O’Mahony's Winning Formula. Local and Seasonal. Small Plates. Big Flavours.

O’Mahony's Winning Formula. 

Local and Seasonal. Small Plates. Big Flavours

O’Mahony’s is making waves in Watergrasshill, even though it is in its early years of it reincarnation. The food offering started a couple of years back as local and seasonal, on small plates mostly, and that is still the formula, backed up by a very helpful, very well informed front of house, lots of chats, loads of smiles, a welcome on the mat and all the way through.

And there is also a huge welcome for local producers and suppliers. Their produce is carefully handled here, expertly cooked and delivered on those (not so) small plates!  It is the same with drinks. The craft beer selection includes Franciscan Well and 8 Degrees on draught, Blacks’ ales in bottle, also the Saor GF from 9 White Deer, and ciders by Stonewell and Longueville House. And don’t worry, mainstream beers are also available.

Stonewell zero

Back to the menu though. You may nibble away on marinated olives for a start. If you prefer something a bit bigger why not consider their boards: Antipasto, Cheese, or Charcuterie. We decided to share the Antipasto, a selection of dips (hummus, tapenade, goats cheese, etc, olives) with bread.

We had the car, so what would we drink? A quick answer was provided in the shape of their non-alcoholic board. It included a red wine, a white wine, even a sparkling one. The Seed-lip gin was available as were the apple based drinks (very nice too) from the local Future Orchards. Also some beers: Baltika, Heineken zero and Erdinger and a zero cider by Stonewell. The latter was my pick - it was my first time trying it. Stonewell always hit a high standard and this did the job very well indeed. CL meanwhile choose the Erdinger, probably the best of the three beers on offer. 

The increasing number of local and seasonal supporters will be delighted to see the small plates list - these are basically your main courses without all the sometimes superfluous extras. You’ll note names like Jack McCarthy, Kilbrack Farm, Gubbeen, Ballyhoura Mushrooms, Carrigcleena Duck, Leamlara Honey, Hegarty’s Cheese and Fitzgerald Butchers. By the way, O’Mahony’s is also the area base for NeighbourFood through which you may also get your hands on some of these lovely products.

Smoked lamb

The menu changes regularly. There were seven choices for us and it took us a while to make up our minds. I think we could have employed the Grand National formula: close the eyes and stick a pin in the list. But we did pick a couple and shared. That is one thing about these “small plates”; they are ideal for groups who order a bunch of them and then share.

I was tempted by the Rockpool: Kilbrack blue potato, gnocchi, foraged sea herbs and poached white soul, and that seemed to be a favourite of Victor (who owns and runs the pub along with Máire). In the end though, I went for the Carrigcleena duck pastilles, Leamlara Honeycomb, coriander yogurt. The duck came in three parcels, packed with flavoursome meat and that was enhanced by the yoghurt and a small square of the honeycomb.

CL also hit the jackpot with the Hot Smoked Fitzgerald’s lamb, braised red cabbage parsnip purée and game chips. The tender meat is served pink and is the main player in a hearty ensemble, every item in the mix playing a part. And we both thoroughly enjoyed the side of excellent hand-cut chips with a punchy pepper sauce.

Now we were looking at the short list of desserts. I was seriously considering the Treacle Tart with Yum Gelato vanilla before taking Victor’s tip - he freely admits to being biased! - which was the Cardamon, Lemon Curd Pannacotta, ginger Manuka honey, jelly and tuile.  Went down every well indeed.

Dessert

By the way, as I didn’t mention it earlier, they have a House drinks list here, all from neighbours. House Gin is Bertha’s Revenge (from Castlelyons) with Poachers Tonic and orange. The local juice, from Glanmire, is supplied by Future Orchards while the local cider comes from Mallow’s Longueville House. And 8 Degrees, up the road in Mitchelstown, are the producers of the House beer.

All the regular wines are available by the glass and you also have a rosé and Prosecco. On the night, the list was supplemented by a specials board that had no less than seven new wines which will soon have a place on the list. So, no shortage. And no shortage either of spirits where again, particularly in gins and whiskeys, they are strong on supporting Irish.

