Dining well at the Celtic Ross in the summer of 23

🍣🍒Dining well at the Celtic Ross

in the summer of 23🍕🍷

It has been a few summers since I sampled the food at the Kingfisher Bar & Bistro in the Celtic Ross and glad to say that we enjoyed a superb evening meal there recently. Local produce is, as always, well handled here and well presented. Even though all our six dishes got the thumbs up, the gorgeous dessert featuring Bushby Strawberries, a superb finalé, stole the show.

We spotted a 20% off midweek deal in the Rosscarbery Hotel a few months back. There was no hesitation in booking the two-night (including one dinner) deal. Glad that we did as the hotel is looking very well indeed both outside and in.  Our room, with a view out towards the Warren, was splendid, beautifully furnished, spacious and very comfortable indeed.

Scallops

Over the two days, we had a superb base for visiting West Cork. We started with a visit to the outstanding Mizen Head on the way in from Kerry. Later, we would enjoy a road trip that included Union Hall, Glandore, Reen Pier, Castletownsend (lunch at Mary Ann’s), Baltimore, Lough Hyne, and Clonakilty. 

We know that Celtic Ross manager Neil Grant’s fitness regime includes doing the cliff walk between the local Warren Strand and Owenahincha so we took that short sharp trek in as well and loved the views over the strand and out to Galley Head.

Hake

As we studied the menu in the busy Kingfisher (and for a good while after), we sipped one of our favourite ales, the KPA by Blacks of Kinsale, another illustration of the hotel’s support for local and very refreshing after an active day. No shortage of local spirits on offer as you might expect.

As it happened we each picked a starter with Asian touches, leaving Seared Beef Carpaccio, Roasted Beetroots, Local Smoked Salmon, and Stuffed Mushrooms for another day.

Sticky Beef

Blacks KPA

CL went with the Grilled Scallops with Garlic & Chili Butter and enjoyed it no end, a lovely lively dish with the local scallops getting a lift from the garlic and the chilli butter sauce.

I was also on a winner with the Sticky Beef Salad, Cucumber & Red Onion Salad, Chili Vinaigrette, and Roasted Peanuts; loved the beef, the salad (the onion outstanding), the crunch of the nuts, the crisp carrots, the tickle of the little greens. Superb! More than a starter.

And I moved on to another beauty. Shepherds Pie may not sound all that exciting but this Braised Lamb Shoulder 'Sheppard's Pie' with Herb Crumb and Roasting Gravy was a different class. That meat and gravy at the bottom was just so good that I took my time with it, the better to enjoy every morsel.

CL’s mains was the Hake Creamed Roaringwater Bay Mussels & Leeks, local and fresh and full of flavour but I think I was the big winner as this was the Best shepherds pie ever and soon I would be having one of the best desserts ever.

Pie

The dessert list consisted of Raspberry Pavlova, Lemon Posset, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Warm Salted Chocolate Caramel Brownie, Selection of Sorbets and Selection of Irish Cheese. They also had a selection of coffee liqueurs and digestives, some based on the local and popular Five Farms Cream Liqueur.

Not a strawberry on the list but, when the Pavlova came, it was plastered from head to toe with those delicious Bushby Strawberries and even the one or two raspberries on view were also top-notch. A superb end to a surprisingly super meal illustrates there’s delicious life in the Celtic Ross kitchen despite the upheavals of recent years. But their loyal customers know that! I’m just alerting travellers in the area to put the Kingfisher on their list.

The Celtic Ross Hotel as seen from the nearby cliff that starts at the eastern side of the Warren Strand

See also on this trip:

Light Lunch at Mary Ann's in Castletownsend

One Day in West Cork

Mizen Head Fascinates, even on a grey and windy day.

Reen Pier Magic. Day and Night.

Baltimore Young People Learning The Waves.

Dining Well In Celtic Ross. Summer of '23.

Forbes Street By Gareth Mullins opens 22nd of July

Forbes Street By Gareth Mullins opens 22nd of July 

-New Destination Restaurant, Forbes Street by Gareth Mullins,

located at Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel to open on the 22^nd of July, 2023-

The date has been set for the opening of the much-anticipated destination restaurant, Forbes Street by Gareth Mullins. This restaurant will open to the public on Saturday the 22nd of July and features the best of the sea and the land and champions locally sourced products. 

