Ichigo Ichie. Star experience on a rainy night in Cork.

Ichigo Ichie. Star experience 

on a rainy night in Cork. 

Sashimi

No colourful signs (or stars) as you approach Ichigo Ichie on Cork’s Fenn’s Quay. On this rainy night, the only colour on the outside of the premises, on a blacked-out window, was a reflection of graffiti from across the wet street, the entrance just about visible. In the hallway,  you do see a little sign Ichigo Ichie sign, just before the big smiles. The big smile is on your face as you exit a happy hour or two later.

It was certainly on ours as we left, even though the rain was still there, even stronger now, as we had enjoyed a multi-course meal in Takashi Miyazaki’s Michelin-starred restaurant. Like most Michelin places, prices are high here but we had spotted a midweek offer and were so glad that we took advantage.

Chateaubriand

They get a sitting in a little early so that drinks orders may be taken and served and, since the €75.00 menu itself was set, the drinks were about all we had to decide on with the help of friendly and efficient staff. There was a lovely buzz of conversation around the calm space as we went through the lists. 

For me it was always going to be Sake. They have quite a list here and my pick - I’ve had a can (Honjozo) here previously - was the Kikusui-Funaguchi (Honjozo, Niigata). Niigata is regarded as the most prestigious and well-known region and the Honjozo style is when the makers add a little “brewer's alcohol” to lighten the sake and clean things up. My 200ml can was a delight, light-dry taste with hints of sweetness and a fruity finish, followed by a clean and pleasant aftertaste. 

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CL also enjoyed her choice, the Fanny Sabre Bourgogne Aligoté 2021, a dry, pure, elegant, natural wine, produced only in those years when the fruit is in great condition. It is crisper than Chardonnay but with depth and superb texture, outstanding match for most the meal ahead.

Hassun

With the drinks sorted, we were soon on our way. Beginning with a trio under the title of Hassun, a hat trick of bite-sized  delights. First up was the Tori Yawara maki (chicken though burdock, carrots, haricot vert). Then we turned to the Asparagus Tofu (Lisheen Greens, asparagus and sumiso ). The star though was the Kaki Domyoji age (Rossmore Oyster, puffed rice, Aonori and nitsume sauce).

By the way, I have never quite got the hang of chopsticks but don't worry, knives and forks are available!

Quite a spectacular dish followed, the Mukouzuke. This selection of sashimi was called Kisetsu no osashimi and Yellow Fin, Turbot, Sea Bass (torched), monkfish and oyster were included along with a range of accompaniments that included salmon and trout roe, ginger and a Japanese plant that had similarities to basil. Our servers gave us all the details but not easy to remember them later on!

Tai Meshi

Perhaps the star dish of the evening came next, the Yakimono (refers to a dish cooked over direct heat). Ours was titled Chateaubriand with Caherbeg beef fillet, Hakusai miso, egg yolk, truffle, Singing Frog kinome. The beef was amazing, enhanced by everything around it. That beef comes from the Allshire family farm in Rosscarbery and the kinome (leaves of a Japanese fruit tree in the citrus family) comes from the Singing Frog garden also West Cork based. A big thumbs up for that course.

And the good mood continued, again Singing Frog involved with our Gohanmono course. The Tai meshi came in one bowl and inside were Sea Bream, Singing Frog wasabi, ginger, nori and rice while the other bowl (called Nameko akadashi jiru) had Red miso, Garryhinch nameko, tofu, chive and dashi. 

Course number five was Kanmi (dessert) and was titled Rhubarb, shiso gelato. The rhubarb came from Lisheen Greens and went down very well with the gelato.

Then it was time to settle up and head off into the rain after another memorable meal, thanks to the maestro and gentleman Takashi Miyazaki in Ichigo Ichie. “The kid’s done well “ as they say in football. Indeed he has, come a long way from Molly Malone’s Irish pub in Hiroshima.

* By the way, if a Michelin starred restaurant can serve alcohol in a can, I wonder why are so many local restaurants are “shy” about offering craft beer in a can.

Reflected selfie

Waterville's Lobster Is A Specials Kind Of Place

The Lobster’s A Specials Kind Of Place In Waterville.

They tell you that you can’t miss The Lobster in Waterville. "They have the lobster with a pint on the front." And they do. He’s up high on the street frontage with a full pint in his claw.

