CorkBilly’s Drinks Digest: Wines, Spirits and Beers. A Wolf in Town!

CorkBilly’s Drinks Digest

Wines, Spirits and Beers

At The Bierhaus Cork, this Thursday, 7.30pm

Wicklow Wolf X Anspach & Hobday (London) Tap-takeover. 

Meet the Wicklow Wolf Team & Anspach & Hobday owner/brewer (Jack Hobday) 

3 Beers from Wicklow Wolf 

3 Beers from Anspach & Hobday 

1 Collaboration beer 

Tastings promos on the night! Details on the Bierhaus Facebook page.

and if you want more Wicklow Wolf then you’ll find them teaming up with their friends Dungarvan Brewing Company at Dungarvan’s Merrys Gastro Pub for a 6 Course Beer Dinner, celebrating Irish Craft Beer on Friday the 23rd November.

Spanish Wine Evening at Rostellan Chocolate

Friday, November 30, 2018 at 7 PM – 9 PM

An evening of tasting 6 varieties of Spanish Wine with cheese and pates. Alejandro from Heart of Spain will present this event which promises to be a fantastic evening. Strictly limited tickets are on sale at an introductory price of €25 each. Contact Peter at 087 2908774 to purchase a ticket.

SuperValu Case Deal

Kate Barry of Barry & Fitzwilliam has been on to tell me about the terrific Villa Maria Case Deal exclusive to SuperValu.

6 different bottles of Villa Maria wine per case.  The RRP for the pack is €105 – it is on offer in selected SuperValu stores at €70.00

The Buy 6 Save €10 starts next Thursday 22^nd November and will run until December 24^th -  hence this will bring it down to €60.

Please note the Villa Maria Case Deal is a limited offer and once it’s gone it is gone!!

Mezze & wine pairings night in Ardkeen Quality Food Store. 

Join us at the Barista Bar in Ardkeen Quality Food Store on Saturday 24 November for a Mezze & wine pairings night. Husband and wife team Dvir and Nicola of Mezze (Waterford locals) will prepare an authentic Middle Eastern feast with shared plates using the amazing locally sourced produce from Ardkeen Quality Food Store. Experience casual authentic Middle Eastern dining, ideas of how to use local produce to prepare bright and vibrant foods, and learn which wines work best with Middle Eastern flavours - all chosen by resident expert Julie Ward.

Tickets include 4 course vegetarian meal with wine tastings and must be purchased in advance. 

Les Gourmandises have a Malbec wine & dinner on November 27th (7.00pm); details on their Facebook page.

Premium Irish whiskey tasting and 4 course tasting menu at Cronin’s Pub.

Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 7:30 PM – 10 PM

"Join us in Cronin's Pub, Crosshaven for a premium Irish whiskey tasting and 4 course tasting menu. We will be joined by Irish Distiller's whiskey ambassador Michael Cowman. Each whiskey will be paired with a specially prepared tasting menu from the Mad Fish Kitchen at Cronin's Pub.

Be amongst the first to taste the newly launched Red Spot, 15 Year Old Single Pot Still, which was discontinued in the mid-1960s and now rejoins Green Spot and Yellow Spot in Irish Distillers’ Spot Whiskeys range. It has been created using an old recipe handed down by the Mitchell & Son family of wine merchants, who created the original Spot Whiskeys in the early 1900s. We will be tasting this alongside Yellow Spot 12 Year Old.

This will be a night to remember! Starts at 7.30pm. Tickets must be purchased in advance."

Cillian of Mescan Brewery has a special for you

Westport’s Mescan Brewery

“Delighted to announce the release of our Christmas beer, Beoir na Nollag!

We made a version of the beer 3 years ago and it was a huge success. This year's beer follows the theme but it's a new recipe. It's a strong dark beer 8.8% which was brewed in the spring and was cold conditioned in bulk for 6 months before transfer to Irish Whiskey casks for 2 months of barrel ageing. It was then dry hopped and bottle conditioned. 

The flavour profile is malty, with dry fruits, warming alcohol and sublte notes of whiskey, wood and hops. Over time it will demonstrate an evolving complexity as it matures farther in the bottle so it's a beer that can be enjoyed now or cellared for later drinking. 

We only bottled 1,000 litres but we hope not to run out before Christmas!”

And, speaking of Christmas specials, Eight Degrees have two beauties. Check them out here 

Cork City by The Lee. Stay. Eat. Shop. See!

Cork City by The Lee. 
Stay. Eat. Shop. See!

