Cliff House Hotel appoints new Executive Chef, Ian Doyle, and new House Restaurant Head Chef, Adam Kavanagh

Cliff House Hotel appoints new Executive Chef, Ian Doyle, and new House Restaurant Head Chef, Adam Kavanagh

On the beach: Ian Doyle

An exciting new phase in the continuing story of Cliff House Hotel has just begun, with the appointment of a new and dynamic young kitchen team at the helm of this elegant coastal retreat.

Newly appointed Executive Chef, Ian Doyle, and the new House Restaurant Head Chef, Adam Kavanagh, have been working away for the past few weeks, developing menus and exploring the local ingredients and producers of this beautiful food-rich part of the world.

Ian Doyle is already very familiar with Ardmore and the surrounding area, having studied professional cookery at Waterford Institute of Technology, and worked in neighbouring Dungarvan’s Tannery during his studies. He comes to Cliff House Hotel from a period of time working in prestigious, innovative and respected kitchens abroad, most recently four years as Head Chef at two-Michelin star Oaxen Krog in Stockholm. Prior to that he spent two years at world-renowned Noma (also two Michelin stars) as Chef de Partie, including travelling as part of the team for Noma Japan, the six-week Noma pop-up in Tokyo in 2015. Before leaving Ireland, Ian’s experience at home included at Mint in Ranelagh, in Gregan’s Castle, and as senior Sous Chef at Fade Street Social, running the tapas gastrobar.

Ian and new House Restaurant Head Chef, Adam Kavanagh, met when Dublin-born Adam completed a stage in Oaxen Krog in Stockholm, where Ian was Head Chef. Adam worked in Helsinki for three years with chef Sasu Laukkonen as Sous Chef at Chef & Sommelier. Adam’s other experience includes seasonal cooking worldwide and in Galway, including two as restaurant Head Chef in Il Vicolo.

Under Executive Chef Ian Doyle, work has commenced on transforming the dining experience at Cliff House Hotel. Ian Doyle describes their new menus as “very local, seasonal and simple, with no more than three or four ingredients on the plate — a celebration of Irish producers.”Ian and Adam will be looking to Ireland’s land, history and culture for inspiration.  At a later stage, there will be a phased refurbishment of the Michelin-starred House Restaurant at Cliff House Hotel to reflect the menus, using natural materials and contemporary styling to create a strong sense of place and connection with where it is set — directly overlooking the sea, in a spectacularly picturesque location.

Both chefs have a shared focus on sustainability and keeping everything as local as possible, supporting local producers, and capitalising on ingredients to be found wild through fermentation and preserving, elements that will carry through to the menus in House Restaurant.

A seasonal restaurant with a distinct focus on seafood, House Restaurant at Cliff House Hotel will be focusing on sustainability, showcasing exclusively Irish produce as much as possible, developing their coffee programme with a focus on local roasteries, making full use of their greenhouses and sourcing lobsters from the hotel’s seafront.

Adam Kavanagh

Ian is also redeveloping the food menu in Bar Restaurant at Cliff House Hotel with Bar’s Head Chef Iulian Todirica bringing a classic simplicity to the style of food served — think roast chicken with hand cut chips or whole roast turbot for sharing, dreamy Irish pub food, perfect for this part of the coast.

“We are so much looking forward to exciting times in dining at Cliff House Hotel,” says the hotel’s General Manager, Patrick Shields. “Ian and Adam bring an interesting dynamic and perspective to both the food and the service style, and we hope both our regular guests and new patrons will enjoy the fresh new look and feel of both House and Bar Restaurants soon.”

“Having spent many years abroad learning from some of the world’s best chefs,” says Ian Doyle, “I am happy to be home, and particularly at this fantastic property. There is an incredibly positive movement happening in food in Ireland, with incredibly talented Chefs throughout the country, and myself, Adam and the team at Cliff House Hotel are looking forward to being a part of it.”

www.cliffhousehotel.ie

Lunch in Ardmore's Cliff House Hotel a celebration of Irish producers

Lunch in Ardmore's Cliff House Hotel

 a celebration of Irish producers

It was a dull Saturday when we arrived in Ardmore for our lunch reservation at the spectacularly situated Cliff House Hotel, just 50 minutes from the eastern side of Cork City. We took a walk around the town and the beach, just to stretch the legs and work up an appetite (doesn’t take much!).

