Restaurant Review - The Weir
Tuesday 12 June 2012
God be with the days when the culinary experience in many hotels was universally described in one sweeping, dismissive, statement “hotel food.” It is a term that said it all - dreary ‘bad mammy’ food embellished with commercial gravy and a hanging around waft that rose up from the plate faster than a sonic boom. “Lovely”, you might murmur, to the slightly disheveled waitperson, at the sight of the dollop of pate with a cherry tomato, a leaf of lettuce, and made posh by Cumberland sauce! This would be followed by half steamed half baked, grey lamb, “old enough to have all its own teeth”, as my elderly aunt used say, or half a cow, both out of a Combi oven. You were then finished off, literally and proverbially, by the tour de force that was the ‘homemade’ apple pie. I’m sure it fed many a generation before us but, with the rise and rise of the food culture in Ireland, a plethora of new hotels, and a fresh ambitious breed of young chefs, hoteliers began to realize, not before time, that they had to up their game to compete and, if not quite to dazzle their guests, at least to provide contemporary in house food rather than losing revenue to local restaurants. <ep>
We recently paid a visit to The Weir Bistro at the Doyle Collection River Lee Hotel in Cork. Formerly the old Jury’s Hotel, the whole place was totally knocked and rebuilt a couple of years ago transforming it into a really cool place with stunning views out over the rooftops and the river. Pre dinner we had cocktails in the Weir Bar and can attest to the joys of the Pink Paradise (White Rum/Triple Sec/Amaretto/cranberry and lime juice) and Blue Moon (Cork Dry Gen/Blue Bols/Lemon juice and white lemonade) at €10.50 a pop. The bar was hopping and, indeed, observing bar food passing by, we were almost thinking should we have gone with the casual option – but no! It was refreshing too to see that the staff were all so really on the ball here which added to the vibe - chatty, friendly, professional, but moving and tidying all the time. <ep>
Adjourning to the adjacent restaurant, overlooking the eponymous weir, we were ensconced in a comfortable booth. Shane O’Sullivan is the Executive Head Chef. We liked the focus on local artisan produce, defined with eclectic tweaks and detail, such as Durrus Cheese Samosas with mango salsa, an interesting twist on the Indian Paneer cheese version. Starters were €6.50/€12.95. Brendan kicked off with truffle and honey scented quenelles of Ardsallagh goat’s cheese (€10.50), with wafers of orange topped beetroot, framed each side by a row of miniature herbs. It looked fresh and pretty whilst eating well also. A tian of Castletownbere crabmeat (€12.95) had a Spanish twist being set in a coral Gazpacho dressing, topped with pink grapefruit, avocado salsa and purple shoots. A vibrant and artistic combination it worked really well spelling out summer sunshine. <ep>
Mains €17.50/€27.50 saw a grilled fillet of seabass paired Mediterranean style with green beans, cherry tomato, black olives, baby potatoes and Salsa Verde, whilst confit and fillet of pork was with warm beetroot lentils, crispy Parma ham, celeriac puree and apple and cider jus. A cracking tender rare fillet of Irish Hereford Beef (€27.50) was distinctly French style with glazed shallots, black pudding rosti, diced roast celeriac, a ribbon of carrot puree and Port Jus. Absolutely ace. Brendan opted for pan seared supreme of chook (€20.50) sliced and laid on butternut squash risotto, with O’Flynn’s chorizo stuffing adding a bite, and it was drizzled with Basil Pesto. With that he had a side of fries (€3). Hard to wean a man from fries to risotto alone! <ep>
Delicious Passion Fruit crème brulee (€7) was in a classic French flat dish with a coconut cookie and a ball of mango and Passion Fruit sorbet. We washed all of this down with a bottle of Santa Cristina Toscana 2010 (€23.55) and a large bottle of mineral water (€5.10) bringing our dinner bill with optional service and pre-dinner cocktails (€21) to €144.10. <ep>
The new face of hotel dining. <ep>
The Weir Bistro,
The River Lee Hotel,
Western Road,
Cork.
Tel: (021) 425-2700
www.lucindaosullivan.com