Kinsale's Bulman Buzzing on Misty Autumn Night

Kinsale's Bulman Buzzing

 on Misty Autumn Night

The mist had started before we set off for The Bulman in Kinsale. But when it comes to going for a walk - this from Perryville up to the Bulman - we need little encouragement to err on the silly side and that was forthcoming from our host. So off we went, on the scenic Scilly Walk. It is indeed an interesting walk with views to the harbour and the bay. And the trees sheltered us from the increasingly thick mist and we were quite dry when we entered the Bulman.

What a surprise to find the bar full (diners mostly) on this miserable Tuesday evening. We picked our way through and made our way upstairs to Toddie's, the restaurant, and that too was packed. Just as well we had booked. Soon we were seated amidst the groups, both large and small, and we went on to enjoy the buzz, the food and the drink (they have their own beer here, brewed by the nearby accomplished Black's Brewery). At the end, we asked for a cab but a lady who had served us earlier offered to drive us down - we didn't know then that she is one of the owners. Nice touch, especially after her 12 hour shift!

A few years back, I was introducing a Swedish journalist to the Kinsale area and, after visiting nearby Charlesfort, Pelle and I ended up at the Bulman for lunch. He loved the local Stonewell cider and was very impressed with the place and the food. On this occasion, it was our turn to be impressed and we have no hesitation in giving it the blog's Very Highly Recommended tag.

Oysters in the Bulman have a little section of their own on the menu. They all come from Jamie at the local Haven Shellfish. You may have them hot or cold or as Bloody Mary Shots  The cold Rock Oysters come with either Teriyaki  or a Shallot Vinaigrette.  You may have the hot with Courgette, Lime & Parmesan or, as I had above, with Leek & Gruyere. Perhaps the best hot oyster dish I've ever had.

Starters here are high on quality and are not short on quantity either.
This Irish Prawn and Avocado Salad with Marie Rose sauce and mixed leaves
is a great example, the dish loaded with the flavour-packed small local prawns. 

. 

The Bulman's flowers enjoying the natural sprinkle.

The Hake (below) was one of the nightly specials and so was this Pan seared fillet of organic salmon, with Wasabi
mashed potatoes, broccoli and teriyaki sauce. Another winner, even if the wasabi potato wasn't finished! But they do have other side dishes, so just ask if you think you won't like an element of a dish on the menu.

The Bulman, as you might expect, are strong on fish, most from Kinsale
boats. This Oven Roasted Fillet of Hake, Ratatouille, baby new potatoes,
and broccoli, was excellent, the fish and the Ratatouille a
delicious moist combination. So good. Clean plate!  

Just one dessert but two spoons and our server diplomatically placed it in "neutral"territory!
But what a dessert! Fresh Strawberry Tartlet with Strawberry Ice Cream. Oh la la!

The Bulman

Summercove

Kinsale

Co. Cork

Finns’ Table Highlights Kinsale Can-do Attitude. Especially when it come to food!

Finns’ Table Highlights Kinsale Can-do Attitude

Especially when it comes to food!

Beef Brisket Croquette

Kinsale’s renowned Good Food Circle seem to have backed a winner with their Restaurant Week. The place is abuzz as was Finns’ Table when we walked in there around 7.00pm last Monday. We hadn’t met Julie and chef John with quite a while so it was great to take the opportunity to eat, drink and chat in such a lovely and lively spot.

Julie had reserved the “Love Table” for us, knowing that we were celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. So we sipped our Veuve Clicquot and soon we were tucking into two delightful mini-loaves from John’s kitchen, a treacle bread and also a potato bread, each different, both delicious.

So, what do they give you for your twenty euro? A choice of four starters and four mains, all really top class. One starter was Mushrooms on toast, crispy hen’s egg and Hollandaise sauce, another was Jerusalem Artichoke soup with honey, almond and rosemary granola.

Not easy to turn down either of those but I picked the Braised Irish Beef Brisket Croquet with celeriac remoulade and horseradish cream. The packed croquet was full of flavour, the remoulade and cream the perfect partners. CL spotted that the local mussels (from nearby Oysterhaven) were enhanced with coconut, coriander, ginger and lemongrass. Oh, the steamed bivalves have rarely been so well accompanied in a bowl.

Joseph Mellot wines from Sancerre - we would meet Olivier from the winery later on in the evening - were produced and much appreciated as the lovely occasion unfolded.

So what would we have for mains?  The quartet on offer were all very tempting indeed. There was a Confit Duck Leg, slow cooked, with Rosscarbery black pudding, and cider braised lentils and also a Vegetarian Wellington (Uncle Tom’s Turnip, Sweet Potato and Bandon Vale Cheddar). 

