A month in Cork

[Jaymes]

My daughter and her husband are going to be in Cork for a month, starting now. They're very interested in exploring the area, and would love tips for restaurants, food markets and other shopping venues, day trips, and affordable golf courses.

Can anyone help a couple of displaced Texans?

[kerriar]

The city of Cork and the surrounding county have some of the best restaurants and food producers in Ireland - some local resident will no doubt fill in the gaps very soon.

Although it may take some planning - so start now! - they should not miss what I think is Ireland's best restaurant. The effort of getting to a small island in Roaringwater Bay in West Cork will bring them to the unique restaurant run by John and Ellmary Desmond on Heir Island.

It's tiny - less than 30 places with a single sitting per night and the word of mouth reputation can mean it's booked out months in advance. There is no choice on the menu but virtually everything will be locally sourced and cooked by a self-effacing chef who has mastered, and then simplified, the techniques and philosophy of classic French cooking.

Some years ago, one Irish publication asked the country's top chefs to nominate where best they liked to go when they eat out. John's almost inaccessible little place came top of the list - enough said. Put the names into Google and you will get nothing but glowing praise.

During the quieter seasons they run what they call the world's smallest cookery school - as someone who has done a number of courses there I can only suggest you check it out if this is feasible.

[Jaymes]

Oh my, Kerriar, that sounds like a great adventure they'll remember forever. I'm getting word to them immediately.

Thanks.

Edited July 17, 2006 by Jaymes (log)

[Corinna Dunne]

Cork is the culinary heartland of Ireland, and Kerrier’s suggestion sounds like a great one. Although I haven’t been down that direction for quite some time, here are a few more suggestions:

Local Produce

Check out the Edible and Portable Souvenirs from Ireland thread for information on the smokehouses in Cork (in particular Sally Barnes, Frank Hederman and Anthony Cresswell at Ummera) and local cheese. Good raw milk cheeses from the area are Desmond, Gabriel and Durrus; and Milleens and Gubeen, two pasteurised cheeses, are well worth checking out; as well as Ardallagh goat’s cheese from Youghal. Look out for Arbutus Bread in the markets, and of course, there’s Clonakilty pudding.

Farmers’ Markets

You will find plenty of information on the Farmers’ Markets thread. Just search for Cork on the sites that are linked. Well worth a visit are the English Market in Cork City and the Middleton Farmers’ Market on Saturday. There’s an interesting piece on Richard Corrigan’s visit here. And further out in West Cork, there is a Sunday Market in the beautiful little village of Schull. Look out for Frank Krawczyk’s “Boig Doire”, made from dry-cured pork belly which is then smoked (a bit like a cross between speck and pancetta), and locally made Desmond and Gabriel cheeses.

.Restaurants

A visit to Ballymaloe House in Shanagarry would be interesting. Started by Myrtle Allen in the 1960’s, and now run by her daughter-in-law Darina, the focus here has always been fresh, local and seasonal. It featured on “The Homes of Good Food”, an Irish TV series with which I was involved (mostly on the cookbook) about 15 years ago, way before the mantra became trendy. Great fish from day boats, outstanding meat and vegetables picked fresh from the garden; it's expensive, but all very down to earth, with no nonsense, pomp or formality. It is about 7 years since I was there, but I have no hesitation in recommending it.

Longueville House in Mallow was also featured , but again, I was last there about 6 years ago. It was started by Jane O’Callaghan, but William, her classically trained son (notably with Raymond Blanc) has been at the helm for over 16 years now, and makes good use of the excellent produce from their large farm, albeit in a more formal and complicated way. Again, it is expensive, and a bit of a special occasions place.

Dennis Cotter’s Café Paradiso in Cork City is probably the most talked about restaurant in Cork at the moment. Unbelievably, it is a vegetarian restaurant, but don’t let this put you off. The food here is quite spectacular. I haven’t been, but everyone raves about it.

Fishy Fishy in Kinsale (a beautiful harbour town) has long ceased to be a secret, and with its Bib Gourmand and numerous accolades, it has moved to a larger premises. They don’t take reservations or credit cards and only serve lunch (last orders 4pm}, but it is definitely worth a trip for perfectly cooked eye-wateringly fresh fish.

Edited July 19, 2006 by Corinna Dunne (log)

[Jaymes]

Thanks so much to everyone for taking the time to make these comprehensive, thoughtful and extremely helpful posts. I'm getting the info to my daughter and SIL. Thus far, they are struck, as is everyone, with the beauty and friendliness of Ireland. We all appreciate your help so very much.

[camp_dick]

Dennis Cotter’s Café Paradiso in Cork City is probably the most talked about restaurant in Cork at the moment.  Unbelievably, it is a vegetarian restaurant, but don’t let this put you off.  The food here is quite spectacular.  I haven’t been, but everyone raves about it.