A warm welcome awaited us at the Michelin starred Cliff and we walked down a level from reception to the bar - the main restaurant does dinner while the bar does all the meals (including their own dinner menu in the evening from 6.00pm). 

Lunch time by the way is12:30-15:00. Quite a few people were sitting on the outside tables as the temperature was up around 16 or 17 degrees Celsius but we were happy with our indoor perch, very comfortable chairs in a very comfortable room with a fine view over the bay.

Cliff House (above) and Café Lavinal (Bages, Medoc).

We had determined to try out the main courses here. Our server obviously anticipated that we’d be waiting a while so soon we had a few slices of their excellent brown bread at hand. Enjoyed that very much indeed.

We could have had a starter of course. The list included Soup of the Day and Seafood Chowder and also Harty’s Oysters (Gin Mignonette). Also on the list were rather substantial plates such as the Cliff Toastie, Chicken Goujon Wrap, a Roast Squash & Halloumi Wrap, along with a Garden Beetroot salad featuring Ardsallagh goats cheese. All sandwiches are served with organic salad leaves and coleslaw.

The mains are more like a dinner plate. Sample dishes - the menu varies - include steak, hake, fish and chips and a very tempting Stuffed Courgette (with Ratatouille, crispy kale, sautéed mushrooms and spinach).

After that anticipated wait, we enjoyed two of the best main courses around, not very Instagrammable perhaps but very appetising indeed. They were the Chicken Supreme, mash potato, ratatouille, tarragon jus (25) and the Confit Duck Leg, roast cabbage, celeriac, gratin potato, port sauce (23).

The Chicken may have lacked colours but the flavours were amazing and the interplay between the well-constructed ratatouille and the top notch poultry was a match made in paradise. And that creamy mash potato was another heavenly enhancement. 

Reminded me of the lunch-time Traditional Chicken Fricassee and Dauphinoise Potatoes that we enjoyed in the village of Bages in the Medoc a few years back. Neither dish was earth-shattering but each was excellent and the produce was top notch and was really properly cooked and presented, with the nod going to the Cliff House. 

Cabbage and confit duck leg is another of those pairings that bring a meal to a higher level. The only problem with the Port sauce was that there wasn’t enough of it while the gratin, with its middle layer of bacon and cabbage, was another well-executed, well judged, component for a super dish. No shortage of sides and we shared a  pot of their excellent Twice Cooked Chips.

Stripes in the Ardmore Beach car-park.

The short dessert list included Irish Farm House Cheese (12.00). Also on, each at 10.50, were Apple Crumble, and Pannacotta plus our shared Tiramisu which was a bit of a letdown following the main courses, too much mascarpone in the jar perhaps, leaving me sorry I hadn’t picked those Harty oysters at the start. 

But it is the Chicken and Duck Leg Confit that will linger long in the taste memory. It confirms that new Executive Head Chef Ian Doyle (appointed last year) is living up to his promise to serve meals that are “very local, seasonal and simple, with no more than three or four ingredients on the plate — a celebration of Irish producers.” Harty's Oyster, Glenilen, Highbank Orchards and Goatsbridge are among Irish producers listed on the website here.

And Irish drink producers are also being supported here. We weren’t drinking of course but good to note that the local Dungarvan Brewing Company had quite a few bottles on the list. Their Helvick Gold Blonde Ale is on draught as is the Wicklow Wolf Elevation Pale Ale and Arcadia. No draught cider but the local Legacy is available in bottle, either medium or dry.

The Cliff House: Dining on the Edge

The Cliff House: Dining on the Edge

Which way to the Cliff House?

The Cliff House Hotel is an amazing building on the cliffs at Ardmore but it is its House Restaurant that is the star attraction, a Michelin star at that. Re-opened in 2008, after a huge investment, the hotel and the restaurant, have been at the cutting edge since. We were looking forward to the experience and we will be talking about it for a long time to come.

On the edge.

The restaurant has great views over the bay, back to the village and out to the ocean, but darkness was falling as we were led to our table near the panoramic window. The food was now the focus. And the wine, of course. There is a multi-course tasting menu, a very famous one indeed, but on this occasion we choose from the A La Carte (three courses €70.00).

