CHINESE CHALLENGE

Chicken with orange - gorgeous

EATING AT THE AMBASSADOR

Went to the Ambassador, a well established city centre Chinese restaurant, last night. Enjoyed a good meal: a set menu for two costing €65.00. Wines start around 20 euro.

We had the usual prawn crackers, crabmeat and corn soup, a combination dish (little envelopes of meats, a breaded fish piece, skewers of chicken, cubes of duck... sauces, dips), a three part main course (chicken with orange, Chinese Duck and shredded beef fillet in a black bean sauce). All top class.

And now a note for establishments such as Jacques that charge over the odds for coffee. We got a small cup of a decent coffee and, twice more, they called to the table offering top-ups. Nice touch.

It is a comfortable place and the service is good and delivered with a smile. No shortage of staff. They fill your water regularly, pour out your wine, take your coats and even put the napkin on your lap.

They have about six set menus around this price, along with an extensive a la carte of course. No doubt it is a good place and I didn't have any quibble at all (on the contrary). But, by way of comparison, you can get a very similar menu in Ying’s Place (Mayfield) for about 60 per cent of the Ambassador price. You pays your money... as they say.

The Best of Britain & Ireland

The Best of Britain & Ireland ’09 Exhibition
a domestic travel event happening in London during March.

Best of Britain & Ireland ‘09 exhibition is to be held on 26-29 March 2009 at London’s ExCeL. It celebrates the best of Britain and Ireland, and is looking for the best of British and Irish cooking through an online competition. They are inviting amateur and professional chefs to celebrate and show off their favorite British or Irish meals. The best video recipes will then be showcased to over 20,000 visitors to the ExCeL centre on the 28th and 29th March and on The Best of Britain & Ireland website: http://www.britainandirelandevent.co.uk/

Click here for details: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddtdjkcd_314fv2hnmdx

Firm favourites

FEBRUARY SUMMARY

It has been a month of favourites, regular visits to Isaacs and even more so to Jacques . Both stood up well to the stress testing. Enjoyable fish dishes in each spot, Haddock one evening in Isaacs, Hake at Jacques.

Jacques is pretty expensive but value is good though I find paying €3.50 for a cup of coffee (a good cup I must admit) annoying and won't be doing it again.

There is value to be had in Jacques on the €25.00 menu which is available most weekdays and up to 7.00pm on weekends. The number of choices is limited but what you do get is top class food and the menu changes regularly.

The recession is biting and there are an increasing number of early birds available around town – make sure you check the local press before you go out.

During the Celtic Tiger we probably got used to speedy and efficient service in the restaurants – sometimes you were glad to get in, they were so busy. But the old personal warm friendly touch was lacking in most places. Nobody was discourteous. But, once the formalities were concluded, there was nothing extra, proprietors and staff didn’t even use the Irish fallback of the weather in conversation.


Now that things are slowing down, it might be no harm to cultivate that kind of rapport again. A warm greeting doesn't do any harm. I know myself that certain shops in town are a joy to visit. Ronnie Moore’s and O’Leary’s Camera World are good examples. I started going there years ago, felt welcome and still go there. Restaurants please copy.

Market Lane

JANUARY UPDATE

Tried to beat this gloomy weather with lunch at The Continental today but it was closed for a holiday break. Followed the Advisor and her brolly, what a lethal weapon, across to Market Lane and what a lunch we enjoyed.

Naturally smoked Haddock with sautéed potatoes, broccoli, Chorizo and an onion cream sauce, absolutely gorgeous, plates cleaned.

Desserts: a White and Dark Chocolate Mousse for me and a Pineapple capriccio with a Blackcurrant sorbet for herself. We could have ended up licking the plates.

Two coffees and two glasses of house wine brought the bill to €57.00.

FOOD SOURCES: go to North Main Street and get your Italian bits and pieces at Casanova’s delicatessen La Botteghina. I got some Almond Cookies (€2.90) there recently. Dunk them in your dessert wine and enjoy!

O’Herlihy's at St Luke’s is a good place to go to get artisan breads and cakes along with other fine foods. Parking is terrible but it is worth it!

