An Cruibin in Cork

AN CRÚIBÍN

“An Crúibín is arguably Cork’s coolest pub and you can get some brilliant tapas (some of which are inspired by Spain, others by good Irish produce) here in the evenings,” according to foodie Tom Doorley. The tapas plus its Silk Purse Restaurant are drawing punters to the Union Quay establishment that has replaced the much loved Lobby Bar.
I’m afraid I was a little too early for the tapas when I called before 12 noon today. But there was a friendly face behind the counter when I ordered my coffee and sat down at one of the big tables in the bar. A good sized cup of decent brew cost me two euro and I relaxed and had a quick skim through the Irish Times.
Small things often give an indication of the attitude of a pub or restaurant and, based on this brief visit, I will quite happily return to try the bar food or even that restaurant upstairs which is open only on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings (from 7.00pm).

Check out my review of An Cruibin - I am cork - on Qype

Mahers Pure Coffee in Cork

MAHER’S PURE COFFEE

The retail outlet for Maher’s Pure Coffee may be found at 25 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork. The establishment, now owned by John Mackey, has made a number of moves since it was founded some thirty years ago by Mr Maher in Marlboro Street. Still on sale today, is the Number Six Blend, named after the original street number.
The service is efficient, friendly and knowledgeable and I enjoyed my call there this morning, on the lookout for some coffee of the stronger type for the cafetiere. Settled on an Italian but also purchased a smaller pack (125 Gms) of a stronger Sumatra just to try it out.
There was a great smell coming from my briefcase as I opened for one or two other calls around town!

Check out my review of Mahers Pure Coffee - I am cork - on Qype

CONGRATS

Great to see places that we’ve been praising here acknowledged in the current round of Bridgestone Awards. Congratulations to all and in particular to Ann at O'Keeffe's in St Luke’s and to Nicole Dunphy of Pandora Bell in Limerick. Coincidentally, you can get Pandora Bell products in St Luke’s (who also stock wines from Bubble Brothers. O’Keeffe’s is a food treasure house.

WINE MYSTERY

SUNDAY NIGHT WORK-OUT

On your own, maybe not, next Sunday? Why not liven it up with the second Irish Twitter-based blind tasting? You get your wine from Curious Wines but there will be no information on the bottle: no country, no producer, no grape variety.

 From 8.00pm onwards, you and all the other twitters that join in will have some fun getting in touch and working out exactly what you are drinking. Have some fun and make friends at the same time – this is the second such event. Bubble Brothers were the first supplier.

The wine costs 19 euro and is available (to anywhere in Ireland) from Curious Blind Tasting where you'll also see full details of the event, including the twitter links to follow.

Boqueria in Cork

BOQUERIA

Want a break from the starter, main course, dessert routine? Did you ever find yourself at the table, saying: I would love to try two of their starters and skip the main course? Just want a bite or two with a glass of wine?
Then try the newly revamped Boqueria, the Tapas bar in Bridge Street named after the market in Barcelona (see pic). I did last evening and enjoyed the chance to “flexi-eat”. Here, you can have Bar Bites (€3.00), Tapas (6), Small Plates (10) and Shared Plates (20).
There are four choices of shared plates: cold meats, cheese, fish and tapas. We choose the latter and added a bowl of Patatas Boqueria to make sure we had enough!
Found out later that was a scattering of Patatas (essentially slightly spicy wedges with their own dip) on the impressive shared plate which also had quails’ eggs, bread with pâté, cured hams, various dips and relishes, tasty potato balls, chicory, roasted almond nuts, olives...and more.
Service was friendly and the dish was delivered promptly. Not an extensive range of wines there now, maybe four or five of both white and red and a couple of cavas. They also serve Murphy’s Heineken and Krombacher on draft. I enjoyed my 500ml carafe of Muscadet (17). It was also available by the glass, the pichet and full bottle.
Finished off with two good Americanos at two euro each. Total bill came to €47.00. There was quite a flow of punters coming in as the evening wore on. If the place gets close to full, you will find yourself sitting very near to your neighbour but then that’s what happens in Tapas Bars!

Check out my review of Boqueria - I am cork - on Qype

CHANGING TASTES

THE MASTER’S DOUGHNUTS

For a while, in the 80s, I used to call every weekend to a shop in Shandon Street, close to the top on the left side as you go up.

There, for a sweet sweet while, a German master-baker used make the best doughnuts I have ever tasted, so sweet you could eat the brown bag in which they were packed!

The whole family looked forward to that weekly calorie filled treat.

You won't get those doughnuts there now – the German has long since ceased that particular business – but the international dimension of food here has expanded hugely.

For those of you who haven’t been in the area for a while, Shandon Street is both an eye-opener and mouth-opener! There are food outlets galore, from the traditional chippers to shops selling Hungarian, African, Asian food – truly multi-national.


For more on the street and the area, see http://www.qype.co.uk/place/1215640-Shandon-Walk-Cork or http://corkandabout.blogspot.com/ (loads of photos)

MENU DESCRIPTION

Clonakilty Black Pudding is one of the songs on the Jimmy Crowley collection in our music choice (above) this week and here is the chorus.

