The Restaurant Recommendation Thread

cadaliac · 07-02-2019 01:34PM

the beer revolu wrote: »

Was that the cheapest glass of wine available?
If so, I'd agree that they should offer cheaper options.

Without saying what the wine is, you can't really say that €9 is too expensive. Was it no good?

A New Zealand wine. The wine was "lovely" but still, a cabernet sauvignon.... and it was second cheapest I think.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 07-02-2019 02:11PM

cadaliac wrote: »

A New Zealand wine. The wine was "lovely" but still, a cabernet sauvignon.... and it was second cheapest I think.

NZ wines are often at a higher price point because of transport costs, I'd also be pretty nonplussed at that being second cheapest. I've noticed prices jumping around town too, I work in a wine bar (where the price of a glass hasn't changed in 2 years fyi everyone :pac:) and have had a fair few customers make the same observation recently.

Margins are veeery healthy on wine by the glass. I've known people who deliberately bumped the prices of bottles up to nudge people more towards ordering the house wine by the glass. The paranoid side of me wonders if there's some degree of coordination on the prices, or maybe it's a coincidentally common strategy to counteract the VAT increase.

jojofizzio · 07-02-2019 08:19PM

Had lunch in Crawford and Co (formerly Market Tavern) during the week...sandwich was amazingly fresh and tasty...and my dining companion raved about the soup...will definitely be back

sporina · 07-02-2019 09:45PM

cadaliac wrote: »

A New Zealand wine. The wine was "lovely" but still, a cabernet sauvignon.... and it was second cheapest I think.

Do you mean a Sauvignon Blanc?

Slim Charles · 08-02-2019 08:32AM

sporina wrote: »

Do you mean a Sauvignon Blanc?

Cabernet Sauv is a wine also

pwurple · 08-02-2019 09:32AM

Has anyone been to either Boceilli on Maylor street, or the revamped Rachels (O'dwyers?) Menu in O'Dwyers looked tame... burger, chicken burger, fish&chips and a curry.

D'Agger · 08-02-2019 10:01AM

jojofizzio wrote: »

Had lunch in Crawford and Co (formerly Market Tavern) during the week...sandwich was amazingly fresh and tasty...and my dining companion raved about the soup...will definitely be back

Been meaning to get in there because it looks great from Instagram & there's a market there too where you can pick up some fresh produce at the weekends I believe

cadaliac · 08-02-2019 02:18PM

sporina wrote: »

Do you mean a Sauvignon Blanc?

Yes I actually do (my bad) my wife was drinking it. I always drink Cabernet sauvignon.

Sorry about that.

cadaliac · 08-02-2019 06:30PM

cadaliac wrote: »

I went in here a few weeks ago for lunch on a Saturday. Menu was ok, but I didn't think it was good value for what we got. It was nice, I couldn't fault any of it. It was just OK though.
I have to check with herself and see what we had, I can't remember (says it all really)
€9 a glass of wine is too expansive for there too imo.

For clarification purposes, re; cornstore, she had prawn pil pil, I had a Cesar salad and our daughter had a portion of chips and garlic bread. All very average and expensive for what you got, imo

who_me · 08-02-2019 06:37PM

(Not directly related to this thread... but seems a good place to ask... with all you wine buffs!)

I've a wine question. I've been to a certain Cork restaurant several times, and recently tried a new wine there. Now, I've been told I have a poor sense of smell (NOT a nice compliment to receive!

), but when I picked up the glass, all I could get was a smell much like nail-varnish. Not a faint whiff, but a pungent smell. I could only drink it by holding my breath while drinking. And yup, it tasted every bit as good as it smelt!

I thought it might be something on the glass - the cleaning detergent etc. - so I politely asked for another. They brought me another from a fresh bottle of the same label, and it was much better, but still noticeable. I went there again recently, and forgetfully ordered the same wine, and sure enough got the same smell/taste off it (though the mild one, not the overpowering version).

