METROPOLE HOTEL’S FESTIVE LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD AFTERNOON TEA INSPIRED BY THE EVERYMAN'S PANTO

METROPOLE HOTEL’S FESTIVE LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD 

AFTERNOON TEA INSPIRED BY THE EVERYMAN'S PANTO

Cast members from the panto enjoy the 
Little Red Riding Hood Afternoon Tea in the Metropole.

   

The Metropole has partnered with The Everyman for this year’s Christmas Panto - Little Red Riding Hood - to create a festive afternoon tea for young and old to enjoy.

The new “Once upon a time, there was a sweet little girl...” menu features favourite flavours with nods to the fairytale including Little Red Velvet Berry Iced Muffins, Old Granny’s Apple and Blueberry Jam Pie and Wolf Paw Cookies along with a selection of muffins and cakes, just like Little Red Riding Hood took to Grandma’s house.

Pierce Lowney, Director of Food and Beverage at Trigon Hotels said: “The panto is such an exciting event for families in Cork and a Christmas tradition that many people enjoy year after year. We are very excited to offer our new Little Red Riding Hood Afternoon Tea in the Metropole’s Tearoom, which can be enjoyed by young and old. So we invite people to come and indulge in some delicious festive treats before going to the Everyman for an evening of fun and laughter. Sourcing top-quality ingredients is very important to us at Trigon Hotels, which is reflected in the festive afternoon tea menu and we are looking forward to welcoming diners and experiencing this one-of-a-kind menu.”

On the menu is: 

WELCOME DRINK

A warming glass of mulled wine

SWEET TREATS

Woodland Pear and Chestnut Sponge

Little Red Velvet Berry Iced Muffins

Blackcurrant and Ginger Delice

Old Granny’s Apple and Blueberry Jam Pie

Wolf Paw’s Sugar Cookies

SCONES

Homemade Buttermilk Scone with Irish Strawberry Jam, Whipped Cream, Lemon Curd and Irish Salted Butter

ASSORTMENT OF SANDWICHES

Smoked Chicken, Fennel and Grape Crostini

Roast Turkey and Cranberry on White Bread

Poached Prawn in a Lemon Mayonnaise on Edward Buckley Soda Bread

Macroom Mozzarella, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Romesco

And for the kids..

WELCOME DRINK

O’Conaill’s Hot Chocolate or Mineral

SWEET TREATS

Old Granny’s Apple and Blueberry Jam Pie

Mini Chocolate Brownie

Wolf Paw’s Sugar Cookies

SCONES AND PUDDINGS

Muffins and Cakes, just like Little Red Riding Hood took to Grandma’s House

Homemade Buttermilk Scone with Irish Salted Butter, Strawberry Jam and Lemon Curd

Red Velvet Berry Iced Muffins

FINGER SANDWICH SELECTION

Honey Glazed Ham and Cheese on White Bread

Grilled Chicken with Mayonnaise on Edward Buckley Soda Bread

Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich 

The Little Red Riding Hood Festive Afternoon Tea is €45 per person and €25 per child. 

Pre-booking is essential and reservations can be made online at www.themetropolehotel.ie

press release

Gallagher's GastroPub Rocks

Gallaghers GastroPub Rocks

Funny how things work out. Didn’t intend to spend all of last Sunday night in the company of old rockers. But that’s what happened. Can’t really take full credit for it but it turned out to be a terrific night with a super meal in Gallagher’s GastroPub and a lively charity concert in the Everyman with Dezperado (an Eagles tribute band).

The first plan had been to call to the White Rabbit at the exact opposite end of MacCurtain Street to Gallagher’s and try something from the grill there along with a glass or two from their renowned Bourbon selection. But a block-booking at the Rabbit snared that one and so we, four of us, ended up in Gallagher’s, taking in the view (and the sun) from our window seat that also allowed a view across towards Shandon.

The reservation here had been online, made with D***a, and she was back confirming it within a few minutes. And that kind of customer service continued in the bar/restaurant when we met and chatted with R****n. Service with a smile is always a big help.

I did have a quick look at the menu online before I booked and had a good feeling. Choices looked tempting. Starters included Burnt Maple and Cider Glazed Baby vegetables, Ras el Hanout Cauliflower Purée and Dukkah and also Skeaghanore Duck Leg Confit, rolled in Parma ham, corn and thyme purée, Kale red cabbage slaw and spiced plum gel.

There are impressive sharing boards, a choice of meats and a also a choice of fish. Other mains include a Crispy pan-roasted kale and leek “Bubble and squeak” Jerusalem artichoke velouté, roasted artichoke, charred apple, Cashel Blue crumble and truffle oil. Being Sunday, you might go for their signature pie: Irish Beef and Cork’s local stout “Beamish” with root veg, topped with puff pastry and served with fries.

All very tempting but our two friends had a few tips for us. Firstly, the fish and chips is excellent and secondly be sure and study the Cork on a Fork Special. So we read that board: Hazelnut crumbed duck leg, asparagus, candied beetroot, charred baby gem, celeriac purée and duck fat potatoes (21 euro).

Three of us went for that and it was superb, not just the delicious duck but also the asparagus, the beetroot and the gem, not to mention those spuds! Gastropub is no empty title in this establishment. The fourth diner was following his Fish ’n Chips tip come what may and he too enjoyed a very satisfying mains. Described as locally sourced catch of the day (Haddock in this instance) in a Franciscan Well Chieftain IPA beer batter, fries, mushy peas and tartar sauce (18 euro).

Speaking of Franciscan Well, we enjoyed a few glasses of the Rebel Red and it was four very happy customers who said goodbye to Rock heroes Rory Gallagher (his portrait looked down on our table) and Phil Lynott (you’ll see him on your way downstairs to the toilets), and headed down the street to see the sold out Dezperado gig in aid of MS Ireland.

Veteran musicians from the Cork area formed the band - not all veterans by the way, young guitarist Sean Hegarty (playing with his dad Ray) showed enormous promise.  Lead vocalist Der O’Riordan and also Ken Healy belted out the well-known classics of the American band. Backing vocals were provided by Anita Curtin and Neasa de Baróid.

Earlier, Neasa and her band opened the evening and included her new single Rain due to be launched upstairs in the Spailpín Fánach on Friday evening (9.30 sharp). Neasa, a relation of CL's, is quite the composer and other songs enjoyed by Sunday’s audience included Mrs Murphy’s Moving On and Tabhair dom do Lamh.

Perhaps you’ve known before now that McCurtain Street, with its hotels and theatre, its classy restaurants, its world class cocktails and buzzing bars, its ethnic cafés, and its  burger & down-home BBQ joints, really rocks. Now you know for sure. Don’t know if I’ll ever need to walk southwards over Patrick's Bridge again!