They have an “exciting, surprising wine list”. Lots of study needed so we took the easy way out and went for the matching option (€27.50). The Cliff House is a huge supporter of local food (farm and sea) and no surprise either that they have a beer list that highlights many of the local craft brewers (including Eight Degrees, Dungarvan and O’Hara’s) as well as the excellent Stonewell cidery.

Breads

A Cauliflower panna cotta, edible Clay stones, and Beetroot and Soft Goat Cheese Macaroons were some of the Amuse Bouches that arrived in rapid succession. And then there were the breads, three of them, each tempting and delicious in its own way: Brioche, Spelt, and a Multi-seeded Cornbread.

With the pleasant preliminaries completed, we were on to the real starters. Both of us went for the West Cork Scallops: Seared, Grilled, Ceviche, Crème, Celeriac Preparations, Black Garlic, Lettuce, Dutch Salad, Irish Caviar. Amazing dish, great presentation (included a side glass), beautiful textures and flavours.

Amuse Bouche

You are probably familiar with Tokaji, the sweet Hungarian wine. From the same Furmint grape, they also make a dry white wine and our glass was an excellent example of this style (2011), quite dry but still luscious and aromatic. Well they did say the list was surprising!

Next there was a surprise sorbet, a little highlight to remember: a carrot and fennel sorbet with a Green tea foam. What a lovely combination of flavours and textures. If they take that kind of trouble with the small things, you can be confident of the big courses.

Scallops

And that superb standard continued throughout. CL loved her mains, the McGrath's Black Angus Beef: Fillet, Sausage, Small Vegetables, Potato Fondant, Kilbeggan Whiskey, Beef Tea, Garden Herbs. The beef was just so, pink and tender. And then there was a small wow moment when the Beef Tea was made at the table, the stock poured over the herbs in a little cafetiere!

I didn't have any “tea” with mine but loved every little bit of the Irish Rose Veal: Strip Loin, Stuffed, Oven Roasted, Sweetbreads, Blue Foot Mushroom, Bread and Butter, Veal Jus. That mushroom by the way was out of this world.

Beef

The wines, both red as you'd expect, were top notch. CL’s Orzado Carignan 2011 came from the Maule Valley in Chile while mine, Chateau Bellevue Bordeaux, mainly Merlot, was from much closer to home.

The time was flying by and we were on the verge of dessert. All through, the service was highly efficient but always there was time for a quick chat, the patience, and more importantly the knowledge, to answer a question. Flawless and friendly.

Veal

Chocolate often catches my eye and so I ordered the Organic Chocolate 65%, Alto el Sol Peru - Vintage 2013 and the Garofolo Madagascar Vintage 2012: Mousse, Crème, Vanilla Semi Freddo, Olive Oil, Sea Salt, ‘White’ Coffee Ice Cream. The matching wine was the Grenache based Banyuls Rimage, Pietri-Gerard, France 2011. Could have had a Dungarvan Stout with it but then a visit to the bar later was on the cards! Would have liked to tried a Rasteau with it.

Rhubarb 

CL had a last minute change of mind and was delighted with her Rhubarb: Sphere, Compote, Poached, Consommé, Yoghurt Candy Floss, Almond, Ginger, Honey Ice Cream. And delighted too with her sparkling wine match, the Cremant D’Alsace, Meyer-Fonne NV. A classy end to a top class meal.

Ardmore. A Gem on the Waterford Coast.

Ardmore. A Gem on the Waterford Coast.

Breakfast at Cliff House

Ardmore is a gem on the Waterford coast. Fortunately, one the generous Deise folks don't mind sharing. Generations of people from neighbouring counties have made Ardmore their summer destination for its beaches, history, walks and the nearby mountains.

We headed there last Friday, the fabulous Cliff House Hotel above the village our final destination. But, as usual, we had a few stops and detours. First halt was in Youghal. It is not looking its best at the moment and hopefully the paint and brushes will be out and used before the season starts.

Ardmore

But there is no shortage of eating places here, well known like Aherne’s or newer and more casual such as Clancy’s. We were looking for a light lunch and Sage (not related to the restaurant of the same name in Midleton) had been recommended. It was bright and busy and I enjoyed my quiche and salad there. Details here.

