Ballina's Poacher - Ceide Fields - Belfry. Three days in Mayo (#1)

Three days in Mayo (#1)

Ballina's Poacher - Ceide Fields - Belfry

The award-winning visitor centre at Ceide Fields

We left Cork last Wednesday morning and, some 330 kms and four hours later, we arrived at our destination, the extraordinary Ceide Fields on the north coast of County Mayo, west of Killala (with its famous round tower), west of Ballycastle and a stone’s throw from my mother’s birthplace. Indeed, her teacher at Belderig NS, Padraig Caulfield, was the man who first found the traces of the ancient farms of Ceide buried deep beneath the wild boglands.

A visitor boardwalk runs alongside one of the exposed walls.

The remarkable Neolithic site contains possibly the oldest known stone-walled fields in the world, dating back nearly 6,000 years. Years later, Padraig’s son, Seamus Caulfield, who had studied archaeology, investigated further and discovered evidence of cultivated fields, houses and tombs which had lain hidden for many centuries. The few acres you see at the site are just the tip of the iceberg as the fields extend for miles. Just look at how the white-topped marker poles stretch off towards the horizon.

Croquettes (gammon and potato) at Poacher

A 4,000-year-old pine tree is an eye-catching centre piece at the visitor centre. Indeed, the building itself is an award-winning structure, with views over the bogs and also out over the nearby cliffs and the ocean beyond. To learn more, visit the website here.

We had a look around the centre itself and learned quite a bit, and even more when we took a guided tour out on the bog. Before all that, though, we needed some sustenance after the trip from Cork and enjoyed a wee lunch at the centre’s Ceide Ladle. The cafe offers a selection of soups, sandwiches, wraps, cakes and scones along with teas and coffees.

Cod

In Belderig afterwards it was sad to see that Kelly’s, a pub cum/grocery (I used get my pint poured into the glass from a chipped enamel jug) and once the liveliest spot around, was lying silent. With time running out, we turned back east to Ballina and the Belfry Rooms (part of the Merry Monk complex).

Manor Farm Chicken & Wild Mushroom Crumble, Watercress Crust, Salad Leaves, and Potato Crisps

An early dinner had been booked at the superb Poacher (spacious and comfortable) in the centre of Ballina, and here we enjoyed a meal as good as any, including a super steak (from Heffernans butcher on the ground floor) and a locally caught fish. Poacher is run by owners Yvonne Kathrein (chef) and Daniel Mayr (front of house) and is one of the few places where you’ll be able to enjoy both Austrian and German wines with the innovative cooking of a reasonably priced menu!

My companion was delighted with it, said she could do her starter (Crispy Pretzel - Fried Oliver Carty’s Gammon & Potato Croquettes) as a main and would be a regular customer if Poacher came to Cork. I’d agree wholeheartedly, and that’s coming from someone who’s often disappointed when dining outside of the rebel zone.

Superb steak from the butcher downstairs. The jus made it even better.

After that, it was back to the Belfry (a newly built nine-room block) on the Killala Road and to our comfortable room with its cool walk-in shower and no shortage of sockets (not in the shower!). First, though, there was a call to their adjacent bar, the Merry Monk, for a drop of whiskey, and the choice was Connaught. What else could you ask for with the distillery a few miles down the road?

It was here in the bar too that the friendly staff serve a decent multi-choice breakfast and, unusually, they serve it up to you from 8.30 am until “any time”. No need for panic, but if you leave it until lunchtime, you could have a lot of company as the popular place tends to get very busy.

See Mayo Day 2 here. Mayo Day 3 here.

Monk's Full Irish
with requested
adjustments!

Les Deux Cols Alize. An elegant Côtes du Rhone. Versatile at the table

Les Deux Cols Alize Côtes du Rhone (AC) 2022, 13% ABV

€23.00 at Matsons (Bandon, Grange and Youghal) 

An elegant Côtes du Rhone.  Versatile at the table

Made by an Irish run company in the Rhone Valley, this red has a mid to dark ruby robe. Aromas of ripe fruit are followed by a juicy and silky palate where the Grenache shines through with spice and a fresh acidity that enlivens the prolonged finish. Very Highly Recommended.

Importers Tindalls say Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah are the grapes here, and the label confirms that the Grenache Noir is the principal grape in the blend. Ninety-five per cent has been raised in the tank with 5% in demi-muid (demi-muid is a large oak barrel,  French oak in this case, and half the size of a muid). 

