Me
and the Blonde at the Lemontree
No better
spot to meet a Blarney Blonde than in the Lemontree, the excellent restaurant attached
to the family owned Blarney Castle Hotel which overlooks the village green.
And, to make it better, the Blonde, a lovely ale by the Franciscan Well Brewery,
was every bit as cool and as tasty as expected.
And she wasn't
the only local to be found in this lovely restaurant where Chef Paul O’Donnell
is doing a terrific job. Paul believes in using local produce as much as
possible. As an example, the beef comes from Osborne’s who operate on another side
of the green. Can’t get much more local than that.
The menu outside
looked very inviting and we weren’t disappointed. I started with a gorgeous
plate: Fresh Crab Meat with mango and red onion salsa and a salad garnished
with a smoked paprika and Coriander dressing (below).
Superb, and so too was CL’s Warm Goat’s Cheese, Apricot and Walnut Tart with a cherry
tomato and Cajun spice dressing and a salad garnish.
Off to a great
start then and it got even better. Paul demonstrated his exquisite touch with CL’s
Pan Fried medallions of Monkfish with mango, red onion and lemon salsa and that
touch, which lets the food speak for itself, was also evident in my Pan Seared
Fillets of John Dory (above) with an herb and apricot natural yoghurt.
Enjoyed
the banter with the friendly staff as the meal went on and soon, too soon, it
was time for dessert. The special Crème Brûlée was served with softly whipped
cream and an almond tuille basket, a tasty finish and good value at €5.50. In
fact, good value and terrific cooking all told.
Worth a
call, for sure.
Blarney Castle Hotel contact details
Phone: 021 438
5116
email : info@blarneycastlehotel.com
