I have stayed here before
and can confirm that there is something very special about Viewmount House.
With its exquisite grounds, comfortable rooms and great restaurant, it
represents the perfect destination for anyone seeking a relaxing break with
top-notch food and impeccable service.
 |
| Selection of Bread |
The impressive ground floor dining room which houses
VM Restaurant is located in the original stable buildings which have been
converted to create a spacious area with a high ceiling and large windows that
look out on to the immaculately maintained gardens.
The menu reads extremely
well with choices to suit most palates. It changes regularly to take advantage
of what is seasonably available and where possible, Head Chef Gary O’Hanlon
uses produce that has been locally sourced. Although still in time for the
Early Bird menu which finished at 7.30pm and is served on Wednesdays and
Thursdays only, we decided to go for the Dinner menu instead.
 |
| Duck Leg Confit Terrine |
Bread is made from
scratch on the premises and a good selection is offered including White
Bread and slices of an Apricot & Walnut Loaf - both of which
were flavoursome and had good texture with a nice crust. My favourite
however, was an outstanding Guinness & Treacle Brown Soda Bread
which had a wonderfully moist and chewy texture. Thickly spread with butter it
was impossible to improve on. The bread was served with butter and a nicely
spiced Red Pepper Hummus.
Our meal then kicked off
with an amuse bouche of Thornhill Duck Leg Confit & Salt Baked Celeriac
Terrine. This was an unconventional way to serve the duck as the meat had
been removed from the bone and shredded to form the basis of the terrine. It
came presented with carrot, a sweet and earthy baby beetroot purée and a
particularly well-made piquant celeriac remoulade. Powdered duck fat completed
the dish and added a vaguely salty element which dissolved pleasingly on the
tongue. We really enjoyed it.
 |
| Pork Cheek |
My starter of Beetroot
Cured Clare Island Organic Salmon was a beautifully presented and colourful
dish. The inclusion of some lightly pickled shitake mushrooms was an inspired
addition to the plate as their texture (which was reminiscent of cooked
oysters) complimented the salmon perfectly. Furthermore, the pickling juices of
the mushrooms along with the small segments of fresh pink grapefruit which had
also been included cut through the richness of the salmon. A fresh and citrusy
quinoa salad provided interesting textural contrast. This was a very clever
dish which showcased the excellent quality of the salmon that had been used.
John’s starter of Braised
Rare Breed Pork Cheek, Grain Mustard & White Onion Bisque looked and
smelled absolutely delicious. Here the pork had been slowly braised and showed
no resistance to the lightest of pressure applied by the fork. The soft and
succulent pork was so satisfying to eat and was perfect with the smooth mustard
and onion bisque. Garnished with crispy potato flakes and seasoned with onion
salt, this was a rich dish full of intense gutsy flavours.
 |
| Jelly & Yoghurt |
As part of its Dinner menu the VM Restaurant offers an optional extra course which is served
before the mains. After a rich starter, John enjoyed his light and refreshing
Jelly of Viewmount Blackberry and Richmount Farm Elderflower, Glenisk
Organic Natural Yoghurt which came presented in a tiny Kilner jar. The
jelly was tart having been barely sweetened and together with the thin layer of
tangy yoghurt that it was topped with created a dish with wonderful palate
cleansing properties. By way of contrast my velvety Celeriac Soup was a
substantial dish. It included generous chunks of slightly salty ham that
accentuated the natural sweetness of the celeriac and was comforting to eat.
 |
| Chicken |
I settled on Wild
Irish Sea Bream for my main course. This was another attractive looking
dish which included two large sea bream fillets which had been carefully cooked
so that the flesh was soft and succulent and the skin wonderfully crispy.
Served along with fresh orange segments and a lively citrus beurre blanc this
was a light yet satisfying dish. Compressed marinated fennel added another
layer of flavour and a pine nut and almond crumble provided textural contrast.
John selected the Irish
Free Range Chicken with Celeriac Mornay, for his main course. The celeriac
mornay was inventively presented as a smooth purée onto which well-cooked,
moist and tender pieces of roast chicken were placed. A chorizo, butternut
squash and spiced walnut nage inspired by the flavours of the Middle-East
worked well with the delicate chicken to create an interesting and elegant
interpretation of a classic roast chicken dinner. Garden peas and pea-shoots
completed the dish.
 |
| Honey Sponge, Popcorn ice-Cream |
Intrigued by the sound of
the popcorn ice-cream on offer, I decided to pick the Warm Citrus &
Honey Sponge, Candied Popcorn, Salted Caramel & Popcorn Ice-Cream for
dessert. Here citrus juices were used along with honey to create a light but
not overly sweet sponge cake with a lovely texture. This sat on top of a
generous ‘smear’ of salted caramel sauce. The ice-cream was heavenly and with
its distinct popcorn taste was fun to eat. I love desserts and this one did not
disappoint.
John’s choice of dessert
- a Granny Smith Apple Parfait, Sorbet of Richmount Farm Elderflower &
Apple, Honeycomb was another winner. The parfait was smooth and refreshing
and contrasted nicely with the freshness of the compressed apple. Honeycomb
nuggets provided little bursts of sweetness.
 |
| Apple Parfait |
We washed everything down
with a half bottle of a 2009 Chateau Tour de Pas St. Émilion which was
reasonably priced at €19.50. It was full of ripe berry flavours with a good
length on the palate and was a good choice with our diverse menu choices.
A trio of petits fours
including a raspberry marshmallow, chocolate truffle and mini-madeleine along
with cups of filtered coffee brought a thoroughly enjoyable meal to a close. I
think that at €55 per person, the Dinner Menu is outstanding value for the
quality of food you get. Gary O’Hanlon is one of this country’s most talented
chefs and he produces well thought-out interesting food that is absolutely
delicious.
Service throughout the meal was very professional,
but in no way stiff or overly formal. There are many establishments who could
learn a lot from Beryl and her team in this regard as it was faultlessly delivered
and perfectly pitched.
VM Restaurant
Viewmount House
Dublin Road
Longford Town
County Longford
Tel: 043-3341919
This review first appeared in TheTaste.ie
 |
| Guiness Treacle Brown Bread |
No comments:
Post a Comment