Sage Limerick. Popular. Inside & Out!

Sage Limerick

Popular. Inside & Out!

 Did you know that Dublin has a dog cafe now? It’s called Pupp. It came to mind on a recent visit to Sage Café in Limerick city centre recently. It wasn't the warmest of days but there were a few hardy souls sitting outside under their green awning, a very popular spot in summertime, I’m told. I presume some were smokers but there were a pair of customers there with a well-behaved dog.

This café is a busy spot. We got in early for lunch, And just as well. It was soon full - it takes about forty inside - and there were quite a few people coming too to take away some of the delicious food, including fresh salads and in-house baked items. The very friendly staff were soon stretched.

 It pays to take a good look at the menu here as I almost missed my main course choice: Fish plate with steamed salmon and prawns. What salads would you like with that? I hesitated. Maybe something of each? Okay, I said. It was delicious, a great variety on my plate and kept me quiet for a while.

I had been looking at the Duck salad with orange, fennel, pickled carrots, and toasted sunflower seeds and that eventually was what CL got. Another plate packed with different colours, flavours and textures, really good.

They have a great choice of sandwiches and cold plates. Hot stuff too including the likes of Courgette and basil tagliatelle, smoked bacon lardons, and parmesan shavings; also a Braised Beef in red wine sauce with sauté mushrooms balsamic onions, smoked bacon lardons and creamed potatoes; or maybe you'd prefer a Spiced lamb burger in a brioche bun, fennel slaw and homemade chunky chips.

A wee bit of a delay then before we managed to get our dessert and our excellent coffees. Indeed, they have  a good range of tea and coffee and Fair Trade where possible. You may have breakfast and lunch here with mainly Irish produce. Jams, breads, cakes, scones, and desserts are made on the premises and are very popular of the busy take-out is anything to go by.

Overall, a lovely food destination in the heart of Limerick and Highly Recommended.

See also:
Two Days in Limerick City
Holiday break in County Limerick
Lunch at Hook & Ladder
Buzz at the Coqbull
Limerick's Locke Bar

Sage Café

Address: 67/68 Catherine Street, Limerick

Phone: 061 409458

email : info@thesagecafe.com

website: www.thesagecafe.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSageCafe/?fref=ts

Twitter: @thesagecafe

Taste of the Week. Cockagee Irish Keeved Cider

Taste of the Week

Cockagee Irish Keeved Cider

This is one of the best ciders I have ever tasted and is our Taste of the Week.

Made in County Meath by Mark Jenkinson, it has a rich amber colour, micro-bubbles constantly rising in the glass. The aromas are impressive too, redolent of the orchard. And on the palate there is a very pleasing concentration of real flavour and then a lovely dry finish.

Mark makes it in small batches in the heart of the Boyne Valley from 100% fresh pressed Irish apples. Each 1000 litre batch is unique and may vary slightly.

Keeving is not the easiest to explain as “it is more intuitive than an exact science”. But Mark gives a good run-down here. Crucially, it preserves the “lovely apple aromas and the rich flavours of the fruit and results in a robust yet smooth cider, complex and full-bodied with a bittersweet twist and a long dry finish.”

Briefly, Keeving means it is not filtered, not pasteurised, and not sweetened. The fruit sugars are naturally retained as are the intense apple flavours and aromas from the original must.

Hope that doesn’t sound too complicated. To put it simply, the result is a terrific drink with an ABV of 5% and is very highly recommended. Well worth a try. I got mine, a 75cl bottle, in Bradley’s for €9.95. See also Le Caveau who distribute it.

The Cono Sur Chef Challenge 2016. Race to Paris is on!

The Cono Sur Chef Challenge 2016

 Chefs across Ireland invited to submit an original recipe for a chance to win a first class gourmet trip to Paris

Starting Monday 11th April, Cono Sur and Pallas Foods are inviting all chefs in the Republic of Ireland to submit an original recipe that complements the prestigious 20 Barrels wines from Cono Sur.

Chefs are invited to simply upload their recipes with photos to
www.ConoSurChefChallenge.com to be in with a chance to win a first class trip for two to Paris for a gourmet weekend away.

Entries close on Friday 6th May.

Five semi-finalists will then be chosen for a “cook-off” on Wednesday 1st June at the Pallas Foods, Foods Solution Centre in Dublin, where a select panel of judges will choose the top three chefs to go through to the exciting finale held on Monday 13th June.

Then, judges at the final will be assisted by Cono Sur General Manager and Chief Winemaker Adolfo Hurtado, who will have the last word on which recipe is the best match for his beloved 20 Barrels range.

For more information visit www.ConoSurChefChallenge.com.