Nice menu but 23 euros for a main course is a bit steep, innit? I mean, I'd hesitate to pay nearly £16 in London, even for 'chard leaf timbale of puy lentils, roast aubergine & Bluebell Falls fresh goats cheese with roast tomato, watercress cream, cannellini beans and braised fennel'. Plus, how come some mains are one euro cheaper? Is it something to do with cheese?

[kerriar]

camp_dick, I am afraid the explanation is clear - Ireland is just plain expensive. When eating out, the rip-off feeling is often not too far away and I guess Jaymes's daughter and son-in-law will be aware of this as they grow accustomed to the undoubted charms and beauty of the place.

This just makes it all the more important to do some research, to talk to people and to profit from honest resources like eGullet or SlowFood. There are plenty of spots, above all in Cork, where the outstanding quality of the local ingredients, the honest dedication of people for whom running a restaurant is a way of life rather than a business opportunity and the sheer quality of life makes dining a pleasure comparable with anywhere in Europe. Unfortunately there are not enough of these places.

I eat out a lot across the euro zone - generally for pleasure and sometimes for business. Dublin in particular can be poor in the price/value ratio but at its selective best more than holds it own. A Friday lunch some weeks ago in Thornton's was comparable to the upper level in any European city and I happen to think that for (the well-disciplined who don't stray) the prix-fixe lunch in Guilbaud's is something of a bargain by the standards of two star places generally.

There are however too many places where modest standards and some superficial style is acceptable as an excuse for high prices and which swim along unquestioningly in the current undemanding prosperity. Happily, in time many of them sink under the weight of their own pretentiousness or lack of ability - if somewhere has been around for years,sustained a reputation and holds its own with a clientele who come back regularly, it's probably ok notwithstanding the sometimes stiff prices.

[TarteTatin]

About 10 years ago we went for a second time to Skibbereen, near Union Hall, west of Kinsale and Cork City. There were good restaurants there, and pubs, and a livestock auction.

South of Union Hall was a coastal town that we bought fresh lobsters and oysters off of the boat. Amazing.

Clonakilty had a good couple of pubs...one in the town center was in a house, literally. Went upstairs to her living quarters to go to the loo.

I remember a good seafood restaurant in Baltimore....and others on the coast there.

Kinsale was cool, there was a biker's bar that was good for a pint.

And a good jewelry store not far from there. Did you know that jewelry/artists don't have to pay taxes in Ireland (or something like that, I may have my facts wrong).

Cork City had a famous hotel we ate breakfast at.

Gorgeous.

[Jaymes]

Yes, my "kids" have already emailed me that the prices are something of a shock. My daughter teaches high school Spanish in the US full-time to put her husband through law school, so they're on a tight budget. They're in Cork because he is taking classes at one of the law schools there.

But they do enjoy nice restaurants, so they'll probably only have one or maybe two "splurge" meals during the month.

At least with all this excellent advice, they can see to it that they spend their limited euros wisely.

[Jaymes]

I just heard from my daughter in Ireland with this:

"Also, we found a restaurant that MUST be talked about on your food board. It's in Doolin, right by the Cliffs of Moher, and called Bruach na Haille. The food wasn't just 'good for Ireland' it was of the highest caliber anywhere. And, it wasn't all that expensive. We shared the goat cheese with carmelized onions appetizer and 2 people had the seafood soup. Those two (Wade and Ed) immediately ceased conversing because they were completely focused on the soup! Then, for dinner we either had salmon or steak and both were divine. Truly awesome dishes. We met the chef and she was so gracious and lovely. It was the only time that Wade and I have left an Irish restaurant feeling like it was time and money well spent. YOU MUST tell others to stop by that place. You either need reservations or be willing to wait for a long time. We naturally were forced to do the latter, but found refuge in the pub next door."

[Simon_S]

Jaymes, I've never heard of that restaurant. I'll have to check it out next time I'm in that direction. However, this:

It was the only time that Wade and I have left an Irish restaurant feeling like it was time and money well spent

←

makes me very sad. Sad because it is a common problem, and forces me to wonder how many tourists leave our fair shores without a good meal to their name.

Si

[Jaymes]

Jaymes, I've never heard of that restaurant. I'll have to check it out next time I'm in that direction. However, this:

It was the only time that Wade and I have left an Irish restaurant feeling like it was time and money well spent

makes me very sad. Sad because it is a common problem, and forces me to wonder how many tourists leave our fair shores without a good meal to their name.

Yes, it is a shame. Because Ireland seems to have a lot of good, fresh ingredients... There's no reason why they can't have a strong culinary tradition as well.

But perhaps a place to start is to patronize, support and encourage places like this Bruach na Haille that seem to be working so hard to get it right.