Culinary Escape: Maryborough Hotel & Spa, Douglas, County Cork

There is something for everyone at the Maryborough Hotel & Spa located in Douglas, County Cork as I was to find out on my recent visit there. The hotel oozes elegance and is the perfect place to check in to if you are in search of some much-needed rest and relaxation but it is also close enough to Cork City if you fancy a spot of retail therapy or some sight-seeing. A chance to unwind in comfortable surroundings was my main aim and I was looking forward to casting aside some of the stresses and strains of everyday life during my short break away.

Maryborough entrance

The hotel comprises two buildings; Maryborough House, a 300 year old listed Georgian building and an interconnecting modern wing where many of the guest rooms and the hotel’s award winning spa are located. Maryborough was first opened as a hotel in 1998 and is considered one of the best in Ireland. It was awarded AA Hotel of the Year for 2015 and under the care and attention of owners Dan and Jo O’Sullivan it continues to go from strength-to-strength.

Maryborough Hotel is set in well-matured grounds with large trees and shrubbery surrounding the beautifully manicured and well-kept lawns. If I hadn’t known otherwise, I would have thought that I was in the middle of the countryside and not the heart of suburbia a short distance from the centre of Ireland’s second city.

Maryborough grounds

After checking in, I was shown to my second floor executive room in the newer part of the hotel. The room was spacious and contained a large comfortable looking bed. The well-sized bathroom was kitted out with every mod con and I was looking forward to having a soothing soak in the bath later in the evening. I was also thrilled to discover that the room had its own private balcony looking out onto the back of the historic manor house. I had a couple of hours to spare before dinner so decided to sit out, sipping on a glass of the complimentary wine that had been left in my room along with some macarons and homemade shortbread biscuits which I nibbled on.

The hotel’s Bellini Restaurant has been awarded 2 AA Rosettes and is renowned for the quality of food on offer. The restaurant is surprisingly large but due to some clever architectural planning and Art Deco inspired interiors it has a lovely sophisticated and intimate feel. It struck me that this would be the perfect place for a romantic meal.

Bread Selection

Joining me for dinner was an old school friend who lives nearby and we each ordered an Alternative Bellini (€12) made with gin, peach and raspberry purées, lime and sugar syrup from the cocktails listed and chatted together, catching up on all the news. We then turned our attention to the menu and decided on what to eat. The menu has been carefully designed to showcase seasonal ingredients from local suppliers who include Macroom Buffalo Cheese, Goatsbridge, Bluebell Falls and the English Market. We had little difficulty choosing from the array of tasty dishes on offer.

A Bread Selection was first to arrive and included white sourdough, a traditional soda bread and a particularly delicious tomato and fennel seed bread. These were served with a vibrantly coloured homemade pesto and Irish butter topped with nigella seeds - an unusual and rather addictive addition that I really liked.

Scallops

My starter of Pan Seared Fresh Atlantic Scallops, Watercress and Spring Onion, Potato Rosti, Black Garlic Aioli (€12.50) was a beautiful looking dish with three plump scallops which had been pan-seared to perfection with a caramelised exterior giving way to tenderness inside. Paired with a watercress and spring onion purée , crispy potato rosti and a punchy black garlic aioli, this dish was a delight to eat. My guest’s Boneless Roast Baby Quail, Soft Herb Mousseline, Caramelised Peaches, Micro Basil (€11.00) was another excellent dish and one that it would have been so easy to get wrong. The main body of the quail was stuffed with a well-flavoured, velvety smooth mousse and served alongside the bird’s confited legs. The accompanying caramelised peaches cut through the overall richness of the dish.

Quail

Next up were our main courses. My Pan Seared Sea Bass Fillets, Broccoli and Yuzu Purée, Steamed Prawn Dumplings, Prawn Bisque (€26.50) was a fabulous dish full of interesting flavour combinations where east met west in a way that made sense on the plate. Two sizeable pieces of expertly cooked sea bass were served alongside a single ravioli stuffed with finely chopped prawn meat and a enticingly fragrant broccoli and yuzu purée. Yuzu is a small Japanese citrus fruit that tastes like a cross between clementine and grapefruit. It was inventively paired here with the broccoli to create a silky smooth accompaniment to the fish. I loved it.