About the 20 Barrels Range

In 1996 Cono Sur decided to tackle the challenge of making their first ultra premium wine; the chosen variety was Pinot Noir and for its inaugural production they set apart 20 barrels of the best fruit the '96 vintage had provided.

This exquisite range’s name was coined after those 20 initial barrels. Pinot Noir was soon followed by other varieties, with Sauvignon Blanc joining the range in 2005.

Since then the wines have won numerous prestigious awards, such as:

Cono Sur 20 Barrels Sauvignon Blanc

• Gold, Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters 2014
• 90 points and #4 in Decanter's Top 50 2015
• 95 Points, Descorchados 2015 + Best from Casablanca
• 95 Points, Descorchados 2016 + Among the Best White Wines + Among the Best Wines from Casablanca
• 90 Points, Wine Advocate 2014
• Gold, Japan Wine Challenge 2014

press release

Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir

• 91 Points, JamesSuckling.com 2015
• 91 Points, Descorchados 2015
• 91 Points, Wine Advocate 2014
• Double Gold, Sakura 2015
• Silver, Japan Wine Challenge 2014

The Cono Sur 20 Barrels Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir retail at €24.99 and are available from premium independent off-licences nationwide.

Striking It Rich In The Real Wine Month. This Bordeaux Is Hors Catégorie!

Striking It Rich In The Real Wine Month
This Bordeaux Is Hors Catégorie!

Looking out over the vineyards from the top of the Sauve-Majeure Abbey

April is Real Wine Month. Restaurants, stores and wine bars are taking part. See what's going on here.

Chateau Turcaud Cuvée Majeure 2014 Bordeaux blanc, 13.5%, €18.95 Le Caveau

Not too sure I should be shouting off the rooftops about this Bordeaux beauty. It is a perfect match - for me! I’m drawn first by its light gold colour. It almost sparkles in the glass. And then those complex aromas of white fruits (apple, pear) along with floral and minty hints and more. The deliciousness continues on the palate, enhanced by a rich voluptuous texture, a very pleasing balance of fruit and acidity, the oak nicely integrated, and a finish that lingers, reluctant to say goodbye.

Later, too late on this occasion,  I read on the Chateau website that it “can benefit from decanting a half hour to a full hour before the meal, and is ideal served chilled but not too cold.” This wine, they add, is at its best as an aperitif or with marinated salmon, foie gras, fish terrine, scampi, scallops, lobster, fish in a sauce, white meat, and most cheeses.

Sauvignon gris (30%) plays a big role in the blend; also here are Sauvignon blanc (55%) and Semillon (15%). After fermentation in French oak (40% new), it is aged for six months on fine lees which are “stirred with a stick (bâtonnage) once a week to put the lees into suspension in order to produce more complex, aromatic wine”. I reckon they got it right! Very Highly Recommended or maybe, as they say in the Tour de France, hors catégorie.

Familia Cecchin Malbec 2015 (Maipu, Mendoza), 13.6%, €20.35 Le Caveau

Over-the-top labels usually make me quite cautious about the wine in the bottle. And when I saw that this Malbec expresses the “soul of those who make it”, I was thinking that's a bit over the top. But maybe not! This one, made from organic grapes, is Very Highly Recommended!

It has a dark violet colour with rich fruit aromas and a peppery drift as well. On the palate it may not be quite as in your face as some traditional Argentinian Malbecs but there is a gorgeous restrained rush of fruit flavours and a lively matching acidity, a delightful balance achieved, and with a smashing finalé.

Familia Cecchin, who farm in Maipu, Mendoza, is the first Argentinian winery to become part of the Artisan Craftsman Growers, a worldwide association of high quality winemakers. They work in a traditional manner, according to the Wines of South America -”They use horse-drawn plows, minimize the use of agricultural chemicals and use only native yeasts. The vineyards are bordered with aromatic plants.. to attract animal pests and keep them away from the vines.” They are well known for their Malbec, Carignan and Olive Oil!

Tour de Gendres Cuvee des Conti Bergerac sec (AOC) 13%, €17.15 Le Caveau

Color is a lovely light gold, a bright one! The aromas include white fruit and blossom. Excellent white fruit (melon, peach) with good concentration, well rounded and refreshing overall plus a good finish. Eight months maturing on the lees helps. Highly Recommended.

This is the family speciality, their favourite! It is made from Sémillon harvested very ripe and partially passerillé (dried out). The full blend here (it will vary from season to season) is Semillon 70%, Sauvignon blanc 20, Muscadelle 10. They advise serving it with seafood, pike with white butter, grilled fish, a Cabécou. I’d like to  try it with some of that fresh Goatsbridge Farm trout, also available in Kilkenny of course, and in many supermarkets.