Located at Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel on Grand Canal Dock, Docklands in Dublin 2 the new restaurant features an open kitchen where diners can experience all of the theatre and atmosphere of the kitchen while the intimate booths, low level lighting and extensive wine cave with a fabulous focus on the new and old Irish, ‘Wine Geese’ all add to the dining experience. 

Menus include A La Carte dinner menus and pre theatre menus which are in keeping with the location of the restaurant, just steps from the famous Bord Gais Energy Theatre in Grand Canal Square.

Executive Head Chef Gareth Mullins has hand selected an elite group of food producers to supply his kitchen with premium ingredients to offer diners an extraordinary culinary experience. Signature dishes include treats such as Flaggy Shore Oysters, John Stone T-Bone steaks infused with Pearse Lyons Whiskey and Irish artisan cheese selections with figs and Irish lavender.

Guests to the restaurant can enjoy a glass of bubbles before dinner on the sun-drenched terrace at the front of the hotel or on the famous roof top terrace which enjoys 360-degree views across the Dublin skyline and to the sea.

The new restaurant will be open 7 days a week for dinner and from Monday to Friday for lunch from 12.30pm until 2.00pm. To book call +353 (0) 1 687 5104 email, bookyourtable.themarker@anantara-hotels.com or for more information see www.anantara.com

press release

Liss Ard Estate joins Relais & Châteaux – the prestigious worldwide family of landmark properties

 press release

Sleep like a king

Liss Ard Estate is delighted to join Relais & Châteaux – the prestigious worldwide family of landmark properties 

Liss Ard Estate in Skibbereen, Co. Cork, is delighted to become a member of the prestigious family of landmark Relais & Châteaux properties, just the seventh property in Ireland, and one of only ten new member hotels and the only Irish hotel added to the worldwide association this year.

Established in 1954, Relais & Châteaux is an association of more than 580 landmark hotels and restaurants operated by independent owners who share a passion for authenticity in countless extraordinary destinations.

With member properties in 67 countries, from the Napa Valley vineyards and French Provence to the beaches of the Indian Ocean, from snow-covered high mountain chalets, country houses surrounded by vineyards, gourmet restaurants in the heart of major cities, villas overlooking the sea or perched on the banks of a romantic lake, what makes Relais & Châteaux properties special is both their sheer diversity and their uniqueness. Defined by the values it shares with its members throughout the world, Relais & Châteaux is about authenticity and excellence — in food, in experience, and in culture.

Come on in!

Announcing the new additions on Sunday 9th July, Relais & Châteaux said, “Liss Ard Estate epitomises the enchantment of the Irish countryside. Surrounded by a lush, 163-acre estate, this elegant, Georgian-style mansion is prized for the beauty of its natural surroundings.” Relais & Châteaux also mention the bright, fresh guest rooms with their generous natural light, furnished in modern country style, and the award-winning Garden restaurant, with its menu featuring in-season ingredients, including vegetables grown in Liss Ard Estate’s own organic vegetable garden. 

“During your stay,” continues the entry on new member Liss Ard Estate by Relais & Châteaux, “you can choose to stroll along paths lined with cypresses and century-old Lebanese cedars, go kayaking or stand-up paddle-boarding on the serene waters of the private lake, or join an outdoor yoga class followed by a relaxing massage at the wellness centre. The hotel also offers guests a nearly metaphysical experience with its Sky Garden: a giant earth-and-stone crater lined with emerald grass, the work of landscape artist James Turrell, that beckons you to contemplate the heavens and the unique sensation of the earth and sky changing places. This property is also an excellent starting point for exploring the Wild Atlantic Way, going deep within the untamed landscapes of the Irish coast.”

