Sunday Lunch returns in style to The Cork International Hotel

Sunday Lunch returns in style to 

The Cork International Hotel

Chorizo and prawn salad

Sunday Lunch returned in style to The Cork International Hotel for Fathers’ Day. I didn't make it that day but glad to get the opportunity to try it out last Sunday and found lots of company as the lovely and comfortable space began to fill from one o’clock on.

The lunch, which is served from 12.30 pm to 3 pm, is based on locally sourced produce and the hotel’s New Yorker Bar and Restaurant is the venue and I was a guest of the hotel. The a la carte menu offers a variety of dishes as well as a roast-of-day specials list from the carvery (these are brought to your table).

Salmon from the carvery

Starters last Sunday included Homemade Soup of The Day, Pan Fried Atlantic Prawns Pil Pil, West Cork Steamed Mussels, and New York Inspired Chicken Wings.

CL’s picks were the Mussels served in a Classic White Wine and Herb Cream Sauce, with a length of sourdough to mop up the sauce. Not too sure about the New York in the wings (aside from the fact that we were in the New Yorker Bar!), but they were excellent, the hot sauce and the famous Cashel Blue doing the business and giving the necessary lift.

NY Chicken Wings

Mains on the day included: Summer Poke Bowl, Empire State Double Beef Burger, Chef Mihira’s Authentic Elawalu Maas Vegetable Curry, and Fresh Crab and Chilli Linguine. The Carving station offered: Prime Roast of West Cork Hereford Rib of Beef with a Rich Red Wine Jus, Hony Glazed Loin of West Cork Bacon, Roasted Crown of Irish Turkey, and Lemon & Thyme Marinated Irish Salmon.

Mussels

CL loves her salmon and this, perfectly cooked, got the thumbs up. All roasts come with Crispy Roasties, Mashed Potato, Roasted Carrots, and Yorkshire Pudding with a side of Cauliflower & Cheese. Quite a plateful.

My quantity was somewhat more modest but the Warm Gubbeen Chorizo & Prawn Salad (with Fried Potatoes, Mixed Leaves, Red Onions, and Garlic Croutons) lacked nothing in quality and exceeded expectations and was one of the best salads so far this summer and one to note for sure.

I’d say the NYC Cheesecake has been on the menu here since the restaurant was renamed. But it has stood the test of time and, aided by sliced West Cork Strawberries and an excellent wild berry compote, impressed no end last Sunday. Other desserts on the list were Dark Chocolate Brownie; Lemon, Ginger & Chilli Posset; and a Classic Summer Eton Mess.

Great also to see local producers acknowledged on the menus. Food suppliers include McCarthy Meats, Keohane Seafoods, Ardsallagh Cheese, and Gubbeen Farm cheese and charcuterie. Drinks suppliers listed include Blacks of Kinsale, Stonewell Cider, Rebel City Distillery and 9 White Deer Brewery.

All in all a very satisfactory outing to the airport. Quite a large venue and full credit to the staff who were both efficient and very friendly all through. A drive to the airport was regarded as a treat in its early days. A drive for Sunday lunch is the new treat in Farmers Cross!

The Cork International Hotel Sunday Lunch is €19.00 for main course, €26 per person for two courses or €34 per person for three courses. A full kids’ menu is also available. To make a reservation call 021 454 9800.