Restaurant Review - Long Room at Doonbeg
Tuesday 19 July 2011
Approaching through the Atlantic mist and haze of the mystical wild beauty of West Clare, the cluster of houses and main building that comprise The Lodge at Doonbeg Golf Club appeared shimmering and inviting like the mythical village of Brigadoon. This, however, is very real and we wound our way closer through the golf course just as a brace of helicopters disembarked their precious cargo of American golfers. We went under the entrance archway into a cobbled courtyard square with differing pretty stone built houses, which are the residential suites. Close by is the spa, golf shop, and Darby’s Pub – not any old pub you understand – but the informal end of dining at The Lodge.
The American owned 5 Star Lodge at Doonbeg opened in May 2006 and is a stunning place from start to finish – a haven away from home. It was the creation of two men from South Carolina, Buddy Darby and Leonard Long, who have resorts in South Carolina and on the Caribbean island of St. Kitt’s, who recognized Doonbeg’s huge potential as an exclusive golf resort. An inner courtyard leads to the front of the actual manor house style Lodge, with its sweeping steps taking you into a warm clubby atmosphere of polished floors and wood panelling keeping you cocooned and cosy whilst you gaze out at the crashing white horses that sweep in from the Atlantic Ocean.
The décor throughout is understated plush and classy, all done by our own long-standing New York based designer Clodagh O’Kennedy. Service is solicitous in a charming friendly way. Wade Murphy, formerly at Lisloughrey Lodge at Cong, is Executive Head Chef - whilst Lisloughrey Lodge has become ‘The Lodge at Ashford Castle’. Murphy, a Wexford man, has made quite a name for himself out West winning Best Chef in Connaught on a couple of occasions. His food tends to be classy and contemporary classical.
Dinner in the Long Room restaurant had starters at €12.95/€16.95 including a langoustine ravioli with a spring vegetable fricassee and roasted langoustine cream. Pan roasted duck foie gras was with crisp pain d’epices, ‘sous vide’ chicory, orange and tea soaked raisins, whilst roast breast of wild Dromoland Wood pigeon had a black pudding ‘Scotch’ quail egg, braised asparagus and wild mushroom game jus. I had prettily presented mustard and coriander cured organic salmon (€15.50) which saw four slices fanning down from a tian of sublime Liscannor crab salad, dressed with pea shoots and herbs, vibrant green cubes of cucumber and tarragon gelee, and a horseradish crème fraiche. Brendan had Parmesan and herb polenta cake (€12.95) with “a deep fried farmers egg’ - it was I can assure you the egg that was deepfried – finished with a hazelnut veloute!
Mains €22.50 – €36 had pan seared breast of duck tweaked with a fowl and foie gras roulade, confit potatoes, wilted baby leaves and an orange gastrique. Local produce is big here and Burren Hill lamb from Jack Kelly’s of Kilrush had the loin roasted, the shoulder braised slowly, and served with Savoy Cabbage and a rosemary jus. I had plumptuous fillets of sea bass (€28) skin crisped, and flesh as full, moist and silky, as an Archbishop’s cheeks, embellished with a chorus of fat Dublin Bay prawns, a crispy fennel and dill salad and anise puree. Brendan had a tender lip smacking seared fillet of beef (€36) from Pat Montgomery’s of Ennis, cooked medium rare, sitting on a bed of smoked bacon and braised lentils, with tiny onions, and a wholegrain mustard Béarnaise. To the side we had copper pots of new potatoes and a mélange of mangetout, carrot and cauliflower.
To round off we shared a cheese plate (€12.50) sporting Bluebell Falls goat’s cheese, Brie, and Cashel Blue and washed it all down with an Australian Thorn Clarke Shotfire Quartage 2007 (€35) a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, blend.
Two nights bed, breakfast and one dinner in the Long Room restaurant runs from €660 for two. You don’t have to play golf to enjoy yourself!
The Lodge at Doonbeg,
Doonbeg,
Co. Clare.
Tel: (065) 905-5600
THIS REVIEW WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON 17TH JULY, 2011.