Griffin’s Spinning Wheel Unveils Gorgeous Gluten Free Options!

Griffin’s Spinning Wheel Unveils Gorgeous Gluten Free Options!

Sweet GF! Don't forget, today is Fiver Friday at the Spinning Wheel.

Paid a visit to the beautiful Griffin's Garden Centre on the banks of the Lee in midweek and came home from the Dripsey venue with a Eco-Friendly Champion Anthurium. I can’t eat it - that’s what the label clearly says!

But I ate more than enough as the main purpose of the trip on a sunny aftenroon was to check out the new range of gluten free food that they have in their lovely river-side Spinning Wheel Restaurant, a very busy spot indeed. It is open 9.00 to 5.30, so you may have breakfast and lunch here and lots more besides.

Miriam, who invited me out, told me they  “have been working hard with our head chef, bakery team and customers to ensure that we have a large range of gluten free meals, cakes, scones, desserts and breads available at all times from our customers. We will always have gourmet options for coeliacs and people who wish to live a gluten free life.”

GF samples: Chicken salad, Fish Pie, and, right, breakfast options

"We offer a range of gluten free breakfasts from gluten free scones, breads, omelettes and full Irish Breakfast. Gluten free quality sausages are  available on our breakfast menu. A range of gluten free sausages have been taste tested by our customers and restaurant team. And the best have been given the Granny Griffin seal of approval and are now on the menu.Throughout the day, we are constantly baking gluten free scones, bread and desserts that are available to eat in our restaurant or to take away.”

“Our Lunch Menu has one the largest ranges of gluten free options in Cork. Lunch is served from 12 to 3pm. We have two options of soups every day which are both gluten free. Over 80% of our  salads are Gluten free including an option of gluten free quiche. So for a light lunch option you have a choice of soup, quiche and salad or a vibrant flavoursome open Sandwich.”

“Our head chef is always creating new and improved gluten free lunches. The majority of sauces created in our kitchens are gluten free. Each gluten free meal is well signed to inform the customer. A expansive range of Gluten free desserts and Cakes are also available in the restaurant,  Pavlova, apple tart, brownies, orange and almond cake are just to name a few. And why not try our gluten free Afternoon tea. Pre booking is essential for all Afternoon Tea.”

More sweet stuff!

Chef Chris took me through the tasty options, starting with those Clonakilty Sausages and puddings which he tested on the visitors at last week’s World Feeder Fishing Championships. He uses the black pudding too in a delicious salad. Perhaps the top salad I tasted was the Caesar, great tasting chicken from his Macroom supplier and gluten free croutons that tasted better than the average.

And most impressive of all, I thought, was the Fish Pie, the excellent cornflour sauce recently developed by Chris. Many people think that Gluten Free food is bland, as Chris said. But this tasting plateful was full of great flavors, proof positive of the exact opposite.

The restaurant manager Helen introduced us to Pastry Chef Mary and what a belt bursting selection she had for us, everything from a simple scone to Pavlova to a stunning Chocolate cake. No penance going GF with these kind of goodies on offer!

Creme Brûlée
To get the best from this, and other Heuchera, plant it a little proud of the earth!

Aided by copious cups of coffee, we finally managed to get up from the table and enjoyed a stroll around the magnificent garden centre which will be familiar to many of you. Had another chat with Miriam and got lots of gardening advice!

They also have a home section and that includes an indoor plant display and it was here that we bought the Anthurium, pictured left!

* You have an even better excuse than usual to visit Griffin's today. It is Friday and they have a Fiver Friday offer in the restaurant. Check it out here.

The Spinning Wheel Restaurant

THE SPINNING WHEEL AT GRIFFIN'S

GRIFFIN’S GARDEN CENTRE

Picture this. The sun shining on a terrasse. Dinners enjoying themselves at the tables. It overlooks the water. Here comes a motor boat with a water-skier going zigzag behind it.

You are not on the Med. Not dreaming. You are at lunch in the Spinning Wheel, the lovely restaurant attached to the stunning Griffin’s Garden Centre in Dripsey. I was there yesterday.

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When we arrived at the centre to see the newly installed display gardens, designed by Margaret Griffin, we were greeted with some free nibbles. Loved my piece of tart with Ardsallagh Cheese.

First mission though was to take in those new gardens. They are just fantastic, something for everyone here. Most are set to a fairly small scale, some smaller than others, and so will suit the majority of people. The ideas though will suit everyone interested in livening up their space. I loved the use of colour (eg the bright red lamp, the pink wall, the white flowered corner and also the artefacts such as mirrors).

Well worth a visit for the display gardens alone. And particularly so this coming Friday when Dermot O’Neill will be along to officially open them, starting at 11.00am. It is just over twenty minutes from the western side of town.

Click to enlarge

I’m a regular (if infrequent) visitor here and usually call to the onsite Spinning Wheel restaurant which is right on the bank of the River Lee. This place is light and airy, loads of glass and lots of colour too, right down to the serving trays. It is open all day with lunch served from 12.30pm.

You can have light bites, tea and scones for examples, toasted sandwiches or something more substantial. Never shy at the table, I went for the award winning Jack McCarthy Black pudding, wrapped in bacon and served with a mix of summer berries and, of course, a side plate, this of carrots and haricots verts. A lovely meal in a lovely place for ten euro.

You may also but food items to take away here, such as cakes and scones and various preserves, including jams and relishes.

We got down to some serious business after lunch and grabbed a trolley, bought some plants, got some advice (the staff here are very friendly and helpful) and headed back to the car. But not before a look at the indoor shop, so well stocked you’d need a fair bit of time to browse through.

All in all, quite a visit on a sunny day. But don't worry too much about the weather. Quite a bit of the centre is under cover and you always have the shop and Spinning Wheel. If you can't make it on Friday, put it on your list of things to do.

ALL FINE AT THE IMPERIAL

TOP FISH DISH AT THE PEMBROKE

Had a very enjoyable main course of Sea Bass on a very recent visit to the Imperial Hotel (Pembroke Grill). The fish was the main ingredient and was allowed to shine, not suffocated by the accompaniment as happened in Ballincollig (see previous post). It was served on a bed (appropriately small) of colcannon, a little Mediterranean style vegetable mix, small potatoes and a shared dish of sautéed potato rings. It was cooked to perfection and a lovely meal for €19.50.

The wine too was superb. It was a Macon Lugny “Les Genievres” Louis Latour. Apparently, Lugny is one of the best areas in Burgundy and is certainly well represented by this particular product.

Finished off with a perfectly done Crème brûlée. The friendly and efficient service at the comfortable venue was with a foreign smile but a smile is always welcome, no matter where it comes from.

· Earlier in the day, we had called to the Griffin Garden Centre (pictured) between Dripsey and Coachford. We were there at lunchtime so couldn't resist the temptation to call to the Spinning Wheel Restaurant in the centre. Quite a selection on offer here. Cod (at €9.90) was one of the main courses of the day but we went for the Lamb at €11.90. Again, the meat was superb and so too was the vegetable accompaniment. If you are in the area, remember you don't have to have greenfingers to enjoy the fine fare at the Spinning Wheel!