The Restaurant Recommendation Thread

Ludo · 26-02-2020 12:39PM

D'Agger wrote: »

This is actually a great point because you can also look at it from the perspective that perhaps Ludo's friend is the one with shít taste in food

That is very possibly the case. It was mentioned though that the food there it is not authentic in anyway. That is more the point than the quality of food. I would be more of the opinion that seeing Chinese people there does not necessarily mean it is a good Chinese restaraunt.
I have been to plenty of **** Irish pubs and restaraunts for example. Some many times. Go to any Irish pub abroad and you will generally meet Irish people. Doesn't mean it is a good place.

the beer revolu · 26-02-2020 01:35PM

Ludo wrote: »

That is very possibly the case. It was mentioned though that the food there it is not authentic in anyway. That is more the point than the quality of food. I would be more of the opinion that seeing Chinese people there does not necessarily mean it is a good Chinese restaraunt.
I have been to plenty of **** Irish pubs and restaraunts for example. Some many times. Go to any Irish pub abroad and you will generally meet Irish people. Doesn't mean it is a good place.

Mrs Beer and I pretty much always ate off the Dim Sum menu and found that to be "authentic" but the Dim Sum changed and not to our liking.
Anything we did try off their regular menu was very much Westernised Chinese food, we thought - better than your average Irish Chinese, alright.

Regarding Chinese people and food; my mother-in-law is of Chinese extraction and people often assume that my wife grew up eating great Chinese food. The truth is that her mother is a terrible cook and isn't really interested in food at all.
People make the same assumption about French people but, apart from a few notable exceptions, most of the French people I know aren't good cooks at all and don't really know much about food.

Sorry for going so off topic:o

anacc · 26-02-2020 04:16PM

BailMeOut wrote: »

Speaking of Asian food but the White Lady Hotel in Kinsale has some of the best Asian food you will get in Cork. They have staff from Malaysia and some superb and very authentic dishes and very popular with the locals. Well worth checking out if venturing out further from town.

Seconded.

Reputable Rog · 28-02-2020 03:40PM

fin12 wrote: »

Sorry off topic, but does anyone know anywhere in the city they will be doing Patrick’s day theme cocktails?

Anyone know where I can get a grasshopper or aero mint/ baileys mint martini?

The Glen Ryan

JackieChang · 28-02-2020 11:13PM

sporina wrote: »

my brother loves Kaya's Asian Bites and he is quite a foodie

Can't believe people are recommending this place. Went there with the missus and got the seafood noodle thing. 90% of the seafood was fake plastic bits of maula. Felt like eating an eraser. The broth had those pink fish sticks and other plastic things I didn't recognize. Think the only bit of actual fish were the two prawns and the fish flavoured water everything was floating in.

.red. · 29-02-2020 08:28AM

Slightly off topic but....
Does the fish wife on Mac Curtain street have seating?
I'd assume it does but the delivery across to the shelbourne has me wondering.
I've the kids promised a fish n chips today after the Everyman.

the beer revolu · 29-02-2020 08:37AM

.red. wrote: »

Slightly off topic but....
Does the fish wife on Mac Curtain street have seating?
I'd assume it does but the delivery across to the shelbourne has me wondering.
I've the kids promised a fish n chips today after the Everyman.

Not as such.
There's a shelf where, if quiet, 2 or 3 people could eat.

Slim Charles · 29-02-2020 08:51AM

.red. wrote: »

Slightly off topic but....
Does the fish wife on Mac Curtain street have seating?
I'd assume it does but the delivery across to the shelbourne has me wondering.
I've the kids promised a fish n chips today after the Everyman.

It's tiny...I think there was an old garden table with 2 or 3 seats outside before but I might be getting it mixed up with the bakery/cafe nearby

.red. · 29-02-2020 09:03AM

Slim Charles wrote: »

It's tiny...I think there was an old garden table with 2 or 3 seats outside before but I might be getting it mixed up with the bakery/cafe nearby

Cheers lads, that's what I was thinking. Probably just head up to the Grand Parade so

Hey Slim....Is Poot still selling shoes?

sporina · 29-02-2020 10:39AM

fin12 wrote: »

Sorry off topic, but does anyone know anywhere in the city they will be doing Patrick’s day theme cocktails?