Viticulture is biodynamic, the soil is nourished with seaweed and silica treatments to encourage microbial activity. Yields are low.

Menade Nosso Verdejo natural 2014, 13%, Vino de la tierra de Castilla y León, 13%, €19.95 (now 17.96) Le Caveau.

Castilla y Leon is a large region in northwest Spain that includes Rueda, now the undisputed home of Verdejo. The grapes for this wine come from Rueda itself, from Finca Menade. No added sulphur is used and the cork is covered by a waxy cap. Besides, a box of this wine will be packed with straw, perhaps to signify that it is a natural wine. Unlike its cousin (reviewed here too), it doesn't have the Rueda DO but don't worry, this is an exceptional wine and Very Highly Recommended.

There is a good depth of colour, strawy, and it is bright and clean. Aromas of white fruits and some herby hints too. Amazing mouthfeel, superb volume, impressive balance and a finish that goes on and on. If this is organic, keep the real wines coming, waxy cap and all!

I’ve seen the words greasy and oily used to describe the feel of this wine but don't let this put you off. It just means that there is more viscosity - you’ll note that the legs (or tears) on the glass are slow to clear.

Menade Verdejo 2014 (Rueda DO), 13%, €15.95 Le Caveau

This family run vineyard, just south of Valladolid, in Rueda, is certified organic. Hand-harvesting, carbonic snow  (instead of sulphur), natural yeasts and low yields are among the techniques used to produce pure and expressive wines.

And this light gold Verdejo is a very good example. Aromas are of white fruits (citrus to the fore) and there are floral hints too. It has lovely fresh fruit, a refreshing acidity, dry, well balanced and an excellent finish. Highly Recommended.

Maison Ambroise, Nuits-Saint-Georges ‘Les Hauts Pruliers’ 2010, 13%, €46.35 Le Caveau.

Once on a vineyard visit, I noticed our guide was vigilant in moving us further away every time the tractor and sprayer came anywhere near our group. Now I read this about Maison Ambroise: Ludivine (Ambroise) explained the move to organic viticulture is one of true belief as she lost her grandfather due to illness caused by chemicals used in the fields.

The Les Hauts Pruliers vineyards are located on a very steep slope, just above Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru ‘Pruliers’. Harvested manually, neither filtered nor fined, the wines are classic and expressive with distinct terroir-influenced personalities. This is quite a gem.

It has the typical lighter red colour of Pinot Noir and a bright one too. There is a tempting nose of black and red berries, some spice too. And this is echoed on the palate; smooth and elegant. Deep and rich, nicely balanced, a vibrant mid-palate all heading towards a long finish.  

If Burgundy is Pinot Noir heaven, then this wine comes from a special piece of paradise. Maybe I should have waxed a little more on the lyrical side with this one, but the city below is flooded, the rain lashing down outside.  Very Highly Recommended.

The Coqbull Buzz. Dishes, and staff, that make you smile

The Coqbull Buzz

Dishes, and staff, that make you smile

Supreme

There are five students sitting at the restaurant table, chatting. Then their burgers arrive; the server says something and there is an explosion of laughter and that continues for minutes after the server has gone. Welcome to the Coqbull Limerick. Service here is efficient and friendly and sometimes there is time for a joke and a laugh.

We had the very same server a little later and we too were left laughing and smiling at the exchange, smiling also perhaps because we were contemplating the massive dishes now in front of us. The Bull (there are large cartoons of him on the walls) and the chicken dominate the huge menu here and we had some of each.

Chicken

My choice was the Supreme Bull (14.50), served with Cashel Blue cheese and bone marrow with crisp onion. And fries, of course. Delicious stuff, tender and tasty and washed down with a bottle of Trouble Brewing’s Dark Arts Porter (6.80). Magic match. All burgers, by the way, are dressed with tomato, onion, lettuce and are served with fries.

CL was sipping from her Black’s Session (6.80) as she tucked into her Roast Chicken, half a bird served with those fries (14.00), her little dish of gravy an extra 1.50. She enjoyed that, right to the very last bite. This is rotisserie chicken from the spit, “marinated before roasting in our secret liquor”.

Pork ribs - small portion!

Black magic

Lots of wings on the starter list but we went for the Fighting Coq Pork Ribs and sauce. Even though we went for the smaller portion (9.00), we didn't end up fighting over these sticky pieces of melting meat. The full portion could easily serve as a main course and a very good one at that.

And we had another laugh before we left. The toilets are not marked Ladies and Gents but Sit and Stand. I'm sure you'll find the right one!