So we found it, no problem, and walked in. We did have a reservation. Probably not strictly necessary early on a late April night. The place wasn’t exactly full and there were three or four other options within a 150 yards or so. But, if you want to dine here and the season is in swing, then a reservation would be strongly advised.

So what did we have? The menu is along the usual lines that you see in Kerry (and many other Irish) pubs and sometimes you have to look at the specials list to get away from the Seafood Chowder, Chicken Wings, Fish and Chips and Burgers that populate these offerings. Not that there is anything wrong with them.

Up to about ten years ago, it was almost impossible to get craft beer in Kerry. But, with at least five breweries in the county, all that has changed. Has it changed in the Lobster? It has and great to hear that they had two types of craft, one by Killarney Brewing, the other by the local McGill brewery, from just out the road.

Goats Cheese starter

As it happened, they had just run out of the Killarney and so we both tried the McGill Waterville India Pale Ale. And we were both very happy with it indeed, a well balanced drink. That led to a spur of the moment meeting with brewer Joe McGill on the following morning and we are now well into his beers, included the just released barrel-aged stout called Coireán (Irish for Waterville). That stout is superb and you should try and get your hands on it, though you may have to travel to Waterville to do so!

Our orders had been taken and we sipped our IPAs. Both of our mains came from the specials. Mine was  the Rump of Lamb, served with a Turnip Purée, Pearl Onions, Wild Garlic Leaves, a Rosemary Jus and a side of our choosing (€29.00).  It was a fine piece of lamb, well cooked and presented and all the other bits, including that wild garlic, played a part in making it very enjoyable indeed.

And there was a big thumbs up also from the other side of the table as CL thoroughly enjoyed her Seared Fillet of Halibut, Saffron Potatoes, Mussels, Prawns, and Sugar Snaps in a Tomato Broth, a really classy dish. Good choice of sides so, for variety, we picked fries and a salad and shared. Other specials available were Steamed South Kerry Mussels (do they reject North Kerry bivalves?) in a Cream Sauce (19) and Pan Fried (500gr) Black Sole at a wallet stretching (it usually is) thirty seven euro.

McGill's IPA

We had a couple of excellent starters, both from the regular menu. My pick was the Seafood Chowder ( West Coast Seafood of Cod, Smoked Haddock, Salmon, Mussels and Prawns in a Herb Cream, with Traditional Brown Bread). Very happy with that, some tasty chunks of fish in there.

CL enjoyed the Goats Cheese Salad (Mixed Salad Leaves, Roasted Beetroots, Orange Segments, Candied Walnuts, Orange Dressing, Sourdough Toast) but thought the one they served (with a redcurrant sauce in the Royal Hotel on Valentia) had the edge. Maybe they should have a cook-off during one of the summer festivals!

After all that food, they do quantity here as well as quality, we just had no room for dessert but a second round of Waterville IPA was very much appreciated as we had the shortest of walks to our five star accommodation called Seaclusion.

Lamb

The Lobster has a good reputation and we noticed quite a few tourists in as well. But they are well appreciated at home too and in January were one of “23 Places We Are Most Excited About For 23” from McKenna's Guide. Before that, they got the Seal of Approval from Good Food Ireland and are included in their Touring Map. 

And they are also getting nod from the CorkBilly.com blog!

Also on this trip:

The Lobster Waterville

Skellig Experience Centre - The Monks Dinner

McGill Brewery*

Royal Hotel, Knightstown

A Right Royal Progress Through The Kingdom

* Post to follow

Recent Kerry posts

Killarney's lovely Victoria Hotel

Dinner at The Ivy in Killarney

Dining at The Harrow Killarney

Excellent Lunch at Brehon Hotel

Seeing Red at the lovely Sneem Hotel

Lunch at Killarney Brewery & Distillery in Fossa.

Dingle Drive, Slea Head and more 

The 2017 version of this trip has some other attractions not visited this time. Take a look here.

Curious about wine in a bag in a box? Curious Wines is the place to go

press release

Curious about wine in a bag in a box?

Curious Wines is the place to go.