Clonakilty Blackpudding! Ses me daza, full of pep!
To put the lead back in your pencil and the spring back in your step
Heaven knows what herbs and spices are inside the saucy skin
But it brings a smile to Erin's Isle Agus fágfaimid mar sin. 

Haven't seen this description on any menu - yet!

FOOD LOVERS WEEK

FOOD FOR LOVE

Maybe not as sexy as Isabel Allende’s cook book "Aphrodite" but the good local food on offer at attractive prices during the Good Food Ireland Week in Cork could well put you in the mood for Valentine’s Day.

The event runs from Monday 8th to Friday 12th February and you may enjoy a Good Food Ireland Local Food Plate and a Glass of Wine for just €15.00. There is also an accommodation offer: 3 nights for the price of 2.


For Further Information visit www.goodfoodireland.ie
or Telephone 053 9158693

Good Food Ireland Members taking part:

Alternative Bread Company
Ballymaloe Cookery School
Ballymaloe House
Ballyvolane House
Café Paradiso
Cronin's Pub
Farmgate English Cork City
Farmgate Midleton
Fishy Fishy Café 
Glebe Gardens & Café
Gwen's Chocolates
Hassett's Bakery
Hayes' Bar
Hayfield Manor Hotel
Kalbo's Bistro
Liberty Grill
Mannings Emporium
McCarthy's of Kanturk
Nash 19 Restaurant & Food Shop
O'Connor's Seafood Restaurant
O'Flynns Gourmet Sausage Company
On the Pigs Back
The Poachers Inn
Richy's Bar and Bistro
River Lane Café 
The Sandwich Stall
Table Restaurant
The Village Greengrocer & Food Hall

Bradleys Ltd in Cork

BRADLEY’S

Called into Bradley’s, North Main Street, to browse among their 700 wines.
Wouldn't you know it – they didn't have the Four Sisters Shiraz that I was on the lookout for. At least that was my excuse for calling.
They had some bargains, one Australian Shiraz I had bought elsewhere before Christmas was marked down by three euro. The Penfold's Rawson Retreat range was also down by that amount and I treated herself (my excuse) to a bottle of Semillon Chardonnay.

They also have huge ranges of spirits and beers but I didn't have time to check them all or the arms to carry them. Settled for a few beers on this occasion and am now looking forward to sampling Pilsner Urquell (€2.99), Rick Stein’s Chalky’s Bark Open (€2.99) and, from Oz, Hahn Premium (€1.89).
My father always maintained that Bradley’s had the best bottled Irish beer in town but they have now spread their wings and are well worth a visit. Service, by the way, was relaxed and friendly.

Check out my review of Bradleys Ltd - I am cork - on Qype

Cafe Gusto in Cork

CAFE GUSTO
Cafe Gusto – so good they built it twice, first in Washington Street (Singers Corner) and also at the Lapps Quay Boardwalk (see pic).

Called to Washington Street lunchtime today and enjoyed my snack which consisted of a hot gorgeously crispy Bocadillo, filled with a Caprese (Mozarella du Bufala, basil and plum tomato). Partner helped herself to a Focaccia Farita filled with a juicy Tuna Salad (with plum tomato, red onion, cucumber & a little mayo).

I had a large Americano while she had a medium one; both were superb. The “sandwiches” cost a fiver each and the total came to less than €15.00.
Staff were informative and friendly but the service was a little less than perfect in the sense that the coffee was served well before the eats and there was even a noticeable gap between the Focaccia and the Bocadillo.

But I would nonetheless recommend the place strongly. The food is excellent and so is the coffee. Next time though, I might have a glass of water with the meal and then get the coffee and linger! By the way, all the seating here is of the high stool variety.

Check out my review and map of Cafe Gusto - I am cork - on Qype

SAY I LOVE YOU WITH A LOLLIPOP

All you need is love…… and Pandora Bell Lollipops!

Sassy, retro and indulgent, a Pandora Bell Handmade Lollipop is a quirky way to say ‘I love you’ on Valentines Day.

Something sweet and beautiful is the classic way to show love (or that little crush).  Pandora Bell’s Handmade Lollipops go back to a time when colours and flavourings were natural and sweets looked as beautiful as they tasted.

Pandora Bell’s Nicole Dunphy says their lollipops are made in the traditional way, by stretching and rolling sugar syrup.  "The only extras, are naturally based colours and flavours; to make the lollipops look pretty and taste gorgeous."

For centuries Valentines Day has been a day to celebrate love whether, eternal love, the buzz of passion, a long term friendship or a first teenage crush.

Chocolate is a classic way of expressing love.  The Pandora Bell range has two gift sized nougat bars coated in rich dark chocolate.  Honey and Hazelnut Nougat in a Chocoate Coating and Coffee Nougat with Hazelnuts in a Chocolate Coating.  Both are perfect with a desert wine or coffee after that stay at home romantic meal (a desert guaranteed not to be ruined in the oven).   For non chocoholics there is the Italian favourite, Honey Nougat with Almonds and Pistachios and the sweeter, Honey Nougat with Orange and Almonds.

