Electric's "Cork on a Fork Fest Menu" Highlights Local Producers

 Electric's "Cork on a Fork Fest Menu" Highlights Local Producers

Got ourselves an upstairs window table overlooking the river as we enjoyed the special Cork on a Fork Festival Menu at South Mall's Electric yesterday evening. We had a great view of the sunny scene and the outdoor tables by the boardwalk were packed. 

Local producers are highlighted on the menu including Ardsallagh Goats, Twomey's Butchers, Toons Bridge Dairy, Stonewell, Kinnegar, 9 White Deer, Franciscan Well and Beamish! The menu consists of three courses, costs €35.00 per person and runs until Saturday the 19th of August. There are choices under each course heading and some delicious surprises along the way, including that Beamish dessert! Check it all out here at Cork on a Fork or book direct at Electric.

Both of our starters were top drawer.
The Carpaccio of Twomey's Beef Fillet (above) came with wild mushrooms and shallot rings and was packed with flavour and also much more tender than most of the type, much closer to melt in the mouth, a million miles away from those tough and stringy examples you sometimes come across.
Our other starter (below) was Ballycotton Scallops with Twomey's Black Pudding and shallot. This is a tried and tested combination enhanced here by quality ingredients.
The third starter on the menu was Ardsallagh Goats Cheese parcel with Blackberry & Apple Compote. Sounds good too! 

Must say I was very happy indeed with my juicy cheesy mains, the Toons Bridge Mozzarella Moussaka with Grilled Aubergine, Courgette & Crushed Tomatoes (above). The vegetables, especially the tomatoes, were just superb.

Above, we have your classic fish and chips, another superb dish from the Electric kitchen described as Ballycotton Beer Battered Hake and Chips with minted pea purée, tempura. You had no bother finding the generous fish here as the batter was less than wafer thin.

The third mains available was Twomey's 6-oz sirloin steak with Mushrooms, Onion Rings, Goose Fat Chips and North Cork Garlic Butter

We enjoyed both desserts but the Beamish and Date Pudding with Beamish Caramel and Vanilla Ice Cream (below) got the nod as being the favourite on the night! Dangerously delicious! Not that there was anything amiss with the West Cork Strawberry Mille Feuille with the Strawberry and Prosecco Coulis. 

One for the road? This Stonewell is the one!

Electric Spice Up Valentine's Night With New Tasting Menu

Electric Spice Up Valentine's Night With New Tasting Menu

About 12 months back, with Covid on the retreat, Electric ventured into Asian and now, just this week, they made their new Asian Tasting Menu the centrepiece of their Valentine’s Night offering.

Electric's Asian aficionados needn’t worry. You’ll still get those Asian dishes you have become used to, such as the Malay Chicken Satay, the Japanese Chocolate Cake, Okonomiyaki (the Japanese pancake), Chicken Katsu Curry, and Sweet Waffles. And there is also a Vegetarian Menu on offer. The new Tasting Menu is designed to extend the dining options in one of Cork's favourite dining-rooms, one of the City’s very few upstairs rooms, with views over the river and the Mall.

And there’ll be the usual beer selection including Asahi and Cobra to give the Asian touch along with locals such as Original 7 and KPA and not forgetting Stonewell Cider. Local Kinsale whiskey will of course will be there for you and they will also feature in the cocktails (many Asian themed). Fancy an Electric Avenue? Perhaps a Kyoto Daiquiri? Span the world in a couple of cocktails. 

Pic by Electric

Great to get the chance to try out the new menu on Valentine’s. Tables of four were encouraged and we two had some help. After a warm welcome and a few tips and hints, our first task was to decide on what to drink. Wine seemed to be the preferred option. I’m familiar, happily, with the Domaine Bousquet Organic Malbec and that helped start the evening off, getting thumbs up around the table. 

We stayed with the red and our second, following a well-founded tip by manager Aaron O’Gorman, was the La Garde Rouge from the Languedoc, a supple wine which is a blend of Carignan, Grenache & Merlot, perfect with the duck, the evening’s highlight. Both wines are actually included in the Matching Wines option that you may choose if you wish to further enhance the Tasting Menu.

