Pie Fiesta at Gallaghers. Comfort Food in a Comfy Cork City Corner

Pie Fiesta at Gallaghers

Comfort Food in a Comfy Cork City Corner

Beef Pie

Gallaghers of MacCurtain Street is well-known for its signature dish, Beef and Beamish Pie. But we learned last week that it also makes a super fish pie.

The evening was wet and cold, and comfort food was on our wish list. And we got it in accomplished abundance at the junction of Bridge Street and MacCurtain Street.

Soon, we were sitting in our own cosy corner, with a Christmas tree at my left hand and a bottle of stout in the other as we studied the menu.

I had already settled on that signature pie: “the original Beef and Beamish Pie (Beamish stout, braised beef and root vegetables, topped with a crispy puff pastry)". They serve it with fries or mashed potatoes. I chose the mash, which worked very well with the pie.

All the lovely ingredients are hidden under that crisp puff pastry that covers the bowl and extends down the outside. The savoury treasure underneath is a filling and comforting, delicious mix, and you can taste why it has been on the menu here since Noreen and Martin Gannon opened their doors in 2013.

The Fish Pie is a mixture of fresh fish, including salmon, cod, mussels and prawns. It is topped with mashed potato and parmesan crust, with a side of toasted sourdough.  With the various fish nicely balanced, CL enjoyed this one no end, and two very clean plates went back to the kitchen. 

Pork Belly

A Ballyshannon statue of Rory
Gallagher. Lots of Rory
memorabilia in the
Cork pub. He lived close by.

I’m sure most of you are well used to various pies and know how hot they can be initially. In this respect, Gallaghers’ are no exception. Just take it easy; you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy. The cutlery for each pie includes a large spoon! Which pie was the best? Despite some cross-table sampling, we found it difficult to give a one-two. Looks like a replay is called for!

The pies are more or less traditional and are not just for the festive season.  The menu is quite large with something for everyone, including the likes of Buttermilk Chicken Burger, T-Bone Steak, Roast Cider Chicken, Fish ’n Chips, Lamb Curry, Twomey's Beef Burger and Catch of the Day (which was Sea Bass on the night we were in.)

In some restaurants, it can be difficult to find gluten-free options, but not here, where you have plenty of choices, including starters like chicken wings, crispy cauliflower, seafood chowder, and more. See the menu here.  

Our starter was the Korean Pork Belly (Parsnip puree, house pickles, Gochujang glaze), a flavourful combination, sweet and spicy, and melt in the mouth. That set the scene nicely for a lovely meal.

Of course, we got a warm welcome. We stepped in from the cold, were greeted immediately and shown to our table. Everyone got quite a greeting from the helpful staff. Indeed, the staff - chatty, smiling, efficient - contributed in no small way to the general and genial atmosphere. We left this friendly place with, yes, a stomach full of food, but also with a sense of well-being.

My drink, by the way, was Stag Stout from 9 White Deer in Ballyvourney. I’ve long been a fan. It is a medium-bodied traditional dry Irish stout at 4.2 % ABV. It is designed to appeal primarily to traditional stout drinkers, and also happens to be gluten-free, the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

Gallaghers. A comfortable corner.

Gallagher's and Beara Distillery combine to present an accomplished taste of the peninsula

Gallagher's and Beara Distillery combine to present an accomplished taste and taoscán of the peninsula.

Delightful pairings a highlight of Cork on a Fork Fest

Beara-Ly Standing, the cocktail that brought the lovely afternoon, part of the annual Cork in a Fork Festival, to a sweet conclusion. Ingredients are Beara Black Cask Whiskey, lemon and red berry sherbet, egg white, crushed almond, meringue. The matching dessert was Lemon Gin infused polenta, mascarpone honey glaze roasted almonds, and mixed berries. Gallaghers and Johnny and Valerie Power all worked together to make this a superb experience. Preparations included a visit to the distillery by Gallaghers staff (hard work?) and lots of experimentation in MacCurtain Street and it all came good last Saturday.