The Irish Lamb Tasting plate was CL’s choice: Roast Rump, Slow Cooked Neck and Braised Shoulder, with Fondant Potato and Jus. We swapped wines at this point with CL taking the Pinot Noir and I taking the Sauvignon Blanc. The SB proved a perfect match with the exquisite Seafood Bourride, a Provencal style fish stew containing lightly poached local fish and shellfish in saffron broth with garlic aioli and herbs, a delightful  mix of flavours and aromas.

Bourride

I’ve often thought that it is the small things on your plate that can indicate a chef’s skill. And what caught our attention here, in the most delightful way, was the side of Mixed Garden vegetables. No exotic veg included but excellent stuff, superbly cooked and a pure delight on the palate. Still wondering what little extra magic he added here. 

Fair play to the Finns. Since moving to Kinsale from nearby Timoleague about six years ago they have played a full role in the Good Food Circle, as indeed do all the members. Bookings have been brisk for this week’s combined venture and you may find it too late to reserve a place in some venues. 

But two excellent courses for just twenty euro is well worth checking out. The full list involved is: Actons Hotel, The Blue Haven, The Bulman, Jim Edwards, Finns’ Table, Fishy Fishy, Man Friday, The Supper Club, The Trident Hotel, The White House, and The White Lady. The week opened on the 18th and closes on the 24th - no time to lose!

Lamb

The big event for the Good Food Circle comes every October when the annual Gourmet Festival takes place. Dates this year, for the 43rd running of this famous and fun event, are 11th to 13th of October. And, believe it or not, bookings can now be made. Check "Kinsale Good Food Circle - 43rd Kinsale Gourmet Festival”  for further info.

Before that though, the Good Food Circle will host the national Chowder Championships in April with a street food festival on the same weekend (6/7 April 2019). 

Cast Your Vote in the 9th All-Ireland Chowder Cook-Off on Sunday 7th April.  Kinsale Good Food Circle want your help to find the best chowder chef in Ireland. A representative from each of the 32 counties will compete for the title of “All-Ireland Chowder Champion” at the annual All-Ireland Chowder Cook-Off. Everyone attending the event will have a chance to vote for their favourite chowder-chef. The food festival in the streets will be held on the Saturday (6th).

FINNS' TABLE, 6 MAIN STREET, KINSALE. 

Phone:  021 4709636

Also on this Kinsale trip:
Warm Welcome at Trident Hotel
Surprise Mellot Sancerre Tasting at Finns' Table

As Others See Us. Swedish Journalist Visits Cork.

First "met" Swedish writer Pelle Blohm on twitter, thanks to a Corkman, Mark O'Sullivan @markstkhlm, an ex Tramore Athletic player, who lives in Sweden and also Philip O'Connor, Swedish based Irish sports journalist @philipoconnor . Pelle is a regular visitor to Ireland, has been Grand Marshall at a Swedish Patrick's Day parade and owns an Irish wolfhound.


Pelle Blohm (@PBlohm on twitter): Freelance writer about football and culture and stuff in between. TV-expert-commentator in football. 


Pelle played professional football at a high level and had stints in places such as Derby and China as well as more local contracts at home and in Norway. In this You Tube clip you see him scoring against Torino in the 1992 UEFA Cup.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfXF5JewthY


Met Pelle at his B&B, @HandlebarsBandB  on the Lower Road, just after his arrival by train from Dublin and we headed off to Mahon Point Farmer's Market and Kinsale for a few hours. The ink was hardly dry on my short blog account of the day when I got a tweet from Mark saying an article by Pelle had appeared in his (Pelle's) local paper, the NA in Örebro, and told me "it was a good plug for Mahon Point Farmers Market and Kinsale".


See what you think. Must warn you though this is a Google translation, prone to error, though Mark says it is a pretty fair translation. I have added my own interpretations where there is doubt (in brackets).

CHIDED (BY) A CAB DRIVER DUBLIN

Talking football tends to be one of the best ways to break the ice

with the taxi drivers wherever you are in the world. It name drops a

name of a player or team and I usually talk to be running and the

atmosphere on top.

This early morning Dublin was not quite as usual. I jumped into a taxi

to take me to Heuston Station and by train to Cork. After a little

morning buzz about the weather chaffisen (the driver) asked:

- What do you do then?

sleepy as I was I took the easiest route.

- I work with football.

It (he) exploded in the front seat.

- Stupid, fucking, wankers those footballers. All they do is drinking,

gambling and whoring. Then went he with a long rant about working-class

boys who flooded with sick money that they do not have a clue how to

care for. 

Idiot British club owners and a crazy industry. Of course, I

was silent, sit well here and look out over empty dark streets, I

thought. After all, he had a point with his outburst. Although his

words breathed old Irish morality Catholicism. Thinking of adding a

diplomatic comment somewhere but just then we were there.