Music city

The Firkin Crane in Shandon,
once the butter capital of the world

See: The Queen made it her number one stop in Cork so you’ve just got to see the English Market, an institution in the city since 1788. Nearby, you’ll see the spires of historic St Fin Barre’s Cathedral.

St Anne’s Church in Shandon is another landmark. Visit and don’t forget to ring the bells.  Cork was once the butter capital of the world and the Butter Museum is in the shadow of Shandon.

Staying north of the river, why not pay a call to the storied cells of the City Gaol. The Glucksman is a lovely art gallery in the leafy grounds of the university while the well established Crawford Gallery is easily accessible in the city centre, next door to the Opera House. And don't forget Elizabeth Fort and the newly opened Nano Nagle Place. Always something interesting on at The Triskel, an arts venue in a converted church.

Shop: While in the English Market why not do a bit of shopping and check out local delicacies such as buttered eggs and spiced beef. The compact city centre boasts a few top notch shopping centres: Merchants Quay, Opera Lane and the new Capitol area. North Main Street has Bradley’s, founded in 1850, and famous for its wall of craft beers.

For a different experience head to Mahon Point Farmer’s Market every Thursday where you’ll find fantastic local cheese and meat and much more, including wild mushrooms, all within a few yards of the large shopping centre.

No shortage of farm to fork restaurants in Cork

Eat: No shortage of eating places including Greene's, Jacques, LesGourmandises and Isaac's while lively lunchtime venues include the Farmgate and Nash 19. Mad on meat? Try Son of a Bun, Holy Smoke, SpitJack, and many more. Exceptional Japanese at Miyazaki (just six stools though!) No meat? Then the amazing Cafe Paradiso is the one, Iyers is another. Idaho is the city centre cafe while coffee stops abound.  For a fuller list of restaurants and cafes, city and county, see my regularly updated list here. Also check the Whazon Cork listings.

A city of bridges

Drink: For something a little different try L’Atitude Wine Café close to the City Hall. The emphasis here is on quality wines and tasty local snacks with a continental touch. Electric, with its downstairs bar and upstairs fish bar, has taken the South Mall by storm since it opened in 2010.  SoHo and the Bodega are other modern bars with restaurants attached.

For something more traditional, including the music, there are quite a few with The Oliver Plunket being very central indeed. And, if you prefer craft beers then the Franciscan Well on the North Mall is the place to go as they have a micro brewery right behind the counter. Other pubs with micro-breweries include Rising Sons (Cornmarket Street), Elbow Lane (Oliver Plunket Street, excellent food here also) and Cotton Ball (Mayfield).

Stay: With excellent food in the building and efficient and friendly service, the River Lee is a lovely place to stay in Cork. If you need something more central, the Clayton is for you. A short distance from the centre, you'll find the Ambassador and the Montenotte, each with great views over the city. 

Fitzgerald's Park

If you are caught for time, stay at the Metropole and explore the amazing McCurtain Street, its pubs, theatre, cafes and restaurants.

Something on the traditional side? Why not the Imperial where you’ll be wined and dined and never be short of company as the locals come and go. Like it leafy? Then the Hayfield Manor and the Maryborough near Douglas are recommended as is the Radisson in Little Island.

Making a quick getaway? The Cork International Airport Hotel is excellent. Heading north or west? Check the Commons Inn.

Walk: Cork is very compact and great for walks. Call to the tourist office and pick up the maps and info for some city centre strolls.

Like to try something more energetic? Then start at the North Mall and take a brisk riverside stroll through the Mardyke, into Fitzgerald’s Park, past the UCC Grounds and then onto the Lee Fields. Just remember you have to come back!

There is a very popular walk by the harbour starting at Blackrock Castle, another great place to visit with an excellent restaurant, the Castle Cafe. For something shorter but still interesting, do the circular walk around the Lough, a suburban lake full of swans and ducks and other wildfowl.

Ballycotton cliff walk, just east of the city

Get Out: No shortage of things to see and do on the eastern side of the city. Take a trip to Fota House and its famous gardens and arboretum. If you have kids, then the Fota Wildlife Park is at hand. Much to do in Cobh also, including a trip by boat to Spike Island, a former prison with history galore. 

Spike Island

To the south then and a highlight in Crosshaven is the coastal artillery fort of Camden with a wealth of history and great views. Another fort, this also being restored, is Charlesfort in Kinsale, a historic town rich in excellent eating places and with a must visit Wine Museum in Desmond Castle. Blarney is just north of the city. The castle, and its famous stone, is a busy spot. Eat at The Square Table.