It was a Malbec.. I'm far from a fussy wine-drinking, if I ask for Malbec and someone gives me Merlot or Pinot Noir I wouldn't have a clue. But this seems to a "feature" of this brand of Malbec, noticeable in freshly opened bottles and absolutely nasty after the bottle has been open for a while. Is this common? I've never been served a glass of wine that I've returned before... I could understand an individual bottle being spoiled, but not several. I find it hard to believe there's someone out there thinking "hmmmm, I think there's a huge market opportunity for a Cabernet-Varnish blend...." :P

Harika · 08-02-2019 06:45PM

who_me wrote: »

I find it hard to believe there's someone out there thinking "hmmmm, I think there's a huge market opportunity for a Cabernet-Varnish blend...." :P

Could your taste buds being sensitive, I can't smell / eat Gorgonzola cheese at all, while else eating everything. But this cheese causes the same reaction as licking a battery. (for science ofc)
That's why places like l'atidude are cool where you can taste several wines before deciding.

pwurple · 08-02-2019 08:00PM

Acetone smell in wine is a telltale sign of poor winemaking. Either the wine going bad, or a bad batch, or a cheap wine basically.

It is the stage before the wine goes to vinegar, very high acidity.

I’d say you have a good nose! Well suited to getting into good wine.

GEM_13 · 08-02-2019 08:24PM

pwurple wrote: »

Has anyone been to either Boceilli on Maylor street, or the revamped Rachels (O'dwyers?) Menu in O'Dwyers looked tame... burger, chicken burger, fish&chips and a curry.

Tried Bocelli about 3 weeks ago. I thought the menu was quite good. Kids had pizza and meatballs & pasta. They are fussy enough but they loved it.

I got the penne paglicci and it was excellent. The toilets were being renovated and were ok but I would definitely go back .

sporina · 08-02-2019 10:34PM

cadaliac wrote: »

Yes I actually do (my bad) my wife was drinking it. I always drink Cabernet sauvignon.

Sorry about that.

awe i was thinking as much, as Cabernet Sauvignon wouldn't be a common wine from NZ on menus here - whereas Sauvignon Blanc is - v much so.. some of my fav white wines are from the Marlborough region.. hmm.. but they are always at a higher price - but i find them v good quality - much better than a lot of others..

pwurple · 08-02-2019 11:17PM

GEM_13 wrote: »

Tried Bocelli about 3 weeks ago. I thought the menu was quite good. Kids had pizza and meatballs & pasta. They are fussy enough but they loved it.

I got the penne paglicci and it was excellent. The toilets were being renovated and were ok but I would definitely go back .

Thanks! What is penne paglicci?

SteelyDanJalapeno · 09-02-2019 10:30AM

Looking for somewhere decent for brunch today that we could also grab a pint in, recommendations?

cadaliac · 09-02-2019 10:38AM

SteelyDanJalapeno wrote: »

Looking for somewhere decent for brunch today that we could also grab a pint in, recommendations?

Rum on Marlboro st. Tapas and lots of other stuff available on the menu.
It’s quite good. Full bar too.

igCorcaigh · 09-02-2019 11:17AM

Cafe Torino, on Washington Street, has got great reviews on Google.

However I wasn't overly impressed with the cannelloni, which was mushy and dry, obviously had been some time out of the oven before reheating. Some salad would have helped vary the texture.

Still, worth a shot. Maybe their pastries are good.

gozunda · 09-02-2019 11:24AM

Is there any one area in Cork city that has a good selection of restaurants? Have been in the city a few times and outside the Patrick street area - I have spectacularly failed to find decent restaurants. Some I was looking for I found were closed despite declared opening hours or had closed up shop completely!

Curb Your Enthusiasm · 09-02-2019 12:04PM

gozunda wrote: »

Is there any one area in Cork city that has a good selection of restaurants? Have been in the city a few times and outside the Patrick street area - I have spectacularly failed to find decent restaurants. Some I was looking for I found were closed despite declared opening hours or had closed up shop completely!

