RESTAURANT REVIEW - THE SPIRES, WEXFORD.
Wednesday 12 October 2011
Extravaganza is certainly not dead in Wexford if The Spires restaurant is anything to go by. All it needed was Joan Collins to waft through the doors in a cloud of big hair, shoulder pads, furs, and Dynasty jewels, and take up residence in the button backed cream leather horseshoe shaped cabouches. The Spires is, one might say, bringing a little bit of Celtic Tiger Ireland, somewhat late some also might say, to the Sunny South East, with Ryan Bell, ex Shanahan’s on the Green Head Chef, setting the tone with the food. It will no doubt be popular with all the big haired operatic divas descending on the town next month for the Wexford Opera Festival.
The Spires is the top of the range dining option at the recently revamped and re-opened Thomas Moore Tavern at the Cornmarket, named after the eponymous ‘Last Rose of Summer Poet’ who apparently grew up at this location. Owned by Tony and Breda Wright, it covers five floors from a traditional Victorian bar on the ground floor, to a cocktail piano bar, a bistro, and the rooftop fine dining restaurant in a glass eeyrie, to where you are whisked by lift. You do definitely feel a little bit special on emerging as you are fussed over by the foreign Maitre d’ Rom who carries off his role with skill and aplomb. It will certainly give other Wexford restaurants a run for their money.
Despite the glitz, glam, and flummery, the starter prices were pretty down to earth, more particularly when I thought of a ‘simple’ grill I visited the same week in Dublin where starters were on the same level – but that’s another day’s work and coming up shortly! A quintet of starters €8.65/€11.50 included Ale Oyster Beignets paired with avocado lime salsa and Corona foam, whilst Cannelloni beans were with langoustines, Parma ham and pea shoots. His Excellency, Mr Brendan, had a boudin of chicken (€10) in lozenge size chunks, strategically placed in a summery arrangement of frisee with balls of coated foie gras “Maltesers”, crispy on the outside and melt in the mouth on the inside, and cubes of Beerenauslese wine jelly. Hard to beat that at a tenner. I had five seared Kilmore scallops (€11.50) which were an oceanic rhapsody on a Bristol Cream blue glass plate interspersed with gnocchi and green beans. What I really liked was the use of the scallop roe, diced in a Bolognese sauce, and set in leaves of red onion, drizzled with a light Gruyere cream. As we chomped and looked out at Wexford Harbour we cogitated on what Parisian hotel might have been the embryo of the slightly camp décor style here – early King Farouk or Aristotle Onassis - but plush, atmospheric and comfortable.
Another quintet of mains €27/€31.50 included a cannon of lamb with kidney, curried chick peas, tabouli and capiscum, as well as Dover Sole with Girolles, parsley new potatoes and Champagne sauce. I had a lightly poached lobster tail (€28), topped with a crispy bacon ‘crown’, resting in a befoamed curl on braised Baby Gem, nestling beside a square of succulent pork belly, with a smear of basil lemongrass sauce. Both delicious. Brendan had a huge Black Angus Beef fillet (€31.50) with a truffle jus, perfectly cooked medium rare, but so big he took a doggy bag for Josie the Jack Russell where we were staying that night! Accompanying this were two little pots of vegetables including Provencale mash with black olives.
We were hard aground when it came to puds but again they were sensibly priced at €6/€7 including a bitter chocolate souffle with local raspberries. A 7-course Tasting Menu is €48 to include coffee and I would recommend trying it at that price.
They could do with more half bottles, or 50 cl carafes, but with a half bottle of Emiliana Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (€11) for His Excellency, a glass of Pinot Grigio (€5.20) for me, a large bottle of water (€3.90), and optional service our bill came to €110.10.
Just the place to start your Opera weekend off on a high note.!
The Spires,
Thomas Moore Tavern,
Cornmarket,
Wexford,
Co. Wexford.
Tel: (053) 917-4688
www.lucindaosullivan.com
FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY 9TH OCTOBER 2011.