Succulent Skeaghanore

I mentioned the well-presented duck there. It was Skeaghanore Duck Breast, cooked with precision, served simply with a Pine Peppercorn Sauce and confit carrots. Simply superb actually. Skeaghanore is always a winner but wrapped in this delicious sauce, it reached another level, tender and succulent, packed with flavours and aromas, quite a taste sensation.

Just before that, we had enjoyed the Clonakilty Bao Bun. Always a little suspicious of that bao but no need to worry on this occasion and that was mostly down to the delicious filling of Clon Black Pudding, the Bull Dog sauce, apple and the sweet crispy onion. Quite a feast for the senses, even visually as they came packed, two by two, in a bamboo container, just a little bit of theatre, a little bit of fun in keeping with the spirit of the evening.

The dining had started with Miso Soup that came to the table with seaweed and silken tofu “floating” and waiting to be hooked. And with it, came some of the ABC “Oat Topper” Soda Bread. A lovely tasty warming start. 

Next, Cork Mussels arrived all dressed up, Thai style. The colours in the bowl certainly caught the eye and the taste buds were well engaged by the perfectly judged spicy sauce in which the little Ballycotton bivalves gently rested. A bit messy of course but spot-on excellent.

And, of course, after the excellent bao and duck, there was to be a sweet ending. Though there were one or two at the table a little hesitant when they saw coconut mentioned in the dessert description. But again no need for worry as the Chilli Rum Pineapple (with coconut ice-cream) was another well-balanced beauty with no single element dominating. Just a perfect sweet end to a lovely evening.

The 5-course tasting menu is now available and costs €49.50.

ABC “Oat Topper” Soda Bread

Miso Soup

Cork’s Ballycotton Mussels

Clonakilty Bao Bun

Skeaghanore Duck Breast

Chilli Rum Pineapple

Electric contacts

Instagram: electriccork

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElectricCork

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElectricCork

Web: https://electriccork.ie/

Tel: 021-4222990.

Email:   

enquire@electriccork.com

Electric's got you covered with tempting new Valentine's menu!

Electric's got you covered with tempting new Valentine's menu!

Paint and sip at these fun events in Cork

Press release

Paint and sip at these fun events in Cork

Brighten up your evenings this winter at one of the exciting new Paint & Sip events taking place in Cork, in association with Tanqueray gin.

Don’t worry, you won’t have to swap your make-up brushes for paint brushes in your handbag, as all equipment will be provided. And no painting experience is necessary - all you need is to be up for some fun!

On arrival you’ll be treated to an easy on the (painting) palette Tanqueray gin cocktail. To get your creative juices flowing, an artist will be on hand to inspire, support, and advise. You’ll learn lots of tips from getting the best brush strokes, to creating light and depth in your piece. It’s sure to be a fun event as you sip and dip your brush. You might even mix up a masterpiece!

And to capture memories of a great night, you can bring your own unique piece home to display proudly on your walls!

The events are open to everyone over 18 and would make a fun date night, an evening with friends, or a get together with the work gang! And as art is ageless, this would also be the perfect mother-daughter evening.

There are three venues in Cork to choose from: Electric in the city on 3rd November, The Imperial Hotel in the city on the 24th November and The Arches in Mallow on 8th December.

Places are limited so advance purchase of tickets is essential.  You can book your tickets HERE.

Please drink responsibly. Visit drinkaware.ie

 

Asian Style Food Comes To Cork's Electric. And Fits Right In On The City's South Bank

Asian Style Food Comes To Cork's Electric

 And Fits Right In On The City's South Bank

Hake Soba

Don’t let strange words get in the way of an excellent meal! That’s more or less our message after our first tasting of Electric’s Asian style food in midweek.

First strange word up was in CL’s starter: Deep Fried Gyoza (9.00), a dipping sauce with a choice of Chicken, Duck, or Vegetable. The Gyoza are Japanese pan-fried dumplings. Her choice was chicken and they went down a treat with the sauce.