The Deux Cols story began in 2012 when two pals Charles Derain and Simon Tyrrell (then well-known as a cider maker in Ireland), set out to achieve a long-held ambition of becoming vignerons in the Rhône Valley. A few years later, Gerard Maguire joined them. Their organically farmed vineyards are aged between 30-70 years old and situated in the hills above the village of Saint Gervais in the northern part of the Gard. The altitude, sandy soils, surrounding forests and exposure to the Mistral* wind, help bring freshness to the grapes. 

The AOC wines are the perfect accompaniment to red meats, mature cheeses and Mediterranean dishes. Really well-priced, so no excuse not to get yourself a bottle and enjoy authentic Côtes du Rhône wine with duck breast, veal, lamb stews and hard or semi-hard cheeses. Versatile, isn't it?

* That Mistral, a regular feature here (Mont Ventoux means the windy mountain), was particularly nasty in 1956, blowing for three weeks with wind speeds reaching over 100kph and causing the temperature to drop as low as minus 15 degrees. The majority of the Rhone region’s olive trees suffered serious frost damage but the vines resisted so well that many olive farmers turned to vine cultivation.

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).

Heading for Kildare this summer? Here are a few tips.

Heading for Kildare this summer? 

Here are a few tips.

Foal, with foster mother in background

County Kildare is readily reachable from many parts of the country, just about two hours from Cork for instance. It’s convenient and is also full of attractions, big and small. Here, you'll find a sample, just a sample, of the county including The National Stud, Japanese Gardens, the shopping mecca that is Kildare Village, and the amazing Newbridge Silverware, featuring its core collection of silverware, along with the Museum of Style and a splendid restaurant on-site. You’ll need a place to stay, and below we spotlight two very hospitable and well-run hotels, Lawlors in Naas and Clanard Court in Athy.

Olivia Newton John (Museum of Style)

The story of Newbridge Silverware, its Museum of Style and excellent café

Princess Di's India dress

Naas is a superb base to explore Kildare!

Walking home by the Grand Canal from the Friday Country Market in Naas (one of the best-kept towns in Ireland)

Ready for shopping? Sample the many designer shops in Kildare Village

Coolea & Spinach Crêpe, in Kildare Village

The National Stud and Japanese Gardens 

Japanese Gardens at National Stud. Refreshments are available all day in this on-site café.
Meals are based on local produce even if the building style echoes a Japanese equivalent.

Clanard Court Hotel, your 4-star base in Athy

Bath in the bedroom. Very convenient at Clanard Court.

Strong. Ballet dancer with boxing gloves.
An eye-catching mural by Solus on Barrow Quay, Athy

Stay at Lawlors of Naas

Vi's in Lawlors

Esquires The Organic Coffee Co. Opens at Dairygold Co-Op Superstores, Mallow

 Press release

press release

Esquires The Organic Coffee Co. Opens

at Dairygold Co-Op Superstores, Mallow

Esquires Coffee will officially launch in Dairygold Co-Op Superstore in Mallow on June 20th, serving organic fairtrade coffee and a wholesome food menu. 

The new store is based in Dairygold Co-Op Superstore on Park Road in Mallow, opening 7 days a week. On June 20th, get ready for a great opening day at Esquires - Mallow. Coffee, food tastings, and entertainment the whole family can enjoy—don’t miss out!

Esquires Coffee in Mallow will serve 100% organic, Fairtrade coffee, and offer tasty food options for lunch, brunch, breakfast, snacks and treats. Vegan and vegetarian options will also be available. The new store also features self-serve kiosks and click-and-collect service, both of which offer a fast and convenient experience.

Brendan Duigenan, Managing Director of Esquires Coffee in Ireland, said, “We’re thrilled to bring Esquires Coffee to Mallow in partnership with the Dairygold Co-Op Superstore. This new location reflects our continued commitment to serving high-quality, ethically sourced coffee in Ireland. We look forward to becoming part of the local community and providing a great coffee experience to customers in Mallow.”

Pictured L-R: Barry Gardner, General Manager, Esquires, Brian Taylor, Regional Area Manager for Dairygold and Brendan Duigenan, Managing Director, Esquires.

Founded in Ireland in 2001, Esquires Coffee has grown into one of the country’s most respected boutique coffeehouse chains, now boasting 18 locations nationwide. Known for its 100% organic and Fairtrade-certified coffee, Esquires is part of the international Esquires Coffee brand, originally founded in Canada in 1993. The Irish operations are owned by Cooks Coffee Company, a New Zealand-based enterprise overseeing the brand’s global development.