Sea Bass

My guest’s Skeaghanore West Cork Duck Breast, Rhubarb Purée, Carrot Textures, Walnut Granola, Braised Beluga Lentils, Five Spice, Balsamic Jus (€29.00) was an outstanding dish that looked absolutely beautiful. This was, for both of us, the dish of the evening. The duck had been cooked perfectly and literally melted in the mouth and was delicious with the braised lentils. Baby carrots sat on a little puddles of carrot purée whilst a slightly sharp rhubarb purée added some much needed acidity to the plate. Everything was brought together by a scattering of walnut granola and a deeply rich sauce made with Chinese five spice and balsamic vinegar.

We ordered a side of Steamed Market Greens, Soy, Sesame & Mirin Glaze (€4) which echoed the oriental flavours that appeared on both our main course dishes.

We decided to share a dessert and were both delighted with the freshness and palate cleansing properties of the colourful looking Pineapple Carpaccio with Coconut Ice-Cream (€7) with its scattering of jewel like pomegranate seeds. This was a simple dish but the perfect finish to a very enjoyable meal.



Duck

The menu in Bellini’s Restaurant has been cleverly crafted and manages to strike a balance between old-favourites and contemporary dishes which use experimental flavours and ingredients. I was pleased to see that quite a few of the dishes on the menu are gluten-free and suitable for coeliacs.

The Maryborough has an impressive wine list with many available by the glass. From it we chose  a Chablis AC Domaine Charly Nicolle (€9.50 per glass) which was dry with an underlying steely minerality that went particularly well with my sea bass main.

After our meal we retired to the adjoining Bellini’s Bar for a night cap before saying our goodbyes. I headed back up to my room and after a long soak in the bath, feeling well-fed, happy and relaxed I climbed into my large bed and had one of the best night’s sleep that I have had in a long time.

Eggs Benedict

The following morning I made my way down to breakfast in the restaurant. In addition to an impressive buffet selection which included breads, cold meats, cereal, cheese and fruit there was also a cooked breakfast menu. Although seriously tempted by the Stacked Pancakes, I eventually decided on my all-time favourite breakfast dish - Eggs Benedict which unsurprisingly, given the wonderful quality of the food I had already eaten during my stay, was excellent. Washed down with loads of strong hot tea, I felt ready to face the day ahead.

The hotel also has a spa with a cool, contemporary feel which provides a haven of tranquillity for guests.  A number of spa treatments and are on offer and facilities include a rock sauna, vitality pool, heated lounges, lifestyle showers and an ice fountain. I didn't get the chance to visit Maryborough’s Spa on this visit but had previously tried out some of the treatments on offer and can confirm that it is well worth booking into.

Toast & Marmalade

I loved every moment of my short break at the Maryborough Hotel & Spa. Everything that you could possibly want is close at hand… and I felt no need to venture out, preferring instead to relax in the comfortable lounge areas and sample the wonderful food and facilities on offer. You really feel like you are a much cherished guest. Nothing is too much trouble and staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, keen to make sure that you enjoy the whole experience.

Maryborough Hotel & Spa

Maryborough Hill

Douglas

County Cork

Telephone: 0214365555

Website: www.maryborough.com

 

Maryborough Hotel & Spa

 

Restaurant Review: Wine & Brine, Moira, County Armagh

Wine & Brine located on the Main Street in Moira, County Armagh celebrates its first birthday on 5 December but despite its infancy it was recently awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand and the title of Best Local Restaurant in the UK according to the Waitrose Good Food Guide for 2017.

 

The restaurant was opened by Head Chef Chris McGowan and his wife Davina at the tail end of 2015 quickly establishing itself as one of Northern Ireland’s ‘must-visit’ restaurants. I have been looking forward to trying out the food for myself and finally had the opportunity to do so recently.

 

Cod Cheeks

McGowan is a chef with a serious culinary pedigree. Before returning to Northern Ireland and opening Wine & Brine, he worked for twenty years in London with top chefs such as the legendary Pierre Koffmann at La Tante Claire, Bruno Loubet, Gary Rhodes and for over a decade with County Meath born chef Richard Corrigan in his Mayfair restaurant. In fact, Corrigan’s nose-to-tail philosophy has had a huge influence on McGowan and is something that is evident throughout the menu in Wine & Brine.

