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Child Item

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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pwurple

digitalninja wrote: »

I'm a Dub coming in for the weekend to see my mother who recently moved out west.
I want to bring her to a nice fancy restaurant on Friday but don't know Cork at all, can you people's republic lads steer me right?
She likes french, italian, steaks, indian or chinese.... Any ideas? Needs to be taxi reach of cork city centre.

I'd really recommend the new place Huguenots in town (french), and the Italian run by the same people out in wilton, gallo and galetti. Hugenots is fancier.

Hi there,
has anyone tried 'The Venue' in Ballintemple? It's recently renovated, but don't know if they do food.
Thanks!

I had a drink in the venue alright, bit souless still. No food. Very nearby though is longboats/The Temple Inn. Big red and black pub down the hill. They do food.

Loire

Mrs. Loire went to Greene's last weekend and raved about it - nice to see somewhere going as long as they have been to remain trumps.

Heading to Orso tonight for a bite - anyone been & anything to recommend?

Thanks,
Loire.

dibkins

Adding a thumbs up for Aroi. Nomnomnom.

Malari

Loire wrote: »

Mrs. Loire went to Greene's last weekend and raved about it - nice to see somewhere going as long as they have been to remain trumps.

Heading to Orso tonight for a bite - anyone been & anything to recommend?

Thanks,
Loire.

I absolutely love the boneless lamb rib!

Bacchus

Loire wrote: »

Heading to Orso tonight for a bite - anyone been & anything to recommend?

Love ORSO. Been through most of the menu and it's all good. Lamb & Monkfish are favs from the evening menu.

nerwen

pwurple wrote: »

I'd really recommend the new place Huguenots in town (french), and the Italian run by the same people out in wilton, gallo and galetti. Hugenots is fancier.

Second Hugenots if you're looking for a nice French place!

I had some friends over last week and we went out a fair few times, covered some of my favorite places. If anyone's heading to Market Lane any time soon I heartily recommend the lamb pie they have on the menu at the moment, it was absolutely gorgeous.

Also went to Italee, Wabisabi and Sohos for lunch, but they've taken the lamb cutlet salad off the menu in Sohos so... No real reason to go back there for me now unless others specifically want to. Gonna miss that salad though, the combo of lamb, mango, black pudding and pesto was SO good.

Oh and we finished off with pizza at the Fran Well the last night. Best pizza I've had in Cork by far.

MillyD123

Hi guys,

We're visiting Cork next week and looking for somewhere child friendly to eat - any recommendations ? We used to go to the Chinese restaurant in Patrick Street (over H Samuels I think ?) Is this place still good ?

Thanks in advance !

PS planning on visiting Foto and Cobh - any tips for things to do if its raining ? Kids are 2 6 & 8.

bogman

Tung Sing is the one you mention, still going strong, go there myself now and again, one of the family, Gino has a Chinese restaurant in Blarney, not been there though. Enjoy the weekend.

leahyl

Guys please keep on topic - posters shouldn't have to explain in detail why they don't like a particular restaurant/wouldn't go back. Different strokes for different folks. One post should be sufficient to get the point across.

If there is a problem with a post, report it.

the beer revolu

Yuan Ming Yuan is the only Chinese worth going to in Cork imo.
Aroi is an excellent new South East Asian restaurant.
Iyer's :Daytime only (except Thursday and Friday evenings) South Indian vegetarian cafe - fantastic cooking, though not Indian as most people know it.

Milly33

Cough cough cough mmmm like that's my name!!! Was like WTF happened there but tis ok

MrFrisp

Milly33 wrote: »

Cough cough cough mmmm like that's my name!!! Was like WTF happened there but tis ok

Someone trying to clone you...lol
.

pwurple

MillyD123 wrote: »

Hi guys,

We're visiting Cork next week and looking for somewhere child friendly to eat - any recommendations ? We used to go to the Chinese restaurant in Patrick Street (over H Samuels I think ?) Is this place still good ?

Thanks in advance !

PS planning on visiting Foto and Cobh - any tips for things to do if its raining ? Kids are 2 6 & 8.

Yuan ming yuan is the best chinese for us, indians.... iyers is my fav, but I don't think it's suitable for a family. very small.