Gyoza

Cabáiste

No real verbal obstacles with my opening dish: Grilled Napa Cabbage wedge (10.00)  with Apple, chili and tamarind dressing and a scattering of walnuts. Cabbage its highly regarded in Eastern cuisines and certainly went up in my estimation with this treat. Napa is not from the famous wine valley, though you may well get it there, but originally from China. It has a longish cone type head rather than the familiar globe.

 I had been “prepared” for this thanks to a super Pork collar, miso, grilled winter cabbage and peanut rayu at Cork’s Glass Curtain a couple of years back. And, more recently at the same venue, a BBQ'd pointed Hispi cabbage, Pork belly, Whey caramel, Black garlic combination, also delicious.

Soon our very friendly Electric servers were bringing our main courses. CL had bravely picked the Okonomiyaki (16.00), Japanese pancake, sake, lime, mayo, spiced bbq sauce & deep fried noodles. Aside from the forbidding title word, the Insta friendly dish was very well received. Okonomiyaki, the pancake, is available all over Japan and can be served with a variety of toppings. CL’s came with mixed veg, all lovely and crisp, and was crowned with a pile of deep fried prawn flavoured noodles. Eye-catching and palate pleasing!

Okonomiyaki

Just one 4-letter word, a common enough one, in my mains and that was soba, a thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat. The full description was Hake Soba (24.00) Thai basil, chilli, and lemongrass. The Hake, with its crispy skin, was top of the tidy pile and the noodles with little bits of crunchy veg and the sauce of course were a delight to dispatch. Rather addictive actually.

Something sweet from the East? Of course. We shared the two desserts (each at €7.50). Ginger and lemongrass is a well-used combination and so one pick was their Lemongrass and Ginger Pudding with orange and cashew crumb and pomegranate. You could compare it to a panna cotta but, with the nuts, the orange and pomegranate, this winner was more flavourful.

Blondie

The other was the Rich Chai Blondie with toffee, Kaffir lime Crème Anglaise. In India, chai is tea made with added spices and Chai Blondies are like brownies without the chocolate. Electric’s square, with the toffee and custard, was a superb dessert.

Electric’s move to Asian came about when they had time on their hands during the Covid closures and were thinking about the future. Asian experts from the UK were brought in to train the local kitchen staff. I, for one, was a bit wary when I heard about the transformation. I am now convinced. Very Highly Recommended.

Electric are now well known for their cocktails. Indeed, the former fish bar upstairs is now known as Ohm and had just been launched as their cocktail bar. Downstairs the bar is busy every evening and the food here also has that Asian touch. For updates on menus and opening times, please check their Facebook page and their Instagram at electriccork.

Electric Restaurant Marks 120th Anniversary Of The 1902 Cork International Exhibition With Tom Spalding Talk & Cocktails Of The Time

Electric Restaurant Marks 120th Anniversary 

Of The 1902 Cork International Exhibition

 With Tom Spalding Talk & Cocktails Of The Time

Dr Tom Spalding, in period clobber. Pic @corkbilly

Dressed in your Sunday finery, feathered bonnets and top hats included, the good people of Cork paid their pennies and stepped into a car that was hauled up the ramp. The passengers, full of anticipation and perhaps not a little trepidation, stepped from the cars into a small boat at a height of 70 feet. 

Ready for action (l-to-r): mixologists Caolann McNeill, Dan Cronin & Cian Daly
Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell 

No safety belts, just holding tight on to one another, as the boat began its rapid descent of the chute towards the waters of the River Lee. There were nervous screams as the boat thudded onto the surface of the river, splashing water as it did so, and then it slowly lost momentum before the thrilled passengers were taken back to the banks as the crowds cheered. All the fun of the fair at the 1902 Cork International Exhibition at the Mardyke.

Whiskey Sour. Pic: @corkbilly

No chute these days nor on last Thursday night week when a group of invitees gathered in the South Mall to hear historian Dr Tom Spalding give us his take on the Exhibition while our kind hosts Electric Restaurant served up a series of cocktails from the original 1902 menu, cocktails made by the Waldorf Astoria bartenders on their visit to the Mardyke. We were, of course, in Electric’s new cocktail bar, Ohm.