 

The Georgian building which houses the restaurant has been lovingly refurbished but still retains many of its period features. The building looks compact from the outside but opens up Tardis-like into a surprisingly large space.  At the front is a well-stocked bar which leads into the spacious dining room and to the side is an open kitchen where McGowan works his magic producing food that you will just want to get stuck in and eat.

 

Black Pudding Sausage Roll

The room has a contemporary but relaxed feel to it and once settled at our dark wooden table beside the blue leather banquette seating we ordered a gin and tonic each. We both decided to go for gins from Northern Irish craft distilleries; Boatyard for me and Shortcross for my companion and we happily sipped away and examined the menu.

 

The menu is divided into four sections and includes Snacks, Starters, Main Courses and Desserts. We quickly decided to order some of the Snacks which we asked to be served together. Within a short time our table was laden with three of the dishes on offer. Bread, Curd, Brown Butter (£3.50) which included superior wheaten bread with a rather curious, but tasty, sweetness to it and a small round ‘bloomer’ loaf which was served sliced in two. These were served along with wonderful goat’s curd and a large pat of almost nutty tasting brown butter.

 

Crispy Hen's Egg

Cod Cheeks, Oyster Mayo (£4.50) was also delicious. They were cooked simply - lightly breadcrumbed before being deep-fried and served in a bowl alongside a wonderful oyster mayonnaise. I first tasted oyster mayonnaise in a Galway restaurant at the beginning of the year and with its underlying minerality and fresh taste of the sea it is something that I have become addicted to. It was the perfect accompaniment to the plump and juicy cod cheeks.

 

As soon as we saw the Homemade Black Pudding Sausage Rolls, House Ketchup (£5) listed on the menu we knew that we had to order them!  Three bite-sized sausage rolls were served with a flavoursome homemade tomato ketchup which mercifully, unlike commercially produced versions, was not over-sweetened but retained a certain acidity that cut through the richness of the deeply meaty sausage rolls. The snacks are designed to share and between the two of us we polished off the lot and sat in happy anticipation waiting for our starters to arrive.

 

Pumpkin Risotto

My starter - Crispy Hen’s Egg, Salt Cod, Pulled Ham Knuckle (£7) was another full-flavoured dish comprising a soft-boiled egg that had been breadcrumbed and deep-fried, sitting on a purée of salt cod underneath which was hidden some meaty strands of pulled ham knuckle. This was a beautifully presented dish which was all about contrasts; the softness of the salt cod against the crunchy breadcrumb coating of the egg and the rich creamy yolk. I loved it.

 

My companion’s Pumpkin Risotto, Beef Short Rib (£5.50) was comfort food heaven in a bowl; full of punchy flavours and soothing textures. I particular loved the combination of the melt-in-the-mouth beef with the nutty sweetness of the pumpkin. This is the sort of food that I find impossible to resist and I kept leaning across the table to steal the odd forkful much, I imagine, to the irritation of my dining companion.

 

Halibut

Main courses kept up the comfort food theme. My Pan-Roasted Wild Halibut, Cockles, Cured Bacon (£20) was a striking looking dish which included two large pieces of perfectly cooked halibut served with tender-stem broccoli which was served steamed as a garnish on top of the fish and as a vibrant looking sauce. I also detected a gentle taste of garlic in the sauce and initially thought that it had been made using wild garlic but either way it married beautifully with the salty bacon lardons and the sweetness of the cockles to create a dish which was profoundly satisfying.

 

Across the table Pheasant, Sprout Tops, Chestnut, Bacon (£16) was going down a treat. Pheasant has a tendency to dry out during cooking but here it had been sensitively handled and was still succulent. A velvety smooth chestnut purée and an almost sticky jus accentuated rather than swamped the flavour of the pheasant and both were fabulous eaten with the wilted sprout tops. This was a hearty dish but one that felt sophisticated.

 

Pheasant

Although well sated at this stage, we decided to sample a couple of the desserts. As a huge lover of anything containing lemon, I quickly decided on the Lemon Curd, Basil, Meringue (£6) which had been artfully plated and looked sensational.  Essentially this was Wine & Brine’s take on a classic lemon meringue pie with added interest provided by a drizzle of basil sauce and an intensely flavoured lemon gel.