O'Mahony's of Watergrasshill is a family-run country pub and food venue just off the Cork-Dublin motorway (M8);  is only 10 minutes from the Dunkettle Interchange, near Cork City. The pub has been Máire's family for 200 years. Experienced Chef Jim Coleman recently joined the team.

House drinks, from a previous visit. Bertha's Revenge and Eight Degrees

O’Mahony’s 

Main Street

Watergrasshill

Co. Cork

OPENING HOURS

Café bar
11am – 5pm, Wed, Thur & Fri
1pm – 5pm, Sat

Bar kitchen
6pm – 9pm, Fri & Sat
12pm – 4pm-ish &  6pm–8pm, Sun

Bar

6pm – close, Fri – Sun

ENQUIRIES

+353 (0)86 831 6879 omahonysofwgh@gmail.com

Good Day Deli. Good Food Daily

Good Day Deli

Good Food Daily

Pic by Good Day Deli

Kai Moana is one of the exotic names that pops up on the menu at Good Day Deli in the gardens of Nano Nagle Place in Cork City. Those of you who have visited the South Pacific, especially New Zealand and the “neighbouring” islands, will not find them strange at all and know that Kai Moana is the Maori for seafood.

Perhaps the most important two words you’ll read are Mana Tiaki. It is the motto for this lovely new daytime restaurant. “In the Cook Islands, the core value of Mana Tiaki is guardianship of heritage and the environment for future generations. Mana Tiaki is a beautiful value to live by and is at the core of Good Day Deli.”

So sustainability is the guideline for the crew here, fronted by owners Clare Condon and New Zealander Kristin Makirere and Head Chef Charlotte Murphy, from the food sourcing right down to the paper napkins. 

Importantly that food is delicious; the word has already spread and the place was packed when we visited about 12.30pm last Friday. Don't just look in through the glass and say “we’ll never get a table”. Open the door and soon enough you’ll be seated. You may reserve a table earlier in the week (Tuesday to Thursday).

The afternoon menu kicks in at 12.30. After a few minutes delay we were seated and studying the list. There was a hot seasonal soup (chilli and coriander in this case), a Tart of the Day, a Vibrant Vegan dish, and a Halloumi Citrus Salad. Sides galore: honey, nut dukkah, tapenade, hummus, paprika fries and more.

We had spotted a hake dish on their facebook page and were hoping it was still on. It was and CL picked that one: Kai Moana Fish Tacos, lightly battered Irish Hake on Blanco Nino Corn Tortillas with raw slaw, pickle plus lemon coriander mayo and fries. That fish was fresh and delicious, a lovely dish for €15.00.

I also hit the jackpot with the GDD Curry Bowl (€14.00). Crown Prince Squash + Chickpea Coconut Curry Bowl, with Basmati rice, yogurt and toasted coconut is the full description. Probably the best curry I've ever tasted is mine. Just perfect.

Service here, even with the small queue at the door, is excellent. No pressure, just smiles and all the info you want.

One of their aims is to “elevate local producers”. They feature quite a list on the menu including (it will change seasonally) well-known cheesemakers such as Ardsallagh, Hegarty’s and Toonsbridge, farms like Kilbrack, Horizon and Richard’s, also Green Space, Frank Hederman, Ballycotton Seafood, and Organic for Us (milk). Quite an impressive list and that’s only half of it. Oh yes, the Blanco Nino Corn Tortillas with the hake are made in Clonmel.

The café, bright and airy with some outside tables, has one of the best situations on the city, in the middle of the peaceful well-kept gardens of the Nano Nagle Place, fast becoming one of the city centre’s top attractions. While at the café, I took the opportunity to visit the buildings and you may read about it here. No doubt as the season goes on, both Nano Nagle and Good Day Deli will get busier.

Good Day Deli

Nano Nagle Place

Douglas Street

Cork

(021) 432 2107

clare@gooddaydeli.ie