A Cafe in a Butcher’s? Dinner for a fiver!

A Cafe in a Butcher’s?

Had dinner in the butcher’s today! Not too many can say that. But O’Crualaoi Butchers will serve you up quite a meal in some of their branches, including Carrigaline where I called, looking for good food and good value. Think I got both as two massive platefuls of meat, potatoes and vegetables cost us just a tenner. Yes. A tenner. For two!

With O’Crualaoi’s being well established butchers – they were founded in 1957 in Ballincollig – you may be sure that meat will feature heavily on the carvery menu. And it does. Fantastic choices here and also a fish dish (haddock) added in.

I went with the Roast Loin of Pork with Apricot and Sage stuffing. And everything they could throw at the plate: mashed potato, potato gratin, vegetables, stuffing, gravy etc. And quite tasty it was. True, I had to carry it to the table! But remember it cost just a fiver. And was every bit as good as most carveries and better than quite a few.

Very few Irish butchers have cafes attached to their shops. Indeed, this is the only one I know of. It is quite spacious. There is also an outside dining area with an awning and room to play for the small ones, even a substantial playhouse.

It is value all the way here. Check it out at the salad bar. Even desserts such as Apple Crumble cost just two euro while a cookie might set you back one. They also have quite a deli here, so if you don’t have time to dine out, then you may pick up something for later, again at a good price. 

They also do party menus here, handy for confirmation or communion groups. Spotted a sign in the store that offered their “celebration foods” package, to be shared with family and friends. This costs €130 and feeds about twenty people.

Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 7:00 pm

Sat: 8:00 am - 6:30 pm

Sun: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

021-4376716.