Anyone got any info on Bromley Lodge (to your left by Slatty Bridge) before you cross the bridge to Fota. Car park was packed there last Saturday but I couldn't call.

My Favourites in Cork

YEAR END RECOMMENDATIONS

ENJOY

Favourite high end restaurant: Jacques

Favourite Bistro: Isaacs

Favourite medium priced restaurant: Market Lane

Favourite Italian: Casanova

Favourite Chinese: Ying’s Palace

Favourite Hotel restaurant: Pembroke Grill in the Imperial.

Favourite pizzeria: The Brick Oven in Bantry.

Favourite Dessert: While the desserts in Jacques are excellent, my vote goes to Jacobs on the Mall for its Date and Butterscotch Pudding.

LUNCH
Hard to go wrong here as you will get a decent lunch in most places in town, especially Market Lane. The outskirts are also well served: try Killumney Inn on the west, The Boot House on the north and the Elm Tree on the east. You will get a good roast of the day in any these.

For something different why not try Boqueria, the Tapas Bar in Bridge Street. On a recent visit I enjoyed a bowl of paella (loads of chicken and shellfish and served with a tarty side salad, for a €10.00). Just to add a note of caution, a glass of wine here (starting at €7.00 and mostly from Catalonia) is a full 25cl, a third of a bottle, and substantially more than your usual glass.

RACHEL'S RIGHT

A VISIT TO ISAACS

Rachel Allen recently proclaimed on TV that Isaacs (McCurtain Street) is her favourite bistro. She has many who’ll agree with her, even if the place was less than half full last night.

We had a smashing meal there. I must admit I was particularly pleased with the “Wine of the Month”, so pleased in fact that I didn't even notice that they charged me €25.00 instead of the €24.00 on the menu. It is a Lugana (from an area close to Lake Garda - see http://www.italianmade.com/wines/DOC10186.cfm ) and is produced by Zenato. One of the best whites I’ve tasted in a long time.

Started off with a lovely plate of tapas between us. Great variety for €10.90. Then on to the main course. I had one of the day’s specials, Turbot on spinach with a Beurre Blanc sauce. Very good. The Advisor went for the Moroccan Tagine, shank of lamb with couscous. Again top class and quite reasonable at €18.80.

Dessert (€7.00) was also quite good and a little different: a Tunisian Orange Cake, served with a berry compote and crème fraîche. The orange taste was not dominant but it had a lovely light citrus flavour. Light and tasty.

http://www.isaacsrestaurant.ie

ENCORE

JACQUES SCORE HIGH AGAIN

Got a comment recently from Mel who included Jacques in a short list of his favourite restaurants. It is on mine as well.

Was in there last night and had a gorgeous meal. I chose Brill on a bed of greens with a hollandaise sauce. Absolutely worth the wait, a magnificent combination. There was no doubt that the Brill was the star of the dish, the sauce there to offer appropriate support.

A few days earlier, I had been in Amicus and made the mistake of ordering the Trio of Fish without properly studying the menu. It was smothered in the rich creamy sauce. The haddock wasn't too bad but the other two (salmon and sole) were anonymous. The advisor had Sole with a Butter sauce and her fish and veg were all swimming in the sauce.

In Jacques, they do it properly as they respect the main ingredient. Last night, the Advisor’s main course was an absolutely spot on Monkfish tempura. The fish was gorgeous in a very light batter. Again the fish was the star, the batter the support

Desserts are top class also in Jacques. Last night, I had the most divine Bread and Butter Pudding, with winter fruits (raisins and apricots mainly) sumptuous, scrumptious, while the Advisor had her favourite raspberries with vanilla pod ice-cream.

Wine was an award winning Sauvignon (Luc, I think) from the Beziers area of the Midi. It is the current house wine and costs €22.90. Enjoyed it. Enjoyed the evening.

EAST IS BEST

FOOD FIT FOR KING

at YING'S PALACE

One of my favourite Chinese restaurants is Ying’s Palace in the Mayfield Shopping Centre. In a very comfortable nicely decorated room, it provides top class meals at a very reasonable price. The only pity is that the restaurant side is poorly supported, though the takeaway is doing very well indeed.