By the way, if you don't want all that meat, they have quite a selection of salads: goats cheese, Caesar, Super and so on. And you may add chicken, bull or sautéed prawns to any salad. There are one or two fish and vegetarian dishes available also. From the bar, you can have cocktails (and mocktails) galore, beers and wine.

See also:
Two Days in Limerick City

Holiday break in County Limerick
Lunch at Hook & Ladder
Limerick's Locke Bar
Sage Cafe

Coqbull

49/50 Thomas Street, Limerick

061 311011

limerick@coqbull.com

@Coqbull_Limk

facebook/Coqbull

Amuse Bouche

“They take anything besides jewelry?”

“One of them..knew his wine. He went through our storage rack and took my two bottles of ‘eighty-two Lafite…. and left the the nineteen eighthy. The ‘eighty-two is worth fifty times what the ‘eighty is worth and will taste fifty times as good. He knew that.”

Bosch nodded. He realized the wine might be more important to the case than the jewelry. If Ellis had kept it to himself, there might still be a bottle..in his possession.

from The Crossing by Michael Connelly

O'Briens 40 years in Bunnyconnellan. Good View. Good Food. Mornings To Inspire.

O'Briens 40 years in Bunnyconnellan.

Good View. Good Food. Mornings To Inspire.

The view, to the left.

When Paul O’Brien opens up Bunnyconnellan, early every morning, he looks out over the ocean and counts his blessings. That view on a sunny morning inspires positivity and it’s not too shabby on a poor day either.

The O’Brien family are celebrating forty years at the iconic Cork venue. In 1976, Paul’s parents, Paddy (who passed in 2010) and Sheila, took over the premises from Neill (known to all as Jock) and Mary Porteous, the only other family to have run Bunnys as a bar and restaurant.  

“Amazing people come in here and recount their childhood memories, “ said Paul. The Crosshaven area in general was, in the 50s and 60s, a summer resort area for many city people. A few years back, I attended a 60th party there for a man long resident in the USA but he had such happy memories of Myrtleville that he insisted on marking his big birthday with a party in Bunnys.

Paul told me that this photo was taken outside Bunnys in 1996. 
"From left to right, my Dad, Paddy O'Brien (who passed in 2010),
 my Mum Sheila, my brother Eamonn who runs the very successful
  'Paddy's Bar' in Hamburg Germany, myself & last but not least my wife Julie."

“Some great characters have been in and out of here. And they keep coming, men like Donie Bermingham from Carrigaline; he claims to be our longest-serving customer!”

Aside from the smashing views - you can see the mouth of Cork Harbour as well, see the big cruise liners and the large Brittany Ferries Pont Aven come and go, see Roche’s Point across the way - Bunny’s has always been known for its good food. And that strand of the story continues too. “There is a great little team here,” enthuses Paul. “It is headed up by Head Chef Chris O’Sullivan and Pastry Chef Bobbie O’Donovan, but they are all great.”

I put it to Paul that because they are on the coast that Fish ‘n Chips is always on the menu. It is. But they did take it off once and put it on the specials. There were “ructions” and it was quickly restored to its rightful permanent spot! “We can’t please everyone but we do listen to the bad things as well as the good!”  

The starters

“Fish is plentiful and varied here. Only last week, we had specials of black sole and brill for example. Could be something different next week. Another big seller for us is roast duck, supplied by Silver Hill.”

Specials are an “essential” part of the menus here, though for events like Sunday lunch, you'll find more traditional dishes as part of the offering. There is also a Kids Menu, with half portions of the adult menu available.

Did you have a good Easter? I asked. “We had a fantastic Easter, the whole period back to St Patrick’s Day, all good despite the iffy weather. Indeed, last winter was the wettest and windiest in years, yet we had a very good winter in the restaurant.”

The Cod

 So 2016 is shaping up well. And, believe it or not, the barbecues have started here already, kicking off on the first weekend of April. There are lots of industries in the general area and they tend to use the facility.

And, with a full bar, there is no shortage of beers to go with the meals, indoors or out. Craft beers are already featured, plus the local Stonewell cider. More craft beers are soon to appear and there are local spirits too - I spotted the Dingle gin. And if you fancy a cocktail? Well, they have a list for you. They tend to be more popular at or approaching the weekend.

Dinner service brings a hard night’s work to a close but Paul is back early in the morning, checking out that fantastic view. And, down on the beach, he spots a group of people that he admires: the Myrtleville swimmers. “Rain, hail or snow, there are about twenty out there every morning, some with wet-suits, some without”. People make the world go round just as the O'Brien's make Bunny’s an enjoyable place to come to, every day of the week. Every week of the year. For forty years!

