Greene’s Superb Early Bird/Pre-Theatre astoundingly good and great value

Greene’s Superb Early Bird/Pre-Theatre

astoundingly good and great value

 Early last week, in an initial burst of praise, I tweeted: The Pre-theatre/Early Bird menu @Greenescork is astoundingly good and great value. It is now almost two weeks later and my opinion is reinforced. An early evening visit to the McCurtain Street venue is well worth while; the theatre bit is up to yourself!

Just to get the value bit upfront. Three courses here, each with a terrific choice of dishes, costs €29.00 and, wait for it, an amuse bouche and tea or coffee is included. Bryan McCarthy is the chef here and you are in excellent hands.

Hake

Let’s go back to our visit early last week. As we studied the menu, there are about six choices for each course, we were served the amuse bouche, a delicious beetroot mousse with yoghurt. Soon we made our choices.

Greene’s is well known for variations of pork belly and feather blade and they also do a terrific Ballyhoura Mushroom risotto but we went for the fish on this occasion. And each main dish was top notch. And the vegetables on the side were another almost unexpected highlight: just a bowl of peas, florets of cauliflower, potato and so on but so well cooked and such an enhancement of the fish.

CL had the Wild Cod, a special for the evening, with samphire, Morteau sausage, and Roast Chicken Veloute. And this is Early Bird! My Seared Fillet of Hake was served with oyster mushrooms, leeks, baby gem and fennel oil. Another magnificent fish dish. Indeed, the freshness of the fish on both plates was absolutely outstanding, so fresh and so well handled in the kitchen. Service and presentation is also top notch.

The starters had also been excellent. Mine was the Cured salmon and smoked salmon rillettes, with blood orange, fennel, seaweed and squid ink and wasabi mayo, a great mix of colours, textures, and flavours, all getting the taste buds up and eager for more.

Goats cheese

It was the same story at the other side of the table with the Duo of Orchard Farm and Ardsallagh Goats Cheese (verrine and beignets, textures of poached pear, candy walnut and raisin purée) earning bags of kudos. Must stress again that this is all part of the early bird, three courses and more for €29.00.

Sometimes, more often than not, with us, dessert is shared but there was a special on here and no sharing pact agreed. Just as well, as the Poached Pear and Almond Cake with ice-cream and more was such a delight that at least one per person was mandatory!

So there you are. An excellent meal and a couple of cups of outstanding coffee for twenty nine euro. It is a must-try and Very Highly Recommended. The good news is that it is available Sunday to Wednesday all night and between 5.30 and 7.00pm Thursday to Saturday.

Greene’s Restaurant http://greenesrestaurant.com

48 McCurtain Street (opposite Everyman Theatre)

Cork

T: 021 455 2279

Sweet end!