Strike off to the west and take in the impressive ruins of the abbey at Timoleague . WestCork boasts magnificent beaches and good food producers whose products you may sample in restaurants such as the Pilgrim's (Rosscarbery),  Richy’s Bistro (Clonakilty), and Bastion (Kinsale).

For more detailed guides to the county, check out my East Cork and North Cork recommendations.

Jazz time

Listen: There is almost always a music festival on in Cork and surrounds and the big one is the Jazz, always on the final weekend of October. There is a Folk Festival at the end of September and film buffs are in town in force in November. Check them all out here.

The Choral festival dominates in the spring and summer sings with the Midsummer Festival, followed by the International Folk Dancing Festival. Music in the Marquee  is a big highlight. Night after summer night, the Marquee hosts top names. Bryan Adams, Cliff Richard and Elton John played this summer (2017).

Avoid: The usual big city security precautions apply. Avoid leaving anything visible in your car and so on. Not much else to avoid. Maybe the rainy days. But even those can be fun. Never know who you’ll find singing at the local bar, even on the street. It is a fun city. So enjoy!

One Farmers Market. One Restaurant. Weekend: Douglas, Les Gourmandises

One Farmers Market. One Restaurant

Weekend: Douglas, Les Gourmandises

I took the opportunity at the weekend to get to the Douglas Farmers Market and also to revisit Les Gourmandises in the city centre.

The farmers market has now moved from Dunnes Stores car park to a new spot in the centre of Douglas village, on the plaza by Marks & Spencers. It is a compact location and the reports are good. It is open on Saturdays, from 10.00am until 2.00pm.

Old Millbank Salmon Pate - with some chunky bits added!

Some excellent stalls here, including the Rocketman, Badger & Dodo coffee, Ballycurraginny Farm vegetables (not forgetting their gorgeous Joe’s Farm vegetable crisps), Arbutus Breads, O'Driscoll's Fish from Schull, Old Millbank Smoked Salmon, Woodside Farm, Brendan's Burritos, Sonny’s Broth, West Cork Pies, Green Field Farm, Ballycotton Free Range Farm, O’Leary’s Mountain Lamb, Cloud Confectionery, Dingle Cookie Company, Volcano Wood-fired Pizza, Mealagulla Orchards, Barry’s Nurseries, Clothilde Compotes, along with some others. Guest stalls too feature.

O’Driscoll’s, no matter where you find them (Midleton and the Coal Quay are among their venues), are always popular. We often go for the popular fish but this time the red gurnard caught our eye. So that was the main course for Saturday. And we got our starter across the way from Old Millbank. They had a nice tub of Salmon Pate (with one that included a few chunks of the salmon as well!).

Red Gurnard at O'Driscoll's

Lunch too came from Douglas, a pot of that delicious aromatic Chicken Broth by Sonny (we added some noodles). It is a Vietnamese broth and the proper title is Phỏ Gà and was a recent Taste of the Week. Check it out here, if you have a chance.

The other main purchase was some shoulder of pork from Woodside for Sunday's dinner, the order to cook it low and slow. We got an unsolicited recommendation from another customer who thought it was fantastic and told us his 93 year old mother is thrilled with it as it reminds her of the real taste from a long ways back.

Some low and slow cooking too in Les Gourmandises on Friday night. Slow cooked beef, braised carrots, baby onions, and smoked Gubbeen lardons, with a delicious red wine jus, was my superb main course, with a side plate of sauteed potatoes. CL’s choice was also excellent: Braised lamb shoulder with smoked potatoes, braised onion and Savoy Cabbage.

Woodside

O'Driscoll's

We had a fine choice for starters. We had eaten some of them before including the excellent Prawns in Filo pastry with Mango jelly and Mango creme fraiche and the Roasted on the Bone Quail with coconut, cumin, basmati and apricots.

My pick this time was the Carpaccio (named after the Venetian painter) of Spiced beef, tomato, pickled and shaved parmesan while CL took the Castletownbere Crab Salad, brioche croutons, peaches and piccalilli. Both good but, next time, we may go back to the brilliant prawns and the quail!

Desserts again had no shortage of choice, up to seven, including a selection plate for sharing. No sharing this time though! My pick was the Warm Chocolate Fondant with butterscotch centre and vanilla ice cream. Pretty good. CL was delighted with her Caramelised Apple Tart with Five Spice and cinnamon ice cream. All good. No tea or coffee though, not at €3.65 a cup!

