RESTAURANTS AND FOOD: Poff’s, The Tops of Kenmare. Supporting Local

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Poff’s, The Tops of Kenmare. Supporting Local

Poff’s, The Tops of Kenmare.

Supporting Local

Poff’s of Kenmare is my kind of place. And, though I’ve never met her, chef/patron Helen Poff is my kind of person. She and her bright and airy café on New Street support local producers.

It is up there on the board in black and white: Star Sea Foods Kenmare, Coolea Cheese, St Tola Cheese, Harrington Bakery, Folláin Jams and Marmalades, Peter O’Sullivan Sneem black pudding and juicy burgers, Ashes of Annascaul sausage and white pudding, Kenmare Select Smoked Salmon, and Billy Clifford’s organic salads and vegetables.

Put all that gorgeous food into the hands of the experienced Helen Poffs and you're on a winner, for breakfast and lunch. And as some parts of the breakfast menu, including the Full Irish, are available at lunch time, you have a great choice all the way through the day.

But there is much more: daily specials, quiches, salads. Sweet stuff too if you're just in for a cuppa! Take a look at the lovely little place here. Rotate the view and you’ll see that they have a few seats outside too, for the good days that are ahead.

We called in there in late April - it is just off Henry Street. With a big dinner coming up that evening, we weren't looking for anything majorly filling! We had to restrain ourselves as we were seated right alongside the display cabinet!

The soup changes daily and there was an attractive one on, indeed I think there was a choice. CL picked the Broccoli and Blue Cheese (4.50) and I can guarantee every drop was finished off. One happy customer.

Spick and span

And I was very happy too. Helen opened this place last year having been Head Breakfast Chef at the famous Park Hotel. So when I noted “fluffy” on the pancake description, I thought to myself, I could be on a winner here. And I was.

The full description read: Fluffy American style pancakes with Maple syrup, fresh berries and cream (6.5). I know pancakes regularly turn up on breakfast menus in hotels and guest houses but mostly they are disappointingly stodgy. Not so here. Fluffy she said and fluffy she delivered. Perhaps the best pancakes I’ve ever had. I know many of you love nutella and they also do a version for you!

A couple of excellent coffees (2.00 each) later and we stepped out into the April sunshine. Or was it showers at the time?