LEADING Irish wine importer Curious Wines has started selling high-quality bag-in-box wine from Spanish organic winemaker Tempore. The Cork-based company has struck an agreement with the vineyard to sell its Tempore Generación 76 Tempranillo 2020 in a 3-litre bag-in-box at an extremely competitive per-litre price compared with that of a standard 750ml bottle.

“This is a smooth, aromatic and beautifully expressive Tempranillo from the Yago Aznar family, one of the most forward-thinking winemaking families in Aragón,” says Mike Kane, Curious Wines’ co-founder and Chief Taster. “They’ve been making wine for four generations. The 70-hectare estate is currently run by siblings Paula and Víctor Yago Aznar. (Víctor’s face is on the Generación 76 box.) Their organically certified operation is built on the principle of ‘Tempore’ or time, or more precisely ‘seedtime’, leaving the vines to express themselves free of intervention and with the utmost respect for the land.” 

The Yago Aznars cultivate exclusively native varieties of the Aragón region, Garnacha, Tempranillo, Macabeo and white Garnacha grapes, with 70+ year old traditional Garnacha bush vines coexisting with younger fully trellised vineyards. The entire estate is organic with a state-of-the-art winery built in 2002.

“There are significant advantages to putting wines in a bag-in-box. Not least of which is that the bag contracts as you take wine from it, which means no air gets to the wine inside. That in turn keeps the wine in peak condition for much longer once you start drinking from the bag, compared with wine in bottles, which typically have to be drunk within a couple of days of opening them. On top of which, this new 3 litre bag-in-box works out around a third less in price per unit than the standard 750ml bottle, so there is real value here,” Mike says.

Mike’s Tempore Generación 76 Tempranillo 2020 tasting notes:

“A dark cherry colour with a brilliant violet rim, on approach, lively notes of strawberries and blackberries are immediately apparent. The aromas grow in complexity with a mineral yet fruity bouquet and give way on the palate to ripe red berries with soft liquorice, delicate hints of toasted French oak and pure cocoa seeds. A perfectly blended young wine that nonetheless displays unexpected velvety maturity.”

Curious Wines is a family owned wine importer based in Cork City. It was founded in 2008 by Mike and Mary Kane as a more open, fun and approachable wine merchant for trade and private customers. It specialises in lesser known, quality wines that will tantalise the palate of curious wine drinkers in Ireland. The company distributes wine to both consumers and the trade throughout the Republic of Ireland from its headquarters and warehouse on Tramore Road, Cork, and its online shop at www.curiouswines.ie.

For more information, please contact: Lucy Holme, lucy@curiouswines.ie

McGill's launch barrel aged stout!. Craft journey with McGill’s Brewery. CorkBillyBeers #27.

CorkBillyBeers #27

Craft journey with McGill’s Brewery

McGill's launch exquisite barrel aged stout!

Just this week, Joe McGill launched their "exquisite" barrel aged stout, An Coireán, at the micro-brewery. The latest chapter in the brewery story began back in December...

It was quite a day in the McGill micro brewery when they transferred their own Puffin Imperial Stout to the oak barrels. This was the start of making the first beer of its kind brewed in the area. 

The barrels were rather special, being oak port pipes from Portugal. They had previously been used to mature some superb Liberator Whiskey at the beautiful Killarney lakeside location where Maurice O’Connell operates his Wayward Irish Spirits in ancient farm buildings.

The stout aged well in the little brewery in the Gaeltacht between Waterville and Ballinskelligs, over the winter months, taking in some of the qualities of the oak and port and picking up some exquisite notes from the whiskey. Now the pipes will return to Lakeview for another round of whiskey!

The stout that originally went into the barrels last December was McGill’s Puffin Island Imperial Stout, itself weighing in at 7.9% ABV. Best served chilled ”like a wild Atlantic Wave” says brewer Joe and he gives the same advice for the new barrel-aged An Coireán (a stout that can be kept for at least two years).

At the end of April, I was staying in Waterville and spotted the brewery opposite the St Finian’s church in Murreigh, on the road to Ballinskelligs. A spur of the moment call led to a chat with Joe and his mum and as I left he handed me a bottle of the newly unveiled stout, the very first with a label! Honoured to have that.