New location, in centre of Douglas

There is a good selection of house wines, all Old World, and all at €29.50 a bottle or €8.50 a glass. Haven't seen that kind of uniformity anywhere else! My glass was a 2012 Portuguese blend of Tempranillo, Castelao and Syrah, called Pinta Negra Tinta, nice and smooth with dark fruits. CL sipped happily from an organic wine, Fontana Bodegas from Castille (Spain), a 100 percent Tempranillo (2014).

There are quite a number of possible menu variations and you can get to try the excellent food here for less than the €47.50 (the cost of our 3-course menu). There is also a Prix Fixe menu and here you may have three courses (from a more limited selection) for €32.50. Most nights, maybe not all night, you will get tapas to share, two main courses and a glass of wine each for €39.50 for two people. Stay up to date on all menus and special offers by checking their Facebook page here.

Oh La La! Chocolat! 

Les Gourmandises. Vive la différence.

Les Gourmandises

That Bit Different.

Guinea fowl

If you choose Les Gourmandises  in Cook Street, Cork, then you choose something different. Sure the produce is local but you rarely get Guinea-fowl on a local menu. Poached clementines on the dessert list? Service, cooking and presentation is top notch, always that touch of class. Vive la différence.

As you gather, I like the place. I’d like it even better if it didn't have the schoolroom look, those long neat rows. Would love to see a screen or two, a few tall plants maybe, just to break those straight lines (which probably have their advantages for serving). Forgot all that though as we studied the menu and got the extra information about the evening's specials.

That guinea-fowl was one of the specials and an excellent dish. It was served with lentils, black pudding, caramelised walnuts, potato fondant and pureed beetroot. Absolutely superb flavours and so well cooked. As I said, Guinea-fowl is pretty rare on local tables but I did enjoy it last year in Ballymaloe and in the Mustard Seed the year before that.

Cod

There were some nine main courses to choose from and mine was the Roasted fillet of cod, smoked white beans and braised chicory. Nothing wasted here, all three main elements combining well. I was especially pleased with the smoked beans though and, of course, that cod was so fresh and so easy to digest.

My starter was also something of a special: Goat’s Cheese mousse, with beetroot and walnuts. I know that you often get beetroot with goats cheese but this was pickled and lifted the dish. Very enjoyable though I must admit I was a little envious when I looked across the table and saw the Dublin Bay prawns served with mango crème fraiche and mango jelly. I got a wee taste, enough to confirm CL’s enthusiastic endorsement.

Desserts often follow a similar pattern but not here, so we took the sweet plunge. Poached clementines, star anise, caramel, gingerbread ice-cream for her, Fromage frais with fresh apricots, and Madeira biscuits for me. No regrets. Au contraire.

The three course price, including tea or coffee, comes to €47.50 each; wines are a stiffish €8.50 a glass. There are quite a number of possible menu variations and you can get to try the excellent food here for less. Some nights, generally early in the week, you will get tapas to share, two main courses and a glass of wine each for €39.50 for two people. Recommended. Stay up to date on all menus and special offers by checking their facebook page here.

Clementines (left) and, right from top, Goat's Cheese,
Prawns, Apricot dessert

Les Gourmandises suppliers include:

Meat – John O’Flynns & Sons, Marlboro Street

Fish – O’Connells, English Market

Shellfish de la Mer – Castletownbere, West Cork

Moynihan butcher, Grand Parade, English Market

Smoked Gubbeen smoked house . Gubbeen

Caherbeg free range pork , Rosscarbery, West Cork

Cheesemongers – Iago

Poultry, Moynihan , English Market

Bread – The Natural Bread Company

Les Gourmandises

17 Cook Street

Cork

(021) 425 1959

Les Gourmandises the big winners at Munster Restaurants Awards

Top Restaurants in Munster Announced at Santa Rita Irish Restaurants Awards

www.irishrestaurantawards.com

The Munster Regional Final for the Restaurant Awards 2012 sponsored by Santa Rita / Sunday Independent Life Magazine took place in The Imperial Hotel, Tuesday 3^rd April 2012.

Speaking at the awards last night, Adrian Cummins of the Restaurants Association of Ireland said

‘Since their inception, the Irish Restaurant Awards have cast a spotlight on Ireland’s hottest restaurants and chefs. They have become a byword for quality, class and achievement… The awards everyone wants to win. As a testament to their success, the entries have doubled since last year, with 5,000 nominations made for Ireland’sfavourite Restaurants, Chefs, Gastro Pubs, Hotel Restaurants and Local Food Heroes throughout the Country.