The blackrock castle is my children's favourite place to eat. The castle has a science museum / observatory in it, which would be good for the rain, and the restaurant is great. the childrens menu comes with colouring pens, puzzles and their menu is fantastic for kids. Icecream snowman is adorable. scoops of icecream on a brownie, with bisuits for arms and a meringue hat. Menu, location and photos etc here:
http://www.castlecafe.ie/

Milly33

MrFrisp wrote: »

Someone trying to clone you...lol
.

Shocked and delighted all at once.. haha

it isn't a Chinese but Scoozis in town would be quite kid friendly

byronbay2

MillyD123 wrote: »

Hi guys,

We're visiting Cork next week and looking for somewhere child friendly to eat - any recommendations? Kids are 2 6 & 8.

With children of that age, I would recommend Milano on Oliver Plunkett Street. Very child friendly with an excellent (and great value) children's menu. There are always special offers on their website:

http://www.milanooffers.ie/

I, personally, would not fancy bringing children of that age to a "good" restaurant as I would feel under pressure for them to be well-behaved (which the Bays invariably are not, the rascals!) and have not enjoyed meals in the past because of this. Obviously, if your children are compliant (French-style) your options become wider; even so, they might enjoy the hustle and bustle of Milano where they can "people watch" all the other children and have the craic!

Edit: Just noticed that you specified Indian/Thai/Chinese - ignore the above post.

Loire

byronbay2 wrote: »

With children of that age, I would recommend Milano on Oliver Plunkett Street. Very child friendly with an excellent (and great value) children's menu.

+1 - great place to bring the kids, esp down the back.

Faith

pwurple wrote: »

Back on-topic, has anyone been to Bunnyconnellans lately? Someone has given us a groupon they can't use... wondering is it worth the trip, or should I regift.

I ate lunch there over the summer. It's been a few months, but I seem to remember it being quite nice. Worth the visit if you have a groupon for sure, I'd say.

pwurple

Loire wrote: »

+1 - great place to bring the kids, esp down the back.

Really disagree with milanos being good for kids. I find it dirty, noisy and overpriced junk food. It's the pizza express chain, about one step up from McDonald's.

Ludo

pwurple wrote: »

Really disagree with milanos being good for kids. I find it dirty, noisy and overpriced junk food. It's the pizza express chain, about one step up from McDonald's.

Gotta agree. My kids love pasta and would eat it every day if let but they hate the pasta in Milanos. Wouldn't blame them. They are 6 and know crap pasta when they get it. It is horrible. Plenty of restaurants are good for kids...these days they have to be to survive.

Dave147

Ludo wrote: »

Gotta agree. My kids love pasta and would eat it every day if let but they hate the pasta in Milanos. Wouldn't blame them. They are 6 and know crap pasta when they get it. It is horrible. Plenty of restaurants are good for kids...these days they have to be to survive.

Can't recommend the Pollo al Marsala with Tagliatelle in Ristorante Del Arte in Mahon Point enough, absolutely amazing dish!

Loire

pwurple wrote: »

Really disagree with milanos being good for kids. I find it dirty, noisy and overpriced junk food. It's the pizza express chain, about one step up from McDonald's.

I bring ours there for a treat - perhaps every 3 months or so. Wouldn't dream of bringing them there regularly. It's just a fun place to go for a treat.

northgirl

Loire wrote: »

Mrs. Loire went to Greene's last weekend and raved about it - nice to see somewhere going as long as they have been to remain trumps.

Heading to Orso tonight for a bite - anyone been & anything to recommend?

Thanks,
Loire.

How did you find Orso Loire?

Bacchus

pwurple wrote: »

Really disagree with milanos being good for kids. I find it dirty, noisy and overpriced junk food. It's the pizza express chain, about one step up from McDonald's.

All it's good for as far as I can tell is that you can let your kids run riot without a care. I went there once and it was manic with kids screaming and running around. It's a really echo-y restaurant too with the high ceiling so it's been in a school canteen with kids running around.

MillyD123

Thanks so much everyone. Looking forward to our visit :-)

byronbay2

pwurple wrote: »

Really disagree with milanos being good for kids. I find it dirty, noisy and overpriced junk food. It's the pizza express chain, about one step up from McDonald's.

It is certainly noisier than most restaurants but that is because there are a lot of children there - I don't know what you suggest the management do about that. Similarly, it gets dirty because children tend not to take the same care as adults - the staff keep the place as clean as possible, in my experience.
If you go to Milano without a voucher or discount code, it can be quite expensive but very few people do that (see post #1597 on this thread). Assuming you have a voucher/discount, the restaurant is excellent value - particularly for children's meals.
Milano is no more junk food than any pizzeria in the city.