 

The Rhubarb Soufflé, Vanilla (£7) was one of the best desserts I have had this year. The soufflé is made to order and arrived to our table standing proud. With appropriate pomp and ceremony, our waitress made a hole in the top of the soufflé and popped in a quenelle of vanilla ice-cream. Crème Anglaise was also served on the side and this also made its way into the soufflé. We spent the next few minutes savouring every last bite of this heavenly dessert which managed to evoke all the tastes of the very best rhubarb crumble. This was a wonderful finish to our meal.

 

Rhubarb Soufflé

We had decided to forgo wine with our meal, happy to sip on the gins that we had ordered but glancing through the list I was impressed by the well-chosen and somewhat eclectic wines on offer and noted that many of them were very reasonably priced.

 

The food in Wine & Brine strikes a perfect balance between the heartiness of home cooking and the elegance of the best fining dining restaurant. The slick but friendly service immediately puts the diner at ease and creates a homely ambience. Portion sizes are generous and considering the quality of the food that we ate, represented astonishing value for money. Moira is about 35 minutes from Belfast and a two hour drive from Dublin and is easy to reach. I urge you to book a table.

 

Wine & Brine

59 Main Street

Moira

Craigavon

BT67 0LQ

 

Telephone: 00442892610500

Website: www.wineandbrine.co.uk

Lemon, Basin, Meringue

 

Restaurant Review: St. Kyran's Restaurant, Virginia, County Cavan

I was reminded of the saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ when I visited St. Kyran’s Restaurant in Virginia, County Cavan recently. From the outside the property looks unremarkable - a humble, bungalow-style building with a distinctly residential feel. I was convinced that I had taken a wrong-turn along the way but the various hospitality awards displayed around the entrance suggested otherwise.

 

Bread

Once inside, we were greeted by Patricia, our charming waitress for the evening, who led us to our table in the spacious dining room. As we walked into the stylishly decorated room we gasped in amazement at the stunning panoramic views of Lough Ramor displayed through the large windows. This spectacular vista had been hidden from view by enormous trees on our approach to the building but was unveiled in all its glory when we entered the dining room.

 

The Head Chef at St. Kyran’s is Eddie Atwell who many people will be familiar with after his recent appearance on the BBC’s Great British Menu where he battled against Mark Abbott (from the Michelin 2-starred Midsummer House, Cambridge) and Chris McGowan (Head Chef/Proprietor of Wine & Brine in Moira, County Down) in the Northern Ireland heats of the competition. Up for grabs was the chance to cook at a banquet in the Palace of Westminster honouring Great Britons during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. Eddie came up against some stiff competition and whilst he did not cook at the banquet, he certainly laid down his credentials as one of the most exciting young chefs in Ireland at the moment.

 

Crab

Originally from Craigavon in County Armagh, Eddie spent a number of years working in the UK. A Roux Scholarship finalist, he worked at the Michelin 2-starred L’Enclume before moving to Ardtara Country House and then on to St. Kyran’s where his love of using foraged and locally-sourced ingredients has been enthusiastically supported by owners Patrick and Helena Keenan.

 

An À La Carte Dinner Menu and Early Bird Menu were available on the Wednesday evening that we visited. However, we decided to go for the 7-course Tasting Menu (€60 per person) which is available on Wednesday and Thursday evenings only. The meal kicked off with a Selection of Breads including Fennel Bread, a Malted Sourdough and a surprisingly light Wheaten Sourdough. These were served with a Fennel Butter and a very interesting Nasturtia Pesto with lovely peppery notes.

 

Young Buck, Beetroot

An amuse bouche of Dressed Crab, Fennel & Seaweed Cracker was full of clean and distinct flavours that worked well together to highlight the gentle sweetness of the crab meat. Eddie Atwell is a chef who likes to play with textures and this was apparent in this dish and those that followed over the course of the meal. Here the crunch of the cracker balanced the cool smoothness of the accompanying gels and purées to create food that was interesting to eat and perfect as an amuse bouche to tickle the taste buds.

 

Young Buck Blue Cheese Custard, Beetroot, Hazelnut Granola, Red Chard was a beautiful dish full of the wonderful earthy flavours of beetroot which appeared in a number of guises on the plate; pickled, puréed, glazed and as a jam. Young Buck - a much celebrated raw milk cheese made in Northern Ireland was presented as a fabulous thick creamy custard that was a nice change from the goat’s cheese that beetroot is so often paired with. A hazelnut granola was particularly delicious and complemented the other elements of this dish perfectly.