Down in Cork I met Billy Lyons. A man who through friends and the amazing network

Twitter gave away five hours of their (his) time to show me around Cork's

surroundings. A man who talked the strangest accent I've heard in

English. He almost sang out the words that fit together without

interruption. Each sentence ended and began, remained an enigma. Then I

was still warned of the singing Cork dialect. I took a chance with yes

and sometimes no other times. It worked pretty well. 

Pelle in Kinsale

Billy drove past the soccer fields on top of the round green hills (in Kinsale) and talked to (about) local football as he is passionate about, I saw the old Charles Fort from the 1800s, the beautiful summer town of Kinsale and the famous pub Bulman. 

Billy is a food writer took me to Mahon Point Farmers Market outside of town (Cork) where I walked around and greeted the vendors of local Cork Products. Tasted pâté, cheeses, bread and mushroom soup. Got a rant (explanation) about sushi with an Irish twist and juices and jams from the area. Fantastic day together with a very hospitable and proud Cork Nationals. 

Later on vincaféet (wine cafe?) L’Atitude 51 at the edge of the River Lee's southern channel, I read in the NA (his local paper) if someone wrote a nidlåt (anthem?) of Örebro. We are poor in Örebro on writing good songs about our city. Ireland is a master in this branch. 

Here are so many songs at any time of the country, towns and villages. Pride and love, joy and pain that is mediated through the music. We should call Örebro musicians to

write more songs such as Nikola Sarcevic and his song Hometown. 

They should be put online and on CD's, paid for by the municipality and

used to promote Örebro. Instead of Phil Lynott's tribute to Dublin.

Mats Ronander of Örebro. Or a variant of Luke Kelly's song about

Belfast. "The town I loved so well" in Örebro robes of Karin Wistrand.

End of Pelle's article.

You can see the original article, which was written in a McCurtain Street bar where, according to Pelle, the Wi-Fi was good and the coffee wasn't, here 

LUNCH STOP AT THE BULMAN

THE BULMAN

Enjoyed lunch at the Bulman yesterday. I was accompanied by Swedish journalist Pelle Blohm who was as surprised as me at the relatively high temperatures. But it still wasn't warm enough to sit outside.

We were on our way back to Charlesfort after strolling around Kinsale and seeing the sights. Pelle enjoyed the town and especially the old fort, the eerie ruins of the barracks and, of course, the views.

Time for lunch now, after all that walking. First though a drink was required and I suggested a bottle of Stonewell cider. Pelle usually finds cider too sweet but he certainly enjoyed this one, as indeed did I.

 I spotted an Ummera product on the menu and couldn’t resist having the Smoked Chicken with Pine Nuts and Cashel Blue cheese on a salad (10.50). Very enjoyable, terrific taste and texture variations in the dish, and a great choice, even if I say so myself.

The morning had started with food as well. Pelle, just off the train, was plunged into the activity at Mahon Point Farmers Market to meet some hard-working Irish people and taste some great food. Thanks to the traders who welcomed him with open arms, people such as Barrie Tyner, Gubbeen, Madeline of Sushi fame, Martin Conroy of Woodside and the folks at Ballyhoura Mountain Mushrooms.

CORKABOUT: NEW KINSALE ART GALLERY

Kinsale restaurants, Fishy Fishy and The Bulman, feature as Buckley Fine Art open new gallery in centre of Kinsale. read all about ...

CORKABOUT: NEW KINSALE ART GALLERY: "THE GALLERY: NEW IN KINSALE The bigger risk? Painting in the lands of a rain forest tribe in Borneo or opening a new art gallery in these r..."

The Bulman in Kinsale

THE BULMAN
Visited the Bulman in Kinsale (Summercove, near Charlesfort) for lunch yesterday (photo) and left a happy customer.

The harbourside bar, you park by the water, looked well in the sunshine yesterday. Still, just in case, a fire provided heat indoors where, unusually for Ireland, a large dog slept under a table as his minders dined.

The relatively new owners have give the place a revamp but the maritime theme is retained and now the restaurant upstairs is called Toddies and from there you have a fine view out over the harbour. The view downstairs is more restricted.

We ate downstairs in the bar and I went for the specials. Started with the Fennell Soup (€4.80). Accompanied by some nice bread, it was warm and well seasoned and very tasty indeed.

Then came a gorgeous little plateful: ham and smoked Gubbeen on ciabatta. Everything here was just perfect. The ham was the real deal and it and the tomatoes went very well with the delicious West Cork cheese and the whole thing was done to perfection. Cost €8.50.

Service was friendly and efficient. All in all, it was a lovely stop. If they can do the small things this well, then I’d have no qualms about driving down to Toddies for dinner some summer evening.
http://www.thebulman.com/
Telephone: +353 (0)21 4772131

Check out my review of Bulman - I am cork - on Qype