The Lobster Pot at Galway Bay Hotel

Thu, Apr 12, 2012

There was a time when it would be normal to eat dinner at the local hotel or if staying there, to eat-in each night. In fact for many towns in Ireland the only place to eat was the local hotel. All that changed in the seventies and eighties with the growth of cafes, restaurants and the new kid on the block - bar food. The change in attitude to hotel food is something that hotel owners must struggle with daily as they try to get the seats filled in the dining room. There are of course many exceptions to this and one I really recommend that you try at the earliest opportunity is The Lobster Pot restaurant in the Galway Bay Hotel in Salthill.

Traditional Indian cooking at Kashmir

Thu, Apr 12, 2012

Kashmir restaurant is Galway’s oldest Indian restaurant. It was established in 1994 by the Bhan family who named in after their homeland, the beautiful Valley of Kashmir, described by one of the mogul emperors as “paradise on earth”.

Quick recipes from Mary E Coen

Thu, Apr 12, 2012

When the aroma of fresh baking hits you at the door, there’s nothing like a fruit scone straight from the oven piping hot. They’re delicious served for afternoon tea with fresh butter and jam.

Eastern Tandoori, Spanish Parade

Thu, Apr 05, 2012

Many people think that all Indian food is spicy/hot and full of calories. This can of course be true, but many dishes do not have any chillies whatsoever and those that do can be ordered without them. So never be afraid to try Indian food just because you do not like fiery tastes, talk to the waiter and you will be surprised by the choice available. In fact the dishes I will be mentioning later are all extra mild. With regards to the calories it is true that some dishes are well endowed but there many, such as tandoori dishes, that are cooked without any oil being added. Again talk to the waiter if you are watching the calories and ask for recommendations. If you are a vegetarian you will be well catered for. In fact in India it is more normal to eat vegetable based dishes and I think the menus that you see here in Ireland and the UK were designed to keep us meat eaters happy.

I noticed a while ago that this restaurant was closed for a short while but now it has re-opened under new management with a new coat of paint outside. There are several Eastern tandoori restaurants in Ireland but most are now run by different owners. They all have a similar look inside, and it is one that I like, it is a bit dated but still has a nice warm feel to it. When I lived in Dublin I ate in the Eastern Tandoori at least once a week for many years and never had a bad meal.

Easter fun at Loughwell Farm Park

Thu, Apr 05, 2012

Join the Easter Bunny at Loughwell Farm Park in Moycullen on Easter Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for a great day of family fun.

Healthy breakfast tips and recipes

Thu, Apr 05, 2012

Sixty per cent of Irish people agree that breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, however one in four people say that they do not eat breakfast regularly. To celebrate the brighter mornings, Kellie O’Connor, nutritionist with Danone Ireland, has developed some delicious healthy breakfast options to get you off to the right start and to coincide with the launch of Danone’s in-store daily hamper competitions, recipe leaflets, and product tastings which are happening in a number of Dunnes Stores branches across the country.

Mulberry’s named best casual dining restaurant in Galway

Thu, Apr 05, 2012

Mulberry’s restaurant in Barna has been named the best casual dining restaurant in Galway at the regional finals of the Santa Rita/Sunday Independent Life magazine Irish Restaurant Awards. This category recognises the dining experience which best offers outstanding value, excellent food, appropriate service, genuine hospitality, and an appropriate overall experience.

Dinner or lunch at the Western Hotel, and details of the upcoming Galway Food Festival

Thu, Mar 29, 2012

The Western Hotel is in Prospect Hill, pretty close to County Hall and TK Maxx. It is a place favoured by locals but I would reckon that many of you have never eaten there. I called in for dinner one evening and was quite surprised at both the price and the quality. I also asked if they did any special deals at lunch time and was told that they have a loyalty card scheme which entitles you to what must be the very best value main course in the city. The normal main course costs €7.50 or €8.50; however if you have a loyalty card you will get a €2 discount off one special each day. That means you can have something like chicken kiev or a roast of the day for €5.50, surely this is as low as you are ever going to see in Galway? If it is half as good as the dinner I had it is worth seeking out, especially if you work in the area.