We celebrate the award winning cuisines and the great restaurateurs and chefs who have brought international recognition and accolades to the Irish restaurant scene.  We are the economic engine rooms in every town in Ireland, creating and maintaining much needed local employment.  Our industry has annual sales in excess of €2 billion and we employ 64,000 people.  In fact, we are the largest employer within the Irish Tourism Sector. And tonight, everyone is a winner’.

It was great to see  over 240 restaurateurs attend  the awards in the Ulster region this year., we look forward to seeing all of the Ulster County Winners in Dublin on the 14thMay 2012 where Regional and All Ireland winners will be announced’.

Nominations for the awards were made by readers of the Sunday Independent Life Magazine and members of the Restaurants Association of Ireland. All nominees are then assessed by Regional Judging panels, made up of Industry experts across the region.  Votes from the Consumer, Members of the Restaurants Association of Ireland and the Regional Judges are independently assessed by KPMG who give us our County Winner in each category.

All County winners will now compete for the Regional and All Ireland Title which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards in the Burlington Hotel Dublin on Wednesday 14^th May 2012.www.irishrestaurantawards.com . 
There are 3 components to phase two of the process. Each element is independently assessed by KPMG.

1. Mystery Guest Visit (35%) This component of the awards is conducted by Prism Consulting headed by Hugo Arnold, independent food writer and consultant. (http://www.hugoarnold.com). All County Winners receive a mystery guest visit throughout the month of April.

2. National Awards Academy (55%) Our National Awards Academy is made up representatives from each of the regional judging panels and will meet in May to Judge the County Winners.

3. Menu Judging (10%) All County winners and the Dublin Shortlist in each category are asked to submit a copy of their food menu and wine list for judging.

COUNTY	CUSTOMER   SERVICE
CLARE	TOWN HALL   BISTRO
WATERFORD	ATHENAEUM   HOUSE
TIPPERARY	THE FAIRWAYS   BAR
LIMERICK	THE MUSTARD   SEED
KERRY	JACKS   COASTGUARD STATION
CORK	ISAACS   RESTAURANT
COUNTY	GASTROPUB -   SPONSORED BY FAUSTINO
CLARE	THE ROADSIDE   TAVERN
WATERFORD	JACK MEADES
TIPPERARY	LARKINS
LIMERICK	THE LOCK BAR
KERRY	SPILLANES BAR
CORK	THE WOODFORD
COUNTY	CASUAL DINING   - SPONSORED JOSEPH DROUHIN
CLARE	L'ARCO
WATERFORD	MCLEARY'S
TIPPERARY	CAFE HANS
LIMERICK	LA CUCINA
KERRY	SOL Y SOMBRA
CORK	NASH 19
COUNTY	HOTEL   RESTAURANT
CLARE	THE LONG ROOM   @ THE LODGE DOONBEG
CORK	LONGUEVILLE   HOUSE
KERRY	CELLAR ONE   RESTAURANT @ THE ROSS HOTEL
LIMERICK	THE OAKROOM   RESTAURANT @ ADARE MANOR
TIPPERARY	THE OLD   CONVENT
WATERFORD	THE MUNSTER   ROOM@ WATERFORD CASTLE
COUNTY	BEST CHEF -   SPONSORED BY TIPPERARY WATER
CLARE	WADE MURPHY	THE LODGE AT   DOONBEG
CORK	PAT KIELY	LES   GOURMANDISES
KERRY	NOEL ENRIGHT	THE CHART   HOUSE
LIMERICK	MARK DONOHUE	ADARE MANOR
TIPPERARY	DERMOT GANNON	THE OLD   CONVENT
WATERFORD	MICHAEL QUINN	WATERFORD   CASTLE
COUNTY	RESTAURANT-   SPONSORED BY SANTA RITA
CLARE	THE WILD   HONEY INN
CORK	LES   GOURMANDISES
KERRY	CHAPTER 40   RESTAURANT
LIMERICK	CORNSTORE   RESTAURANT
TIPPERARY	BROCKA ON THE   WATER
WATERFORD	O'BRIEN CHOP   HOUSE
MUNSTER WINE   EXPERIENCE	HAYFILED   MANOR, CO. CORK
MUNSTER KIDS   SIZE ME	THE STONE   CUTTERS KITCHEN, CO. CLARE