 

Monkfish

By the time the Seared Tuna Loin, Heirloom Tomatoes, Rocket, Olive Crumb, Tomato Jam, Egg Yolk Gel arrived it was clear to us that the food being served in St. Kyran’s Restaurant is special. This is modern cooking using Irish produce where the chef wants to push boundaries… not just for the sake of it but because of a determination to explore the possibilities that these ingredients present. Here the flawlessly cooked tuna was paired with tomatoes - nothing too revolutionary at first glance - but the addition of a deeply savoury black olive crumb, a sticky tomato jam and an outstanding egg yolk gel elevated this dish to something truly memorable without being gimmicky.

 

Next up was one of my favourite dishes of the evening - Monkfish, Pearl Barley, Apple, Charred & Pickled Radish, Puffed Barley, Cockles, Cockle Cream - a plate of food that thrilled us with its balanced combination of tastes and textures. The pickled radish and sweet cockles were delicious eaten together and I also loved both the pearl barley ‘risotto’ and puffed barley. Balls of crisp apple completed the dish and introduced some fruity acidity which was needed to counteract the richness of the cockle cream.

 



Wood Pigeon

A choice of dishes is offered for the main course on the tasting menu and being a huge lover of game I immediately decided on the Wood Pigeon, Hazelnut Crumb, Burnt Orange Purée, Celeriac Confit & Purée, Drummond House Garlic Crisps. This was a bang-in-season dish, full of the deep, rich flavours of autumn. I loved the slightly bitter edge of the burnt orange purée eaten with the gamey pigeon and the way that the hazelnut crumb brought out the underlying nutty sweetness of the celeriac. This was intelligent cooking. My companion’s Pan Seared Beef Fillet, Braised Blade, Onion Seed Gnocchi, Girolle Mushrooms was well-thought out and, in many ways, probably the most conventional plate of food we ate during the meal. The flavoursome onion seed gnocchi was fantastic and a simple but clever addition. This was a dish designed to please and judging by the murmurs of pleasure from across the table, this was achieved.

 



Pan-Seared Beef Fillet

A pre-dessert of Poached Rhubarb, Rhubarb Compote, Rhubarb Gel, Sorrel Syrup, Yoghurt Mousse, Brown Butter Tuile presented in a small stoneware bowl was beautiful to look at and a joy to eat. Rhubarb can be a tricky ingredient as its inherent sharpness demands some sweetening but too much can kill its flavour. This was not a problem here as each of the rhubarb elements in this dessert were expertly handled and brought together as a coherent plate of food by the inclusion of an incredible sorrel syrup and a refreshing yoghurt sorbet.

 

A choice of two main desserts was offered so we decided to try one each. My Ginger Cake, Blackcurrant Leaf & Velvet Cloud Sheep’s Milk Mousse, Poached Pear, Gin & Lime Ice was a substantial dish which included a generous portion of a well-made traditional sticky ginger cake. This was paired with slices of poached pear and an espuma milk mousse that  lightened the dish. A granita flavoured with gin and lime cut through the sweetness of the cake and was a flavour addition that I liked against the spicy ginger. My companion’s Wexford Strawberries, Port & Black Pepper Syrup, Crème Fraiche, Candied Macadamia, Linum Seed was equally good and a dessert where the strawberries were the star-of-the-show. I particularly liked the black pepper syrup which really brought out the flavour of the fruit.

 

Rhubarb

St. Kyran’s wine list  includes a good selection of well-chosen wines which, in the main are reasonably priced. It is also great to see that quite a few are available by the glass. We enjoyed a Four Sisters Shiraz (€7.90 per glass €29.50 per bottle)  which was full of dark fruit flavours and a peppery finish which was a lovely ‘compromise’ choice that went well with a wide variety of the dishes that we ate.

 

I enjoyed every aspect of my meal at St. Kyran’s. Eddie Atwell is producing some very exciting, thought- provoking food; food that is experimental but grounded by sound technique and driven by the quality of the ingredients that are used. Highly recommended.

(Note: In addition to its restaurant, St. Kyran’s also offers elegant country house B&B accommodation).

 

St. Kyran’s Restaurant

Virginia

County Cavan

Telephone: 0498547087

Website: www.stkyrans.com

 

Wexford Strawberries