Pandora Bell’s Handmade Lollipops and Honey Nougat bars are available from independent retailers nationwide.  For a list of stockists log onto www.pandorabell.ie.  Valentines web specials include  a Valentines Lollipop and luxury box of chocolates (200g) for E9.99 and a lollipop and chocolates (400g) for E19.99.

Pandora Bell is a confectionery label based in Co Limerick. The Pandora philosophy is based on old fashioned culinary values, high quality ingredients and exceptional tastes. The Bridgestone Irish Food Guide has named Pandora Bell it’s Newcomer of the Year.

Not everyone is ‘romancing’ for valentines, if you don’t have a cosy dinner for two planned, take the opportunity to treat yourself anyway… take the 

The Brick Oven in Cork

THE BRICK OVEN
Bantry’s best, the Brick Oven, has opened up in the city and may be found in the shadow of St Fin Barre’s on French’s Quay, close to South Gate Bridge.
(Local knowledge lesson: the quay is named after a late 17th early 18th century wine merchant James French).
The oven is on your left, as you enter. It is called the Big Fella and certainly produces the goods, perhaps the best pizza in the city.
Certainly enjoyed my Heartstopper there last night, eight inches of class with all the fillings. You can almost taste and smell the flames from the base which stays crisply edible and "cut-able" all the way to the end.
Heartstopper (€10.50) had most of the fillings available. The other pizza at the table was the Hawaiian (€9.50), looked down on by guides in Italy but still readily available at Latin pizzerias, which is more than can be said for brick ovens. In any case, ham and pineapple do go well together and last night’s piece was no exception.
Brick Oven supply their pizzas (they also do take-out) in two sizes, 8” and 10”. If you’re not up to the bigger size why not do what I spotted a couple doing last night. Order one between you and take a cone-full (yes, that’s how they serve fries here) to share as well.
While the Pizza is first class, the Brick Oven (which opened just before Christmas) has a huge general menu both for lunch and later and had some tempting specials as well available last night. Well worth checking out, which means I’ll be back.
Started off with a delicious mussels and tomato and herb sauce combination, available in three sizes (starter €8.95, lunch and dinner). Quite a lovely starter and substantial too as you have your mussels and the very tasty sauce doubles as a soup and you get a fine sized spoon to take it up. You also get a few toasted bits of baguette, though I’d prefer plain breads and also something to wipe the fingers!
Dessert was a Meringue and Berry with ice cream. Meringue soft and sweet, the whole thing delicious, cost €6.00. Wine is available from €5.00 per glass upwards. Our bottle, Pepperton Estate Chardonnay Semillon, cost €21.00, a reasonable price for a reasonable Australian.
The restaurant, previously Proby’s Bistro, is spacious and comfortable. Ceiling decor is unusual, with some three dozen or so closely packed old type fringed lampshades enclosing the adequate lighting but the thing to see is that Big Fella, the real brick oven!
Service was excellent and the staff were very friendly and helpful.
Didn't notice any music last night but you might get lucky some night, maybe something from the Rubyhorse back catalogue!

A SECOND VISIT

BACK TO THE OVEN

Always a little nervous going back to a place which I’ve praised. The Brick Oven was the venue and this time I accompanied, to a midweek lunch, two colleagues to whom I had recommended it.

Needn’t have worried. We were first in, got the table by the fire, and were the last to leave. Enjoyed our re-union and the meal. Two of us sampled the Risotto Special (at less than a tenner) while the third tucked into a steak burger with fries and salad.

Not a huge selection of desserts so I suggested the Berries, meringue and ice-cream and it went down well.

The house red and white wines were decent as were the coffees. All that, plus the friendly and efficient service, led to a relaxing feeling and a lazy long lunch by the fire in a reasonably busy spot.

Check out my review of The Brick Oven - I am cork - on Qype

O'KEEFFE'S ST LUKES

Must admit I was a happy camper after a recent visit to O’Keeffe’s (St Luke’s), a treasure trove of top class artisan foods. The produce is mainly local but one of my purchases was a pack of Hazer Baba Turkish Delight, all the way from Istanbul. Pistachio was embedded in the sweet sweet cubes and that made for a slightly more chewy version, more satisfying than the normal coated “jelly”.

Met some very satisfied diners this weekend. One couple had been at Market Lane, another in Kudos and a larger group at Tracy’s in Ballincollig.

Not so satisfied was a customer of BB’s in Ballincollig who thought €2.80 was very expensive for a cup of Coffee-to-go; in addition “they were very slow”. By way of comparison, Quiznos in Merchant's Quay, sells coffee for €1. Reference: grapes_of_sloth on Twitter.

see reviews of O'Keeffe's at http://www.qype.co.uk/place/1067148-OKeeffes-Groceries-Cork