Michelin's Best Pubs to eat in. And a few of my own!

Seafood platter at the Seaview Tavern in Malin.

The Michelin ‘eating out in pubs’ guide

Thirty-four Irish pubs spread across fifteen counties have secured listings in the 2014 Michelin ‘Eating Out In Pubs’ Guide just published. 

Is that too many? Too few? What do you think? Perhaps we have too many listings of the best this and the best that! Still, that won’t stop me from adding a few of my own, in red at the bottom! I ate in all of my recommendations this year.

By the way, I’m not saying that any of those listed shouldn’t be there. Don’t know them all obviously but I have enjoyed the high standards in places such as the Wild Honey Inn in Lisdoonvarna and Cronin’s in Crosshaven.

Hake & Scallops lunch in Murph's

Of the twenty-seven pubs in the Republic of Ireland, five are new listings – Byrne and Woods (Roundwood), Tavern (Murrisk), Fallon’s (Kilcullen), Linnane’s Lobster Bar (New Quay) and Morrissey’s (Doonbeg). Three received Inspector’s Favourite listings – Wild Honey Inn (Lisdoonvarna), Deasy’s (Clonakilty) and Toddy’s at The Bulman (Kinsale).

Produced by leading tyre manufacturer Michelin, this year’s Guide recommends some 577 pubs spread across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland of which 70 are new entries and all of which are selected, first and foremost, for the quality of their food.

Noting that no one has to put up with bad food in a pub anymore, editor Rebecca Burr said that all pubs listed in the Guide have been “rigorously inspected” by a team of full-time inspectors – the same team who produce the famed Michelin Great Britain & Ireland restaurant guide.

The Michelin ‘Eating Out In Pubs’ Guide 2014 is now available in bookshops and online priced at EUR14.99.

The full list of 2014 Michelin ‘Eating Out In Pubs’ Guide listings for Ireland is:
 
DOWN (7)
Pheasant (Annahilt), Coyle’s (Bangor), Lisbarnett House (Comber), Grace Neill’s and Pier 36 (both in Donaghadee) and The Parson’s Nose and The Plough Inn (both in Hillsborough)

CORK (6)
Mary Ann’s (Castletownshend), Poacher’s Inn (Bandon), An Súgan and Deasy’s (Clonakilty), Cronin’s (Crosshaven) and Toddies at The Bulman (Kinsale).

CLARE (4)
Morrissey’s (Doonbeg), Vaughan’s Anchor Inn (Liscannor), Wild Honey Inn (Lisdoonvarna) and Linnane’s Lobster Bar (New Quay)

MAYO (3)
Crockets on the Quay (Ballina), The Tavern (Murrisk) and Sheebeen (Westport)

GALWAY (2)
Moran’s Oyster Cottage (Kilcolgan) and O’Dowd’s (Roundstone)

KERRY (2)
O’Neill’s Seafood Bar and QC’s (both in Caherciveen)

KILDARE (2)
Ballymore Inn (Ballymore Eustace) and Fallon’s (Kilcullen)

DUBLIN (1)
Chop House (Ballsbridge)

LEITRIM (1)
Oarsman (Carrick-on-Shannon)

LOUTH (1)
Fitzpatrick’s (Jenkinstown)

SLIGO (1)
Hargadons (O’Connell Street, Sligo)

TIPPERARY (1)
Larkin’s (Garrykennedy)

WESTMEATH (1)
Fatted Calf (Glasson)

WEXFORD (1)
Lobster Pot (Carne)

WICKLOW (1)
Byrne & Woods (Roundwood)

My Tuppence Worth

Donegal

SeaviewTavern  in Malin Head Village.

Olde Glen Bar in Carrickart.

Mayo

The Market Kitchen at Murphy Brothers Bar (Ballina)

Kerry

An Canteen (Dingle)

Cork

Blair’s Inn (Cloghroe)

The Rising Tide (Glounthaune)

Murph’s (East Ferry)

Charlie Mac’s (Fermoy)

Annie’s (Sunday’s Well)

Woodford (Paul Street, Cork)

Gourmet grub at Olde Glen and Black Pig back on track

Gourmet grub at Olde Glen and the Black Pig back on track.
Goldfinch comes for food on Donegal Day 6

Finished off another terrific day in Donegal with a superb meal in the Olde Glen Bar, where the proprietor Cormac Walsh has Cork connections. Started off with an excellent local (Carrigart) Smoked Salmon served with horse radish, crème fraiche and crispy capers. Our other starter was the Smoked Duck Salad served with a beetroot carpaccio, somewhat drier than the Ummera product but enjoyable nonetheless.

Picked my mains off the specials board: Pan-fried Turbot with crab butter and champ. Excellent, right down to the humble champ! CL choose from the regular list and absolutely enjoyed her Herb Crusted fillet of Cod with a butter bean and chorizo ragout. Both the beans and the chorizo added to the delicious cod.

Happy out and even happier as we polished off the dessert, both going for the Tunisian Orange Cake, a favourite in these quarters! Wine, by the way, was also a winner. It was the Walnut Block Collectible Sauvignon Blanc 2012 from Marlborough (New Zealand). 

After a lazy start, overdue, we headed for Fintown and itsnarrow gauge railway, the only piece of railway infrastructure that remains of the 220 miles of narrow gauge railway that operated in Donegal in the early 20^th century.

Now Traenach na Gaeltachta Lair operate a single carriage diesel engined railcar over a three and a quarter mile picturesque stretch along the shores of Lough Finn and under the shadow of three large hills, the highest of which is Achla (598m).

View on the train trip

The reopening was in June 1995 and the locals quickly christened the loco the “Black Pig”. The proper name is Railcar 18 and it is an original railcar of the County Donegal Railway which entered service in 1940. Much more info on the website above.

Headed back then towards the coast and the sun came out through the clouds. Sun or no sun the turf was being saved on the bogs between Dungloe and Gweedore. On the previous day’s trip, we had skipped Horn Head and that was to be rectified today.

Turned off in Dunfanaghy and headed up the narrow road to the head which gives great views, to the right towards Rosguill and to the left towards the islands including Tory. Hard to hold the camera in the wind up there.

Tory Island

Somewhat easier to do so during that lazy morning as we watched the birds come to feed outside the cottage half-door. There was a “stranger” there this morning, with a beautiful Goldfinch joining his green cousins. Not too sure he was welcomed though!

Goldfinch (left)

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