Washington Street and MacCurtain Street would both have some very nice options.

richiepurgas · 09-02-2019 09:54PM

Could someone explain this, how is it that wines from the other end of the world such as New Zealand and Chile are in greater numbers and generally cheaper than those from Europe in Irish shops ?

the beer revolu · 10-02-2019 04:35PM

Went to The Oyster Tavern for the first time for brunch today.
For some reason, I wasn't expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised. A nice, unfussy brunch menu, including a burger and fish and chips for those wanting something more lunchy, well executed food, good coffee, a nice space and lovely, efficient staff.
Good value, too, I thought.

10-02-2019 05:49PM

the beer revolu wrote: »

Went to The Oyster Tavern for the first time for brunch today.
For some reason, I wasn't expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised. A nice, unfussy brunch menu, including a burger and fish and chips for those wanting something more lunchy, well executed food, good coffee, a nice space and lovely, efficient staff.
Good value, too, I thought.

I’ve only ever had drinks there and have to say the all the staff are extremely sound.

Water John · 10-02-2019 07:03PM

The price of wine has no link to its production and shipping costs.

Nonoperational · 10-02-2019 07:47PM

Brunch in Lab 82 recently. Pretty good. Menu a bit different and lots of choice. Coffee excellent. Few little things that weren't great but overall would try it again.

pwurple · 10-02-2019 07:48PM

richiepurgas wrote: »

Could someone explain this, how is it that wines from the other end of the world such as New Zealand and Chile are in greater numbers and generally cheaper than those from Europe in Irish shops ?

Marketing.

Harika · 10-02-2019 10:33PM

richiepurgas wrote: »

Could someone explain this, how is it that wines from the other end of the world such as New Zealand and Chile are in greater numbers and generally cheaper than those from Europe in Irish shops ?

Shipping costs are very low. To ship a full container costs 2000 pound and carries 14400 bottles. So roughly 15 cents per bottle.

the beer revolu · 11-02-2019 08:34AM

Water John wrote: »

The price of wine has no link to its production and shipping costs.

Of course it does.
The price of anything is generally somewhere between the cost of production (and shipping) and what someone is willing to pay for it.

BailMeOut · 11-02-2019 12:38PM

richiepurgas wrote: »

Could someone explain this, how is it that wines from the other end of the world such as New Zealand and Chile are in greater numbers and generally cheaper than those from Europe in Irish shops ?

It is simply cheaper even with shipping costs. There is no tax advantage buying wine from EU compared to new world therefor difference between New World and EU is mainly due to 'ex-cellar price' and difference in logistics costs.

So for example in Chile, the ex-cellar price is very low as the cost of production is very low, which more than covers the additional costs. New World wine also typically use a lot more machinery and technology to mass produce thus cheaper.

(I know someone who imports white wine from NZ!)

who_me · 11-02-2019 02:41PM

gozunda wrote: »

Is there any one area in Cork city that has a good selection of restaurants? Have been in the city a few times and outside the Patrick street area - I have spectacularly failed to find decent restaurants. Some I was looking for I found were closed despite declared opening hours or had closed up shop completely!

Hah, I can understand that. Most of the restaurants in Cork seem to be all down side-streets or off the beaten track. Patrick St. itself has few restaurants other than fast-food - funnily the council seem very intent on not having bars/cafes and restaurants on Patrick St., yet it ends up with fast food joints, pop-up stores and empty units.

So you really have to head up and down the side-streets, between Patrick St. and Paul St. especially (Carey's Lane, French Church St., Academy St.), and between Patrick St. and Oliver Plunkett St. / South Mall (Prince's, Marlboro and Cook Streets).

Across the bridge and Bridge St. / McCurtain St. are good too.

The Restaurant Recommendation Thread

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