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The Restaurant Recommendation Thread

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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snotboogie

limnam wrote: »

Your right it is miles behind, in terms of not just what's put on the plate. But everything around it.

There's no point been "different" for the sake of been different most people are happy for some diversity but that shouldn't be an excuse for inconsistency and lack of quality. Putting alphabet spag in a cup is not creative, it's not "fancy" it's not even quirky.

As was mentioned before Cork is a fairly small market there shouldn't be too much room for mediocrity but the city's full of it. You can get away with that if you have enough quality to ignore it but there's not that either

It was one of the things that stood out for me after moving down from Dublin. The lack of options and then of the options that can deliver anywhere near an "experience" is few and far between.

I can't recall too many people on this thread complaining about "fancy" food. Whatever that is.

The vast majority of mid to high end restaurants in Cork have slight variations of the exact same menu, basically just meat and two veg. You could count on one hand the restaurants that try something different and pull it off.

I have no idea why the burrito bars and Asian street food are so maligned here, there are numerous genuinely good restaurants in these categories. 10 years ago fast food dining in Cork was McDonalds, Dominos or a hot chicken roll. They've added some much needed variety and quality to that end of the food market.

snotboogie

igCorcaigh wrote: »

It's a pity that Triskel is gone, that was my favourite haunt. There is a new cafe in the same venue though.

Scrypt, I really like it

sammyjo90

Leonel Putrid Cheddar wrote: »

I wouldn't say Galway is any great shakes, lived there til the start of this year. If you think there's a lot of Burrito places here....

Ha i was literally saying this this weekend when visiting my sister (chef) in galway.
Apart from the loam and JP's restaurant offering outside the norm. Galway is very blaaaahhh

mrpdap

igCorcaigh wrote: »

For good coffee:

Filter: George's Quay
Portafilter: St. Peters, North main Street
Priory: North main Street
Three Fools: Grand Parade
Alchemy: Barrack Street
Soma: Tuckey Street

Avoid: Starbucks and Gloria Jean's

Just my 2c!

Italee, Oliver Plunket Street, best coffee in Cork.

c montgomery

mrpdap wrote: »

Italee, Oliver Plunket Street, best coffee in Cork.

Agree 100%, it's fantastic in there

hufpc8w3adnk65

WhiteRoses wrote: »

Went to the restaurant upstairs in soho on Sunday. Arrived at around 3pm, the place was about a quarter full.
Apparently it was reservation only and we were sent away. Asked could we come back and try again in half an hour and they said no. So we went elsewhere.
There were no seats downstairs.
I know it's December and I know it's busy, but walking into a less than half full restaurant late afternoon on a Sunday and being sent away is awful. There were only 2 of us as well so hardly a big party.

I wish I didn't love their nachos so much, that's the only thing that keeps me coming back. The service is always pretty appalling but I tolerate because I love the nachos. Think this might be the final straw for me now though, what happened Sunday was ridiculous.

Go to the east village, same chefs and the same food but no where near as busy

flangemeistro

Can't believe people are raving about the coffee in Italee, Three Fools and Cork Coffee Roasters!
I found Italee really burnt and it was only the second coffee I couldn't finish in my life.
Was really excited to try three fools and found it completely bland and forgettable.
Cork Coffee Roasters is just another Maher's with a different name, generic, mass produced and I also found the staff a bit rude at the Paul Street one.
My Go To's have all been mentioned I think, in descending order
Alchemy
Alchemy 2
Filter
Ali's Kitchen
Golden Bean @ farmers market
Monty's Midelton
Badger & Dodo @ farmers market
Bakewell Ballyseedy
And if none of them are in the vicinity I go to the nearest Centra or SuperValu for an amazing Frank & Honest.

run_Forrest_run

flangemeistro wrote: »

And if none of them are in the vicinity I go to the nearest Centra or SuperValu for an amazing Frank & Honest.

d'oh, and you were doing so well up to this point.

BullBlackNova

I'm a big fan of Three Fools, never been to Italee so can't comment there but, for me, I'd go with:

Soma (nice staff, cool building and great coffee)
Filter (and Portafilter) (see above)
Bookshelf (love the building in particular)
Three Fools (the staff are particularly nice here)
Cork Coffee Roasters is convenient for me - I pass it on the way to work and it's well priced - and Duke's is an option too, sometimes.
Union Grind and Nectar are decent too.
I avoid Alchemy as I've had more than one experience of staff being particularly rude in there which is a shame as I'd like to see the whole area do well but they are flying without my custom anyway so I'm sure they're not bothered!!

On the Frank & Honest thing - I had one cup ever and it tasted like fairy liquid. Thought I must have gotten a bad one as people rave about it but is it any use as a quick option at 6am before anywhere else opens? I mean, given the choice at 6am - F&H or McDonalds?

flangemeistro

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

d'oh, and you were doing so well up to this point.

What? If none of the above mentioned coffee shops are in the vicinity and you're hanging for a coffee a Frank & Honest will more that satisfy your thirst.
It's the best push button coffee by a country mile.

BailMeOut

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

d'oh, and you were doing so well up to this point.

100% agree with flangemeistro! Frank and Honest (especially the flat white) is a decent cup of coffee and I am a serious coffee snob. Would normally go without a coffee if my only option was a store machine option (including the Costa ones).