McGill’s Puffin Island Imperial Stout 7.9% ABV, 500ml bottle

McGill’s Imperial Stout has the classic colours: black body and tan head. Aromas are of coffee and chocolate, not overly strong. On the palate, there’s a hint of sweetness to it, later a touch of bitterness, but nothing overbearing, and indeed the beer is beautifully balanced. Nothing extreme about it at all, once you sip and don’t gulp it down. 

In this Imperial class, some stouts can be so concentrated you get too little flavour and too much alcohol on the palate and aftertaste, but this one, with vanilla, chocolate and caramel in the flavours, is one of the more sophisticated. Just give it the respect it deserves. 

Very Highly Recommended.

The label: Every beer we produce is inspired by the area and celebrates the area we are proud to call home. Puffin island is an Irish wildlife conservancy reserve near Portmagee (Kerry), a very small island. It is 1.5km long and 700m wide but rises up to 159m altitude and is quite close to the mainland. It holds some 1,000s of pairs of Manx Puffins and smaller numbers of other breeding seabirds.

An Coireán Barrel Aged Imperial Stout 13.1%, 330ml bottle

An Coireán has the same colours as its daddy Puffin Island. But the aromas have a flush of uisce beatha, telling us a bit about its breeding! And the same theme is left right and centre on the palate. But, yet again, the balance is just amazing and I can now understand the enthusiasm in brewer Joe McGill’s voice when he gave me this little bottle, the very first with the An Coireán label. By the way, An Coireán is the Irish name for Waterville.

A pint of McGill's IPA
at The Lobster
in Waterville.

The high abv of 13.1% could throw many a beer off kilter but McGill’s have the balance here spot on, like a diving puffin. The rich flavours, chocolate, vanilla, coffee, some fruit too, along with the whiskey influence, envelop the mouth and hold all the way to the finalé. 

Just follow the sip rather than gulp rule and you’ll enjoy every little drop of this beauty from the far south west. If anything, this is even more approachable than the Puffin. Enjoy and, as the McGills say: ‘Sláinte agus fad saol agat’ (Health and long life to you).

Again, Very Highly Recommended.

Tip: use a wine glass or one of their own tasting glasses (about 1/3rd of a pint) with this one.

Check out the launch here on their Facebook

BAKESTONE CAFÉ & PANTRY CELEBRATE 10 YEARS THIS WEEK AND LAUNCH A NEW EXCLUSIVE COFFEE BLEND, COMMON GROUNDS

 BAKESTONE CAFÉ & PANTRY CELEBRATE 10 YEARS THIS WEEK

AND LAUNCH A NEW EXCLUSIVE COFFEE BLEND, COMMON GROUNDS

Proprietors Joe and Maura Carey with, left, Neil Muscheidt (Bakestone)

Bakestone Café & Pantry was founded by Cork natives Joe and Maura Carey in 2013 in Carrigtwohill. It offers an all-day menu with a focus on high-quality locally-sourced ingredients.

Brunch is popular in Bakestone and you can expect all the classics, Eggs Benedict, Eggs Royale and Eggs Florentine, plus family-friendly posh Buttermilk Pancakes with Poached Pear, Salted Carmel and Vanilla Mascarpone, or traditional French Toast with Maple Syrup and Bacon. At the weekends the Bakestone Full Breakfast with locally sourced produce is the cure to all ails. 

The lunchtime offering changes daily, depending on what's seasonal and what’s fresh. Expect homemade quiches, six different types of salads each made daily in-house along with  Arbutus sourdough breads and in-house relishes and pickles.

In 2018, Bakestone Café added a new retail element to the business in the form of The Pantry which sells a wide variety of local artisan products and baked goods. The Bakestone Pantry highlights over 150 Irish producers including many of the best Cork producers plus a whole range of homemade Bakehouse chutneys, jams, pickles, relishes and dressings.

In 2018 Bakestone also opened in Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens. Bakestone in Fota House is open from March until the end of September 7 days a week and weekends from October until the end of February.

Happy Birthday!!!

Owner of Bakestone Café & Pantry Joe Carey is delighted to be celebrating ten years of following his passion for great food and for supporting local producers “We feel very honoured to have served the people of East Cork and beyond over the past 10 years, we cherish the relationships we've built with our wonderful food producers and suppliers, and we feel very lucky to have our wonderful Bakestone team collected around everything we do.”

