Celtic Ross team all geared up to look after you well in Rosscarbery

Celtic Ross team all geared up

 to look after you well in Rosscarbery 

Union Hall (on the left) and Glandore (tucked away on the right) are just a few minutes from the hotel

A cool and welcome drink

Rosscarbery’s Celtic Ross was the last hotel we stayed in before the Covid hit and the first visited after the lockdown was lifted. And you could see the team here had worked their socks off to make the current experience as safe and as comfortable as possible for all their guests. No shortage of personnel to help you as you arrived and in the dining room later on.

The only place you didn’t see any staff member was in your room. That room had been sterilised by fogging machines prior to check-in. The room was then sealed until our arrival and no staff member allowed enter until we left. They have taken a myriad of precautions and you may see the full list here. 

The new normal

You’ll notice too that your room has been pared back - no hotel guide (but you can check it online via a QR code). Same with your dining table - no extras. Pared back perhaps but, masks or shields, there’s no cutting back on the welcome. It’s as warm as ever and we also had a terrific dinner and breakfast here.

Earlier, we had been driving around West Cork and were feeling the heat. A cool glass of water helped immediately on arrival and our order for a couple of Blacks Brewery Session IPAs was soon delivered to our room and we enjoyed them! Revived, we took a short walk in the direction of The Warren and watched some of the many seabirds that visit here as they fed on the incoming tide.

Sri Lankan Style Curry

There were some excellent choices on the dinner menu, though we both felt like ignoring the mains and eating through the list of starters. They were all very tempting indeed. And there were a few specials as well. We continued with the beers here, that Session along with the Roaring Ruby Red Ale (on draught) our choices.

Rosscarbery Pork Belly

Speaking of choices, my starter was Korean fried Rosscarbery Pork Belly Popcorn, Culture Food Co kimchi, Gochujang Korean style chili sauce, toasted sesame seeds. Very happy with that one, high in quality and not lacking in quantity either. And that local kimchi impressed very much indeed, so much so that I purchased a jar of it the next day in the deli in the Customs House in Baltimore.

Dessert

Local suppliers are always well supported here and CL’s choice was the Sun View Goats Cheese Salad Rolled in pistachios, heirloom tomatoes, pickled fennel and pinto beans, salsa verde cocida. That cheese comes all the way from Macroom! And was well used here in a delicious salad.

CL continued with Shannonvale Chicken Supreme (GF), Crushed peas, herb and potato cake, crispy onions and red wine jus, another local supplier well highlighted here, another excellent plate. We did call for a side order of fries but, to tell the truth, there was little need for them.

Breakfast pancakes

I stayed on an Asian tack, ordering the Sri Lankan Style Cashew Curry Chickpeas, potato, roasted vegetables, spiced pilaf rice. And I took the option of adding chicken, another piece from Shannonvale. This was one of the best curries I’ve eaten out, full of flavour but nothing at all extreme and indeed it would have been quite sufficient even without the added chicken (lovely and all as it was).

They have always prided themselves on their shielded breakfast buffet but that too has changed. Now you get a menu and a pencil and you tick your choices, like doing an exam our server joked. Worked quite well though and, while I know the Full Irish would have been gorgeous, we both decided on the pancakes. And they were top notch - might have been improved a bit with a few local berries (thinking Bushby’s here!) but “doused” with Maple syrup we enjoyed them very much indeed. 

Soon, we were heading out, having been seen off in style. Even if the desk was shielded, we had a lovely chat and all the details were correct. 

We were heading for lunch at the Customs House where top Chef Dede now operates. There was no rush so we decided to detour to Glandore and Union Hall (another place that doesn’t come up on our Sat-Nav, by the way). On the way to Glandore, we were asked to detour as there was a funeral on the regular road. So we did as requested and got some lovely views of the two villages and the water between them.

Eventually we got away on a narrow side road (with grass in the middle), only to find that blocked by a truck delivering fuel who had the little road blocked! Will we ever make to Baltimore in time? But, fortunately, he was nearly finished and soon moved off. A few minutes later we were on our way to a sunny Baltimore and a delicious lunch. 

Also on this trip:
Mizen Head Visit
Lunch with Chef Ahmet Dede at Customs House in Baltimore

Celtic Ross. Dinner Supreme in Kingfisher Brasserie

Celtic Ross. Dinner Supreme in Kingfisher Brasserie

Terrine

Spring roll

Had heard lots of good things about the Kingfisher Brasserie in the very popular Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery. And it was with great anticipation that we studied the menu, instantly encouraged by the stated commitment to local producers. 

