Sophie's at The Dean. Highest hotel restaurant in the city?

Sophie's at The Dean. 

Highest hotel restaurant in the city?

The bar in Sophie's

Caught up with an English based couple earlier this week for a city lunch. Being Monday, quite a few attractive places, such as Nash 19, were closed. As you may know, Sophie’s is the restaurant in Dean. It is on the 6th floor and has splendid views over much of the city, so is quite a good place to bring visitors.

And last Monday the sun shone and the Dean were able to accommodate us on the glass walled south-facing balcony. That added to the occasion and there was lots of chat as we caught up outdoors. And some pretty good food too, all served in a very pleasant manner indeed, as was the case on two other recent visits to Sophie’s, one as the lunch guest of a whiskey company, the other as part of a family confirmation group dinner.

Fish 'n Chips

Chicken Burger

Aside from the stylish restaurant and the splendid views, the Dean also has those famous swings. Beware, don’t lose your balance as you could lose your Dail seat. They proved very popular with the young guests at the confirmation event. And it wasn't just the juveniles that were swinging for Insta!

There is a quite an extensive lunch menu here, something for everyone. It includes soup, salads, sandwich, sharing board, pasta, burgers, and more. Good selection of sides and a half dozen or so pizzas (proved very popular at the confirmation, though there was a different menu for that).

Cheesecake

At the whiskey lunch, I had enjoyed my fish and chips so I was quite happy to see it on the day’s menu and I ordered the Tempura White Fish (hake on the day), pea purée, tartar sauce and chips. Quite good and also quite substantial, more a dinner dish! Enjoyed it even if the some of the finely cut chips were slightly overdone.

Crumble

Two more at the table had a similar “problem” with the chips that came with their Chilli and Lime Chicken Burger, Garlic Mayo, Buffalo sauce, tomatoes and fries, and relish. Not a big drawback though and the burgers were well appreciated and well dispatched, though with all the chat, the pace was rather sedate! The fourth dish was an excellent Beef Bolognese Tagliatelle.

Then decision time! Dessert? We had seen some quite substantial puddings pass by and, having been well fed already, just two were ordered, from a choice of five. We had been impressed by the Wild Berry and Apple, oatmeal crumble, vanilla ice-cream and custard at one of the earlier events so that was ordered again and, again, got the thumbs up. And a similar verdict from the other two who had enjoyed their Baked Caramel Salted Cheesecake that was served with Strawberry Ice-cream.

Lagunitas

No drinks, other than coffees, on this occasion. But from the other recent visits, I know they have quite a selection in the drinks folder: wines, whiskies, gins, beers, cocktails and mocktails and so on. At the confirmation, I spotted they had Wicklow Wolf as their only Irish craft beer but they were out of it on that evening. And I settled for the American Lagunitas (€6.70 a pint).

They have four wines on tap - I was previously quite happy with the Agredo Rosso Montepulciano – and more by the glass. No shortage of reds, right up to expensive bottles like La Réserve de Leoville Barton, St. Julien (110). But don’t worry, you may enjoy a nice Marlborough Pinot Noir for €35. And the range of white prices is something similar, €110 for the Louis Latour Meursault while a Piquepoul de Pinet by Richemer will set you back €35.00.

Downstairs by reception

• There is a large railway car-park a few minutes from the Dean and they have a deal there. But the deal is geared towards overnight guests (check the website). Locals are probably best advised to use your usual parking and, if the distance is short, why not walk.

The Dean 

Railway Street

Cork

Sophie’s Tall, Dark and Handsome! And The Food's Pretty Good Too

Sophie’s Tall, Dark and Handsome!

And The Food's Pretty Good Too.

Pork Belly Salad

It’s big, bright and, being on the 6th floor of The Dean, Cork’s newest hotel, Sophie’s Restaurant has some of the best dining-room views in the city. Big, because they can seat 150 here. Bright, because there is glass on three sides; on the western edge, the windows give you terrific views over the north west part of the city, right out to the distant County Hall. On the fourth side, you’ll see the crew busy in the kitchen. And the hotel is dark, on the outside!

And it is comfortable, with tables for two and booths for more. Quite a few of those booths are along the length of the western side which means more of you can enjoy the views.  Designed by interior designers O’Donnell O’Neill, it is a stunning space for a variety of occasions. 

Smoked Pork Pizza

Floor to ceiling windows throughout allow light to pour in, whilst the reclaimed wooden roof and soft lighting give the space a cosy feel. The granite topped bar in the centre of the room is a real focal point, while the long open kitchen allows guests to watch the team in action, busy creating delectable dishes and working the wood fired pizza oven.

 

Two terraces, close to completion, extend the restaurant space allowing for al fresco dining. Both, front and back, are covered and heated to allow you to get cosy and watch the sun set over the River Lee with cocktail (and they have quite a range here) in hand! 

 

Of course, Sophie’s Restaurant would not be complete without their famous swings. Find them on the ground floor right beside the elevators. Snap yourself swinging before heading upstairs, just remember to hold on tight. Even if you miss the first pair, there’s another pair at Sophie’s entrance.

All very well, you say, but what about the food? A bit like the dress code: smart casual. Food in Sophie's (on the 6th floor) is enjoyable and excellent without being at all fussy or stuffy. Staff are a delight, informal and chatty but on the ball. All in all, an excellent experience, even if I forgot to try the famous swings!

