THE ISLAND GATE

EARLY BIRD AT THE GATE

The Island Gate is one of a few restaurants that have recently advertised Early Bird offers. The Four Liars is another and I have heard good reports from a couple who went there within the past fortnight.

The Island Gate has a two course offer at €20.00. You can have a mains with either a starter or dessert.

There is choice of about four starters, including soup. I enjoyed my spicy potato wedges with salad.

Main courses (a choice of six on the early bird) at the table were Pork Medallions with a creamy cider sauce) and a Basil Chicken Dish. Both were good quality, tasty, no complaint at all. As an accompaniment, you may pick two from salad, fries, mash and vegetables.

One of the party finished with a gorgeous Bailey’s Cheesecake, delicious and so light.

The wine list is being changed at the moment. The current house wines come in at a very reasonable €17.50 – let’s hope they don’t change that. The presentation of the wine was a little on the sloppy side. No tasting was offered and there was no keep it cool facility for the white.

Service was friendly, no delays. Overall, the meal was good and so too was the price.

FOUR LIARS BISTRO

AT THE FOUR LIARS

GOOD VALUE, NO KIDDING!

Founded in 1992, Brendan Murphy’s Four Liars Bistro, in the shadow of Shandon, is still going strong, still offering good food at decent prices.

Take the current early bird (5.30 to 7.15) as an example. You can pick from about six starters. Mine was simply described as: Pork and Veal Terrine on a Burnt Orange Glaze. But it was much more than that. It was accompanied by a generous crunchy salad and a few tasty strawberries combined well with the terrine. All for a fiver.

Then on to the main course. Again there is quite a choice, prices ranging from about €12 to €15.00. I picked the Baked Fresh Salmon in Dill and Cream Sauce, served with a Croquette and Puree of vegetables. He doesn’t write it all down though. The fish is served on a beautifully flavoured mash potato and, be warned, meat or fish portions are generous.

Being generous is not much good if the food is poor. Have no fears here though. Brendan has cooked around the world and this salmon dish was excellent.

Too full to chance the desserts (this man puts sherry into his sherry trifle), we took our time and finished off the wine, which was the house white, a Domaine Virginie Terret/Sauvignon sur lie. Refreshing was my first comment on sipping the tasting sample. It is a rare combination in these parts but is appealingly dry, fruity and with good lasting favour. Price €20.00. The four Liars is a BYO restaurant which means you can bring in your own wine and the corkage charge is €5.00.

Brendan has cooked for George Bush, Liz Taylor, Willie Brandt, Jackie Kennedy, Elton John, Richard Burton and Queen Elizabeth II to name but a few. He is also a keen artist and drawer, and many of his works can be found on display on the walls of the Four Liars Bistro and at http://www.fourliarsbistro.com/