Last night, we took the Set Dinner for Two, cost €20.80 a head. There is also a Set Dinner which is slightly cheaper and another (which I can certainly recommend) that is slightly more expensive. There is also a special that comes in at under €16.00.

But back to the €20.80 menu. You start off with a generous plate of prawn crackers. The first course is a Meat Sung, a beautiful combination of minced pork (or chicken) with cashew nuts served with vermicelli noodles and you can make your own delicious little parcels with the crispest lettuce. Gorgeous.

I need superlatives too for the Chicken and Mushroom soup. Didn't quite know what to expect here but I needn’t have worried. In a clear liquid (chicken stock), swam extremely thin slices of mushroom and little pieces of chicken, along with tiny pieces of spring onion. No additives here, no artificial colouring. Top notch.

The main plates kept up the standard: King Prawn Satay in a bowl, Duck Cantonese style on a big platter. The King Prawn was faultless and the Duck was the most exquisite dish of its kind that I have tasted in a long long time.

They are pretty weak on deserts here (usually jelly and ice cream) and we were happy enough that none was included in this special but we did finish off with a decent cup of coffee and a couple of mint chocolates. With the meal itself, we had a half bottle of a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc that cost €8.90. There is a good selection of wines, all at reasonable prices.

Well worth a visit and I’m really amazed that so few try it out. The total for the meal for two came to €50.50.

ROSSINI'S

When in Cork, do as the Romans do...


I don't think there is much point in going to an Italian Restaurant in Ireland and ordering Salmon or Steak (unless they have Florentine steak on the menu).

Following my own advice, at a far from full Ristorante Rossini this Friday night, I picked Cannelloni alla Bolognaise as my main course while the Advisor went for the Homemade Lasagne. We had no regrets whatsoever. While the plates may have been adjusted to suit the Irish palate (no shortage of mince meat), the taste and eating experience was pleasurable, very enjoyable indeed, all washed down by a €13.00 carafe (50cl) of house red.

The meat and sauce left little room for dessert but I was tempted by the Apple and Caramel tart (served with Ice Cream) and we shared it. Again, it was very enjoyable. We also had two cups of excellent coffee.

Total bill came to €63.50 approx. For that, we had a good meal and also some nice live music (solo guitar).

Rossini's is a long established venue, run by Patricia and Salvatore Toscano. It is in Princes Street, tel. 021 4275818

TIGER TWILIGHT?

http://www.barn-restaurant.com

BACK TO THE BARN

Recession beaters were out in force at The Barn last Friday night. Well, maybe not in force, since the expensive venue (on the Glanmire Road out of Mayfield) was half full or half empty – take your pick. The meal here (five course) does cost €50.00 a head. It is invariably good but is it worth fifty? Once rampant tigers, now with lighter wallets, may have be settling for less (then again it was the Jazz Weekend).

In any event, the customers that did turn up were all seated together in the one area, a sensible move. The pianist entertained and the food came at a comfortable pace. The Barn is built for comfort and ease. Service is good and there is never a rush. You can sit in the armchairs at the bar and have an aperitif (€6.20 for Campari and soda) as you go through the big menu.

A selection of tasty breads was offered as we started with a delicious tomato and basil soup. I then had a smashing Duck and Pears Salad starter while the advisor went for an excellent Pastry envelope of Mushroom and Bacon. My mains was a tasty fillet of ostrich (not something you get very often) while the other mains was a crispy duck, both served with potato and seasonal vegetables, both top class.

Then came that tempting fully laden dessert trolley. Both fell for the mille feullie. Gorgeous. And then we had a cup or two of good coffee, served with some very tasty cookies indeed.

Wines start about the €25.00 mark. Ours was a Rioja Crianza, velvety, warming. It had it all: bouquet, flavour and aftertaste, not to mention the 14%. Cost was €28.00. The bill came to €134.00. Comfortable venue. Lovely people. Good meal. If you have an occasion to celebrate or guest to entertain, The Barn (now 30 years on the go) won't let you down. But your wallet will be even lighter!

http://www.barn-restaurant.com

Marks & Spencer

M & S QUICKIE


Starter:
Houmous and Foccacia Breadsticks ---- €1.90
Mains:
Thai Green Curry ----€11.98
Dessert
Tarte Citron -----€3.09

Total for two ----€16.97

Good food, Good value!

