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The Restaurant Recommendation Thread

  • 23-02-2011 5:38pm
    #1
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,653 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    There's been a crazy number of threads recently looking for restaurant recommendations, so I'd like to start a specific thread for it. Please post below about your favourite restaurants - why you like them, what price range they are, what type of food they serve, if they have an early bird, opening hours if you know them, where they're located. If you could include a link to the website, that would be great. The more details, the better. This is not a thread to post negative reviews - there's a thread in the main Food & Drink forum for that if you like. Basically, I want this thread to be full of recommendations, not positive and negative reviews. That being said, you can disagree with a recommendation briefly if you really feel the need to, but you must have a really valid reason such as an awful experience, rather than "I don't really like the food" or "It's too expensive".


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Comments

  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,653 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    The first restaurant I'd like to recommend is Annie's Gastropub in Sunday's Well. It's my favourite restaurant in Cork at the moment. The menu changes daily according to what's available fresh. You can expect to see about 10 starters costing about €8 euros each, featuring a mix of seafood, meat and a couple of vegetarian options. Mains are around €20 - €25 each, and are the same mix as the starters. They nearly always have steak, and you'll typically find lamb and chicken, along with fish like monkfish and seabass. If you're lucky, they'll have something really unusual on the menu, like kangaroo. A sample menu is available on their website. There's a respectable variety of desserts and wines to complement your meal, along with a full bar.

    They're open for both lunch and dinner, and it's well worth a visit some time.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    I've heard good things about Annie's, but can never seem to get a table in there...

    But I'd like to recommend the Market Lane in Oliver Plunkett St. I've eaten there loads of times, and have always found the food in there to be good. Very reasonable prices, and they do an Early Bird from 5.30 -7.30pm for I think E20. Set lunch is E10.

    Website: http://www.marketlane.ie/

    The steaks and Jack McCarthy bangers according to DH are awesome. I can recommend the haddock and the prawn pasta. And as for their orange bread and butter pudding? You ain't lived until you've tried it!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭LittleT


    For Indian, I would like to recommend Haveli in Douglas. (the one located above the topaz in the village). I'm a strong critic of Indian food but I would have to say this tops the list in Cork in terms of food, service and a really cosy setting inside. My highlight is the lavender cloths they give you to freshen up after dinner! Well worth a try


  • Registered Users Posts: 874 ✭✭✭Max001


    LittleT wrote: »
    For Indian, I would like to recommend Haveli in Douglas. (the one located above the topaz in the village). I'm a strong critic of Indian food but I would have to say this tops the list in Cork in terms of food, service and a really cosy setting inside. My highlight is the lavender cloths they give you to freshen up after dinner! Well worth a try

    Isn't the highlight supposed to be the food? Only yankin yr chain!


  • Registered Users Posts: 874 ✭✭✭Max001


    Appreciate what you're tryin to do Faith, but why even bother to reinvent places that do this well, like Tripadvisor. Someone posting a recommendation here could be a half wit, only allowed out at weekends, whose culinary expertise ranges from sucking meals through a straw while in restraints, to an occasional McD's 'Happy' Meal.


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  • Posts: 23,339 ✭✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    Market Lane and Zaks.
    Gorgeous food in both, reasonably priced with early bird menus in both. Market Lane always seems to be very busy so if your head is wrecked it's not the place to go, Zaks is quiter and more peaceful. Zaks also have a daily lunch time special which is a dinner type feed so it would be your main meal if that suited you. I'm a not skinny guts of 16 stone type chap and after three courses in either restaurants you won't be considering a snack later.

    Staff etc very good in both, I'd go to Zaks about twice a month and Market Lane once every 6 weeks or so. I would highly recommend both.

    http://www.marketlane.ie/

    http://www.zaksrestaurant.ie/

    Also I have been in the Strassbourg Goose only the once, last Sunday but my God it was savage, only €20 for three courses and it was delicious, three of us went and we were all delighted with it.

    http://www.strasbourggoosecork.com/


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,653 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    Max001 wrote: »
    Appreciate what you're tryin to do Faith, but why even bother to reinvent places that do this well, like Tripadvisor. Someone posting a recommendation here could be a half wit, only allowed out at weekends, whose culinary expertise ranges from sucking meals through a straw while in restraints, to an occasional McD's 'Happy' Meal.

    I had a big reply typed out, but honestly I can't even be bothered with the stupidity of that discussion. TL;DR On boards.ie we try to avoid sending people to other websites to get information where possible. The whole aim of this website is to provide useful information. Boards.ie wouldn't have reached the size it is if every time someone had a question, we sent them somewhere else. We trust in the knowledge of our contributors.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 21,296 ✭✭✭✭gimmick


    Faith wrote: »
    but you must have a really valid reason such as an awful experience, rather than "I don't really like the food" or "It's too expensive".

