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| Hake Tail Schnitzel |
There’s something about Aishling.
Something fishy! Check it out at Goldie.
Goldie’s Aishling Moore offers fish at her small but very comfortable restaurant in Cork’s Oliver Plunkett Street. She offers you delicious fish in many guises. “Whatever the small boats bring us, we take. We forage on the local coast for sea vegetables and seaweed.”
Fish such as Megrim, Red Mullet or Gurnard that you rarely hear of and almost never see on Irish menus, appear here. Fish cooked with methods that will ambush you - in a good way - Salted Ling fish finger for example or Confit of Vindaloo Red Mullet.
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| Oyster Paté |
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| Russell Garet Master Brewer Elbow Lane |
And she is, of course, famous for using the whole fish. Read more about it in her recently published book, The Whole Catch. Goldie supports local in a big way and over 20 suppliers, ranging from Churchfield Community Trust (garden) to Cuinneog to Garryhinch Mushrooms and Durrus Cheese, are listed on the menu.
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| Business partners Aishling Moore and Stephen Kehoe collaborated to set up Goldie |
Local drinks, too, include Killahora Orchards and Stonewell Cider. And none more local than the Elbow Lane beers produced across the street by a sister company.
I started our meal last week with their superb Angel Stout, one of the very best, and it paired perfectly well with a relatively new dish, Rossmore Oyster Paté, Angel Stout Loaf, pickled dillisk and fennel.
The beer and the paté can be heartily recommended, and there was a similar endorsement at the table where CL enjoyed her Hake Tail Schnitzel, gherkin and celeriac remoulade, and soy-cured egg yolk.
Pan-fried Hake, caramelised chicory chutney, and Café de Paris butter featured in our mains, another appetising combination that sings in the mouth. I got an umami plateful as well: the Pan-fried plaice, confit oyster mushroom, and katsuobushi butter sauce. I'm not sure that I’ve enjoyed plaice as much anywhere. We shared a little barrel of their tasty Sea salt shoestring chips (from a choice of interesting sides).
Desserts enjoyed were Caramelised white chocolate, Achill Island Sea salt milk sorbet, buckwheat and Spiced Pom'o Port panna cotta, caramelised apple, and oat crumble, and then it was time to head out to the cold. We departed with a sense of warmth, thanks to the fantastic innovative food and possibly the friendliest and most knowledgeable service, all contributing to a feel-good atmosphere.
We are not the only ones praising Goldie.
The Sunday Times: “There is a fearlessness to Aishling Moore, a willingness to take the plunge afresh every day as the catch dictates.”
The Mckennas’ Guide: “… some of the best, most intriguing and dynamic modern Irish food”.
Sunday Business Post: “Eating in Goldie is good for the stomach and good for the soul – I can’t remember the last time I encountered such lovely staff and such a nice vibe.”
And, just last week, from Michelin:
One of two brilliant Bib Gourmands in Cork City itself, Goldie centres its menu around sensibly priced and thoroughly satisfying dishes that showcase a variety of seafood treated with a fin-to-scale approach and enhanced by a wide arsenal of techniques and flavours, from pickling and preserving to a range of Asian influences. The compact space creates a crackling atmosphere from the joyous, well-fed diners. It's the kind of place you'd find in the Mediterranean without having to leave the wonderful streets of Cork.