Tom told us how the exhibition came about and indeed how it lasted a year longer than originally planned. The then Lord Mayor Edward Fitzgerald was a driving force behind it and eventually the venue or at least, part of it, was named in his honour, Fitzgerald's Park.

Stevie G (Red FM) & Lisa Grainger. Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell 

Hundreds of thousands came, from near and far, to visit the exhibits. And the organisers had laid on plenty of entertainment for their visitors and indeed Tom said these entertainments brought in the money and led to the Exhibition making a profit. The highlight of course was the huge water chute that was erected near where the Shaky Bridge now stands.

Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell 

Food and drink was also an essential and there was no shortage of dining venues, scattered around the grounds, serving everything from freebies (samples of confectionery and bread in the Industrial Hall) to top notch cuisine at The Chalet restaurant. In between, there a few teahouses and a Temperance Restaurant.

So successful was the exhibition that a second year was added on and they began again in May 1903. That year, the royal couple King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra came to see what the fuss was. They too were well fed of course and there was wine (and more). 

Margaret & Carmel Best. Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell

Tom had the list:

Sherry - Garvey’s Amontillado.

Hock - Liebfraumilch.

Champagne - Perrier Jouet’s**.

——

Moselle Cup (a cocktail, methinks!)

____

Gran Marnier Cordon Rouge

Green Chartreuse

Kummel (a Caraway liquor apparently).

Pas Mal!

Cocktail "Corpse Reviver". Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell

So what cocktails were we drinking? Well, the busy and energetic Electric bartenders, paying tribute to the visitors from the Waldorf Astoria,  had recreated the four below from the original 1902 event.

We had a choice of:

Mint Julep (Bourbon, Mint, Ango);

Gin Sling (Gin, Lemon, Sugar, Soda);

Corpse Reviver (Tequila Blanco, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, Lemon, Absinthe);

Whiskey Sour (Bourbon, Lemon, Sugar, Whites, Ango).

That sour was my favourite. Ango, I presume, is bartender speak for angostura bitters.

I’m sure the Ohm team can rustle up any of that quartet for you if you walk in off the street but they may just prefer to see you trying  something from the current  menu, original cocktails and quite often original names.

Electric welcome from Emer
 O'Mahony. Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell

How about Green Yoke? This is a mix of Absolut Vodka, Melon, Cointreau, Turbo, pineapple.

Fancy Rose of the Lee? Glendalough Rose Gin with Lychee, Prosecco and Soda.

Then there’s Sound Man Brendan. Havana Maestros Rum, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Beamish and Banana.

One for the road? Try the Jungle Beour, a melange of Rum, Campari, Pineapple, Ginger, etc.

And they have quite a few more.

*  For much more info on this amazing Exhibition, get your hands on  The Cork International Exhibition 1902-1903: A Snapshot of Edwardian Cork by Daniel Breen & Tom Spalding. Also check out footage from the Mitchell and Kenyon Collection: Panorama of Cork Exhibition Grounds (1902) – YouTube

** If you take a look at Electric’s current wine list you’ll note they have a couple of different bottles of Perrier Jouet in their sparkling wine section. 

THERE'S COCKTAILS. NOW, THERE'S ELECTRIC COCKTAILS!

press release

ELECTRIC COCKTAILS

 

An innovative new crowd-fundraising campaign launched:

Delicious and unique bottled cocktails, crafted by Electric Cork, delivered to you

 

Video: https://youtu.be/CBZ-jQ7k_v0

Support the campaign at: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/electric-cocktails#/

 

With their doors shut for over a year now, Electric Bar and Restaurant, in the heart of Cork City, are raising money via a crowdfunding campaign to deliver delicious cocktails to you at home, until they can safely welcome you through their doors again.

 

The bar have a superb team of expert mixologists, Carl D’Alton and Traford Murphy, coming up with tantalising twists and innovations in the bar’s cocktail space. The cocktails range from their own “Pornstar Punch” - an original take on the modern classic Pornstar Martini; right through to “Peanut Butter Jelly” - a PBJ Old Fashioned, which is something very different.