Dee of Babelfís and Myles of Gallaghers got the ball rolling

The four-course meal started with Egg Three Ways described as Asparagus and sun-dried tomato frittata, crispy egg and a potato hash brown, egg bread rouldade, serrano ham and liver paté, Quite a plateful of flavours and texture and all accompanied by the first of the cocktails.

Eggs Three Ways with Royale to the right in the background

It was named the Wild Atlantic Royale made from Beara Pink Gin, mandarin and elderflower balsamic shrub, and topped with prosecco. Oos and aahs all round and the party was definitely on.

Course number two was the really amazing and well-named Salmon Sensation, a delicious combo of Lemon & Lime Beara Gin Cured Salmon, poached cherry tomatoes, sesame seeds, garlic basil, apple celeriac remoulade, samphire and nori seaweed foam. Every bit on the plate played a role; the salmon itself was memorable and those tomatoes were something else. 

And what would sir have with that? Unusual Abundance was the name of the cocktail: Beara Ocean Gin, sugar kelp, nettle and lime cordial, and honey. Kelp is grown in the bay, Johnny told me.

If the second was my favourite plateful, the third proved my favourite cocktail, the appropriately titled El Plato Principal, combining Fat Washed Beara Whiskey, sweet vermouth, black walnut bitters, orange bitters, sugar and Pernod spritz. Amazing with the whiskey getting a chance to shine through. 

Myles explained in some detail (to myself and Johnny), that fat-washed whiskey involves the whiskey, beef fat and the freezer and the technique enhances the flavour of the whiskey and "clears" it making it lighter in colour. Basically, you allow the fat and whiskey to intermingle and then comes a spell in the freezer. The fat goes solid, and all you have to do is drain off your whiskey. Cheers!

The Gallaghers kitchen whizzed off to South America for the matching dish and again came up trumps with the Mexican Tostadas (Corn shell tostadas, black beans & tomato corinader salsa, meatballs topped up with cheese sauce). Loved it, especially the black beans in the salsa.

Dessert. Topped with a fuschia flower!

Number four was next, all for a sweet finish as you can see in the opening paragraph! A terrific afternoon for the punters - live jazz was enjoyed as well as the food and drink. 

A delighted Gallaghers were soon on social media: "It was a very enjoyable afternoon. We were delighted with what the team @gallaghers & @Babelfisbrand put together and with the fantastic support from @BearaDistillery John & Valerie." It was indeed a lovely and memorable occasion.

Quite a few exotic touches in the menu and indeed in Gallaghers' menus in general but they are firm supporters of Irish produce. One hundred per cent of their beef is Irish and other producers supported include Twomey's Butchers Macroom, P. O'Connell and Sons, Ballycotton Seafood, Shellfish Delamare, Traditional Cheese Company, Hegarty Cheese, Pana Bread, and Alternative Bread Company.

More details on the restaurant and menus here. Terrific food and drink and charming staff. And I'm told there is no need at all to avoid their Charmless Man cocktail, as the name is really just a rum sort of joke!

More on the distillery here.

City Pulls Together in Cork Gourmet Trail 2019

City Pulls Together for Cork Gourmet Trail 2019

On the way. Pic via @corkgourmettrail 

There is great cooperation between the hotels, restaurants and bars in the city. The sentiments of Aaron Mansworth of Trigon Hotels and reiterated by Mags O’Connor of the Cornstore as the Cobh Clams descended on the Bodega and as we spoke about what it takes to put an event like this Cork Gourmet Trail on the road.

Sweet. From Olivo

Better explain, the Cobh Clams were one of five large groups taking part in the 2019 edition of the Trail and the Bodega, where neighbours Cornstore also had a stand, was our first port of call. The other groups that would follow, at intervals, were Bantry Barnacles, Monkstown Mussels, Leap Lobsters, and Shanagarry Scallops.