“We are delighted that Liss Ard Estate is officially a member of Relais & Châteaux and to represent such a distinguished membership in our beautiful corner of West Cork,” says Liss Ard Estate General Manager, Alexi Argyris (right)). “It’s fantastic for each team member who made this possible with their incredible work and commitment. It has been a dream to have Liss Ard Estate be part of the Relais & Châteaux family and we are proud to join our sister property in Burgundy, the historic Abbaye de la Bussière, as a member of this prestigious family. We look forward to welcoming guests and showcasing our unique setting, excellent local cuisine and the warmest Irish welcome to guests from near and far through our Relais & Châteaux membership.”

For more information on Liss Ard Estate visit www.lissardestate.ie

Good Wine from Small Parcels. With a little help from Team Bassac.

Good Wine from Small Parcels. 

With a little help from Team Bassac. 

Bassac Little Parcel Faugères (AOP) 2019, 14% ABV,

A wine new to Mary Pawle list, expect to pay €20 to 21. 

Contact: Mary Pawle Wines 

In the Rhone Valley appellation, winemakers are allowed the use of over twenty grapes. In red wines, the three most often combined are Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, so much so that GSM has become shorthand for such wines. Our red here is a GSM but this comes not from the Rhone but from the Faugère appellation within the Languedoc region.

The colour is a deep red. There are complex aromas of cherry and blackberry, a hint of the garrigue too. On the palate, you’ll find rounded fruit and silky tannins.  Elegant and slightly spicy with fresh and minor acidity, through to a lingering finish.

The Bassac winemakers get the grapes for this from “our plots that give us the best grapes each year” and it has spent 12 months in barrique.* It looks like the winemakers have handled their grapes successfully and the GSM have come up winners here.

Very Highly Recommended.

Importer Mary Pawle is very happy with it. "The Faugeres and Vermentino are from small parcels of grapes grown by another grower ( organic of course) ..... A crowd pleaser I think!". For more on the Vermentino (reviewed recently) see here. 

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Click here for growing list of top wines for 2023

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Faugeres is situated in the hills of Herault in the Languedoc Roussillon wine region in southern France and the AOC is well known for rich red wines made from classic Rhone grapes, and also delicious white and rose wines. 

The label tells us that the best serving temperature is 16 degrees (you’ll also see 14 mentioned elsewhere on their social media) and suggests matching with lamb tagine, mushroom tournedos, lamb puff pastry, game (deer, venison), buffalo with foie gras sauce, boar stew… even the Sunday roast. Cheers.

They say: “Because of our commitment to producing authentic wines that reflect their terroir and because we work with a respect for nature and for the subtle balance that alone enables the vine to grow in secret harmony with its soil, we have chosen to cultivate our vineyards organically..”

This wine here comes from Languedoc-Roussillon, from the Côtes de Thongue. The vineyard is situated at Puisalicon, a small medieval village in the heart of the Languedoc not too far from Beziers, a town that rugby fans will be familiar with.

* The barrique, the most common type of wine barrel, originated in Bordeaux and it traditionally holds 225 liters. 

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Click here for Good Value Wine List 2023

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Reen Pier. A Magical Place. Day and Night.

Reen Pier. A Magical Place. 

Day and Night.

This view, looking towards the Atlantic, was taken from a hilly road above Reen Pier.

In October 2015, in a dark corner of Castlehaven Bay, with slender branches just overhead and rocks in front, I lifted a piece of seaweed from a floating bunch. Immediately it sparkled with white light, a string of “pearls” falling back into the seawater, one or two remaining that bit longer on the piece, even on my hand. Magic at night in a sea inlet in West Cork.

We were in a kayak, with guide Jim Kennedy of Atlantic Sea Kayaking in another. We had met him at his base on Reen Pier on the eastern side of the inlet; Castletownsend (nearer the sea) is on the western side. We left the base sometime after sundown and now, ninety minutes or more later, we are like kids with a new toy. It is called bioluminescence and comes from dissolved organic matter in seawater.

More on that 2015 trip here

There was more of it in certain corners of the inlet than others and Jim knew exactly where to find the best examples. You have to slightly disturb the water - with your hand or paddle - to see it and then it sparkles and vanishes until you do it again.

We were in darkness on that trip, the better to see the magic. On the latest journey there, from our lovely base at the nearby Celtic Ross Hotel, we enjoyed the scenery in brilliant sunshine.

