Galway city to battle it out for ‘Foodie Town of Ireland’

Thu, May 08, 2014

Galway city has been announced as one of top 10 finalists in the search for the ‘Foodie Town of Ireland’ which is being run by the Restaurants Association of Ireland, in association with Admailer.ie from An Post.

The competition, run in conjunction with Ireland’s largest food awards the Irish Restaurants Awards, will see towns and communities from all over the country being faced by judges and battling it out to win the public vote to be named Ireland’s premier foodie destination.

Ballinasloe cheese farm to open to the public this weekend

Thu, May 08, 2014

Killeen Farm in Loughanroe East, Ballyshrule, Ballinasloe, will be open to the public this weekend as part of the Discover Farmhouse Cheese programme.

Dining at Dela

Thu, May 08, 2014

Many have argued about which are their favourite restaurants in Galway's West End, each preferring one over another, modern over conventional, trend over tradition. The real wonder is that, just a few years ago, this argument could not have erupted. Where restaurants were few and far between, now they are abounding.

Teatime at Aniar

Thu, May 01, 2014

The idea of cooking with tea is nothing new, but the idea of making tea from entirely indigenous ingredients is part and parcel of the philosophy at Aniar. This is the basis of the new tasting menu introduced this week. As always, this is a menu dotted with native seaweeds, wild herbs, and berries, and reflects Aniar’s billing of itself as “a terroir-based restaurant”, a farm to table culinary experience. Terroir refers to the soil and climate imbuing food and wine with the flavours of a region and, as such, carries lots of potential for pretentiousness. This they somehow manage to avoid, this is traditional food made contemporary proving that profound truths can be spoken plainly.

Fish cookery demonstrations at Mary’s Fish Shop next week

Thu, Apr 10, 2014

To celebrate the very successful opening of Mary’s Fish Shop there will be a party on Holy Thursday. Go along and see some great chefs cooking fish to perfection and also demonstrating how to make a great chowder. Everyone loves chowder and it is pretty easy to make, however it really helps to see it done in front of you or to be able to ask a chef for advice.

Paleo night at 37West

Thu, Apr 10, 2014

37 West has announced the arrival of the world’s first fine dining Paleo restaurant to come and take over its kitchen for the Galway food festival.

Out with the old

Thu, Apr 10, 2014

I spent a few years working on Eyre Square many moons ago, when the lunchtime choices were few and far between. My old boss would always try to convince us to have a hefty carvery dinner in Fagan's (in the Great Southern) which would lead to a soporific afternoon in the office trying to keep my eyes from shutting while staring glassy eyed at my computer screen.

Aniar Cookery School

Thu, Mar 27, 2014

When it comes to cookery classes, I have to admit I am a bit of a veteran. I have more than a couple of stints with the Allen family in Ballymaloe under my belt, I have had a nose around Paul Flynn's Tannery School in Dungarven. I have even tucked my knees under the bountiful table at River Cottage HQ with Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, still possibly the happiest day of my life (sorry kids).

Nearer to home, and if you like to do things in style, we have Aniar Cookery School, which is now firmly established in the Michelin-starred restaurant. As such, this is no ordinary cookery school. Aniar Restaurant is counted among one of the best in the country, and owner JP McMahon with head chef Ultan Cooke has created a terroir-based menu focusing on fresh, foraged, and wild ingredients sourced locally, and still retains the only Michelin star in the west. The school is run in the restaurant kitchen and all classes are taught by the apparently inexhaustible JP.

Some like it hot

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

If you are touring round the Spanish Arch, the sign will catch your eye. Lime green, gold with a graceful font announces the name of the restaurant, Thai Garden. As one of Galway's long-established restaurants, it is attractively located in a modern building overlooking the iconic scenery of the Claddagh. A smart, heated terrace at the rear is very appealing in the summer, and the spacious interior has an adjoining room ideal for private parties with pleasant views out over the fish market and the River Corrib. If you are looking for Thai cuisine in the heart of Galway then this is your go-to place.

Have you brunched yet?

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Brunch – a late morning combination of breakfast and lunch — is about taking a time out with family or friends and letting a little decadence into your day in the form of an early cocktail or late breakfast.

