Great reductions on all old stock at McMahon’s

Thu, Sep 15, 2011

McMahon’s on the Tuam Road is having a massive clearance sale across the branch with all old stock reduced to clear.

Prices have been reduced in doors, floors, and bathroom ware. With doors from €10 and bathroom suites from €99, there is a bargain for everyone.

Pallas Foods and a great value dinner menu in The Lady Gregory Hotel

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

I am sure many of you have seen the trucks with ‘Pallas Foods’ on the side, and if you pass the cold storage depot in Oranmore any weekend you will see 10 or 20 of them all parked together with the back doors wide open. It has more than 100 trucks on the road so that will give you some idea of how big it is.

Terrific terroir at Aniar

Thu, Aug 18, 2011

I think many of us could take a lesson in optimism from restaurants; it is the one area of business which is continuing to expand in Galway. Just witness any premises that has closed during the past 12 to 15 months and every one of them has been reopened with a new owner and often with a complete change of style and food.

Paddy Burke’s restaurant and the Clarinbridge Oyster Festival

Thu, Aug 11, 2011

Along with its nearby neighbour, Moran’s of the Weir, I reckon Paddy Burke’s must be one of the best known landmark pubs in the country. I pass by the front door most days and there are always cars turning in to park, especially tourists who have heard the name or have been there previously. For myself it is the place of one of my earliest culinary memories. During the mid to late 1970s I was a regular diner there, that was when bar food had just moved from ‘hang sandwiches’ to toasted sandwiches (really posh) and to hot food. My absolute favourite dish back then was chicken cordon bleu and it was the most popular dish on their menu for many years. The luxury of it, breaded on the outside, ham on the inside, and a cheesy sauce oozed out as soon as it was cut. I am sure many readers will remember this dish too.

Clarinbridge Oyster Festival 2011

Thu, Aug 11, 2011

Just a short note to remind you that Paddy Burke’s is the site of the Clarinbridge Oyster Festival on Friday September 9, Saturday September 10, and Sunday September 11. It starts on the Friday at 9.30pm until 1.30am and the cost is €20. That gets you entertainment by the American Drifters, Happy Feet, and Don Rua, and there will be food available to purchase. Saturday is the big gala day, some tickets are still available at €75 each. The day starts at 4.30pm and runs until 1.30am with entertainment by The Cuba Libre Salsa Band, Don Stiffe, The Davitt Showband, Fuaim Chonamana, The Marvels, and She’s Electric. You will also get chowder, half a dozen native oysters, seafood platter, and two glasses of wine. Filtered water is available everywhere, and tea and coffee. The Sunday event is from 1.30pm to 6pm and for €10 you can enjoy the rocking piano sounds of Carmel Dempsey with food available to purchase. Tickets for the Clarinbridge Oyster Festival events are available from (091) 796766.

The Best Restaurant in Connaught for 2011

Thu, Aug 04, 2011

This is the award that owners Terry Commons and Alan Wong won just a few weeks ago at The Restaurants Association of Ireland Awards ceremony in Dublin.

New Galway restaurant showcases the west

Thu, Aug 04, 2011

JP McMahon and Drigín Gaffey of Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar have recently opened Aniar, a new restaurant in Dominick Street. The idea behind this restaurant is to showcase the best produce the west has to offer in a contemporary environment.

The Gallery Café, Queen Street, Gort

Thu, Jul 28, 2011

Over the past few years Gort has had a lot of bad press about the state of the road, the endless traffic jams, and of course the really bad flooding. Now that the town has been bypassed one might be forgiven for thinking that it is probably a ghost town with crater-sized potholes. Nothing could be further from the truth. The town has a super new smooth tarmac road all the way through it, nearly every premises has huge flowering hanging baskets and it is quite busy, in fact it looks very well. The phrase gorgeous Gort is being used by local businesses, and they are living up to this claim. One place that has seen a major transformation is The Gallery Café; you may have seen it located in the square area of Gort, painted a funky colour and indeed I was there back in 2006 and had some very good food. The Gallery Café has moved to a new premises, just off the main street at the junction where Supermac’s is located. The new premises is as funky as the last and must be 10 times the size of the previous one.

Get cooking

Thu, Jul 28, 2011

Barbecue lamb steaks with spicy tarragon and shallot butter

Ingredients

Kai Café & Restaurant

Thu, Jul 21, 2011

If you are wondering where exactly Kai Café and Restaurant is, previously it was the Budding Café and it is now easily spotted at lunchtime by the queues outside for the deli items that are available.

No 1 Pery Square Hotel and Spa Georgian Quarter, Limerick

Thu, Jul 14, 2011

You may be wondering why I have strayed from my usual turf all the way to Limerick; one reason is that with our new roads it is perhaps closer than you think, less than an hour to get there, and the second reason is that No 1 Pery Square is a jewel that really is worth a visit.

Limerick, as we all know, gets some bad press, but over the last few years a lot of time and money has gone into transforming many parts of the city. An example is The People’s Park that runs from the railway station area to the exit right beside No 1 Pery Square. It is beautifully laid out with huge rosebeds, restored Victorian fountain, and bandstand. There was not one cigarette butt to be seen or any litter whatsoever. As I left the park I met two of the park rangers, and to say that they are proud of the parks they look after is an understatement. They chatted with me for ages and they had loads of local knowledge and stories.

