A Hidden Gem of Cork

Dining Room Pembroke

I am getting asked quite often where I recommend to eat in Cork - a very personal question really but I will give my opinion of course. But for some reasons, I never think of restaurants in hotels in Cork - a big oversight on my part as we have wonderful hotels with great restaurants. Regular readers of this blog know that I am already impressed by the team in River Lee Hotel but now I like to add the Pembroke Restaurant at the Imperial Hotel to that list of great restaurants in Cork.

Mr T and myself spent a midweek break in Imperial and booked dinner at the Pembroke. I have to admit, my expectations were low but to my big surprise, I feel in love with the hotel, the staff and yes, the food. Prembroke has in Craig Mills a chef who has a wonderfully light hand in preparing fish and he proved it in my dish of Tian of Crab and the pan-fried Hake with Lemon-Saffron Sauce. Both dishes were executed perfectly - for me a talent quite rare these days. Mr T tucked into a goats cheese tart for starter and a Trio of Pork Plate for main - and that was a plate of meat, you will have to have a great appetite to be able to finish this dish. It included Jack McCarthy Black Pudding, Pork Belly & Cutlet. Side dishes included potatoes that were roasted with caraway seeds which gave them a new dimension. Mixed vegetables completed the sides. We took our time enjoying the main course and I was able to savour every flavour. The fish is supplied by Jim Good of the Good Fish Company and the meat is sourced in Ireland - another point I am very happy about.

The dessert list was short but catered for all sweet tooth fairies and included chocolate, panna cotta, cheesecake and ice cream - we opted for strawberry cheese cake and hazelnut panna cotta. All desserts are made in-house (for me a big plus) and the hazelnut panna cotta had a wonderful subtle hint of hazelnut and the right amount of 'wobble' (yes, I wobbled). All in all, a wonderful meal, perfectly cooked and Mr T and I left with big smiles on our faces. The in-house bar 'Souths' is the perfect spot for an after-dinner tipple and it rounded our evening up just nicely.

Tian of Crabmeat

The staff is overall excellent. In the restaurant they are extremely attentive without being intrusive. Our waitress was a girl called Karen and she was personal but not too much, she had a nice sense of humour and I wish her all the best for her studies and research - we couldn't have asked for a better waitress. It is always a good sign when employees are smiling - and we saw quite a few walking up and down, simply smiling. A great place to eat and apparently to work as well. 

I have been to the cafe, Lafayette a few times and love the atmosphere of bygone times with their attractive tiling on the walls and the large windows looking onto South Mall but I might be changing the view in future to Pembroke Street instead.

So, from now on, Pembroke will be on my list of places to go if someone is asking for a dinner recommendation again.

By the way, the Imperial has a great Easter Offer on:

The 4-star, Imperial Hotel, located in the heart of Cork city has a fantastic three night Easter offer available over Easter weekend. You can enjoy three night’s bed and full Irish breakfast from just €155 per person sharing. This cracking Easter deal also includes a sweet treat from the Easter Bunny on Easter Sunday. An egg hunt will take place for children at 2.00pm and non-residents who are in for Easter Lunch will also be welcome to partake in the fun! Easter Lunch costs €25 per adult (3 courses) and €13 per child.

Goats Cheese Parcel with Beetroot Chutney

Pan-Fried Hake with Saffron & Lemon Sauce

Trio of Pork

Dessert Menu

Lafayette Tea Rooms

Dining Room

Cheese Cake

Hazelnut Panna Cotta

Food Writer Guild Food Awards - Cork's a winner

Photoshoot before the awards

The Food Writer Guild Ireland was established 30 years ago and is currently headed by Georgina Campbell. Members  include Mrs Myrtle Allen, Darina Allen, Ella McSweeney, Dianne Curtin, Dr Oliver Moore, Joe McNamee to name but a few. Each year, the guild honors the best of food producers and this year was a triumph for Cork Food Producers and I was proud as if I won the awards. 5 out of 6 awards were given to Cork producers which proves again that County Cork is an Artisan Food County. After the ceremony we were treated to an amazing 5 course lunch prepared by Derry Clark and his team using the winning produce. I was in heaven and was indeed very happy to have been given the recipes. The food in L'Ecrivain has always been outstanding and each visit (not as many as I would have liked) was as mesmerizing as the last one. At the Irish Food Writer's Guild Awards, Derry Clark proved again that he is worth a Michelin Star or 2 (surely, the second can't be far off).

