Waterville's Lobster Is A Specials Kind Of Place

The Lobster’s A Specials Kind Of Place In Waterville.

They tell you that you can’t miss The Lobster in Waterville. "They have the lobster with a pint on the front." And they do. He’s up high on the street frontage with a full pint in his claw.

So we found it, no problem, and walked in. We did have a reservation. Probably not strictly necessary early on a late April night. The place wasn’t exactly full and there were three or four other options within a 150 yards or so. But, if you want to dine here and the season is in swing, then a reservation would be strongly advised.

So what did we have? The menu is along the usual lines that you see in Kerry (and many other Irish) pubs and sometimes you have to look at the specials list to get away from the Seafood Chowder, Chicken Wings, Fish and Chips and Burgers that populate these offerings. Not that there is anything wrong with them.

Up to about ten years ago, it was almost impossible to get craft beer in Kerry. But, with at least five breweries in the county, all that has changed. Has it changed in the Lobster? It has and great to hear that they had two types of craft, one by Killarney Brewing, the other by the local McGill brewery, from just out the road.

Goats Cheese starter

As it happened, they had just run out of the Killarney and so we both tried the McGill Waterville India Pale Ale. And we were both very happy with it indeed, a well balanced drink. That led to a spur of the moment meeting with brewer Joe McGill on the following morning and we are now well into his beers, included the just released barrel-aged stout called Coireán (Irish for Waterville). That stout is superb and you should try and get your hands on it, though you may have to travel to Waterville to do so!

Our orders had been taken and we sipped our IPAs. Both of our mains came from the specials. Mine was  the Rump of Lamb, served with a Turnip Purée, Pearl Onions, Wild Garlic Leaves, a Rosemary Jus and a side of our choosing (€29.00).  It was a fine piece of lamb, well cooked and presented and all the other bits, including that wild garlic, played a part in making it very enjoyable indeed.

And there was a big thumbs up also from the other side of the table as CL thoroughly enjoyed her Seared Fillet of Halibut, Saffron Potatoes, Mussels, Prawns, and Sugar Snaps in a Tomato Broth, a really classy dish. Good choice of sides so, for variety, we picked fries and a salad and shared. Other specials available were Steamed South Kerry Mussels (do they reject North Kerry bivalves?) in a Cream Sauce (19) and Pan Fried (500gr) Black Sole at a wallet stretching (it usually is) thirty seven euro.

McGill's IPA

We had a couple of excellent starters, both from the regular menu. My pick was the Seafood Chowder ( West Coast Seafood of Cod, Smoked Haddock, Salmon, Mussels and Prawns in a Herb Cream, with Traditional Brown Bread). Very happy with that, some tasty chunks of fish in there.

CL enjoyed the Goats Cheese Salad (Mixed Salad Leaves, Roasted Beetroots, Orange Segments, Candied Walnuts, Orange Dressing, Sourdough Toast) but thought the one they served (with a redcurrant sauce in the Royal Hotel on Valentia) had the edge. Maybe they should have a cook-off during one of the summer festivals!

After all that food, they do quantity here as well as quality, we just had no room for dessert but a second round of Waterville IPA was very much appreciated as we had the shortest of walks to our five star accommodation called Seaclusion.

Lamb

The Lobster has a good reputation and we noticed quite a few tourists in as well. But they are well appreciated at home too and in January were one of “23 Places We Are Most Excited About For 23” from McKenna's Guide. Before that, they got the Seal of Approval from Good Food Ireland and are included in their Touring Map. 

And they are also getting nod from the CorkBilly.com blog!

Also on this trip:

The Lobster Waterville

Skellig Experience Centre - The Monks Dinner

McGill Brewery*

Royal Hotel, Knightstown

A Right Royal Progress Through The Kingdom

* Post to follow

Recent Kerry posts

Killarney's lovely Victoria Hotel

Dinner at The Ivy in Killarney

Dining at The Harrow Killarney

Excellent Lunch at Brehon Hotel

Seeing Red at the lovely Sneem Hotel

Lunch at Killarney Brewery & Distillery in Fossa.