JACQUES

FOR A FEW EURO MORE

Jacques is a Cork institution. It is every bit as good as its reputation, regularly enhanced by the awards that come to the Phoenix Street Restaurant. The only award I have is my custom and, having enjoyed Friday night’s visit, I’ll be back there again soon.

Prices, on the face of it, are a bit stiff: €11.50 for starters, the high 20s for mains. But compare. Two weeks back, I paid €88.00 for a poor quality meal in a Bantry pub. Last night, I paid three euro more in Jacques. The money was similar but the meals were not as Jacques was different class.

I had the Rack of Lamb on Hummus (with mustard), with vegetables and potato (which had been cooked with herbs and peppers). Carrots were included with the veg and they were cooked to perfection, which is not always the case. Indeed, everything was cooked to a tee and it was a gorgeous plateful.

Desserts cost €7.90. I really enjoyed my Plum Clafoutis while the Advisor was thrilled with her Cork grown raspberries (a generous quantity of berries, not your wishy washy puree) with vanilla pod ice-cream.


The wine list is extensive and has its expensive side. For instance, you can pay €300.00 for Hermitage la Chapelle 1985. But we settled for the house red, currently a French Merlot, which cost about €22/23 and was well worth it.

If you want to check out the meals and wines available why not go to http://www.jacquesrestaurant.ie/ and then make your virtual tour into a real one!

Bantry Bay

Beautiful Bay, Beautiful Days

Enjoyed a few days in this brilliant September weather in Bantry, staying at the well located well run Maritime Hotel on the harbour side.

There is a cluster of eating places at the start of the square just a couple of hundred yards up from the hotel. Don’t miss the Brick Oven Pizzeria and Bistro. Yes, it has a genuine brick oven and you won’t find that in every Italian pizzeria.

Being in Bantry, we went for the Bantry Bay Mussels served in a Provencal style sauce, a beautiful “sauce” that required a big spoon. Salad and Fries accompanied the €17.95 main course version of this dish – you can also get it as a starter. Wine was a Blue Ridge Blanc from South Africa; this refreshing tarty blend of Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc cost €20.00.

The meal, including a couple of decent desserts, came to €68.00, more or less what we paid the previous night at The Snug next door. In the Snug you will get what we Irish call a “good feed”, not always the same as good food.

We had heard quite a bit about the Snug and, frankly, were very disappointed. Again, we went for a fish main course. If you can't get a goof fish dish in Bantry, it is bad news. Battered Cod, served with a salad and fries, was the other order.

I got a plate full, plus the chips in a bowl. The salad didn't impress. The potato salad had been plonked on the plate along with half a carton of coleslaw and a few leaves. The batter used was the old type heavy duty flour batter that smothered the fish, which was a pity as the cod itself, the forgotten about main ingredient, tasted fresh and good. They use the lighter beer or lager type batter in the Brick Oven.

The style of presentation was also evident in my starter, a crab meat salad (€10.00). Again a few lettuce leaves, undressed, were laid in the bowl. Then what looked like half a jam jar of meat was plonked down on it and it was finished off with a spoon or two of mayonnaise. Again it was a pity as the crab tasted very fresh and nice, aside from a few bits of shell that had not been picked off.

The wine list is limited, consisting of four quarter bottles (two red, two white) and four full size bottles. The meal consisted of two starters and two mains. It was a poor opening night but the Brick Oven made up for it.

We took advantage of the fine weather to visit two of the three nearby peninsulas. First trip was to the end of Sheep’s Head. There is a lovely little café there, everything homemade and we had two generous bowls of a well made soup (along with two brown scones), all for ten euro.

On the Mizen, we visited the cafe in the visitor centre where we got good quality and good value. Two chicken wraps, served with a nicely dressed salad (The Snug could take a lesson here) and a little bowl of relish, along with a big pot of excellent tea, came to about €13.00.

By the way, breakfast in the Maritime is top class; there is a big choice and good quality as you’d expect in a four star hotel. Their main restaurant is at the top end price wise but the bar serves good food at reasonable prices (less than what you’d pay in the nearly square) up to nine o’clock.