To mark the celebration Bakestone has announced a very special partnership with Badger & Dodo by launching a new exclusive house coffee blend called Common Grounds.  This exclusive coffee blend only available to Bakestone, consists of washed Peruvian and natural Ethiopian beans that boast flavours of vanilla, milk chocolate and orange. Medium body with a smooth round finish on the palate. Founded by Australian Brock Lewin, Badger & Dodo has roasted coffee in Cork since 2008. The brand sources only the best beans available, from quality single-origin estates, with all blending done by hand. 

Common Grounds is available at Bakestone Café & Pantry, Fota Retail Park in Carrigtwohill, County Cork and Baketone @ Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens Fota Island also in Carrigtwohill, or buy online at www.bakestone.ie

Bakestone will celebrate its 10th year with a series of events taking place in Bakestone including a Meet The Makers event in Autumn. Keep up to date with the latest news by following Bakestone Café & Pantry on social @bakestonecafe

Blas na hÉireann Producers' Champion 2023 Announced. And it's Kate Ryan!!!!

Blas na hÉireann Producers' Champion 2023 Announced. And it's Kate Ryan!!!!

Kate Ryan, award-winning food writer and founder of Flavour.ie, has been named Blas na hÉireann’s Producers’ Champion for 2023 for her dedication to championing the best of everything Irish and independent. She is pictured above with Fallon Moore and Artie Clifford (both Blas).

 

The Producers’ Champion is selected annually by Blas na hÉireann producers, based on a survey that goes out to the entire Blas network — a network that covers every county in Ireland with producers from across the food industry. Nominees for Producers’ Champion are put forward by producers early in the year, asked to nominate those they believe are representing and supporting their produce and that of other Irish food makers and growers in an effective and helpful way.

 Originally from Bristol, Kate moved to Cork in 2005 and quickly recognised the food scene in Ireland was becoming transformative. With a growing number of food and drink producers and an increasing abundance of exceptional restaurants to celebrate, her idea of Flavour.ie became a reality. The platform, which is dedicated to promoting Irish food and drink, also features her blog, The Flavour Files, where Kate writes about great local produce, seasonality, wild and foraged food, and craft drinks of all kinds, with recipes that illustrate how artisan foods are as at home in our kitchens as they are on a restaurant menu. 

As well as writing for her own website, Kate writes regularly as a food features writer for The Echo and Irish Examiner, and many of her articles feature in a number of other publications including BBC, The Opinion, Irish Foodie magazine and thejournal.ie. In 2017, Kate was commissioned by A Taste of West Cork Food Festival to write the Artisan Food Guide which showcases food and drink producers across West Cork. 

She has been a member of the Irish Food Writers Guild since 2019, becoming Secretary in 2021, now Treasurer and a Committee member. In July of this year, Kate will present a paper at the prestigious Oxford Food Symposium based on research completed for her final project of the PGDip in Irish Food Culture (UCC). She has also been a judge for Blas na hÉireann for many years.

 “I’m incredibly honoured to have been awarded Producers’ Champion by Blas na hÉireann,” said Kate Ryan. “I write about Irish producers to showcase and highlight what they do because I care so passionately about them. We are blessed on this island to have such a vast amount of fantastic produce and it is so important to celebrate that. I started Flavour.ie as an ode to exceptional Irish producers, so this award is down to them.”

 “Kate’s contribution to the Irish food scene is deeply appreciated, as is her continued support for producers,” said Artie Clifford, founder of Blas na hÉireann. “We have known Kate for many years, as a judge for the awards and as a supporter and friend of Blas, so we understand how passionate she is, and how genuine her dedication is to what she has made her cause. She is incredibly well-regarded in the industry so I know that the extended Blas family will see this award of Producers’ Champion 2023 for Kate as something that is extremely well-deserved.” 

 Joining past Producers’ Champions like Simon Coveney TD, Neven Maguire, John & Sally McKenna, Shane McArdle, Kai’s Jess Murphy, Darina Allen, Rory O’Connell, Rachel Allen, Brian McDermott and last year’s winners Johnny McDowell & Laura Bradley from Indie Füde, Kate Ryan is keeping very good company indeed. 

 Final call for entries to Blas na hÉireann 2023 – closing date is 17th May and costs €90 per entry (ex VAT). http://www.irishfoodawards.com