SHINING STAR OF BRIDGE STREET

STAR OF BRIDGE STREET

Just have to tell you about Star Anise in Bridge Street. Had the most fantastic lunch there yesterday. It is a very convenient venue, so close to Patrick Street. Inside, the colour scheme is just gorgeous, the room bright. The food too is gorgeous and the people you’ll 

meet are friendly and efficient.

Had dinner there a good few months back and so we were expecting a high standard. We weren't disappointed and herself reckoned it was her “best lunch ever”.

My starter was certainly the best Tomato and Basil Soup I’ve ever had. This was a darker colour than your normal effort, topped with Parmesan shavings and also a swirl of Olive Oil; it leaves all other such soups in the weakling category. 

The other starter was Marinated Olives with salad and hummus; another top notch opener, the most beautiful herby/garlic marinade and, if memory serves me right, for just over 3 euro.

I always have an eye for the specials as does the other half who went for the Lamb Kebab with Couscous and a Cucumber/Yoghurt dip. Could start wading through the Thesaurus for superlatives but let me just say that it was brilliant.

I picked the fish of the day which was fresh Haddock, served with rustic sliced potatoes and haricots verts in the most delightful sauce of Fennel, Tomato and Saffron. Could go with brilliant again or maybe just wow! Presentation all round was excellent.

Ended with a selection of desserts (they do a Dessert Plate for Two there) and enjoyed a sample of Vanilla Crème Brûlée, Vanilla Panna Cotta and a New York Style Baked Cheesecake.  Finished off with some excellent coffee having had a delicious Chenin Blanc to accompany the earlier courses.

What a day: sunshine outside and a taste of the Mediterranean inside.

WHERE TO EAT

WHERE TO EAT 

wheretoeat.ie is the website of the Restaurants Association of Ireland and quite a handy one.

Home Page highlights Special Offers, Latest reviews, and a Featured Restaurant.

Tabs here also for Gift Cards, Events, Places to Stay, Recipes and Cookery Schools.

I had a run through and there is quite a lot behind the various tabs. Take the Recipes for instance. Here you can find everything from Rhubarb Crumble to Beef Wellington, dozens of good ideas and all suited to the local scene.

DINE IN CORK WEEK

Issacs-regular participants

DINE IN CORK WEEK

Always look forward to Dine in Cork Week. Why not, with four courses for €25.00? 

The participating restaurants make a genuine effort to give value for money. Take Fenns Quay, for example, who have five choices of starter, mains and dessert. And others, such as ECO in Douglas, have as much choice, if not more

.

BRAVO JACQUES

BRAVO JACQUES 

Jacques  claim to be the city’s longest established restaurant and they do the simple things superbly.  Here they serve great food and they serve it well and the customers keep on coming.

It was full last Saturday night. But they are used to full houses, well capable of handling the demands, the confidence built through the last three decades or so.

We were welcomed with a smile and soon seated and all the staff we met were friendly and efficient and all interaction was carried through with good humour.

That care for the customer runs through the establishment. We ordered their Rack of Baby Easter Lamb with a soft herb crust and a sprouting broccoli (€28.90). After the expected “delay”,

AROMATIC ACE FROM GASCONY

AN ACE FROM GASCONY

Domaine de Pellehaut Ampelomeryx   2007, 13%, €13.99, Curious Wines, 

Gascony, best known for its Armagnac (I also like the local Floc), produces some “popular wine-bar wines” according to Hugh Johnson who notes Pellehaut as one of the better producers.

Picked up a bottle of Domaine de Pellehaut Ampelomeryx 2007 at Curious Wines recently and this blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Manseng Gros and Manseng Petit, sure surprised me, in a very pleasant way.

Colour is inviting, so is the nose and the promise is delightfully delivered onwards by an excellent Vin de Pays. This has a share of awards to its credit and Johnson recommends that you DYA, i.e. Drink the Youngest Available. The

THE BOSUN: A CORK TRADITION

THE BOSUN: A CORK TRADITION

“For over a hundred years, we have provided sustenance to the traveller.”