Local drinks too and we sipped our Sherkin Lass Ale by the West Cork Brewery as we we went through our dining options. Earlier we had sampled two of the area’s spirits, whiskey from the West Cork Distillery in Skibbereen and gin from Beara.

So how could I not pick something from Rosscarbery for my meal? And I did, starting with a superb Ham Hock and Rosscarbery Black Pudding terrine (€8.50), with Jerusalem artichoke and shiitake piccalilli, wild garlic pesto, artichoke crisps. Superb. We shared. 

And we also shared the other opener, the Skeaghanore Duck Spring Roll (€8.95) Confit duck, carrot and apricot chutney, blue cheese, ruby red sauerkraut, cos lettuce. Thumbs up from each side of the table for the work of the kitchen under Shane Deane (Head Chef) and Alex Petit (Executive Chef) in this family owned hotel.

Chicken

Time now for the mains, chicken supreme. But not just any chicken supreme. Their Shannonvale Chicken Supreme Zaatar (€20.50) with Aniseed carrots, chickpea, harissa and golden raisin stew, minted chimichurri will have your taste buds dancing to a different beat. Supreme indeed!

The Irish Trout Fillet (€20.50) Crushed sweet potatoes, quinoa, sunflower seed and orange granola, wild garlic pesto, again illustrated that expertise and the little things (the quinoa, the seeds, the granola, the pesto) can make a delightful difference.

Sat back then for a wee spell and relaxed in our comfortable seats and after a chat with our friendly and informative server, decided to share the final round. The Citrus Plate (Yuzu curd, physalis drizzle cake, lemon sorbet, mint crème fraiche, lemon tuile) was tempting as was the West Cork Cheese plate (a collection of the classics) but the one we picked and enjoyed was the Medovik Cake Honey sponge, sour cream, caramelised walnuts, chocolate tuile.

Second drink!

All this in the split level brasserie, part of the adjoining eating areas here. You also have the option of choosing from the Kingfisher Bistro menu which includes starters such as Woodcock Smokery Smoked Haddock Tartare and mains like Seared Union Hall Brill. So no shortage of choice, no shortage of quality either.

Having finished the Medovik Cake, we stepped through the open door to the bar which was also busy and we took our ease as a trio of young fellows played some traditional music and one of them seemed set to crack the timbers with a dazzling display of Irish dancing. A relaxing end for us to an evening in Rosscarbery that had begun with a walk across the causeway and then down towards Warren Strand, watching the estuary birds eagerly feeding as we strolled. 

Celtic Ross Hotel 

Rosscarbery

Co. Cork

Email info@celticross.com

Tel +353 (0)23 88 48722

Also on this 24-hour trip:
A day out with West Cork Farm Tours
Super Food at Ardfield's Mountain Bar

Syrian and Irish on the Plate at Bandon’s Bayleaf

Syrian and Irish on the Plate at Bandon’s Bayleaf

The Bayleaf Bistro has been operating in Bandon for close to a year but I hadn't heard about it until walking around there the other day. Saw the menu, a mix of Irish and Syrian, and, since it was more or less lunchtime, popped in. The interior of the building is much the same as it was under its previous name The Chapel Steps. 

We had two menus available to us: the Lunch Menu (mainly sandwiches, wrap, salad, burger) and the General Menu (Healthy eating choices, Make your own sandwich and generally more substantial dishes including a few Syrian ones).

I was temped by the traditional Syrian Bammia, an Okra stew, but, with a big dinner on the horizon, decided to leave it for another day. After a discussion, and a little advice from the friendly staff, we came up with a sharing idea. 

One of our choices was the Shannonvale Chicken Wrap: local chicken fillet marinated with exotic Middle Eastern spices, served in a Syrian Wrap,  and on the side there were homemade chips and seasonal salad. Top class piece of chicken, the traditional chips and salad were excellent and the Syrian contribution (including the bread wrap) was superb. Excellent, all for €9.95.

The big one (€14.95) to be shared was the one called A Taste of Syria, “a superb collection of our homemade traditional Syrian appetisers” and so it proved to be. It consisted of Falafel, hummus, quinoa tabouleh salad, mutabbel (blended smoked aubergine with tahini, natural yogurt, tomato salsa), rice stuffed vine leaves, marinated pitted olives, white chillan cheese, lebneh (thick natural creamy yogurt garnished with mint and olive oil), crisp fried vegetable samosa, served with warm pitta bread.

I think many of you will be fairly familiar with most of appetisers listed thanks to the rising influence of Middle Eastern cuisine in Ireland. Don’t think though that I’ve come across the mutabbel before (similar texture to the hummus but with different flavours). And it was definitely my first time eating that stringy and salty cheese (apparently one of many such across the Middle East)  - won't be my last! Won’t be my last time visiting the Bayleaf either!