The Cellar Bar

Thu, Jul 07, 2011

If you ask any student or ex student from Galway where they drink in Galway city, I think The Cellar Bar will be among the top places. It has also been a regular for locals, tourists, and weekenders. It was unfortunately closed down last January for a few months and now is in new ownership, up and running seven days a week.

Tasty treats

Thu, Jul 07, 2011

Heart eggs toast
Ingredients

The Front Door and Groupons

Thu, Jun 30, 2011

The Front Door, located in Cross Street and High Street, Galway, is a pub and restaurant with two addresses; it is called The Front Door if you access it from Cross Street and Sonny’s if you enter from High Street. It must be pretty confusing for tourists and visitors who perhaps call in to the two different addresses and wonder why it all looks familiar. The name Sonny’s is taken from the original Sonny the Tailor’s that was in High Street for many years. It has the look and feel of a pub that has been there for many years and has a great atmosphere.

McGinns on the Quay, Dock Road, Galway

Thu, Jun 23, 2011

Last week I visited McGinns on the Docks (previously Sheridan’s) to see what the new owners are serving in that lovely room upstairs overlooking the dockside area. The first thing I noticed is that it is now also an exhibition area and currently features some stunning limited edition framed photos by Joe Geoghegan of scenes from the Volvo Ocean Race. They are quite spectacular, well framed and mounted. In fact from any small viewing distance they look like paintings. There is also an exhibition by six local Galway photographers downstairs. I understand this will be a venue for further exhibitions.

Peanut butter is good for you

Thu, Jun 23, 2011

I have read many articles expounding the benefits of peanut butter; an ounce will give you 10 per cent of your daily folic acid requirements, it has a low glycemic index (ie, it releases its energy slowly in to your body), it is good for keeping blood pressure low, it has got high protein levels, and generally a good all around food. Most of the brands I have seen are from multinationals but recently I spotted one in Enjoy delicatessen in Moycullen called Glór. It is made by hand in Killarney, the nuts are roasted then ground by hand, and depending on whether you have the plain one, a chocolate chip, or the peanut butter and honey, these are the only additions — no stabilisers or additives. A jar of the peanut butter with chocolate chip disappeared very quickly in my house and the fact that it is Irish made makes it a no-brainer, especially as a quick-to-prepare snack for active kids.

Ardrahan Saturday country market

Thu, Jun 23, 2011

Each Saturday between 11am and 2pm at the rear of Joyce’s pub in Ardrahan is the venue of the newest farmers’ market. It is in a lovely garden area with loads of parking. On sale are breads, cakes, vegetables, preserves, fish, crafts, and expected next week is a meat stall. I wish them all the best and hope you can visit regularly.

The Townhouse restaurant, and really good pork products

Thu, Jun 16, 2011

The Townhouse restaurant has a new expanded summer menu, which is pretty comprehensive; it has also just launched a much bigger and better wine list. Fair play to it as most restaurants are cutting back on wine lists and menus. It is also championing many local suppliers, and that is one of the really good movements that has taken off recently in the restaurant world, all the more important when there are scares such as the e coli outbreak, which now seems to be traced to beansprouts, and the disturbing RTE programme on large scale pig production.

National Third Level Student Innovation Awards showcase

Thu, Jun 09, 2011

Last Wednesday saw teams of students from all over Ireland competing at the first National Third Level Student Innovation Awards for a €3,000 prize and the possibility of their product being distributed by a national food company.

There were students from GMIT with beef pies and chicken pies, and a student from Carlow IT exhibiting a product called ‘Easy Peasy Pastry’ – just add water and it’s ready. From Tralee we tasted a product called Auntie Kake’s Cookie Dough. There were suet-free mince pies from Dublin IT and a salad dressing from Waterford IT, packs of sweet and savoury dippers from another GMIT team, and lastly the winners, who were from UCC, had a product called Seafood Spoonfuls, an all organic, ready to eat meal for kids aged from 10 months onwards, based, believe it or not, on fish plus sweet corn, peas, sweet potato, and carrots. I did not relish sampling kiddies’ meals, but I soon changed my mind, it was excellent, tasty, not at all fishy, and the packaging was top notch. I have a feeling this will find its way to a store near you in time.

An Fulacht Fia restaurant, Ballyvaughan

Thu, May 26, 2011

This is a fairly new purpose built restaurant on the road from Ballyvaughan to Fanore. As you arrive at the T-junction in the village of Ballyvaughan, left will take you to the Ailwee Caves and the Corkscrew Hill, and turning right brings you to Fanore. An Fulacht Fia restaurant is just about a mile out the Fanore road on your left hand side and with fabulous sea views. It is built with lots of stone and blends in perfectly with its surroundings, in fact so much so that you need to keep your eyes peeled to spot the entrance. However once you are in the door there is a beautiful modern dining room with sumptuous dining chairs, good oversized tables, starched white linen, and proper wine glasses, all a good start to an evening.

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