Tom's Bakery in Kinsale

TOM’S BAKERY

Hadn’t come across Tom’s Bakery before until I saw their stall at the Coal Quay Market (in Emmett Place) on Saturday morning.

Quite a choice of breads available (see photo) and I picked up a loaf of their Rye bread, a choice endorsed by the man on duty who said it was his favourite. It was substantially reduced on Saturday and cost €1.90.

It is a smashing bread and went down well in this house. Tom’s Bakery is based in Kinsale and also has a stall at Tuesday’s Farmer’s Market in the seaside town.

Check out my review of Tom's Bakery - I am cork - on Qype

Greenes Restaurant McCurtain Street Cork

GREENES

Had coffee and scones in Greenes by the waterfall this Saturday morning. Great coffee, great scone (not to mention jam and cream) – all well presented by a friendly waitress. Sat back in the comfortable chairs and enjoyed it very much indeed. Cost for two: €10.40.

It was one of the three best coffee and scone combinations that I've enjoyed recently around town. Nash 19 and the Hawthorn Bar on the Lough were the others.

Check out my review of Greenes Restaurant Hotle Isaacs - I am cork - on Qype

Gilbert's in Cobh

GILBERT’S

Gilbert’s is the newest restaurant in Cobh and we made a snap decision to drop down there last night and it worked out well. The bistro style Pearse Square establishment, which claims to be different, has a couple of attractive early bird offers though we went for the a la carte option.

Lamb Kidney and Smoked Pancetta Salad €6.50
in a creamy brandy sauce

Salmon and Tiger Prawn Mousse €6.95
infused with fresh herbs, chilli and chive vinaigrette

These were our starters. The mousse was excellent but the Kidney and Pancetta was certainly different and very very good – I really loved that sauce.

Pan-fried Fillet of Halibut €23.95
with savoury risotto, creamy shellfish sauce

This was the main course. Each plate had two big chunks of fresh halibut, a sparingly used sauce, and was served with vegetables and potatoes, giving quite a substantial course. The Risotto wasn't bad though a bit too strongly flavoured, taking away somewhat from the fish. I’d have preferred something like Ratatouille or some other tomato based accompaniment.
No room for dessert but we enjoyed our coffees. Service was very friendly, discreet and excellent all through.

Check out my review of Gilbert's - I am cork - on Qype

FRENCH FOOD

EAT YOUR WAY TO FRANCE

Last June we headed to France for a four week stay. The eating started immediately...

Storm forecasts notwithstanding, we booked a window table at Le Flora restaurant. That, by the way, is the top restaurant on the Brittany Ferries ship Pont Aven.

The gales never came on the Ringaskiddy – Roscof trip (14 hours) but the promise of a top notch meal was delivered on the high seas. Starter was Shredded Crab, wrapped in Avocado puree and accompanied by a green bean mix and salad. Terrific!

That was the start of of a great meal, the start of a terrific holiday where we spent more time in restaurants and markets then we did on the beaches of the Charente Maritime.

If you are planning a trip to that area, then get all my 2009 tips (places to visit, markets, cafes, day trips, restaurants) here  Just click on the France label

RIPP'Ss BRATWURST in Cork

FOOD PARADE

Barry’s Tea, the market sponsors, were serving up mugs of tea as we reached the Grand Parade Outdoor Market after the Cork St Patrick’s Day Parade had passed.

It wasn't the only food stall with a queue. Indeed, every food stand, and there were dozens, was busy. In the end, settled for Ripp’s German Bratwurst. It was a welcome bite for four euro.

The sausage and spices along with the onions were excellent though the bread bit wasn't the greatest. Still, it went down well, despite the fact that I couldn't face another queue for the tea!

For all my parade pics see http://corkandabout.blogspot.com

Don’t forget, this weekend, 18th -20th of March, Cafe Gusto are launching BYO to all their Facebook fans and Twitter followers. This is the promise: “If you visit with your favourite bottle of wine to accompany our delicious mezze, antipasti and tapas dishes, we will NOT charge our usual €4 corkage if you mention facebook or twitter on ordering.” Now you know!