Esquires Coffee in Mallow is open Monday to Wednesday 9 am to 5:30 pm, Thursday 9 am to 6:30 pm, Friday 9 am to 7:30 pm, Saturday 9 am to 5:30 pm and Sunday 10 am to 5:30 pm. 

Esquires Coffee Mallow is located in Dairygold Co-Op Superstores, Park Road, Mallow, Co Cork, P51 CV99. Keep up to date with the latest news by following Esquires Coffee on social at @esquirescoffeeire

Madregale Terre Di Chieti, a well-balanced blend of traditional regional grape varietals

Madregale Terre Di Chieti (IGP) 2022, 13% ABV

RRP: €13.50. Stockists: Stockists:  64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

a well-balanced blend of traditional regional grape varietals

This Madregale red is a mid-ruby colour. The aromas consist mostly of red fruit. The palate has fresh and fruity flavours of red cherry, featuring typical Italian acidity (they make their wine to go with food). It is easy to drink, making it good company on a summer patio or even in a warm winter room. Highly Recommended.

The label tells us this  “Red wine is made from a well-balanced blend of traditional grape varieties from our region”. Importers Le Caveau confirm: it is “a light-bodied blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese. Although it is easy-drinking, simple, and fresh, this wine offers serious quality for an entry-level option. With only 5g/l of residual sugar, there is no attempt to cater to international palates. It's honest and refreshingly drinkable.”

It is produced by the award-winning Cantina Tollo, one of the biggest and best co-operative wineries in the Abruzzo region, covering 3,200 ha owned by 800 farmers.

Both this Rosso and its Bianco counterpart are terrific house wines. Watch out for them in restaurants! These two are excellent, simple, quaffable wines and good value to boot.

Ballycotton's Salty Dog. Delicious Bites

Ballycotton's Salty Dog. Delicious Bites

John Dory.

A picture is worth a thousand words. I was reminded of that old phrase on last week’s lunchtime visit to Salty Dog. The night before, the chef had posted a picture of just-landed John Dory and promised he’d have them on the menu the following day. He certainly had, and the dish was a highlight of the meal.

The fish brought me back to a Saturday night in Venice. We were on the fishermen's island of Burano for a multi-course fish special in the Gato Nero Trattoria. The “local” St Peter Fish, the fish of Venice we were told, was a highlight here also.

Burano, Venice: Houses in different colours, so that the fisherman will find the correct one!

It is, though, just another name for John Dory and obviously not especially connected with the city. But St Peter, a fisherman himself I recall, has a minor basilica named after him here.

Back to Ballycotton and to our John Dory, which was caught by a local boatman and landed 100 metres away, and superbly cooked in the kitchen. Our Ballycotton Boat John Dory, baby potatoes, wild mushrooms and sweet chilli and lime beurre blanc was a treat. Better than the one in colourful Burano which came in batter, as did, disappointingly, every single course that evening.

Cod Dog

Our other main dish in Ballycotton was their Cod Dog (brioche roll, breaded cod goujons, lemon coleslaw, crispy capers, Marie Rose sauce, and skinny chips). This is a casual restaurant, and indeed, there is more than one “dog” on offer. One of the specials was the Shredded Ballycotton Dog Steak Sandwich enhanced by Mushrooms, Chips, and a Brandy Pepper Sauce. On the regular menu, we saw Cold Prawns brioche roll, lemon coleslaw, avocado, skinny chips.

I enjoyed a bottle of the superb Stonewell Non-Alcoholic Cider with my fish. Then it was time for dessert. From a short list, we picked two and agreed that the top marks went to the Hot Apple Tarte Tatin with Vanilla Ice Cream.

Salty Dog overlooks the busy Ballycotton harbour.

You might be wondering where the Salty Dog is? You’ll find it easily enough as it is in the harbourside premises, overlooking the harbour and the lighthouse, recently vacated by Cush (who have moved to Midleton). Salty Dog is now the name for the pub, restaurant, and accommodation, all located on the same site.

Tarte Tatin

Executive Head Chef here is Fred Desormeaux (also looking after the nearby, and excellent, Sea Church restaurant). Head Chef in Salty is Marc Lonergan, who many of you will know from his time in Rosie’s in Whitegate. The kitchen is doing its stuff well, and so too are the friendly staff out front.

And where did the name come from? It is the nickname applied to a regular in the bar!

Dozens of current restaurant reviews here https://www.corkbilly.com/p/restaurant-reviews.html