelon that caught CL’s eye. It was a great choice, a lovely tasty and warm dish, the slices of warm melon served with Goats Cheese, Gremolata and pomegranate. Gremolata? It is a chopped herb condiment usually made of lemon zest, garlic, and parsley.

Meanwhile, I was just as enthusiastic with my Sardine Bruschetta. The little silver sardine was delicious and indeed the warmed bread itself, soaked with oil and covered with tomato and onion, would have made a fine starter on its own. We were up and running and looking for more.

Hake
And that didn’t take long. Service is excellent here, friendly, helpful. Again you’ll have a choice of four mains. On the night, our quartet included a Lemon and Oregano Lamb shoulder, Feta and fennel and also a tempting Red Rice Black Bean falafel, harissa and pickled veg.

I picked the Crumbed Hake, served on spiced lentils with a poached egg on top. What a bowlful! No shortage of quantity here. And certainly no shortage of quality either. A magnificent palate-pleasing mix of textures and flavours, great for a winter’s evening.
Baklava

Chocolate Pot
And it was much the same result at the other side of the table where the Chicken Harissa Tagine went down a treat. Tasty stuff all round. And we also had a side plate with red cabbage, couscous and a cooling raita. 

Just two desserts but again two gems. I’ve never had Baklava like the fabulous ORSO version, a proper and very appropriate dessert considering the orientation of the cuisine here. And the other dessert, the Chilli Chocolate Pot, was also rich and delicious. 

Nothing but good things to say about this Prix Fixe. So, happy out, as we say around here!