Dingle Drive, Slea Head and more 

The 2017 version of this trip has some other attractions not visited this time. Take a look here.

McGill's launch barrel aged stout!. Craft journey with McGill’s Brewery. CorkBillyBeers #27.

CorkBillyBeers #27

Craft journey with McGill’s Brewery

McGill's launch exquisite barrel aged stout!

Just this week, Joe McGill launched their "exquisite" barrel aged stout, An Coireán, at the micro-brewery. The latest chapter in the brewery story began back in December...

It was quite a day in the McGill micro brewery when they transferred their own Puffin Imperial Stout to the oak barrels. This was the start of making the first beer of its kind brewed in the area. 

The barrels were rather special, being oak port pipes from Portugal. They had previously been used to mature some superb Liberator Whiskey at the beautiful Killarney lakeside location where Maurice O’Connell operates his Wayward Irish Spirits in ancient farm buildings.

The stout aged well in the little brewery in the Gaeltacht between Waterville and Ballinskelligs, over the winter months, taking in some of the qualities of the oak and port and picking up some exquisite notes from the whiskey. Now the pipes will return to Lakeview for another round of whiskey!

The stout that originally went into the barrels last December was McGill’s Puffin Island Imperial Stout, itself weighing in at 7.9% ABV. Best served chilled ”like a wild Atlantic Wave” says brewer Joe and he gives the same advice for the new barrel-aged An Coireán (a stout that can be kept for at least two years).

At the end of April, I was staying in Waterville and spotted the brewery opposite the St Finian’s church in Murreigh, on the road to Ballinskelligs. A spur of the moment call led to a chat with Joe and his mum and as I left he handed me a bottle of the newly unveiled stout, the very first with a label! Honoured to have that.

McGill’s Puffin Island Imperial Stout 7.9% ABV, 500ml bottle

McGill’s Imperial Stout has the classic colours: black body and tan head. Aromas are of coffee and chocolate, not overly strong. On the palate, there’s a hint of sweetness to it, later a touch of bitterness, but nothing overbearing, and indeed the beer is beautifully balanced. Nothing extreme about it at all, once you sip and don’t gulp it down. 

In this Imperial class, some stouts can be so concentrated you get too little flavour and too much alcohol on the palate and aftertaste, but this one, with vanilla, chocolate and caramel in the flavours, is one of the more sophisticated. Just give it the respect it deserves. 

Very Highly Recommended.

The label: Every beer we produce is inspired by the area and celebrates the area we are proud to call home. Puffin island is an Irish wildlife conservancy reserve near Portmagee (Kerry), a very small island. It is 1.5km long and 700m wide but rises up to 159m altitude and is quite close to the mainland. It holds some 1,000s of pairs of Manx Puffins and smaller numbers of other breeding seabirds.

An Coireán Barrel Aged Imperial Stout 13.1%, 330ml bottle

An Coireán has the same colours as its daddy Puffin Island. But the aromas have a flush of uisce beatha, telling us a bit about its breeding! And the same theme is left right and centre on the palate. But, yet again, the balance is just amazing and I can now understand the enthusiasm in brewer Joe McGill’s voice when he gave me this little bottle, the very first with the An Coireán label. By the way, An Coireán is the Irish name for Waterville.

A pint of McGill's IPA
at The Lobster
in Waterville.

The high abv of 13.1% could throw many a beer off kilter but McGill’s have the balance here spot on, like a diving puffin. The rich flavours, chocolate, vanilla, coffee, some fruit too, along with the whiskey influence, envelop the mouth and hold all the way to the finalé. 

Just follow the sip rather than gulp rule and you’ll enjoy every little drop of this beauty from the far south west. If anything, this is even more approachable than the Puffin. Enjoy and, as the McGills say: ‘Sláinte agus fad saol agat’ (Health and long life to you).

Again, Very Highly Recommended.

Tip: use a wine glass or one of their own tasting glasses (about 1/3rd of a pint) with this one.

Check out the launch here on their Facebook