Anyone know where I can get a grasshopper or aero mint/ baileys mint martini?

Barbarella on Barrack St are doing them - with creme de menthe etc..

Slim Charles · 29-02-2020 10:46AM

.red. wrote: »

Cheers lads, that's what I was thinking. Probably just head up to the Grand Parade so

Hey Slim....Is Poot still selling shoes?

sporina · 29-02-2020 01:55PM

anyone been to Caffe Nero on OP street recently and noticed a really bad smell? drains I think - it puts me off going there.. mentioned it to a staff member months ago - went back yday to see if it has been resolved and nope, its still there.. but the loo down the back is closed... (the smell was worst there - bad drain smell as oppose to anything else)...
Just strange that they have not resolved it..

what the hell! · 29-02-2020 02:42PM

sporina wrote: »

anyone been to Caffe Nero on OP street recently and noticed a really bad smell? drains I think - it puts me off going there.. mentioned it to a staff member months ago - went back yday to see if it has been resolved and nope, its still there.. but the loo down the back is closed... (the smell was worst there - bad drain smell as oppose to anything else)...
Just strange that they have not resolved it..

And often lots of small flies around the place. Not attractive.

fulanoquetal · 01-03-2020 09:04AM

I wanted to go out for some dinner last night so was browsing menus from home in the afternoon to see what was appealing. Settled on Elbow Lane. Their site VERY CLEARLY states, No Bookings Taken, Walk-ins only. Got there, waited at the door to be seated as per the sign. Other coouple comes in behind us and says they have a table booked and so get seated. WTF ?....I was disappointed not to be able to eat at my first choice and admit that you take your chances to some degree on a Saturday night but WHY TAKE BOOKINGS IF YOUR WEBSITE SAYS EXLPICITLY THAT YOU DON"T ??. Either amend the damn website or do what you say.
Rant Over.

Slim Charles · 01-03-2020 09:12AM

fulanoquetal wrote: »

I wanted to go out for some dinner last night so was browsing menus from home in the afternoon to see what was appealing. Settled on Elbow Lane. Their site VERY CLEARLY states, No Bookings Taken, Walk-ins only. Got there, waited at the door to be seated as per the sign. Other coouple comes in behind us and says they have a table booked and so get seated. WTF ?....I was disappointed not to be able to eat at my first choice and admit that you take your chances to some degree on a Saturday night but WHY TAKE BOOKINGS IF YOUR WEBSITE SAYS EXLPICITLY THAT YOU DON"T ??. Either amend the damn website or do what you say.
Rant Over.

They take bookings if you walk in, I.e you arrive at 7 the place is full, they add you to the list, take your number and send you off for a pot with an estimated time of seating.

fulanoquetal · 01-03-2020 09:30AM

Slim Charles wrote: »

They take bookings if you walk in, I.e you arrive at 7 the place is full, they add you to the list, take your number and send you off for a pot with an estimated time of seating.

Correct...they do operate a waitlist but last night it distinctly looked like they were taking bookings.

mrpdap · 01-03-2020 08:34PM

.red. wrote: »

Slightly off topic but....
Does the fish wife on Mac Curtain street have seating?
I'd assume it does but the delivery across to the shelbourne has me wondering.
I've the kids promised a fish n chips today after the Everyman.

I’m fairly sure that you can take your fish n chips across the road to The Shelbourne Bar and eat there with a pint

Cherry_Cola · 01-03-2020 11:37PM

fulanoquetal wrote: »

Correct...they do operate a waitlist but last night it distinctly looked like they were taking bookings.

Nope, you're wrong.

rob316 · 02-03-2020 12:31AM

fulanoquetal wrote: »

Correct...they do operate a waitlist but last night it distinctly looked like they were taking bookings.