Plan then was head to Helvic and work our way back through the Rinn gaeltacht. The fishing boats gathered in the harbour were a bit like some of the shops in Youghal, looking the worse for wear, but then the boats and the seaside towns (there are still sandbags in Youghal) have been through some horrendous weather in recent months and we are all hoping for better to come

Youghal

It was sunny and windy when we arrived in Helvick and now the rain made its appearance. So we wasted little time as we drove through Sean Phobal and so on, past the familiar beach at Ballyquin and on to Ardmore itself and up to the Cliff where a warm welcome awaited,a brolly held open even as we stepped from the car (a hint of the excellent service to come).

Soon we were installed in our room with a view and quickly made our way to the fabulous swimming pool, equipped with sauna and steam room and which also enjoys a great view over the bay.

Helvick

When the rain died down, we walked down to the town (to work up an appetite!) and made a loop back that took us past the famous round tower built in the 12th century. St Declan was here in the 5th century and his name is associated with some of the walks. Many (including a loop around the cliffs) start by the hotel and the staff there will give you all the information you need and indeed will provide a guide if necessary.

Your excursions from Ardmore needn't be confined to the coast. You may head for the nearby mountains. Mahon Falls is one of the attractions up there. If you want to do some shopping, then Cork and Waterford are each about an hour away while the lively towns of Lismore (for its castle and heritage centre) and Dungarvan are much closer.

Lismore

The Cliff House has some fantastic facilities though the outdoor dining areas were out of bounds last weekend! Do take time to explore. You will find quite a few books in your room but there are many more in the spacious and comfortable library which has one of the best views because of its height. The hotel is also unusual in that when you enter from the parking area, you are already on the fifth floor!

We enjoyed a memorable dinner there that Friday (details here). It was dark at that stage so we weren't able to take in the view but we did get it in the morning at breakfast, a very enjoyable breakfast I might add. In between, there was a call to the bar. An extensive menu of drinks here, as you'd expect, and delighted to see a terrific selection of Irish craft beers (and cider) on the list.

View from Cliff House room

Saturday was quite a decent day and we headed east to Portlaw (Waterford) and Turkstown (Kilkenny) to visit relations. Indeed, we visited Kilkenny, Waterford and then Tipperary in quick succession as we made our way home via Clonmel, Cahir and the M8. Only problem: what would we eat for dinner? The answer was in the freezer, the second portion of a curry made with Green Saffron’s Tikka cook-in sauce. Not quite Michelin! But just perfect.  

Looking towards Ardmore from Cliff House library

The Delightful Ardmore Cliff Walk

The Delightful Ardmore Cliff Walk

The Ardmore Cliff Walk is a loop, about 4 kilometres long, starting and finishing in the village. Immediately after passing the Cliff House Hotel, you'll find yourself in St Declan's Hermitage. Then you continue on around the headland. Note a couple of lookout buildings and a wreck.  Next, you turn back towards the round tower in the distance. Well preserved and well worth checking out, along with graves from an earlier shipwreck, that of the SS Ary. A few minutes later, you'll find yourself back in the village. After an hour's walking, you may be tempted to bathe those tired feet in the salt water. Much more detail on this local site here .

Park down in the village and check out the fabulous beach.

Much of the walk is about St Declan and you'll pass this on your left on your way up towards
the Cliff House Hotel (below)

The gable end of the Cliff House Hotel. Restaurant here is Michelin starred.

St Declan's Well

Follow the bishop

The sea was so calm on Monday. Not always so, as this wreck of the crane barge Samson testifies.
It's been here since 1987.

A signal tower, like the restored one in Kinsale, both part of an early 19th century defence system.
.From here, you can see the next one west, in Knockadoon.

Like to see this when the winds are high and the waves crash in!

Don't forget to look "inland" from time to time

Where does the sea meet the sky?

Fr O'Donnell's Well

The round tower overlooks the bay. If you started your walk via the Cliff House, you'll end the loop here.
But you may also do the walk in reverse.

Dine by the Water

Dine by the Water

Superb food and superb views

Bunnyconnellan's

I’ve been very lucky this past few years to have dined in some well placed restaurants and cafes, places from Cork to Donegal that have a dining room with a view over water. Sometimes over a river, maybe over an estuary, over a lake perhaps, and then sometimes over the ocean. I was lucky too to have brilliant weather in most of the places.

Carrig Country House

Caragh Lake is in Kerry, not too far from Killorglin, and you have great views over its waters when you dine in the splendid Carrig Country House. 