Ballyhoura Mountain Mushroom consommé with Coolea cheese tortellini

Cured & smoked Irish mackerel, Irish Heritage potato salad, pickle, beetroot

Dry-aged beef, Ballyhoura Mountain Mushrooms, Coolea cheese, parsley purée, wild garlic

Irish Atlantic Sea Salt & caramel mousse with Stonewell apple cider sorbet

Choc & Almond Lollipop with mini macaron

Wonderful Display of Mushrooms

Ballyhoura Mushrooms - if you ever have been to Mahon Point Farmer's Market or Midleton Farmer's Market, then you will have come across Lucy and/or Mark who sell their fares each week. They grow the mushrooms as closest to nature's way as possible but also forage quite a large part of their produce. To widen the range, they have added products like cep oil, marinated mushrooms and mushroom ketchup. This award is well deserved and I can't wait to see what Lucy and Mark have up their sleeves with the new season of mushrooms


Stonewell Cider - Daniel and his team should be used to awards by now but the quality of his cider is simply amazing that each new award is well deserved. Last Christmas, Stonewell Cider, introduced a Mulled Cider which went down a treat and I begged him to continue producing this amazing cider and he promised he will (no need to thank me, I did it for the greater good) - Well Done to the whole crew of Stonewell Cider.

Coolea Farmhouse Cheese - he is the gentleman under the cheese makers of Ireland. A quite man with a big cheese. I am delighted that Dick Willems took the Food Writer's Guild Food Award home. His cheese has won several awards already, taking home gold last year at the National Cheese Awards at Bloom Dublin. His son Dicky stepped into his father's footsteps and they have gone from strength to strength. Congratulations to the Willems family.

Irish Atlantic Sea Salt - what a great idea. Using the natural sea salt of Ireland, the O'Neills produce sea salt flakes flavoured with lemon & pepper, garlic and many more flavour combination. Converted fans include Darina Allen and Donal Skehan and Stuart Bowes. The Food Writer's Guild agreed and chose Irish Atlantic Sea Salt as their 2014 winner.

Responsible Irish Fish - let's face it, Ireland took the short straw when the fishing rights were given away but here is a company that wants to make us more aware of what fish we are eating. I had a lovely chat with one of the members (and I am not aware of his name - I must be getting old) about what we can do to increase the knowledge of consumers and chefs. Buy local is the main message but be responsible about it. A company worth watching. The prize was awarded for all the hard work these guys are doing for Irish fish.

Heritage Irish Potato Collection - ince the 1970s, David Langford has been collecting and growing heritage potatoes. In 2006, he teamed up with Dermot Carey, an experienced organic vegetable grower who was then gardener at Lissadell House in Co. Sligo. The horticultural skills, passion and hard work of David and Dermot have resulted in an amazing collection, grown and managed by them on an entirely voluntary basis. The collection has well over two hundred varieties including the Irish Apple (dating from 1768) and the Lumper (forever associated with Irish Potato Famines), as well as more recently developed varieties.It was announced on the night that Richard Corrigan who owns Virginia Park Hotel will house the Irish Heritage Potato Collection for the unforeseeable future. 

Grow your own mushrooms

Myrtle Allen received the Lifetime Achievement Award - on her 90th Birthday. She is a lady I have the highest respect for and who has achieved so much in her lifetime that this award is long overdue.

Congratulations to all winners - and with 5 Cork winners (6 if you count Mrs Allen) I am proud as Oscar. 

Herb Crusted Salmon

I know, I know - it is a bit late to write about Christmas dinner (or even a bit early) but I was dead busy and simply too lazy to write on the blog much. Anyway, I wanted to share this wonderful dish with you as it was easy to prepare and simply delicious. Only problem is that you have to keep an eye on it so that it doesn't overcook - you want it to be nice pink and flaky. We had it instead of a turkey this year as we had a friend over for dinner who eats fish but not meat - so this was the ideal compromise and it left the day to relax.

The crust can be prepared in advance but since it has lime zest in it, don't spread it over the fish until you are ready to bake the fish. When buying the fish, make sure that the fillet is evenly thick (you might have to cut the tail end off (and use it for a different dish the next day).

I have served the dish with champ and a lovely white wine sauce with a hint of mustard. To give the dish a bit colour I have made sugarsnaps with a herbed butter - May I say - it as delicious

• 1 salmon fillet (about 600g)
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 50g butter, melted
• 3 tbsp chives, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
• 1 lime, zested

Preheat oven to 180C

Mix the melted butter with the fresh breadcrumbs so that all breadcrumbs are covered. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and spread along the flesh side of the salmon. Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and place the fish on top - skin side down.

Bake for about 20 mins or until the salmon is cooked through but not dried out. Serve with champ, white sauce and greens.

Didn't I tell you, it's easy :-)

Simple does it

Here is an idea for a quick, simple but delicious midweek supper.

I went to Ballycotton fishmongers in the English Market and got 2 fillets of lemon sole (not bad for €3,50). And here is how you can have a delicious fish meal in almost no time:

2 lemon sole fillets
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 small glass of White Wine
Mixed finely chopped herbs

Pour the olive oil in an ovenproof dish, followed by the white wine. Add the mixed herbs and mix well. Place the fillets in the wine mixture (if with skin - this side up) and drizzle some of the wine/oil mixture over it.

Place in a pre-heated oven at 160 degree and bake for about 15 mins (depends on thickness of the fish - you might need longer - take care not to overcook the fish). Baste the fish once or twice during the baking time.

Serve with mashed potatoes and some steamed vegetables and drizzle the cooking liquid over

Bon Appetit