Our Latest Great Place To Eat - The Cloister Restaurant
Wednesday 28 August 2013
The restaurant itself is situated within the Ennis Friary Cloistral Buildings which were erected some time during the early 13th Century and at one time, many years ago, housed more than 300 Franciscan Friars and their students. Renovation of the friary has uncovered several artefacts including the discovery of a centuries old cobbled floor which has been painstakingly restored, protected and incorporated into the restaurant.
Teaming up with Chef Paddy Collins (who took 1st place in the 2011 National Chowder Cook Off), Dermot and Noreen have worked to create a broad contemporary menu in both their Cloister Bar and in their Cloister Restaurant, which utilizes only the finest local and seasonal produce. At the Cloister they offer both a day and evening menu in the Bar. During the day, starters include superb smoked salmon, petit pois risotto served with Parmesan and micro herbs, button mushrooms stuffed with black pudding & spring onion, wild mushroom risotto with Parmesan shavings, micro herbs and a white truffle oil. They offer a whole range of sandwiches and salads to relieve that lunchtime craving, including a toasted sesame bagel with oak smoked salmon and chive cream cheese, delicious. Mains include the Cloister burger served with vintage Cheddar, Maple cured bacon, country relish and home cut fries; posh fish & chips come deep fried with a crispy beer batter whilst pork and sage sausages come with champ, red onion marmalade, port and a rosemary reduction. Scampi is always tempting, served with home cut fries and salad. For dessert, their bar menu offers fresh strawberries with black pepper and Chantilly cream; profiterloes with warm chocolate sauce; a flourless chocolate cake and also a wild berry pavlova. Heaven. Later in the day, the evening bar menu takes over. The food is really good and includes starters like their Charcuterie plate with salami, Serrano ham, chorizo, lomo, pancetta and mixed greens; a confit of Silver Hill duck leg with walnut mash and a port reduction and also a calamari salad with yellow and green courgettes, chorizo and a lime & balsamic salad. For the mains, they have a pork and scallop duo with crispy black pudding, apple & star anise puree; a 12oz Hereford sirloin with crispy onion rings, baked Portobello mushroom and cracked black pepper sauce as well as a pan roast fillet of Hake with a shellfish veloute & garden peas.
Read More : index.cfm/page/viewRestaurant/id/296