Screebe House - their photo

There are some similarities between Carrig House and the lovely Screebe House  in Connemara; great food and great views. 

Blairscove

And in West Cork, near Durrus, there is Blairscove House. Here you can enjoy a splendid dinner and views over Dunmanus Bay.

Breakfast view (just a small section of it!) from the Trident's Pier One

There are no shortages of views in Kinsale. One of my most recent visits was to Man Friday on the hills above the bay Man Friday. And another recent visit was to the Trident Hotel, right in the town and so close to the waters that you think a boat is going to come through the dining room windows.

Sunrise at Garryvoe

The Samphire at the Garryvoe Hotel has expansive views of Ballycotton Bay and the lighthouse, excellent food too. And across the bay, its sister hotel, the Bayview has an even more spectacular cliff-top situation.

Hake at Celtic Ross

The views at Rosscarberry’s Celtic Ross, where French chef Alex Petit maintains a high standard, are quieter but no less pleasant.

Cliff House View

Ardmore’s Cliff House is renowned for the food, the views over the bay and their 3-word tweets!

Pier 26

Back again to Ballycotton and to Pier 26. This restaurant overlooks the harbour and the lighthouse island and the fish is highly recommended, of course! And down in Schull, L'Escale is right in the harbour area; the lobster here is a must try.

And if you really want a 360 degree ocean view while dining then take a trip from Ringaskiddy in Cork to Roscoff in Brittany on board the Pont Aven.  Splendid food and views!

Dingle

For harbour views, you'll find it hard to beat the sights as you come and go to Dingle’s Out of the Blue. And close by is the Boatyard. Fish will be on the menus of both for sure. Then again, there's a splendid view of Cork Harbour from the tea rooms at Camden Fort Meagher (below).

View over Cork Harbour from Camden Fort Meagher

Rosapenna

No shortage of seaside restaurants in Donegal. One of the best is the Seaview Tavern in Malin Head village even if the view to the sea is somewhat interrupted by the cars parking across the road. No such problems at the Rosapenna Golf Hotel, whose dining room overlooks Sheephaven Bay and the beach at Downies. Further west, the bar at the Cove at Portnablagh, another top restaurant, overlooks a different part of the same bay.

The Bayview, Ballycotton

Perhaps the best ocean view is that enjoyed from your table in Bunnyconnellan’s, a very pleasant view and very enjoyable food here at this renowned Crosshaven (Cork) venue.

Islander's Rest on Sherkin

Back to West Cork and to Baltimore and Le Jolie Brise where I’ve sometimes enjoyed a dish of mussels as the day drew to a close with the island of Sherkin out in front. Speaking of Sherkin, the Islander's Rest sure has great water views!

Ostan Gweedore

Hard to top that. One view that comes close, maybe level, maybe even better, is from the Donegal restaurant of Ostan Gweedore where there is the most fantastic view over the beaches and the waters of the Atlantic.

Turbot at Electric Fish Bar

Perhaps you prefer river views. One of the best in Cork is from Electric, especially from the Fish Bar. From the first floor of the South Mall building, you have fine views of the southern channel of Lee to the west and to the east.

River Lee Hotel, top left

Also in the city, you hand almost dip your fingers in the Lee as you wine and dine at the Weir Rooms of the lovely River Lee Hotel.  

View from the Spinning Wheel in Dripsey Garden Centre

The Spinning Wheel, above the same River Lee, is at the very popular Griffin’s Garden Centre in rural Dripsey. Here you can enjoy some of Granny Griffin’s delights as you watch the water-skiers speed by down below.

Never know what you might see passing as you dine in Cobh

You have no shortage of harbour views in Cobh where you’ll find The Quays and The Titanic Bar & Grill.  And you’ll also find pleasant estuary views not too far away at Murph’s  in East Ferry. 

Kenmare Bay

The Boathouse at Dromquinna, near Kenmare, is also well situated, right on the northern flank of the bay. And, in Limerick, the place to be is Locke Bar. 

Locke Bar's water-side tables

The Puffin Cafe on Long Strand, Castlefreke, Co.. Cork, is my latest addition (09.07.17). It overlooks that long beach and the ocean.

Have you a personal favourite view over water while dining? If you'd like to share, please use the Comment facility below.