huh?
Is the Brook Inn still good for food?
Some people are never satisfied
had dinner in Market Lane last night - everyone loved their dishes.. service and ambiance were bang on... it never fails to satisfy (on lots of levels)
As soon as I saw they only accept card it was off my list of options to eat. I pay with card mostly but I won't support a business that tries to push a cashless society, it's vital for many still.
Most places brought in contactless ordering for Covid? News to me!! I ate out a few times during Covid and don't remember having to scan a code or order online anywhere. There's nowhere else now that I know of, where you have to scan a code on the table to order food.
The Barn was always a favourite of ours before they did it up. While I really like the new decor and the vibe of the place, I'm not too sure on the menu/food (in general, fairly average) and having to use an app to order your food - why not just have waiters/waitresses take your order as normal? Also, not a fan of the card payments only either....not everyone has a credit card/apple or google pay or even a smart phone for that matter. The old barn had a lot of older customers too, my parents included. They don't go there anymore since the disaster of a meal they had when they first re-opened. They also wouldn't be able to do the ordering on a smart phone and they always pay with cash. Still, doesn't seem to be affecting their business in general anyway, so I guess they won't be changing it!
I could never figure out why anybody would want to open a restaurant in a new (at the time) bungalow, in Mayfield. But still there 40 years+ later. Shows how much I know!!
I think you are probably the only one who would claim that The Barn was ever "ahead of the times"!
Its contactless ordering like most places brought in for covid. Scan the code,place your order, it gets dropped to the table. Or you order from a server.
Of course carvery is gonna take a shorter time than ordering food from the kitchen..that was kinda silly to think you would all eat together no??
the food is average at best and their desserts are nothing like they used to be. Which is a big shame for me as i can walk to it. Think they need a menu over haul
The Barn were really ahead of the times in the 80s and 90s with their "affordable posh" approach. Sadly though, I don't think that'll cut it anymore nowadays.
What's the online system in the Barn? Not familiar with it... Is it like take-away order and you bring it back to the table from a pick-up area? Or like a waiter replacement where the order goes to the kitchen, but floor staff still bring it out?
Not disputing the speed of it, I guess you'd hope it was faster than needing table service to take the order. Can't remember where we were a few weeks ago for lunch... somewhere out east cork direction anyway, but I was nearly putting on a pinny myself and rocking up to the kitchen with orders and a tray the staff were so scattered. I don't think they got any table's order right.
Carvery is straight counter service, so very hard to beat that for speed at the best of times.
Was in the Barn recently as well, for a family affair; we didn't get carvery though. The food style was burgers and pizza (I got their "Brazilian" style pizza, I didn't care for it tbh).
I thought the food was fairly poor. Service was friendly, but confused (the servers didn't know what they were serving). It all seemed a bit odd; maybe lacking in identity, as you suggest.
We didn't avail of the unusual online servicing arrangement. As somewhere verging on rural, with nice views of fields of cows, the online ordering from the table, and burgers and pizza setup seems more suited to a city centre joint? Seems out of whack.
My last memories of the place are from the 1980's when it sold itself as a kind of faux posh dinner restaurant. It was popular enough then. But I wonder what on Earth are they trying to achieve, on a road to Glanmire.
It's fallen down big time. Used to be somewhere that we'd go the odd time as a treat but it's like it became too popular and the service has slipped.
Was in The Barn in Glanmire recently for dinner and found it very strange. A couple of us ordered from their online system, took ages to arrive, the others we were with went and got stuff from the carvery counter and were finished by the time our stuff arrived. It's also got massive TV screens facing you which is a distraction. It's like it doesn't quite know what it wants to be.
Yeah I completely agree with you that you should have definitely had an option for more food. Normally if a kitchen is pushed for time they tell you straight up, But closing the kitchen at 9 and staying open till 11 makes no sense.