There are some terrific food traditions in Cork and Monkstown’s The Bosun  is one of them. I “travelled” down there this week and can report that Nicky Moynihan and company, who won the Irish Pub of the Year in 2002, are still serving up top class food, as many of you know. It is a lovely harbourside destination and there were a few eating out of doors there at lunchtime. Food is

STAR OF THE WINDY MOUNTAIN

Domaine des Anges white 2009, AOC Ventoux, 14%, €13.30 (Karwig)

This is a blend of Roussanne, Grenache blanc, Bourboulenc and Clairette. Colour is a pale honey, clean with hints of green. The pleasantly aromatic nose is full of promise: there are pears for sure, maybe light citrus also, and overall it is really lovely to

BEER HEAVEN

BEER HEAVEN

For two days this weekend, Cork’s Franciscan Well, will be Beer Heaven for micro-brewery aficionados as no less than 20 Irish microbreweries will represented in one place. No wonder they say the Franciscan Well Easter Beerfest is the single best way to taste the best beers that Ireland has to offer. 

A new North Cork Brewery, Eight Degrees, will make its debut here with an ale called Howling Gale. Let’s hope that will be the only gale around the North Mall. The beer fest starts at 2.00pm on Saturday and concludes at 11.30pm on Sunday.

For all the details click here.

Easter Family Celebrations @ Midleton Farmers Market

Easter Family Celebrations @ Midleton Farmers Market

This Saturday we have lots of music and fun activities for kids

Traditional Easter Egg Painting
Live MUsic
Face Painting
Lots of Chocolate treats from O'Connails

So come early and bring the kids for a Great Day at the Market

Domaine Aonghusa's Classy Syrah

Domaine Aonghusa Corbieres Noah 2007 Syrah, 14.5%, Karwig (€16.50), 

This is a spicy full bodied red, 100 per cent Syrah. The nose is redolent of black fruit and there are herby hints. The concentrated fruit continues through to the palate where strong tannins balance it up. A really well made Syrah. You won't be disappointed with this dark dark red one.

Languedoc: Chateau de Peyrepertuse

DUNSLAND: WALLED GARDEN - EASTER EGG HUNT - TOP NOTCH NOSH

DUNSLAND EASTER FUN

Called to Dunsland Garden Centre  the other day and was

NASH 19: TWENTY OUT OF TWENTY

NASH 19: TWENTY OUT OF TWENTY

Nash 19 surprised me again when I called for lunch last Friday. Not just the friendly welcome, the informed service, the introductory breads and olive oil and then the amuse bouche. All that is still there. But how do they manage to vary that menu, day after tasty day. And there is a new wine list to boot.

After a chat with Claudia, who told us all about the menu (including their famous Producers’ Plate), we decided on a main course that was Indian, based around a fantastic tasting marinated chicken from East Ferry. If you see them around elsewhere, grab one. They are magnificent. And this was particularly so, served up with a Tarka-Dahl lentil sauce, a crispy fresh salad and a spot-on Naan bread.

From that new wine list, I treated myself to a glass (€6.50) of Prinz Donatus Von Hessen’s 2009 Riesling, a beautifully apple flavoured wine giving a direct drinking pleasure especially with the Indian dish.  

Haven’t been impressed with Tiramisu of late but must say that Nash 19 have come up with a winner, a decent slice of the cake, infused with strong coffee and a unmissable note of alcohol. Will call for that again!

EASTER WINES

EASTER WINES


The team at From Vineyards Direct have come up with really attractive offers to bring even more cheers to the Easter Weekend. Orders received prior to 1pm on Wednesday will be delivered prior to 6pm on Thursday, just in time for the weekend.........and don't forget, one can't buy any alcohol on Good Friday !!

 Dominique Geary is happy that  “our selection of five wines will suit all budgets and will  happily marry with traditional  Easter Fare”.