    Why are those not valid reasons?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,131 ✭✭✭Rebelbrowser


    Best restaurant in Cork by a distance is Les Gourmandise. Food is as good as Guilbauds in Dublin.

    Best kept secret is Hardwood on the North Quays.

    Star Anise and Greenes are very good too.

    The old favourites like Jacques and Jacobs are usually consistently good.

    Of the cheaper places, Il Padrinos, Cornstore and Amicus are very good at what they do.


  • Registered Users Posts: 874 ✭✭✭Max001


    Faith wrote: »
    I had a big reply typed out, but honestly I can't even be bothered with the stupidity of that discussion. TL;DR On boards.ie we try to avoid sending people to other websites to get information where possible. The whole aim of this website is to provide useful information. Boards.ie wouldn't have reached the size it is if every time someone had a question, we sent them somewhere else. We trust in the knowledge of our contributors.

    You've twisted my words into an entirely different meaning, so........whateverrrrrrr

    Plus, the bitchy reply was entirely uncalled for. I'll be submitting a complaint. First ever - congrats!


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,653 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    gimmick wrote: »
    Why are those not valid reasons?

    Because they're very subjective. What's expensive to one person might be perfectly reasonable to another. This thread is for recommendations - so it can be used as a handy resource when someone is looking for somewhere to eat. I don't intend for this to be a discussion thread tbh - people are free to start their own discussion threads on restaurants if they like :).

    2040 - I've deleted your post for being off-topic. I'm keeping this thread as tidy as I can, so you can assume off-topic posts will be deleted in the future.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 17 Gabbro


    Regarding Tripadvisor, there's nothing to stop "half wits" posting reviews on there either. The good thing on boards.ie is that we can give a bit more weight to the recommendations of some people here based on what we already know about them. If you had said something like "Frommers" then you would have some point at least, but Tripadvisor is not exactly the pinnacle of restaurant review quality.

    To Faith, "too expensive" is relative to what you are getting. For example, €20 for the entree at a Michelin star restaurant is not expensive, but at a chipper it is. Therefore it is a valid reason when the quality is not up to par.

    A lot of Cork restaurants have done downhill in recent years. Without a doubt Les Gourmandise remains top of the list in my opinion.

    Since it hasn't been mentioned here yet, I must bring up Augustine's, now in the Clarion Hotel for good food.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,155 ✭✭✭Wompa1


    Kind of on topic, what is the best restaraunt for a first date in Cork? I'd be willing to drive a bit outside it if needs be...Thanks Guys


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,550 ✭✭✭curly from cork


    A big thumbs up for The Abbey Main st Carrigaline ( they have A Fb page too , just joined it ) Good quality food reasonably priced. Good atmosphere. Very attentive staff. A bit of everything. Stir fries, burgers fish dishes , a roast of the day etc. We will return !


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,487 ✭✭✭kingtut


    I think we all ready have enough threads for restuarants so this one is probably one too many but I'll add my views regardless:

    Good chinese:
    Panda Mama near bus station

    Good Indian:
    Bombay Palace on Cook Street.

    Good pub grub:
    Scotts on Oliver Plunkett St.

    Good Italian:
    Milanos on Oliver Plunkett Street.

    Places to avoid:
    Scuzzis, Luigi Malones.


  • Hosted Moderators Posts: 9,923 ✭✭✭mik_da_man


    I'd agree with most of the above, however after yesterday Soho deserves a mention.
    miss_shadow and I went there for grub yesterday and I got he Mesquite flavoured Fillet Steak
    I have to say it was easily one of the best steaks I have had in Ireland.
    And I'm really fussy about steak :D

    They have a good menu, great for a meat lover and their Steak/meat cooking on a Lava stone is very nce.

    www.soho.ie

    Great spot for a bit of Saturday dinner/lunch while shopping, you get to catch some of the sports as they have TV's everywhere.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,689 ✭✭✭Vain


    kingtut wrote: »
    Places to avoid:
    Scuzzis, Luigi Malones.

    Why Scuzzis? Anyone I talk to always has a good word about it. I only been to Scuzzis once but it was nice.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    why all the hate for scuzzis ?
    I find it good for the food they do , and very handy if you need quick service usually.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭mudokon


    I love how people are refering to Scoozi's as Scuzzi's while trying to defend it. pacman.gif

    I've only been there once but I had a lovely steak in Blairs Inn.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,487 ✭✭✭kingtut


    Vain wrote: »
    Why Scuzzis? Anyone I talk to always has a good word about it. I only been to Scuzzis once but it was nice.

    Why? Well because I ate there and the food was horrible. Service was not much better, only went there once but I could make better myself. That being said it could have been a bad night but still it put me off.
    why all the hate for scuzzis ?
    I find it good for the food they do , and very handy if you need quick service usually.