Check out my review of RIPP's BRATWURST - I am cork - on Qype

AHERNE'S OF YOUGHAL

AHERNE’S HOTEL and
RESTAURANT


It has been a long time since I visited Aherne’s in Youghal and I made up for that this weekend with a trip to try their tasting menu:

Flat Oysters with a mini-Guinness;

Seared Castletownbere Scallop with an Herb Butter. Drink: Prosecco;

Grilled Sea Bass with Avocado & Chilli Salsa. Drink: Sauvignon Blanc;

Smoked Parmesan & Roast Vegetable Risotto. Drink: Alsace-Gewurztraminer "Hugel";

Aherne’s Sorbet;

Surf & Turf (Char-grilled Baby Fillet Steak & Prawns) Chile. Drink: Chile Crucero Cabernet Sauvignon;

Farmhouse Cheese. Drink: Warre's 1999 Late Bottled Vintage Port;

Sticky Toffee Pudding;

Irish Coffee.

Quite a meal. We were first in to the restaurant at seven and it was ten or afterwards before we finished. Business was quite slack on Friday, maybe a calm before the storm of Mother’s day.

The standard, as you’d expect, was very high indeed. All the courses were excellent and highlights included the scallop; the bass and particularly the salsa; the risotto also; steak (not quite the baby indicated) was splendid as was the cheese selection, not to mention the port; the sticky toffee was very rich and so tempting and the Irish Coffee rounded it all off.

Service was very friendly and efficient throughout our stay and we also enjoyed our breakfast the following morning. I almost forget the bread, brilliant at both meals.

The hotel part is rather small, there being just eight or nine rooms. But the rooms and the beds are very spacious and very comfortable. There are tea and coffee making facilities and the bathroom is well stocked.

All in all, a very enjoyable experience. But if you want to catch the Friday meal cum accommodation offer that we had, you’ll have to be quick as it runs out this month.

Le Gourmet in Youghal

LE GOURMET

Before making an exit from Youghal yesterday, called to Le Gourmet in the River Gate Mall. It is a bakery/cum traiteur, owned and run by award winning French chef Jean Francois Bernard.

Quite a choice of freshly prepared food and I choose the Boeuf Bourguignon, a couple of pastries and a brown loaf.

The Bourguignon was excellent value at a fiver a pack and you could have fed three from the two I bought. The beef was top class and beautifully cooked and the sauce, with loads of little mushrooms, was terrific.

Quality also in the baked pieces and that meant we had a very nice meal at home that evening.

Le Gourmet also provides other breads, savoury meals, fish dishes, pastries, gateau and de luxe hampers and are also involved in the outside catering business.

Quality, value and service is the motto and it has got Jean Francois into the Bridgestone Food Guide.

Photo shows a mound of meringue on the pastry table.

Check out my review of Le Gourmet - I am cork - on Qype

Vienna Woods Hotel in Cork

VIENNA WOODS
Back to the Vienna Woods today, after quite an absence. Took the soup of the day (€4.50), Potato and Broccoli, as a starter and it was quite good. Main course was a Cajun Chicken Warp (9.95), served with a dip, plus chips or wedges or salad. Very substantial and very tasty.

There is a huge selection in the Crawford Room day-time menu, including the usual roasts of the day, salads, and Tex-Mex, along with much more substantial main dishes.

Service was friendly and efficient. They certainly believe in filling you up here and the only caveat I’d add is that the glass-roofed room gets very very warm indeed. You can escape by going closer to the bar and using the older room alongside.

Photo shows older part of hotel; it has a much larger modern wing as well.

Check out my review of Vienna Woods Hotel - I am cork - on Qype

Green Kiwi Coffee in Cork

GREEN KIWI

The colourful portable mini stall used by Green Kiwi can be seen regularly around the city and suburbs: at markets such as the Coal Quay, Ballincollig and Nangle's Garden Centre (2nd Sun of each month). You can find it anywhere: I’ve seen it early mornings, operating on the main street in Ballincollig, and even in the Regional Park (see photo) on Sunday mornings, serving a welcome hot drink (coffee or chocolate) to walkers and footballers alike.