Another pic from 2015. Atlantic Seakayaking still has its base here.
They offer a variety of tours and coaching and you may get all the info on their website here.

The ocean is out there, Castlehaven is in to the right

This sauna is a new feature in Reen (quite close to Union Hall) and may be booked via the Coffee Cup below.

And there's coffee as well. Breakfast too with baps and croissants. Lunch offerings include sandwiches and a Ploughman's Platter. More on the Coffee Cup here. 

Collage from 2015

See also on this trip:

Light Lunch at Mary Ann's in Castletownsend

One Day in West Cork

Mizen Head Fascinates, even on a grey and windy day.

Reen Pier Magic. Day and Night.

Baltimore Young People Learning The Waves..

Dining Well In Celtic Ross. Summer of '23.

Mizen Head Fascinates Even On A Grey And Windy Day

 Mizen Head Fascinates Even

 On A Grey And Windy Day

The forecast didn't promise sunshine. The forecast winds came for sure but were not as strong as we had hoped, so no real drama as the Atlantic moved in to wash the toes of Europe in Dunlough Bay. Still, Mizen Head's capacity to enthral its visitors was evident and there were quite a few here at Ireland's most southerly point. More info here from the Mizen Head website, very informative indeed and well worth a visit before you travel.

Don't think these bulbs were used in the signal lamp!

We spent most of our time here on the outside, walking every path, getting to each and every viewing point. The information displays inside need refreshing (some, including the interactive ship's bridge, were out of order) and so it was good to see a new building going up.

There is a café here and we had a small snack on this occasion. But they have quite a menu so you won't go hungry. Currently, the choice includes soup, chowder, sandwiches, toasties, wraps, quiche and dishes like local mussels and Fish and Chips. There is a Children's Menu and plenty of drinks including tea (Barry's of course) and coffee along with soft drinks.

Three's a crowd. Three choughs together, briefly. This bird, a member of the crow family, is resident
along rocky coasts in Munster, as well as parts of Connaught and Ulster 

Dunlough Bay (plus two below)

Right to left: landslide, footbridge and lighthouse

The footbridge (and three pics below)

Lighthouse

Lighthouse and footbridge

At Ireland's most southerly point

An old shed

See also on this trip:

See also on this trip:

Light Lunch at Mary Ann's in Castletownsend

One Day in West Cork

Mizen Head Fascinates, even on a grey and windy day.

Reen Pier Magic. Day and Night.

Baltimore Children Learning The Waves.

Dining Well In Celtic Ross. Summer of '23.

Light Lunch at Mary Ann's of Castletownsend

 Light lunch at Mary Ann's in Castletownsend

Mary's Ann's, on the incline down to the water.

I enjoyed this Open Crab Sandwich, one of the specials on the lunch menu.
If it is on when you call, you're in luck! It was a beautiful day and their outside dining area was very popular. Choices galore on the regular menu and other specials included Confit Duck Leg, Pan Fried Hake, Oven Roasted Monkfish, and Lobster Termidor (a real treat). After a hearty breakfast and a big dinner already reserved, we had to take it easy. Will know better next time! An extensive wine list frequently offers monthly or weekly specials - indeed they have a wine sale on. And they run a very successful art gallery. It may seem sleepy on the outside on a sunny day but it is a busy place!

The Castle has been home to the Townshend family for eleven generations. The 17th century building is more properly described as a castellated house. More here

The local church, St. Barrahane’s, is over 200 years old and sits at the top of 52 steps — one for every Sunday of the year. Inside you’ll find beautiful stained glass windows by Harry Clarke.

 

Mary Ann's has its own not inconsiderable history and
previous and current owners are proudly displayed here.

Well stocked at Mary Ann's. The coffee, by the way, is Maher's

A lovely and generous snack was their Chicken Paté

This living "roundabout" is an unusual feature, just above Mary Anns

Down by the water!

See also on this trip:

Light Lunch at Mary Ann's in Castletownsend

One Day in West Cork

Mizen Head Fascinates, even on a grey and windy day.

Reen Pier Magic. Day and Night.

Baltimore Young People Learning The Waves.

Dining Well In Celtic Ross. Summer of '23.