SCOOZI'S

QUEUESIES....

No problem finding parking downtown last Saturday night. The streets looked deserted. Where was everyone?

Quite a few in Market Lane – no table available for an hour, we were told. Up the street to Scoozi’s. Twenty minutes wait here. They usually overstate it. We waited and were at a table in less than five minutes.

Enjoyed my La Reine Pizza, the smaller one served with salad and chips. Two in the company took the lasagne. This was the usual Irish style dish, loads of meat. Very tasty. The fourth mains was chicken, called Pollo Alla Scoozi, breadcrumbed and stuffed with garlic cream cheese and chives.

No complaints about the food and none either about the house wine: a bottle of Merlot (18.75) and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc (4.75). Total cost, including tips, for a very satisfactory meal was about €90.00.

Then onto the nearby Long Valley for an after dinner drink. This long narrow bar is of the traditional variety and none the worse for that. Quite a popular venue but with many calling for the just the one drink there is quite a turnover and you can usually get a seat, very important if you are of a certain age.

VALUE FOR MONEY

SCOOZI’S

Scoozi’s is a Cork tradition, which seems to have been in existence a lot longer than 1993. They say their ethos is good food, inexpensive prices and happy staff with a determination to please. I was there at the weekend and have no argument with that. Food was good, staff friendly.

They don't take bookings so we had to queue for a few minutes. We had heard portions were big so skipped the starters. My main course was Flaming Chicken: Chicken breast skewered with sweet bell pepper mushrooms, red onions, aubergines and courgettes. Baked in the oven and served with spicy sauce. Three man size skewers, well done and a smashing dish for under €17.00.

The other main dish was also chicken, called Pollo Alla Scoozi: Succulent breast of chicken, breadcrumbed and stuffed with garlic cream cheese and chives. Again the price was under €17.00. It was well cooked, though a much “heavier” dish that the Flaming Chicken.

Both, like many Scoozi dishes, were served with a side dish of chips and a side dish of salad. Well worth it. The house wine, a Bougrier Touraine Sauvignon, at €18.75, was also good value. It was refreshing and dry and went well with the chicken and the spicy tastes.

Tiramisiu was the dessert chosen and it too was up to standard.

Enjoyable overall, worth the little wait and worth going again. To find out more, go to http://www.scoozis.ie


About Scoozi’s (by Scoozi’s themselves)
Scoozi's first opened its doors on the 16th of June 1993. From its very beginning Scoozi's has been a very successful restaurant. It originally began in No 3-4 Wintrop Avenue but it is now 2-5 Wintrop Avenue. So we have expanded quite a bit.
We are a group of people who have been together for over 14 years. All our staff are trained and educated about the ethos of the restaurant which is good food, inexpensive prices and happy staff with a determination to please.
Work begins in Scoozi's at 6.00 in the morning when our team of pastry chefs begin baking preparations for the day. We open our doors at 9.00am and begin with coffee, scones, pastries, bagels and our delicious waffles. Around 10.00 breakfast gets into full swing - eggs, bacon, and toast any which way - all cooked to order. At 12 noon we change to our lunch menu plus our specials of the day. Lunch runs until 5.30 p.m. when we change to our evening menu and last orders are at 11.00 p.m.
Ours is a very busy day with chicken, pasta, salad, pizza and chargrilled burgers being our main fare. Our homemade desserts are hugely popular in Cork for all those with a sweet tooth. We have a modest but excellent wine list and also serve Cusquena Cerveza Premium (Peruvian) beer - the gold of the Incas!
We are a friendly family restaurant where kids are made very welcome. We have a Kiddies Menu and also hold a weekly colouring competition where kids have a chance to win a free lunch for themselves and two friends.
We look forward to seeing you....