Came across Joanne O’Doherty’s vehicle at the Coal Quay (in its new temporary location by the Opera House) last Saturday and enjoyed my cup of coffee so much that I bought a pack.

The Cofesa brand has its roots in the outdoor cafes and bars of the villages of Andalucia but the Spanish company now sells much further afield as well. The Inda Cafe, the one I bought, is made from a fine selection of Arabica beans, roasted in the traditional manner.

Check out my review of Green Kiwi Coffee - I am cork - on Qype

The Real Irish Food Company in Drogheda

REAL IRISH FOOD COMPANY
You never know what good things you will find on supermarket shelves these days. Recently, we told you how the organic products from Cobh’s Just Food are sold by Supervalu and will soon be sold by six Dunnes Stores shops in the Cork area.

Dunnes already stock the Follain range of jams and relishes. Their marmalade is one of my favourites; another is that made by Bramley Lodge in Carrigtwohill.

Just this weekend, in Dunnes in Ballyvolane, I picked up one of the very best strawberry jams I have ever come across. Based in Drogheda, the Real Irish Food Co make jams (including marmalades), relishes, dressings, salsas and cooking sauces. Keep an eye for this and other products from the award winning company, founded by Bronagh Conlon in 1997.

Check out my review of The Real Irish Food Company - I am cork - on Qype

CORK COASTAL FOOD TRAIL

Photos: Millennium Hall (right) and Clarion Hotel (below)

CORK FOOD TRAIL

Now that Cork has been included on the Lonely Planet’s and Yahoo China’s top ten cities for 2010, I decided to get in before the crowds.


The Millennium Hall (pictured) was my destination last Saturday. It is the lesser known of the two halls within the Cork City Hall complex, all of us more familiar with the big Concert Hall. The new Millennium is about quarter of the size of its neighbour and can take 340 Standing/Reception or 200/250 Seated.

Both were busy last weekend. There was a big festival in the Concert Hall while the Millennium hosted the Re-Discover Cork tourism showcase. I paid a visit there, along with many others, to see the many attractions in the city and county ranging from the town of Youghal in the East to Castletownbere in the West.

Picked up a bagful of leaflets and brochures and a few money-off offers here and there and, as a direct result, am off to Youghal next weekend to sample the culinary expertise available at the famous Aherne’s Restaurant.

Aherne's is one of the places mentioned in a very handy brochure that I picked up on Saturday: Cork's Coastal Food Trails. It is an attractive booklet and manages to mention quite a few, though by no means all, of the eateries along the extensive Cork coast. It is a Failte Ireland publication and available form their Office in Aras Failte, Grand Parade, Cork or check out the website at www.discoverireland.ie/Cork

SPELT OUT

SPELT SPELLED OUT!

Sometimes groups of specialists, including foodies, use buzz words and expect everyone else to know what they mean. Spelt is one I’ve come across recently. What is is?

Found it well explained at Cathy's Spelt for Health 

“It is a member of the same grain family as oats and wheat but is a different species. Spelt breads are low in gluten, high in protein and are easily digested which makes them a very good option for people who are wheat intolerant.”

Now you know and, if you want to see the real thing then, if you are around Cork on Friday 12 of March, call in to Nash 19 and meet Cathy who supplies them with her fantastic Spelt for Health Mix. She will be in the Food Shop from 11 am to tell more about her products and to give out samples of her bread and flap jacks.

Cobh Farmers Market

COBH FARMERS MARKET

The Cobh Farmers Market (held in and around the Heritage Centre in picture) was a big let-down for me today with just a handful of stalls opening up, about six in all. It is supposed to be very good in the summer – looks like I’ll have to wait and see. In any event, won't be in a hurry down again.

Got some roughly filleted fish from a basic stall up the town.

The harbour town looked very well indeed and the walk along the West Beach area was very enjoyable.

Check out my review of Cobh Farmers Market - I am cork - on Qype