Gallaghers Gastro Bar

The event, part of the Cork Oyster Festival based at the Metropole (one of the Trigon hotels), began at noon and ended late-ish in the Met and in between visits were made to Cask, Dwyers of Cork, Greenes, The Oyster Tavern, Electric, Soho, Tequila Jacks, The New Yorker Bar & Bistro, Olivo at the Cork Airport Hotel, the Cornstore, Gallaghers, the Bodega and Arthur Maynes. We didn’t walk out to the Airport by the way as both the New Yorker and Olivo were accommodated in the city.

So what can you expect on a Cork Gourmet Trail. Quite a lot and all quite delicious, something for everyone. The Cornstore/Coqbull menu for the event is an excellent illustration. 

Brick Prawns brick pastry & basil wrapped prawns with jalapeno mayo.

Dry Aged Beef Yorkshire puddings stuffed with dry aged roast beef, caramelised white onion, wasabi mash and stuffing.

Mini Moqbull: Mushroom umami burger with vegan truffle mayo vegan cheese and rocket.

Bloody Mary Oyster: natural oyster with bloody mary jelly.

Angels on Horseback: oysters wrapped in Parma ham, deep fried in Japanese tempura batter with lime and courgette chutney.

Tasty, from Gallaghers

Takeout desserts from Cornstore

And the welcome here was warm, a drink (red and white wine and more) offered immediately. A table top full of local and international charcuterie and cheese, including an ultra spicy Spanish blue, while alongside Bodega chef Dave had some beauties including Oysters baked in their own Grainne Ale beer and a delicious Basket Cheese Cake with whiskey among the ingredients! And if you couldn’t sample everything - nobody could! - there were some lovely takeout desserts from the Cornstore.

And that welcome and choice of food and drink set the scene for the long afternoon, replicated all the way. More wine and hospitality on offer at Dwyers in Washington Street where we stuffed ourselves into the various nooks and crannies, every now and then replenishing at the stands of Dwyers itself and the New Yorker. The New Yorker’s Chicken Croquette, home-smoked in Barry’s Tea, was one treat, while one to finish with was the Jameson and Ginger Cheesecake by our hosts.

Bodega's Dave

Next stop was Electric who treated us to oysters and a Kinsale G&T. Kinsale Gin are among the sponsors. Earlier we started as we gathered in the Vance Room in the Met with yes, a G&T and oysters, before being divided up into the various groups and being introduced to our leaders. Our guide was Ray from Trigon and he didn’t lose anyone!

After Electric, we strolled down the Mall to the lovely and lively Tequila Jacks. More wine and also some delicious Tequila based cocktails and more good food, both from our hosts (a superb taco, also delicious Pork Belly) and some savoury and sweet stuff too from Olivo (including some well presented dessert bites).

Electric oysters

MET head chef Stuart Dardis (left)
with out guide Ray Kelleher (Trigon Hotels)

Cask was next on the itinerary and here also we met Gallaghers and the MET Tavern. Gallaghers had a trio of beauties including a Beef Featherblade with a Walnut Chutney. While the Met, with Head Chef Stuart Dardis on hand, had a great selection too including a palate pleasing tuna bite. Cask shone too, supplying the drinks and lots of their interesting tapas including exquisite prawns. And all the way through, it was smiles galore and helpful people even if, by this stage, they must have been explaining their offering for the umpteenth time that afternoon. Pure Cork!

We weren’t finished yet. Next stop was the Oyster Tavern and here we met a couple of stragglers from a previous group. They had stopped to do a bit of shopping in Penneys and were now running late! So we had a chat with that English duo as we had chats all through with whoever we happened to end up with, sometimes friends, sometimes total strangers, but no strangers when the day was through.

Another glass of wine in the Oyster and excellent food also. Soho were here as well and their Pork Belly was so good I called for it twice!

The final round-up was back at the Douglas Vance room in the Metropole but some were saying their goodbyes. We were humming and hawing about it as we strolled down Patrick Street. The rain, which had been intermittent all afternoon, was now pelting down and that, plus the fact that there was a No. 208 conveniently at our bus-stop, made up our minds for us and we headed home after a terrific day in the city. Well done to all behind the Trail, the Oyster Festival itself and to one lady in particular (who we are all thinking of this weekend).

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!