Moran Silversprings Hotel in Cork

MORAN SILVERSPRINGS HOTEL
Silversprings Hotel is full of surprises. It is a fine hotel with all the usual facilities. Great place for large groups, such as dinner dances and weddings. I’ve enjoyed a few there. The restaurant is not bad either and they have an early bird (€19.95 for 2 courses) on at the moment.
My latest visit to the Eoin Daly managed venue came last night to take part in the Raising Cork Quiz, the hastily but so well organised quiz in aid of the local flood victims. TV and Radio personality George Hook put in a stamina sapping shift and still had enough steam left to snap the final tie with the wisdom and incisiveness of a Pattwell!
It was quite a success, prizes galore, and some €25,000 was raised on the night to be distributed by St Vincent de Paul. Take a bow – all two hundred tables – and especially organisers H&A Marketing who put the impressive show on the road in less than ten days.

Check out my review of Moran Silversprings Hotel - I am cork - on Qype

Gubbeen Cheese in Cork

GUBBEEN CHEESE
Gubbeen farmhouse cheese is one of the best known in Ireland and marketed internationally by the small family company from West Cork. Picked some up recently at the Farmers Market in Mahon Point and it is really really good, up there with the best of them.
They also do a smoked version and, more recently, have produced other smoked items such as rashers, sausages and salami. Will be calling again!

Check out my review of Gubbeen Cheese - I am cork - on Qype - includes contact details and map

GEORGE HOOK WANTS YOU

Spread the word about about the Raising Cork quiz and help people affected by the recent floods - www.raisingcork.com


Day: Monday 7th
Time: 7.00pm Registration ; 8.00pm start
Prizes: a shedload, including jersey and ball signed by Pele
Quizmaster: George Hook

Enter your team at above link.

Fenns Quay in Cork

FENNS QUAY
Enjoyed an excellent “Early Dinner” at Fenns Quay Friday night. They live up to their “simple philosophy”: use only the best produce from the best local suppliers and treat it with care and attention to detail.
The attention starts the moment you walk in as the service is friendly, professional and discreet. The early dinner offer is a 3 course meal for €27.50.
Started with a tasty tomato and brie pot. Mains was venison in a terrific sauce with vegetables, almost like a stew, and we finished off with a melt in the mouth lemon pot with caramelised pears, accompanied by a blackberry sorbet.
Fenns Quay has a good wine list, quite a few by the glass, and we really enjoyed the Spanish Bodegas Castano Monastrell 2007. Aside from the Early Dinner menu, you can also go a la carte and both menus are supplemented by regular specials, all very tempting! For the season thats in it, there is also a Christmas menu.

Check out my review of No.5 Fenn's Quay - I am cork - on Qype

Riverview Cafe in Cork

RIVERVIEW CAFE
Fitzgerald’s Park may be soggy and the Cork City Museum may be closed but the floods haven’t beaten the Riverview cafe and it is open for business.
Had a stroll though the park this morning and called in for coffee and a scone, cost €4.30. Not the cheapest. But service and quality was good in the uncrowded venue. It was getting busier as I left.

In busy times, you have the opportunity of ordering online (orders@riverviewcafe.ie) or by phone.

Check out my review of Riverview Cafe - I am cork - on Qype  More pics from the park at http://corkandabout.blogspot.com/

FITZGERALD'S PARK

Today's Walk in the Park, latest pics at http://corkandabout.blogspot.com/

Tesco Ireland in Mahon Point

TESCO
Tesco at Mahon Point is one of the biggest supermarkets in the county. Aside from the clothing and electrical departments, the choice in food is staggering.
Take Balsamic Vinegar for instance; prices here ranged from one euro to close to twelve for aged varieties.
Range of wine too is impressive. Got a couple of bottles, including a Tarrango by Brown Brothers for old time’s sake. This unusual variety, which I first came across a few years ago when the brothers (sisters actually) came to town to show off their produce.
It is a red that may be chilled. Liked it then and no reason why I shouldn't like it now, especially that the price has been cut.

Check out my review of Tesco Ireland - I am cork - on Qype

O'Driscoll's Fresh Fish in Cork

O’DRISCOLL’S FRESH FISH
The first thing that always strikes me in the Mahon Point farmer’s market, at least if I come to it via the shopping complex, is the queue at O’Driscoll’s Fresh Fish (who today had four on duty, two filleting like mad). The Schull based outfit seem to thrive while nearby Ballycotton Fish, offering the same fish at the same prices, seem to be much quieter. Location! Location!
They sell the fish by the bag, fiver for a bag of whiting, a fiver also for a big bag of hake or haddock. Looks good value but I’d prefer price per kilo written up. Got some hake and John Dory. Next time though, I’ll weigh up the queue, maybe head for the rivals. Time is precious.

