Restaurant Recommendation Thread - Anyone for seconds?

The thing is, though, that it's not unapologetically Irish County House Food. It's a fusion between ICHF and contemporary international cooking, and for me, it falls between these stools. I don't believe miso broth, Vietnamese salsa or borani featured heavily on Irish County House tables in the past.

Unfortunately there is no getting away from the price tag. It's a menu in the price range of Michelin starred restaurants - this brings with it expectations. That venison dish is not traditionally presented - it is reminiscent of 80s nouvelle cuisine - done badly. It isn't attractive looking, imo, and lacks care and attention to detail. The sauce wasn't properly strained and appears to be a little split. It really looks chucked on the plate by an overworked, rushed chef with little thought or attention. The lamb dish is better looking but is basically a carvery plate. I think the scallops dish looks neither traditional nor contemporary - it, too, just looks chucked on the plate to me, with little thoughts of tradition or aesthetics.

The we come to the price tag verses the ingredients. I can see so much cost cutting in that menu. It is designed to be as inexpensive as possible while giving the illusion of oppulance. 2 oysters as a course? A traditional country house would serve 6. Rack of lamb is padded out with roast leg of lamb - not for contrast or variety, but rather to reduce the ingredients bill. 4 scallops is also, not a traditional main course portion. 3 cheeses seems a little mean on an Irish cheese board. I totally understand restaurants working to reduce ingredients costs to keep their prices down. This menu is keeping costs down while the price remains high.

My point was not that I suspect that the food doesn't taste good - I have no doubt that it does. It's that I simply do not see value for money in terms of ingredients, creativity, skill and attention to detail. This is, of course, just my opinion, though. As I said, my parents loved to go as a treat, it was right up their street - particularly if someone else was paying😂. I've eaten there and that was my opinion at the time. I thought it was over priced, not terribly interesting and some of it wasn't executed particularly well.

I also have respect for what the Ballymaloe organisation has done for Irish food and cooking but that doesn't change my opinion that that menu and food looks like extremely poor value to me. I shudder to think what their wine prices are.

Ah beery.

You may not realise, but the way you comment again and again on the same review, it comes across like you have quite a high impression of your own opinion and therefore to you it needs to be reinforced and repeated multiple times. Providing some longwinded detailed justification, by counting/weighing/valuing the oysters or lamb on a plate? Thanks but I'll pass, no interest in that quibbling.

And please rest assured, I also don't want to change your opinion, as I don't think it's any more important or weighty than sporinas, my own, or anyone elses.

in the delivery of quality hospitality - 100% - this is a restaurant recommendation thread after all

but Ballymaloe is sooo much more than food.. I felt so revived leaving the place..

I know you all, in this thread, are proper foodies who like fine dining, however, I hope to get some recommendations for an awkward situation. I have some out of town visitors due next week and one of the group has a lot of dietary restrictions and can only eat very plain basic meals (no sauces, dressings, spices). I'm looking for a restaurant in town to go for lunch that can cater for everyone but also will do a plain unadorned meal for the person with issues. No salads or veggie places as they can't eat them either.

Any suggestions welcomed.

What does everyone else like to eat?

Wherever ye end up going, Any chef worth their salt will accommodate you given enough notice. So ring them/pop in advance and ask.

sushi from Dashi this evening - delicious - v satisfying - no craving for dessert afterwards

my 1st time having sushi as a meal..

quality was great..

would prob prefer it earlier in the day - i like a hot meal in the eve - regardless of the weather - but i feel v satisfied

Google shows this for the Barn. I would think as it's vacation time it would not be cramped

yep those wer the toppings - ha ha class igC.. our fav too.. well we like red peppers on a pizza also but that combo is perfect in its own right

i don't know how to reply to you 🙈

again - there is nothing more I can ad,… but if your happy with such practices.. well.. each to their own..

i have nothing more to add to my post - honestly - revolting

We'll probably never know. The poster is too traumatised to elaborate, apparently.