Il Vicolo

Thu, Mar 13, 2014

Opened on Buttermilk Walk more than two years ago, Il Vicolo is that clever combination of day-time cafe, wine bar, and restaurant. Breakfast, lunch, coffee, cake, dinner, and wine, it has the lot. Owned and run by Aoife Flaherty and Gerry McMahon, you have to admire the way they have made this very 'Tardis-like' space work for them. Things are a little better now than at the beginning with an small external kitchen giving the staff a little more room to breathe, but it is still bijoux by anyone's standards.

Juice your way to a healthier you with Health and Herbs

Thu, Mar 13, 2014

Health and Herbs is an integrated health clinic and herbal dispensary situated at 9 Sea Road in Galway. It was founded in 1999 by Dr Dilis Clare, the only GP in Ireland who is also qualified in herbal medicine.

A celebration of sandwiches

Thu, Feb 27, 2014

We are a nation of sandwich eaters. Every cafe, counter, and hatch does its own variation, with ingredients ranging from withered lettuce to flash fried steak, from slathered 'spread' to flavourful aioli. But which is the best?

Book now at Taste Matters for your child's Communion or confirmation

Thu, Feb 27, 2014

Taste Matters in Loughrea is a cheerful and hospitable bistro-style restaurant with friendly, welcoming, staff, great food, and a excellent list of natural, organic, and biodynamic wines, craft beers, and ciders.

The food is a fusion of various cuisines with influences mainly from Irish, French, and Italian cooking, although their inspiration can come from anywhere. Among the dishes you may find delicious chowder, brie melt, grilled breast of duck, seafood medley, folded chicken, grilled salmon, or rib-eye steak.

Time for tea at The Ardilaun

Thu, Feb 20, 2014

It is no secret that the Irish love their tea. The Irish drink more of this hot beverage per capita than any other country. The presence of tea making facilities is considered essential in any hotel or bed and breakfast room and is offered at breakfast, 'elevenses', lunch, dinner, and any time in between. Lately we have even begun to embrace that very English tradition of afternoon tea. Legend has it that the ritual of afternoon tea owes its origins to Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford. As a young women in the early 1800s at this time, it was common to eat only two main meals a day, with breakfast scheduled in the morning and dinner taken late in the evening. When kerosene lamps were introduced in wealthier homes, eating a late dinner became increasingly fashionable, widening the long wait between meals.

Experience the benefits of nutritional therapy and iridology

Thu, Feb 20, 2014

Denise Coyle comes to the Elmtree Clinic in Oranmore with full qualifications in both nutritional therapy and iridology. As a nutritional therapist first and foremost, she works with clients to create diet, supplement, and lifestyle plans to suit individual needs and goals. Nutritional therapy can assist in easing and regulating a wide range of acute and chronic conditions. Nutritional therapy can also help with needs such as weight loss, increasing energy levels, general wellbeing, and improved health outcomes.

Iridology is the study of health via examination of the iris, sclera (whites), and pupils of the eyes. Using a specially adapted camera, Denise Coyle photographs the eyes for detailed exploration. Because every body organ and system has a corresponding area in the eye, iridology is an incredibly useful tool for pinpointing what areas may need nurturing and where inherent strengths lie.

Expand your life in three weeks

Thu, Feb 20, 2014

Harvey Wasserman’s Expand Your Life In Three Weeks workshops have one major purpose — to demonstrate that many emotional problems can respond to simple techniques. Wasserman will present exercises that help with depression, anxiety, and other emotional problems. They will help identify negative thinking and the many beliefs and experiences that limit personal growth and expansion.

It's all a matter of taste

Thu, Feb 06, 2014

Restaurants and pubs in Loughrea have a fair selection of good quality meals using locally sourced ingredients and pub snacks. The hotels too have locally sourced cuisine on the menu with great local lamb and beef farmed nearby. As in any sizeable town there are, of course, takeaways offering fast food, fish and chips, Indian, and Chinese. For something a cut above you cannot go wrong with the pizza and pasta at il Porcetto from the affordably priced menu. The Hungry Bookworm, a lovely eclectic cafe and wine bar where you can enjoy variations on classic dishes while also perusing the literary classics, is well worth exploring too.

Delicious food for all tastes at Taste Matters

Thu, Feb 06, 2014

Taste Matters opened in Loughrea in November 2010 with the aim of serving honest, good, food in a casual and friendly setting.

Brendan Loughnane Butchers for quality and value

Thu, Feb 06, 2014

Brendan Loughnane is very experienced in the meat business, and comes from a family with a long tradition in the industry.

E-paper

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