Ham Hock

We enjoyed that view (though not the early morning one!) when we called for lunch. That Specials Board came in for scrutiny and our two mains came from that source. The starters are on the regular menu and I must say my Poached Pear and Blue Cheese Tart topped with walnuts was a delicious opener. And there were compliments too from CL as she tucked into her Goats Cheese, pineapple and walnut salad.

Our mains, served with a side of well cooked vegetables, were really special. Baked fillet of Cod with a pesto crumb and a saffron and chardonnay sauce was CL’s choice and I didn't hear a word from her until it was finished. My Oven-baked Ham Hock, with a creamy parsley sauce, was full of great flavour and outstanding overall, and kept me quiet! No room for dessert after the two courses! Sorry Bobbie - next time!

Local drinks: Black's Kinsale ale & Stonewell cider. Cheers!

BUNNYCONNELLAN BAR & RESTAURANT,
Myrtleville, Co. Cork.
Tel: +353 (0)21 483 1213
E: info@bunnyconnellan.ie

Web: http://bunnyconnellan.ie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bunnyconnellan

Twitter: @Bunnyconnellan 

Introducing Schioppettino. Strange Name. Friendly Wine!

Introducing Schioppettino

Strange Name. Friendly Wine!

Never know who or what you’d meet in Cork on a showery afternoon. “Come over and meet Giorgio, an Italian winemaker,” invited Beverly from L'Atitude 51. So over I went and met Giorgio and his Schioppettino, a gorgeous red wine that he produces on his Colutta Farm in North East Italy. His vines grow in the Colli Orientali del Friuli region, close to Slovenia.

The Schioppettino grape variety is from this area and has a history there dating back to at least the 13th century. Giorgio told us the name means “little bang”, the sound the grape makes when you pop a ripe one into your mouth!

It grows well here and has to be severely thinned (green harvested) with up to fifty per cent of fruit being dropped. The surviving grapes then thrive and the wine is more concentrated. Giorgio says the wine is similar to Pinot Noir, a light style. Cabernet Franc was also mentioned.

There is fruit and pepper on the nose and then it is fresh, “not too heavy”. “It is very good in summertime… with poultry, white meat and roasted fish.” Only a small quantity is produced. It is indeed a lovely wine, worth seeking out. I loved its light and fresh qualities and, as Giorgio said, “ it's typical north eastern acidity”.

It is something different from a tradition that had almost died out. So many different grapes in Italy, “hard to save them all”. This was fermented and aged in big Slovenian oak barrels. Freshness, fruit and finish!

We had started with the Colutta Pinot Grigio and it is a good one too, loads of character, flavour and balance and a good colour too. No wonder Wines Direct claim it is the best PG available in Ireland.

Colutta are not organic but they are trying to be eco friendly - they are self sufficient with solar energy. Their first aim is good fruit and they hand pick the best of it to make a good wine. The fruit comes from two parcels which are blended. It is kept unfiltered on the lees and stirred weekly. That and the clay soil enhance its character and body. If it is filtered early, it is “thinner”.

Check the Pinot Grigio out on the Wines Direct Website here. Fionnuala Harkin, who was at the tasting, said they have been chasing the Schioppettino for some time and are delighted to have it. It is new, so not on the website yet, but will soon make a welcome appearance.

O'Brien's Wine Dinner

Florent Cazaux of J.M. Cazes is in Cork later in the month to host an evening of delicious food and wine. Guests will enjoy a four course menu paired with a selection of wines from Domaine L'ostal Cazes, Domaine des Sénéchaux and Michel Lynch. Tickets are €80 each and booking is essential. Thursday 21st April at 7.30pm in Les Gourmandises Restaurant, Cook Street, Cork. To purchase your ticket call in to O'Briens Wine Douglas or contact Nicolas on (021) 436 9596 or email Douglas@obrienswines.ie

Taste of the Week. Ballyhoura Apple Farm Milk Chocolate

Taste of the Week

Ballyhoura Apple Farm Milk Chocolate

Lots of chocolate tasted over the past few weeks - it’s that time of year. But very hard to beat this Milk Chocolate or Seacláid Bhainne. Hard too to get us Irish to turn our backs on that bainne as milk has been part of our lives for ever. 

The package emphasises that link with the words: A taste of bygone days. Well maybe the days are gone but the lovely flavours of milk remains. It is alive and delicious in this bar, that I bought from the Ballyhoura Apple stall in Mahon Point Farmers Market. Made for them  “by a local lady”, it is full of flavour with a pleasing texture and is our Taste of the Week. Well worth a try!

For more on Ballyhoura Apple Farm, check their website here.