TOP NOTCH FOOD AT THE BARN

THE BARN

I enjoyed a lovely meal at The Barn  last evening. For over thirty years, the venue, on the Mayfield to Glanmire Road, has been a fixture on the Cork dining scene. And that kind of longevity doesn’t happen by chance.

This is a comfortable place, starting with the ante-room where you may take a seat and check the menu while sipping an aperitif. The coats are put away neatly in the cloakroom and you are led along the carpets to your comfortable chair as the live music from the piano-man fills the room (not especially for your entrance, of course).
Service too is excellent, leisurely but not laggardly. For instance, when the main course was being served to our group (4), three people, maybe four, appeared with the dishes and, within a few seconds, all four of us had our main plates, along with the side plates of veg, in front of us and the water had been refilled without our asking for it to be done. And all done with a little chat and a big smile!

But all this comfort and service, even the piano-man, would count for little unless the food is good. And it is. It has of course moved on quite a bit from the early days of The Barn and now you see words like wasabi, tapenade, hummus and pork belly on the extensive menu.

All four of us were very happy with the meal. After some nice breads, I started off with the Crispy Pork Belly with Sour Cherry and Plum Chutney and Caramelised Red Onion (about €7.50, forget the exact price). Absolutely top class, done to a T, and the chutney was so moreish (even though I got two decent scoops of it!).

Then on to the piece de résistance! This was the Tapenade crumbed Cod Fillet, with Chablis Sauce and Spiced Mango Chutney (€21.50). Quite a decent sized piece of fish and there was also a side dish of nicely done vegetables (potato, carrot and creamed broccoli). Must say I really enjoyed it, the combination on the main plate was gorgeous. Quantity and quality was spot on here and left no desire for anything else, though I did look longingly at the famous dessert trolley that we passed on our exit!