The Bayleaf Bistro

St Patrick’s Place

Bandon

Co. Cork

(023) 884 2589

For updates, check their Facebook page 

Links for this visit:

Inchydoney Hotel Wine Dinner. 

The Eccles Hotel in Glengarriff.

Bantry Market.
A Couple of Days in West Cork

Seaweed Featured in Multi-course Taste of West Cork

Seaweed Featured in Multi-course Taste of West Cork
Inchydoney Chef and team in top form

 Meet Jim and Maria Kennedy from the Intertidal Zone. “We spend most of our time there,” said Jim as they introduced us to the Magic of Seaweed at the start of the third annual A Taste of West Cork meal in the Inchydoney Island last Friday.

Jim and Maria had quite a few samples of the various seaweeds available (to taste, to touch) and spoke in detail of their different properties. “Seaweed is a super food….from a garden that doesn’t need to be weeded… dulse and carrigeen have traditionally been used in the Irish kitchen...Seaweed is also an amazing detox ingredient….makes a nourishing top dressing for your garden plants.”  And so much more.

West Cork garlic, organic Rosscarbery leeks, Clonakilty potato, and hand foraged Sea Vegetable Soup,
with a seaweed scone, tomato jam and roasted garlic cream cheese.

Jim advised to “look at the Spring tides when the better seaweeds are exposed”. “But,” he added, “If doing it yourself, be careful.” Read more about seaweed here.

Jim and Maria, who run Atlantic Sea Kayaking, are from Skibbereen but you could come across them almost anywhere, from the Liffey to Mexico, from Spain to Japan.

Rabbit and Harrington's black pudding, Shannonvale Chicken lollipop.

Friday evening though was firmly rooted in West Cork and Inchydoney Head Chef Adam Metcalf had the major task of blending all the marvelous products of the area, from its bountiful and beautiful land and sea, into a multi course meal as the week long festival, also named A Taste of West Cork, got underway. Surprisingly, there were no local beers, ciders or spirits included. Maybe next year?

Adrian, the local representative of Findlaters, took us through the various wines that had been picked to accompany the meal. We were greeted with a glass of Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Heredad Cava and that went very well indeed with the Seaweed Sushi (including an amazing toasted Nori) that came with Ummera Smoked Salmon and also the Smoked Shannonvale chicken with Pickled Ginger and Sea Kale.

Castletownbere Monkfish, wrapped in Gubbeen cured ham
with Carrageen Moss and caramelised Shallot Potato Puree.

Some gorgeous breads on the table as we sat down including a Dulse Seaweed, Marsh Samphire and Atlantic Sea Salt Loaf. And Sea Lettuce featured in the Bantry Bay Lobster Course as did a spiced Bluefin Tuna.

Next up was a hand foraged Sea Vegetable soup with a seaweed scone! Rabbit was stuffed with local black pudding and also accompanied by a Shannonvale Chicken Lollipop.

Elderflower Parfait

All the while, the wines were being poured and the next course, the Castletownbere Monkfish (caught by the Fair Maiden), was accompanied by an intense Albarino. The fish was wrapped in that terrific Gubbeen Cured Ham and there was some discussion as to whether the salt of the ham did the fish any favours. Someone suggested that a pancetta wrap would have been better. Someone else said the fish didn’t need a wrap at all!

Then on to the sweet things, an Elderflower Parfait (foraged elderflower, Valley View egg and Clona Dairy Parfait) with a hand picked Wild Damson Compote and a Bushy Strawberry Sauce. Delightful.

The finale.

To finish, there was a choice of Barry’s Tea or Java Coffee with Inchydoney Recipe Chocolate flavoured with seaweed, some oak smoked Gubbeen cheese along with the hotel’s own Plum and Sultana Chutney on an impressive Patisserie Royale Cracker, handmade in nearby Lisavaird by Richard Graham Leigh.

That last course was accompanied by a glass of Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port. The earlier wines were Vicar’s Choice Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (quite a favourite at our table), Pionero Mundi Albarino, and Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz (70%) Cabernet.

Findlater's Albarino

So well done to the many West Cork producers chosen this year and a big congrats too to Chef Adam and his crew who did the hotel proud.  I spoke to one guest who has been at all three events. He reckoned the first was a bit over the top (quite large portions all the way through), the second was underwhelming (probably in reaction to year one), but “this time they got it right”!  And so say all of us.
See account of the full day in West Cork, including Distillery visit, here.