They like market lane don't take bookings, walk in only. Only exception is for parties of 6 or more.

the beer revolu · 02-03-2020 11:31AM

mrpdap wrote: »

I’m fairly sure that you can take your fish n chips across the road to The Shelbourne Bar and eat there with a pint

Only, outside, though.
Cork Arms will let you take the food into the bar.

.red. · 02-03-2020 02:22PM

mrpdap wrote: »

I’m fairly sure that you can take your fish n chips across the road to The Shelbourne Bar and eat there with a pint

We ended up going to the grand parade as I didn't want to be bringing the kids into a city centre bar on a Saturday afternoon, especially as I wasn't gonna have a drink.
The kids got the fish goujons I had the burger. Kids devoured the fish and my burger was as good as the last time.
2 patties, 2 slices of smoked cheese and 2 slices of bacon and a portion of real chips for €9.50. I'd rather that again over son of a bun any day.

who_me · 02-03-2020 02:47PM

fulanoquetal wrote: »

Correct...they do operate a waitlist but last night it distinctly looked like they were taking bookings.

Very unlikely. I dine there pretty much every week, and have never seen people come in with a booking.

If it's very quiet, they might try to be helpful to people walking in by getting a seating at a given time. (i.e. instead of "I'll call you when the next table comes up" they might say "I'll try to call you around the time you like")

But it's still walk-ins only. Most likely the other couple were just an earlier 'walk in' returning when called.

fulanoquetal · 02-03-2020 10:11PM

who_me wrote: »

Very unlikely. I dine there pretty much every week, and have never seen people come in with a booking.

If it's very quiet, they might try to be helpful to people walking in by getting a seating at a given time. (i.e. instead of "I'll call you when the next table comes up" they might say "I'll try to call you around the time you like")

But it's still walk-ins only. Most likely the other couple were just an earlier 'walk in' returning when called.

That could be it....I'm probabluy being too harsh on them.

kennethrhcp · 03-03-2020 11:30AM

fulanoquetal wrote: »

That could be it....I'm probabluy being too harsh on them.

Can I ask a stupid question... did you not ask the people working in the restaurant about their booking system if it upset you that much? would have been nipped in the bud

I've not eaten there yet, been meaning to go there

who_me · 03-03-2020 01:13PM

fulanoquetal wrote: »

That could be it....I'm probabluy being too harsh on them.

Yeah, it's a great spot, but busy almost every weekend. If you want to walk in and get a seat right away, you probably have to be in there before 5:30 on a Saturday (sometimes it's full by 5:10) or you might get very lucky. Otherwise, Sunday is usually quieter.

It's the only restaurant in Cork where I've seen people queueing for it to open!

the beer revolu · 03-03-2020 01:21PM

who_me wrote: »

It's the only restaurant in Cork where I've seen people queueing for it to open!

Iyer's often has a queue waiting for it to open at 6.

fulanoquetal · 07-03-2020 09:24AM

kennethrhcp wrote: »

Can I ask a stupid question... did you not ask the people working in the restaurant about their booking system if it upset you that much? would have been nipped in the bud

I've not eaten there yet, been meaning to go there

It was one of those days...pouring rain, truculent wife, hangry....tried to ask the girl at the door but she had to take people to a table....will get there some day.

limnam · 07-03-2020 01:21PM

rob316 wrote: »

They like market lane don't take bookings, walk in only. Only exception is for parties of 6 or more.

I thought it was only elbow lane that you couldn't book.

MissShihTzu · 07-03-2020 02:37PM

limnam wrote: »

I thought it was only elbow lane that you couldn't book.

You can't book at any of the restaurants in that chain. Market Lane, Elbow Lane, Orso's, the place at Blackrock castle, and the new one they have across the way in Oliver Plunkett St.

ofcork · 07-03-2020 02:53PM

the beer revolu wrote: »

Iyer's often has a queue waiting for it to open at 6.

Liberty Grill has queues regularly.

The Restaurant Recommendation Thread

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