Last tapas night i had, last orders was maybe 10pm
Yeah, didn't expect 1am alright in Ireland. And we don't exactly tolerate the open plates of food on counters here either! :D But I expected to be able to order , eat something, and order another few if we were still hungry. Not just order some patatas bravas and a croquette at 8pm , wait an hour for it, and boom you're done. They were all over us taking the plates away when we were trying to take our time. Felt rushed out the door, and still hungry and looking for another glass of wine! Luckily that street has loads of places, but after going to the effort of booking a table, seemed mad they wouldn't feed hungry people. Why even have tables available at 8pm
Just cause its spanish doesnt mean you get tapas till 1am lol but yeah I'd expect the kitchen to stay open a lot longer than that seeing as they are open until 11.
Really confused by Moodys, wondering if anyone else had this experience. I might be expecting something different to how tapas works here...
We booked and arrived at 8pm, got a menu and wine list. We ordered a glass of wine each and a couple of plates, At five to nine the food arrived (almost an hour later), and as the guy dropped it off, he told us the kitchen was now closed.
Is it not usual for people to order a few things, they come out fairly quickly because they are small easy plates, maybe order another few? And for spanish food to run later than 9pm for ordering? We were wandering out the door at 9:15 feeling a bit short changed to be honest.
Not permanently, apparently.
Two well-known Cork businesses close their doors (echolive.ie) - Bunnyconnellan Restaurant in Myrtleville closing up 😔
Might have been mentioned previously but went to Goldie a few weeks ago for dinner with the other half.
It was one of the nicest meals I've eaten in a long time and would go back again in a heartbeat.
Couldn't recommend it more
We opted for the Montenotte in the end.
Overall it was good but fell short of great or even excellent.
It was very busy for a Monday evening, which was nice to see.
Pork belly was lovely with this sweet glaze. It was a small portion for the price, which was disappointing.
Mrs Pen Rua got the pork tomahawk which she enjoyed - something you don't see often on restaurant menus. I went for the duck which had a great red wine jus.
Dessert portions were bigger than we anticipated and both mine (the mouse) and hers (madeira cake) were perfectly pleasant.
Service is where it fell down big time, though. We asked for the bill (and indicated we would pay by card to save the waiter the trip). 10 mins came and went and still nothing. At this point, the restaurant had filtered out and there were a couple of staff cleaning down tables. In the end, we gave up and went up to pay. Bread had to be ordered and was an additional charge - I would suggest that bread would be a minimum requirement for a restaurant service. Big lags between starter & main, which could be explained away by a busy venue to be fair.
Yes, looking forward to trying that. Interesting... Cask connected.
Not much info on their site yet.
I was on bridge street and saw a new place setting up. Paladar. Seems to be a cuban bar/restaurant.
I see Ali from Ali’s kitchen is the new chef in the Imperial bar - sketch.
gosh I miss Casanova; twas so good
Yep, they do take away also. Worth a shot!
I haven't been actually. That's the place where Casanova was years back?
I hear good things, but I don't really go to town much since I moved out of it.
I haven't had carvery in a while but I recall The Elm Tree being around €18 before covid. These days where the price of everything gone up massively and the fact The Viaduct appears to be a "premium" type destination, I assumed it would be a fair bit more than €15.
Forget about it a few years ago, it was old and grimy. The new place is completely different, much cleaner and more modern.
Montenotte is a great suggestion
I generally aim for hotel restaurants on Monday nights, they are usually open. That might suit for anniversary as well, if that's the kind of atmosphere you're going for. The River Club in the river lee hotel has some tables on the deck area, over the river which are nice.
Panorama Bistro & Terrace is the restaurant in the Montenotte hotel, it has absolutely stunning views over the city at night. Very romantic. ;) Not 100% sure it takes non-residents, so check.
More casual american type food is Sophies in the Dean hotel.
Have you been to Spitjack? It's open Monday's.
For tapas-y food and cocktails, you could try Cask. Or one of the wine bars like moodys.