Ludo wrote: »

Gotta agree. My kids love pasta and would eat it every day if let but they hate the pasta in Milanos. Wouldn't blame them. They are 6 and know crap pasta when they get it. It is horrible. Plenty of restaurants are good for kids...these days they have to be to survive.

There is nothing wrong with the pasta in Milano. Just because it tastes different to the pasta your children get at home does not make it "horrible". You are making the common mistake of posting an opinion as a fact.

Bacchus wrote: »

All it's good for as far as I can tell is that you can let your kids run riot without a care. I went there once and it was manic with kids screaming and running around. It's a really echo-y restaurant too with the high ceiling so it's been in a school canteen with kids running around.

Complete exaggeration, in my opinion. Obviously, it may have been true on the one occasion you were there but is not the norm. Certainly, there tends to be lots of children there but I have never encountered the mayhem you are expressing. There is no screaming and the only traffic is children going to the toilet - they tend to move faster than adults and generally go in groups. The volume is definitely louder than other restaurants but that is because it is generally full and a large proportion (much larger than any other restaurant) of the customers are children, who tend to be quite loud.

I don't want to come across as a spokesperson for Milano but it appeals to a certain demographic (families with children aged 4 -12) and does a good job of giving them an enjoyable restaurant experience. Yes, it is noisy. Yes, there are children moving around. I would never in a million years bring my wife for a romantic meal there or advise friends to go there, unless they were bringing children aged 4 - 12. As I said in my original post, you can go there with your children and not worry about them ruining other people's (and your) meals by speaking at their usual volume, making a mess on the table etc. It's an inexpensive, fun place to go and my children always choose it for their "treat" meals (birthday, communion etc.) so they must be doing something right!

Loire

northgirl wrote: »

How did you find Orso Loire?

Never made it in - kinda just crashed in front of the tele

Heading out Sat night though so might try it then..

pwurple

I know what you mean byronbay2, but for a visitor to the city, they can go to a mcdonalds or a pizza express chain anywhere really... that's all.

Cork has places that are local, rather than foreign chains, which are very accomodating for children, which I think would be much nicer for someone visiting for a weekend.

Needing a voucher for it to be reasonable is likely to annoy a visitor, who to be fair, is not going to have this inside knowledge in advance. Where do you get those vouchers? Is it the paper or something?

evilivor

pwurple wrote: »

Needing a voucher for it to be reasonable is likely to annoy a visitor, who to be fair, is not going to have this inside knowledge in advance. Where do you get those vouchers? Is it the paper or something?

You can sign up on their website and they will spam the heck out of you very occasionally send you a voucher.

Ludo

byronbay2 wrote: »

There is nothing wrong with the pasta in Milano. Just because it tastes different to the pasta your children get at home does not make it "horrible". You are making the common mistake of posting an opinion as a fact.

LOL. Just like you did by stating the is nothing wrong with it. In my opinion obviously there is. In yours there isn't. Nothing in this thread is fact... All opinions. That kinda goes without saying really when discussing restaurants.

byronbay2

pwurple wrote: »

I know what you mean byronbay2, but for a visitor to the city, they can go to a mcdonalds or a pizza express chain anywhere really... that's all.

Cork has places that are local, rather than foreign chains, which are very accomodating for children, which I think would be much nicer for someone visiting for a weekend.

Needing a voucher for it to be reasonable is likely to annoy a visitor, who to be fair, is not going to have this inside knowledge in advance. Where do you get those vouchers? Is it the paper or something?

Agreed. I would be fairly cheesed off if I rocked up to Milano during a romantic weekend away in Cork to celebrate my 50th wedding anniversary (or whatever) and had to sit in a restaurant full of raucous tweenies for 2 hours while paying €15 for a pizza, €7 for a dessert and €25 for a bottle of ordinary wine! However, once you know the lay of the land and have your children and vouchers in tow, you can have a fun meal, that everyone enjoys, for a reasonable price.

Regarding the vouchers: As evilivor says, sign up on the website and they'll email you vouchers and special offers every couple of weeks. I think the current offer is 2 courses (starter + main or main + dessert) for €13. This is excellent value, although the desserts have gotten smaller in the past couple of years. There was a time when 1 dessert would do for 2 people but not any more

If you happen to shop in Tesco, there is a superb deal whereby €10 of Tesco vouchers gets you €40 of Milano vouchers. This is the voucher we generally use.