 

Having launched the crowd-fundraising campaign this week, owner of Electric, Ernest Cantillon, says:

 

“After a bout of shameful self-pity, we’ve moved on the acceptance stage about reopening - it’s probable we will not be open for most if not all of this summer. While disappointing, and financially terrifying, we understand and accept why.

 

The idea behind ‘Electric Cocktails’ was mostly born to keep our sanity. Our bar has been closed for over a year now, and it's been tough to keep motivated and to keep match fit.

 

We’ve been working hard on this cocktail range and would love your support to launch it. We were blown away by your support for our Christmas Cocktail Selection boxes, and now want to take it up for a level for our Summer offering. A little piece of the Electric experience to take home!” [ Video: https://youtu.be/CBZ-jQ7k_v0 ]

 

How it works:

 

Electric Cocktails can be shipped anywhere in Ireland and the UK. The bundles range from €25 - €100 with a scrumptious selection of cocktails to choose from, and restaurant vouchers available too.

 

By purchasing a cocktail from Electric’s crowdfunding efforts, you’ll help keep Electric in operation and ensure they’ll still be there when it’s safe to re-open again.

 

To find out more or support the campaign, visit: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/electric-cocktails#/

 

Electric Cocktail Menu:

 

Pornstar Punch - Vodka, passionfruit, pineapple and vanilla... serve on its own over ice or topped with chilled soda water or a splash of Prosecco, garnish with passionfruit or lime.

 

Strawberry Mojito - White rum, strawberry, mint and lime... serve chilled over ice, topped with chilled soda, garnish with a mint sprig.

 

Garden Collins - Gin, apple, elderflower, cucumber and mint... serve over ice topped with chilled soda or tonic water, garnish with cucumber or lemon twist.

 

PBJ - Old Fashioned- Peanut butter whiskey, strawberry, jam bitters... serve over ice, garnish with a strawberry slice.

 

 

press release

Cork's Dessert Festival launches today!

press release

Where and What's on Offer

Electric Bar and Restaurant

Mad Hatters Afternoon G+T July 1st 2-4pm

Cake Club Sunday 2nd July 3-5pm Also featuring dessert specials all week

The Franciscan Well

Ice Cream and Beer Weekend July 1st and 2nd from 1pm

Nandos Academy St

Free Nata with every coffee ordered

Blue Haven Kinsale

Promoting Ice Cream Sundae Menu all week

Casanova Gelato

Launch of "The Giant" Sundae

Featuring parfait cups all week

Arthur Maynes

Beefeater & Tonic with an orange foam

paired with an orange scented Creme Catalana

Hassetts Bakery

Featuring all their homemade desserts

Fundraising cupcake event Fri June 30th 11-3pm

Cafe Velo

Pie with Italian Meringue

Cronins

Homemade ice cream made with Cronin's brown soda bread

and Russian Imperial Stout from the White Gypsy

LISHH Dessert bar all week featuring fresh homemade desserts

with a coffee for just €5

Malay Kitchen

Featuring fresh Malaysian sweet treats all week

Griffins Garden Centre

Featuring all Grannys Griffins Fabulous Homemade Desserts

Competition for afternoon tea for 2

Amicus

Featured Desserts: Amicus After 8

The Allotment Sundae: Butterscotch Bonanza

143

Corks only entirely vegan cafe!

Dessert Demonstration Wed 28th 7-9pm €30

Sober Lane

Guest Dessert- Kinder Sundae

Guest Cocktails: 1. Nutty Russian- Absolut Vanilla, Frangelico, Kahlua and Milk

2.After Eight- Tia Maria, Creme de Menthe, Baileys and Milk

Holy Smoke

Featuring Desserts: Devil's Fruit and Holy Revenge

More desserts and events to be confirmed by: Midleton Park Hotel, The Oriel House Hotel, Myo Cafe, Box of FrogsThe Cornstore, Huckleberry Donuts, Oh My Donut, The Granary Foodstore.

The public will be voting all week on social media for :

Corks Best Dessert

Corks Best Treat and

Best Dessert Event

All other info will be posted on our social media daily!

For any more info email : dessert@festivalcork.com Or follow us on social media!