Personal favourites are Cork Coffee Roasters (Bridge Street only - love this place) and Dukes.

D'Agger

Have to agree that Frank & Honest is the best you'll get with the push of a button, I like it.

Ate in Isaacs last night, one of my favourite restaurants as I've had some lovely celebrations there. Had fillet steak with bernaise, and their desert menu had me sweating about what to choose - went for caramel ice cream with banana slices and butterscotch with a nice coffee. Lovely meal, good service and nice atmosphere in there.

sporina

v disappointed about Miyazaki's restaurant deal with the 85e tasting menu - and no other option - was looking forward to trying his food in a place where i know i could sit for sure as its always a gamble with the current premises..

limnam

mrpdap wrote: »

Italee, Oliver Plunket Street, best coffee in Cork.

I can only assume you're taking the mick

dudara

sporina wrote: »

v disappointed about Miyazaki's restaurant deal with the 85e tasting menu - and no other option - was looking forward to trying his food in a place where i know i could sit for sure as its always a gamble with the current premises..

I think I’ve read that the tasting menu will be at the counter only. Open to correction on this

pwurple

sporina wrote: »

v disappointed about Miyazaki's restaurant deal with the 85e tasting menu - and no other option - was looking forward to trying his food in a place where i know i could sit for sure as its always a gamble with the current premises..

Think you misread. There is another option, tasting menu is limited to 8 people at the counter only. 22 other seats in the place...

hufpc8w3adnk65

Ramen going into the old Pav Night club Carey’s Lane

BullBlackNova

MrMac84 wrote: »

Ramen going into the old Pav Night club Carey’s Lane

Seriously?! What a waste of such a great space.

No disrespect meant to Ramen but that building has such potential as a music venue or a cinema or a nightclub, etc.

Where'd you see that?

sporina

pwurple wrote: »

Think you misread. There is another option, tasting menu is limited to 8 people at the counter only. 22 other seats in the place...

oh i hope i misread it - great

BullBlackNova wrote: »

Seriously?! What a waste of such a great space.

No disrespect meant to Ramen but that building has such potential as a music venue or a cinema or a nightclub, etc.

Where'd you see that?

oh goodbye Koto (not that i have tried it - a mate has and would not recommend) - but i think thats sad - what a wonderful venue upstairs.. i miss going to gigs there - would be a shame to waste the space on yet another glorified fast food outlet

the beer revolu

MrMac84 wrote: »

Ramen going into the old Pav Night club Carey’s Lane

Surely they are only taking the bar part?

hufpc8w3adnk65

I’d imagine they are only taken the ground floor but I don’t know... they are putting up the ramen neon logos as I type (I can’t see them lasting long as they hang low enough to grab) the logos seem to be over all the doors unless there’s one I’ve missed that will lead to club separately

D'Agger

That's a shame with the Pav, I don't mind Ramen but it's wasted on them imo

igCorcaigh

Does Ramen qualify as fast food? I thought there are new rules limiting fast food outlets and bars on Patrick Street.

bee06

igCorcaigh wrote: »

Does Ramen qualify as fast food? I thought there are new rules limiting fast food outlets and bars on Patrick Street.

The Pav location isn’t on Patrick street though?

BailMeOut

igCorcaigh wrote: »

Does Ramen qualify as fast food? I thought there are new rules limiting fast food outlets and bars on Patrick Street.

Ramen is definitely not fast food as it takes forever from ordering to getting your food!!

.red.

BailMeOut wrote: »

Ramen is definitely not fast food as it takes forever from ordering to getting your food!!

I was gonna ask if it qualifies as food?
Bit of water, some salt, tiny bit of veg, more salt, an even tinier bit of meat, more salt, then their special secret ingredient(salt), all to pour over some rice that's either cold or in a big lump that takes 5 minutes to break up.
I've eaten there twice and tasted their take away a few times from people in work. I honestly don't know how their still in business let alone doing so well.

Nonoperational

.red. wrote: »

I was gonna ask if it qualifies as food?
Bit of water, some salt, tiny bit of veg, more salt, an even tinier bit of meat, more salt, then their special secret ingredient(salt), all to pour over some rice that's either cold or in a big lump that takes 5 minutes to break up.
I've eaten there twice and tasted their take away a few times from people in work. I honestly don't know how their still in business let alone doing so well.

Because lots of people like it. It really isn't that hard to understand.

the beer revolu

.red. wrote: »

I was gonna ask if it qualifies as food?
Bit of water, some salt, tiny bit of veg, more salt, an even tinier bit of meat, more salt, then their special secret ingredient(salt), all to pour over some rice that's either cold or in a big lump that takes 5 minutes to break up.
I've eaten there twice and tasted their take away a few times from people in work. I honestly don't know how their still in business let alone doing so well.

Careful now.
You'll be accused of really liking it but pretending not to just to be cool.

Apparently, people do that.

sporina

pwurple wrote: »

Think you misread. There is another option, tasting menu is limited to 8 people at the counter only. 22 other seats in the place...

actually had another read of it and it doesn't say anything about another menu other than the 85e no choice menu - 5 seats at the counter - where cold dishes will be prepared in front of the customer and a dining area seating 22.. hot dishes prepared upstairs.. nothing about another menu

SomeFool

Just on Ramen, the Pav has been unoccupied for a while now, good to see someone put life into it, it's better than another derelict building in the city centre.