I’ve seen the menu is billed as New York Italian and so Pizza is a large part of the menu, both for lunch and dinner. We were in for lunch and my choice of Pizza was the BBQ Smoked Pork, Pickled Cider Apples, Onion Jam (16.50). Enjoyed that very much indeed. It was a terrific combination of flavours and altogether well executed.

CL meanwhile was enjoying her Maple Glazed Pork Belly & Gubbeen Chorizo, Apple Salad (14.95), another well-chosen combination, even if she’d have preferred a little less fat in the pork. She had no problem though dipping into the Parmesan Italian fries (5.95); neither did I as we shared.

No local craft beers on offer, we were told, though they do have Lagunitas. The wine is interesting, including six on tap. Also, aside from the regular list, they offer a selection from an organic vineyard in the South of France and no shortage of bubbles either. CL went for the aromatic and crisp Richemer Picpoul de Pinet while my pick was the Marlborough, Stoneleigh Pinot Noir, each at 8.80 a glass.

As we enjoyed the wine, we picked our desserts from a short list. The warm and flavourful Blackberry & Apple Crumble & Vanilla Ice Cream (7.95) was one and the other was an equally satisfactory Raspberry Trifle, Vanilla Custard & Fresh Cream (also 7.95).

* The striking seven storey building, designed by Cork firm Wilson Architecture, forms part of the new Horgan’s Quay development, located moments from Kent Station.  There’s also a bus service almost to the door. And no shortage of car parking, especially in the CIE facility next door.

 

* Art is a prominent feature across the building. The Dean are creative partners of IMMA, and aim to promote and support Irish art. The Dean Cork’s walls will feature over 400 pieces of eye-catching, innovative and inspiring  Irish art  from both established and up and coming artists and will be sourced predominantly from Cork and the Munster region.  

Sophie's. Cork’s newest rooftop restaurant set to open from December 11th

 

Cork’s newest rooftop restaurant set to open from December 11^th.

All Photos by Deborah O'Keefe BAM

Sophie’s, the 6^th floor skyline restaurant of The Dean Cork, is set to open from December 11^th with bookings now available for December at sophies.ie for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Sophie’s is a beautiful and modern glasshouse restaurant, boasting panoramic views of Cork, from the River Lee to the city skyline, giving you a whole new perspective from six floors up. Whatever the weather, from howling gales to blazing sun, she’s beautiful!

 

The 150-capacity restaurant, designed by interior designers O’Donnell O’Neill, is a stunning space for a variety of occasions. Floor to ceiling windows throughout allow light to pour in, whilst the reclaimed wooden roof and soft lighting give the space a cosy feel. The granite topped bar in the centre of the room is a real focal point, while the long open kitchen allows guests to watch the team in action, busy creating delectable dishes and working the wood fired pizza oven.

 

Two terraces extend the restaurant space allowing for al fresco dining. Both terraces, front and back, are covered and heated to allow you to get cosy and watch the sun set over the River Lee with cocktail in hand – pure bliss! 

 

Of course, Sophie’s Restaurant would not be complete without their famous swings. Find them on the ground floor right beside the elevators. Snap yourself swinging before heading upstairs, just remember to hold on tight.

 

Now, on to the food. The New York Italian inspired menu combines the most popular dishes from their sister restaurant in Dublin, with new dishes created using the best of the county’s local ingredients and suppliers, including Castletownbere crab, butter and yoghurt from Glenilen Farm in Drimoleague, and cured meats and cheese from Gubbeen Farmhouse.

 

They serve breakfast from 7am weekdays and from 8am on weekends, lunch, and dinner daily with a delicious brunch menu on the weekends.

 

Commenting on their extensive menu, Ian Madden, General Manager at Sophie’s at The Dean Cork, said “From wood-fire pizzas and pasta favourites at lunchtime to succulent steaks and fish specials at dinner, our chefs pack every mouthful with international and Irish flavours. Sophie’s weekend brunch hits the spot with something for everyone, whether you’re feeling sweet or craving savoury, from Vanilla Buttermilk Pancakes, salted maple caramel, roasted pecans & mascarpone, to Griddled Corn Beef & Scallion Hash with Two Fried Eggs, or the popular Waffle, Buttermilk Chicken, Smashed Avocado & Hot Sauce.”

 

“The range of cocktails on offer is so good you’ll want to work your way through the entire menu, perfect for an aperitif on the terrace or a post dinner digestif. Our wine menu is varied, with some interesting and lesser known drops, including a selection of wines on tap available by the glass or carafe.” Ian added. 

 

Bookings at Sophie’s Restaurant Cork are now available from December 11^th for indoor and outdoor dining, maximum table size of 6 due to current restrictions.

 

Email bookcork@sophies.ie or phone (01) 533 7777 to book, or visit sophies.ie to book online on Open Table.

 

Or make a night of it with an overnight stay at The Dean with The Dean’s Treat Yourself One Night Escape package including an overnight stay, three course meal in Sophie’s Rooftop Restaurant, breakfast the next morning as well as a welcome drink and a treat package delivered to your room! From €125 per person sharing. Book online at www.thedean.ie

 

Press release 30.11.20