Check out my review of O'Driscoll's Fresh Fish - I am cork - on Qype

Magpie Cottage Dairy in Cork

MAGPIE COTTAGE DAIRY
The Magpie Cottage Dairy runs a little goat’s cheese products stall at the Mahon Point Farmers Market each Thursday (10.00am to 3.00pm). Magpie has two main items, each in a jar. One is a herby cheese in balls in sunflower oil and the other is the cheese with the addition of sundried tomato. The jars are dated and the product will keep well, even after opening.
Having previously sampled the Tomato version, we picked the plainer jar this time and may well indeed follow the recipe we heard from the man in the stall: put some cheese into your chicken breast, wrap it up with Parma ham or similar and you’re on your way to a lovely dish.

Check out my review of Magpie Cottage Dairy - I am cork - on Qype

The Rising Tide in Cork

THE RISING TIDE
Had a ball at a birthday party in the harbourside Rising Tide at the weekend and all ten in the party agreed. Great staff, courtesy and good humour very evident; they even volunteered to take group photos, all very much appreciated.
Food wasn't half bad either. Decent selection of mains from about €15.00 to mid 20s. All excellent as were starters and desserts. House wines started from 20 euro and were fit for purpose.
Very enjoyable overall and would recommend the Glounthaune venue. Watch out for their Christmas parties at €40.00 – should be well worth it. Recent customer Lady Gaga enjoyed her visit here!

Check out my review of The Rising Tide - I am cork - on Qype

O'Connells Fish Stall in Cork

KAY O’CONNELL’S FISH
O’Connell’s Fish stall is by far the biggest of the (too few) fish outlets in Cork’s English Market, supplementing their extensive stock of fresh fish (usually brought up from Castletownbeare that morning) with quite a few fish products such as kippers and continental style fish soup.
Service is efficient and friendly and the staff are always ready for a bit of banter. Got some salmon and sea-bass there today from the well iced counter.
Fish is quite expensive in the market and I often wish for more competition.

Check out my review of O'Connells Fish Stall - I am cork - on Qype

Grand Parade Boardwalk in Cork

GRAND PARADE BOARDWALK
The newly completed Boardwalk at the South Mall end of the Grand Parade is not the biggest in the world but it has its uses.
If the day is fine, you can sit down and have a drink or snack, and enjoy the views. To the left you look down the south channel of the River Lee towards the Holy Trinity Church. In front, you may watch the world go by over the pedestrian bridge and to the right, you have a fine view of the South Gate Bridge with St Fin Barre's Cathedral looming over it.
The coffee dock is yet to open but that will add to the facility and enhance your break from work, shopping or sightseeing.

Check out my review of Grand Parade Boardwalk - I am cork - on Qype

The Barn in Cork

THE BARN
The Barn is one of the old reliables in Cork. I went there the other evening to try out their €25.00 early bird menu.
The Egg Mimosa (with garden salad and balsamic vinegar) looked the most exciting of the four starters (plus soup) available but I enjoyed my Salmon Fish Cake and the Classic Duck and Chicken Liver Pate also went down well.
The old reliables were wheeled out for the main course. You could choose from Pork Steak, Sirloin (3 euro extra), Salmon and Chicken, also a Beef Pie. They came as ordered. My steak was perfectly cooked and the Salmon with veg and a warm potato salad was “absolutely beautiful”. The Beef Pie was quite substantial.
Three desserts were served at the table – they don’t bring their famous trolley to the Early Birds! All three were fine. I really enjoyed my Mango Cheesecake, the Rich Chocolate Cake was seen off but perhaps the best of the three was the Pavlova (the real thing) with fresh fruit and Crème Anglaise.
There is a high standard of friendly service here and, with the restaurant less than quarter full (On a Thursday night), we were well catered for but in an unobtrusive way, with an adequate two queries during the meal (is everything okay?).
Wine prices have dropped to the Early Bird level and we enjoyed an easy drinking Shiraz from OZ (GB 56 2007) for €20.00. The spacious Barn is very comfortable – some find it a little old fashioned but it had many devotees. And the smokers among the regulars will be glad to see that a new “smoking room” is nearing completion.

Check out my review of The Barn - I am cork - on Qype