One Communal Harvest Feast
On 26 September 2010, four Bridgestone recommended restaurants Rathmullan
House, Harry¹s Restaurant, An Bonnán Buí, and The Beach House will be
joining forces to serve 300 guests a sociable harvest feast against the
backdrop of Lough Swilly and Rathmullan¹s historic Battery. What¹s on the
menu? Donegal¹s best local ingredients turned into a four-course, communal
lunch by Donegal¹s best chefs.
³We¹re planning it around the best and freshest ingredients we can get here
in Donegal at this time of year,² says Mark Wheeler of Rathmullan House, one
of the drivers behind the event, ³and are actively recruiting any and all
local producers we can to supply us with seafood, meats, dairy, baked goods,
fresh fruits and vegetables. The diversity of products out there once you
start looking is tremendous. We already know we have some of the world¹s
best quality seafood, lamb, and potatoes, but there are some nice little
surprises out there too like local honey and rapeseed oil, cheeses and
organic dairy, and heritage breed pork.²
The event is taking place under the umbrella of The Food Coast, a new
programme designed by the Donegal County Enterprise Board to make Donegal a
food county, a place with a vibrant food culture and food economy. ³We see
great potential for job creation in the food sector in the Donegal,² says
Danny McEleney, the programme¹s manager. ³For it to thrive, we need to put
Donegal on the good food map as a place for quality products and a
destination for a quality experience The Food Coast.²
While one side of the initiative provides local producers with the supports
they need to develop and improve, the other side focuses on building
consumer awareness for local food products. The Food Coast Harvest Feast
brings both sides together in one. ³What better way to support local food
producers than to create outlets for their produce,² says Donal Doherty of
Harry¹s Restaurant and a co-organiser of the event. ³And what better way to
raise consumer awareness than by serving them great food in a great
location.²
Rathmullan¹s Battery, a napoleanic-era defensive fortress, sits on the shore
of Lough Swilly, one of Donegal¹s most beautiful stretches of sheltered
coastal waters. ³The Battery¹s courtyard makes the perfect backdrop to the
ultimate social dining experience,² Claire McGowan of the Beach House Bar &
Restaurant says. ³Hopefully the sun will be shining, and we¹ll have
Donegal¹s incomparable autumn light and colours to complement the meal and
the historic setting. This being Ireland, though, we¹re leaving nothing to
chance. The entire courtyard will be covered and weatherproof if necessary.²
The organisers want The Food Coast Harvest Feast to become a staple event on
Donegal¹s annual food calendar. ³We see it as a full-day, family event,
where food and community meet,² says Martin Kelly of An Bonnán Buí. ³We want
people to come out for a leisurely walk on the beach, or to partake in some
of the activities planned for the day, before joining their friends and
neighbours or even complete strangers at communal tables for what will
hopefully be an unforgettable Sunday afternoon feast.²
Some of the activities on the agenda include boating excursions on Lough
Swilly, mushroom foraging in Rathmullan Wood, live jazz and traditional
music in the village¹s pubs, as well as guided cycle and walking tours. A
final menu and list of activities will be announced on 15 September 2010.
The Food Coast Harvest Feast
26 September 2010
2pm 4pm
The Battery in Rathmullan
Adults 25 Euros / Children 15 Euros
Contact any of the participating restaurants to book:
Rathmullan House 074 915 8188
An Bonnán Buí 074 915 8453
Harry¹s Restaurant 074 936 8544
The Beach House 074 936 1050
For more information on The Food Coast or the Harvest Feast contact:
Mark Wheeler, Rathmullan House, 074 915 8188
Danny McEleney, Donegal County Enterprise Board, 074 916 0735
Restaurant Profiles
Rathmullan House
With the second generation of the Wheeler family now at the helm, Rathmullan
House has entered what the Bridgestone guide describes as ³superstar
territory amongst Irish country houses². The two restaurants at this elegant
seaside house, The Weeping Elm and the Cellar Bar, are defining regional
cuisine in Ireland¹s northwest. And for those not able to make it to
Donegal¹s seaside, Rathmullan House has been taking their magic on the road,
delighting music lovers at the Electric Picnic and the recent Leonard Cohen
concerts at Lissadell House with their unique brand of good food on the go.
www.rathmullanhouse.com
An Bonnán Buí
Word of Martin Kelly and Monica Santos¹s wonderfully understated restaurant,
An Bonnán Buí, has spread on the reputation of its Œvery good chocolate
cake¹. It¹s better than very good, as is the rest of the food at this
perennial on the Bridgestone list of Top 100 restaurants in Ireland.
Exciting exotics such Bolinho de Bacalau and Kibbeh rub shoulders with
seared scallops from nearby Mulroy Bay and roasted rack of lamb from local
butcher Pat Patton on a menu that mingles Monica¹s Brazilian accent with
Martin¹s Irish roots. www.anbonnanbui.com
Harry¹s Restaurant
In just a few short years Harry¹s Restaurant has gone from virtual unknown
to rising star on Ireland¹s culinary map. There are two reasons why: the
drive and focus of Donal and Kevin Doherty; and the careful selection of the
very best ingredients Donegal has to offer. Malin crab and Inishowen lamb,
Red Gurnard and John Dory straight off the boats in Greencastle, and perhaps
the most tantalising of the lot, Donegal grass-fed beef, aged in house for
28 days. What the Dohertys do with those ingredients the people at
Bridgestone describe as ³the sort of cooking that is at last making a
reputation for Donegal as culinary heaven.² Amen to that.
The Beach House Bar and Restaurant
Claire McGowen¹s classy eatery is one of Donegal¹s hidden food gems. Tucked
away near the pier in Buncrana, the location is breathtaking with wide open
views the length and breadth of Lough Swilly. And the food matches the
scenery. The secret to it all is Claire, who does everything, as the
Bridgestone says, with Œhipness and knowingness,¹ from her sourcing of
ingredients to her finely tuned feel for the dining experience. Gems like
this don¹t stay hidden long. www.thebeachhouse.ie
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