    My hate is because of my bad experience in there.
    mudokon wrote: »
    I love how people are refering to Scoozi's as Scuzzi's while trying to defend it. pacman.gif

    's is used to indicate possesion. You can't use it unless you follow it with restuarant or something like that. :P fail ;)
    Oh and regardless of what it is called, it's still sh*t lol


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    to be honest i usually try a restaurant myself cause if i listened to what friends etc have said i wouldnt of tried some of the best restaurants in cork.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,446 ✭✭✭miss_shadow


    Top of my list;

    +1 to Haveli's in Douglas
    .
    Food is very traditional and fresh, you wouldn't see alot of the normal dishes you get in an indian on the menu here.They have a good selection if you like to try new dishes. best indian so far!

    SOhO
    Went in recently and tried the cheese burger which was just so delicious it melted in your mouth and mik_da_mans steak was the best I have tasted.
    I then had the soho sundae which i'm still thinking about.
    Couldn't fault the food in any way. 10/10

    Scotts

    Bistro/pub grub.
    Good value for money and they really do fill your plate enough for two people, so if your hungry and want something asap then head there.
    also good if you want a sneeky pint during the day/week.

    Eco (douglas)
    The dishes are large and full of alot of flavours/ingredients. Alot of selection on the menu too, from spanish, italian , quite a few fish dishes.
    Always book as this place is nearly always booked out.

    Places I avoid

    The Hardwood

    Went in there once and was enough to put me off and against the place forever!!
    I usually don't mind going somewhere again and ordering something different but this place was just a dive.
    The food was bland and boring and the management and his staff of this place was very bad. Couldn't wait to finish and get out of there.

    Radhuni Indian (Douglas)


    Creepy atmosphere. overpriced and starters were frozen and were processed.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,446 ✭✭✭miss_shadow


    kingtut wrote: »
    Why? Well because I ate there and the food was horrible. Service was not much better, only went there once but I could make better myself. That being said it could have been a bad night but still it put me off.



    My hate is because of my bad experience in there.



    's is used to indicate possesion. You can't use it unless you follow it with restuarant or something like that. :P fail ;)
    Oh and regardless of what it is called, it's still sh*t lol

    not too big on scoozis (whatever or whichever the way you spell it) either.
    It's pub grub and the food itself isn't great quality.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    I'm interested in people's opinions of Haveli's.

    I'm from London and know a good ruby when I taste one! Since moving here, I've had some horrendous experiences with Indian restaurants. The one that sticks in my mind is the place by the Opera House. Awful food, slow service and VERY expensive. I've found it impossible to get a good ruby here and usually wait until I go home to get one.

    Is Haveli's that good? Does it match up to the curries I can get at home?

    Where in Douglas is it??

    TIA:)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    not too big on scoozis (whatever or whichever the way you spell it) either.
    It's pub grub and the food itself isn't great quality.

    Totally agree about Scoozi. It wasn't the greatest. Il Padrino's is pretty horrific as well. Ate there once - never again!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,400 ✭✭✭Nonoperational


    I had a fantastic meal in Hardwood recently. And Luigis can be OK if you choose wisely. Good atmosphere in there too.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 992 ✭✭✭kcb


    I'm interested in people's opinions of Haveli's.

    I'm from London and know a good ruby when I taste one! Since moving here, I've had some horrendous experiences with Indian restaurants. The one that sticks in my mind is the place by the Opera House. Awful food, slow service and VERY expensive. I've found it impossible to get a good ruby here and usually wait until I go home to get one.

    Is Haveli's that good? Does it match up to the curries I can get at home?

    Where in Douglas is it??

    TIA:)

    The only place for a decent Indian in Cork is Raj Gaylord. It's outside the city, near Tower, but worth the trip. The real deal.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 37,215 ✭✭✭✭Dudess


    Faith wrote: »
    The first restaurant I'd like to recommend is Annie's Gastropub in Sunday's Well. It's my favourite restaurant in Cork at the moment. The menu changes daily according to what's available fresh. You can expect to see about 10 starters costing about €8 euros each, featuring a mix of seafood, meat and a couple of vegetarian options. Mains are around €20 - €25 each, and are the same mix as the starters. They nearly always have steak, and you'll typically find lamb and chicken, along with fish like monkfish and seabass. If you're lucky, they'll have something really unusual on the menu, like kangaroo. A sample menu is available on their website. There's a respectable variety of desserts and wines to complement your meal, along with a full bar.

    They're open for both lunch and dinner, and it's well worth a visit some time.
    Ha, was the first place that came to my mind. It's fantastic! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 717 ✭✭✭calnand


    A bit outside of the city but the Barn Restaurant between Mayfield and Glanmire is amazing, only been there once, friendly staff excellent food, proper homemade deserts and they have a 3 course early bird menu for €25 before 7.30.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,487 ✭✭✭kingtut


    kcb wrote: »
    The only place for a decent Indian in Cork is Raj Gaylord.

    Wrong - The best place is Bombay Palace on Cook St, and while a good Indian is worth travelling for there is no need to with this gem ;)


This discussion has been closed.
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