The Galway Food Festival

Thu, Mar 29, 2012

This will be celebrated over the Easter weekend, April 6 to 9. It is a pretty ambitious project and involves cooking demos in the festival tent, foodie talks at the Galway City Museum, and food tastings all over town. Even if you have only the tiniest interest in food you really need to visit www.galwayfoodfestival.com

Artisan named best restaurant in Galway

Thu, Mar 29, 2012

Artisan Restaurant on Quay Street has been awarded the ‘Best Restaurant in Galway’ at the regional finals of the Santa Rita/Sunday Independent Life magazine Irish Restaurant Awards, which took place in Galway last week.

Something for everyone at Kinvara Farmers’ Market

Thu, Mar 29, 2012

Kinvara Farmers’ Market will reopen its gates on Friday April 6 in the charming walled garden behind Johnston's Hall on the main street of the village.

Cool Pizza Dozzina at the Twelve Bearna

Thu, Mar 22, 2012

When Fergus at the Twelve does anything he tends to go all out and go one better than everybody else, especially if it is something that he really likes, and I reckon he is a secret pizza addict. Most people who want to add a pizza section to an already established restaurant would simply ring up the catering equipment suppliers and get three or four quotes, call the sparks, and job done. Not Fergus, he headed off to Napoli in Italy and met the manufacturers of several pizza ovens. You might wonder how the oven could make a big difference, well in the world of cooking things perfectly, authenticity is everything, from the ingredients to the tools of the trade. This oven is made from material that came from Mount Vesuvius and can be fired by either gas or timber. That makes it pretty authentic in my book.

Delicious new developments in catering from Green Olive

Thu, Mar 22, 2012

It is often said that when one door closes, another one opens, and this certainly rings true for Jacinta and Val Lynam. After the couple were both made redundant by their former employer, they decided it was time to make the leap and start their own business. With Jacinta Lynam’s years of experience in the catering and hospitality industry as a general manager and Val’s passion and enthusiasm for food as a renowned head chef, they decided to merge their business and creative talents and launch an event catering company.

New fitness classes at The Coast Club

Thu, Mar 22, 2012

There is no better time to get active with The Coast Club’s exciting new fitness classes and attractive new rates. If the gym is not for you and you find it hard to motivate yourself on your own then signing up for one of these fitness classes is a super way to have fun, get fit and feel fantastic.

Mixt Greens, Newcastle Road

Thu, Mar 08, 2012

Mixt Greens is a very ambitious food outlet but one which I think may make its mark over time. I say ambitious because when anyone in Ireland starts something new it can take a while before the public gets the full picture. The owner advertises it as an eco restaurant, and while almost everyone praises all things eco we can be quite slow to change our non-eco eating habits. We also know that a healthy diet is beneficial to our overall health, however when it comes to lunch time old habits die hard, ie, lashing into something less healthy with loads of chips, etc.

Fast, fresh, and friendly lunch at the Carlton

Thu, Mar 08, 2012

The Carlton Hotel on the Dublin Road is a favourite for quick and tasty lunchtime dining. Located within easy access of some of the city’s many business parks and hospitals and with ample free car parking, it is a lunchtime favourite with Galwegians and visitors to the area.

On the cookery book shelf...

Thu, Mar 08, 2012

Pippa Kendrick - Collins

In the kitchen...

Thu, Mar 08, 2012

Ginger chicken breasts parcel

Get in shape faster with diet, exercise, and metabolism correction

Thu, Mar 08, 2012

There are three main keys to genuine weight loss — food, exercise and correcting your metabolism faults. All three keys interconnect — one will not work without the others.

Lunch at The g

Thu, Feb 23, 2012

The last few years seem to have seen an explosion in the market for eating out on Sundays. Once upon a time it was not considered acceptable to make others work on a Sunday, but I think that day is past (for good or ill), Perhaps it is because so many people do not get a chance to sit down together during the week and they feel that their treat is to eat out together on Sunday. For some it is absolutely every Sunday, for others it is the occasional treat. I often ask restaurant and hotel owners what their business is like on Sundays, and I am regularly astounded by the number of covers they do on a Sunday, it is enormous. Often it is an excuse to bring together extended family for a meal out without breaking the bank, and most establishments make particular efforts to see that children are catered for, thus making it less stressful on parents.

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