Restaurant Review: The Chef's Table by Stefan Matz, Delphi Adventure Resort, Leenane, County Galway

Sometimes familiarity breeds contempt but as I left the bustling town of Westport to drive along the narrow roads of Mweelrea Mountain on my way to Delphi Adventure Resort recently, I was reminded what a truly beautiful country Ireland is. Mountain sheep wander freely here and I had to stop driving a number of times as they paused in front of my car to gaze disdainfully at me before languorously strolling away in search of fresh heathers and grasses to graze on. The Connemara countryside is wild and stunningly beautiful and unlike anything you would see elsewhere in the world. 

Bread Selection

Although the main purpose of my visit to Delphi was to dine in The Chef’s Table restaurant which opened there recently, I decided to avail of a relaxing one-night break away in the luxurious 4 star hotel accommodation which is also available. While Delphi is renowned for the exciting adventure sports and outdoor activities it offers, I was in search of something that would give me a chance to unwind after a busy few weeks. I found my time in Delphi soothing and peaceful and enjoyed every moment.

The Chef’s Table is a new venture by award winning German chef Stefan Matz, who many people will recognise from his time as Head Chef in Ashford Castle, The g Hotel and at Erriseask House where he was awarded a Michelin star.

The restaurant is warm and inviting with an open kitchen where you can observe Stefan cooking. I was lucky to get seated in a prime position beside the kitchen and was mesmerised watching the food being prepared. Although an à la carte menu is available I decided to try the 5 course tasting menu. Feeling in an indulgent mood I also elected to have the accompanying wine recommendations.

Sweet Potato Mousse

The breads in The Chef’s Table were some of the most interesting that I have eaten in a long while and included Pine Nut Brioche, Tarragon & Beer Bread, a Cornbread Roll, Garlic Cracker and Brown Treacle Bread all of which were well made and packed full of flavour. They came served with butter, olive oil and a rather addictive Romesco Sauce.

An amuse bouche of Sweet Potato Mousse, Sweet Potato Crisp and Carrot Leaf came simply presented in a shot glass. This possessed a clarity of flavour that made it the perfect opening to the meal. The mousse was light yet rich and creamy which made it incredibly pleasurable to eat. A successful amuse bouche should be a statement of intent and an indication of what is to follow. This mousse proved to be exactly that.

Lobster & Porcupine Prawn

The next dish, a Salad of Killary Lobster and Porcupine Prawn, Baked Apple & Basil was beautiful to look at and not at all what I had expected on reading the menu. The lobster was presented as a paper-thin ribbon of mousse beside a refreshing salad of apple and prawn bound together in a creamy mayonnaise-type dressing which also included baked apple gel. A regal looking prawn sat on his salad throne surrounded by a halo of crisp dried apple. Porcupine prawns - so called because they are fished from the Porcupine Bank in the Irish Sea - are flavoursome little devils full of sweet but meaty flavours. Here, the prawn had been wrapped in threads of potato which were beautifully crispy against the soft meat of the prawn. I loved it.  The accompanying Domain Felines Jourdan, Picpoul had enough acidity to cut through the richness of the lobster and prawns and to compliment the freshness of the apple and was a well-judged pairing.

Salmon & Blackcurrant

Next up was the rather intriguing Fillet of Wild Salmon with Blackcurrant Vinaigrette. I have never considered eating salmon with blackcurrants before but this dish was a revelation. The blackcurrants provided a rich, tart and slightly acidic sauce that cut through the oily richness of the perfectly cooked top-quality salmon that had been caught locally in the River Erriff. This was a finely balanced dish that was exciting to eat. A glass of a light, dry Fleurie, Coeur de Granit was a perfect match as it didn’t overpower the oily salmon but stood up well to the blackcurrants.

Fillet beef, three ways

I loved every part of the Cucumber Granita, Beer Jelly, Olive Oil Gel and Oat Crumb which was then served. Sorbets are often served as palate cleansers but in many ways the more crystalline nature of a granita works more effectively in this regard. This was a delicately presented dish that refreshed the palate yet re-energised it in preparation for the rest of the meal. I especially loved the beer jelly as its hop-rich earthiness provided a contrast to the intensely flavoured cucumber granita. An olive oil gel was an innovative addition that further soothed the palate.

Moving on, the Angus Fillet of Beef, Roasted, Smoked and Pickled, Button Mushrooms and Cream Potatoes, French Duck Foie Gras Crumble was a rich dish with autumnal overtones. Despite the fact that the wonderfully tender beef was served in three different ways, unity was achieved by subtle flavour variations and the use of a wonderful sauce that brought everything together in a cohesive way. A deeply savoury foie gras crumb provided textural contrast and was delicious. This was a real crowd-pleaser of a dish and one that would appeal to a broad audience. Washed down with a glass of a well-rounded and very drinkable Tour de Mirambeau which was soft and ripe on the palate, I was unable to stifle my sighs of satisfaction.

Goat's Cheesecake

Baked Goat’s Cheesecake & Marmalade of Red Bell Peppers was a wonderful transition dish between the early parts of the menu and the dessert as sweet and savoury were cleverly balanced. A gently flavoured goat’s cheese had been used to create an interesting interpretation of a classic cheesecake which was velvety smooth and a joy to eat.

After all the wonderful food that I had eaten I was slightly concerned that I would struggle to finish the final course. I needn’t have worried as the Watermelon, Lime, Caramelised Ginger & Vanilla Ice-Cream was everything that a great dessert should be; full of fresh and zingy flavours but still indulgent and a little bit naughty. Compressed watermelon had been macerated in tomato juice which was inspired as the slight acidity of the tomatoes cut through the headily perfumed watermelon which tasted wonderful with the zingy lime curd and ginger shortbread crumb it was served with. I loved the accompanying La Grille Rosé D’Anjou with its hint of strawberries and apricot and thought it was wonderful with the dessert.

Watermelon

Along with Tea or Coffee the 5 course tasting meal (which included extra courses) came to €49 which for the quality of the food I ate represented astonishing value. Interesting wine pairings added to my enjoyment of the meal and also added €35 on to the bill. Stefan Matz is producing outstanding food packed full of sophisticated flavour combinations using local ingredients and has developed a menu that has that most elusive quality – broad appeal. This is superb cooking in a beautiful location and I would recommend it without hesitation.

 

The Chef’s Table by Stefan Matz

Delphi Adventure Resort

Leenane

Connemara

County Galway

 

Telephone: 095-42208

Web: delphiadventureresort.com

This review first appeared in TheTaste.ie

Cucumber Granita

Restaurant Review: VM Restaurant, Viewmount House, Longford

Viewmount House, a beautiful Georgian house lovingly restored by James and Beryl Kearney is set on four acres of magnificent gardens on the outskirts of Longford Town. The house, originally built in 1740, was once home to the Earl of Longford but these days is a boutique hotel offering luxurious, stylish accommodation and first-rate food in the attached VM Restaurant.

 

I have stayed here before and can confirm that there is something very special about Viewmount House. With its exquisite grounds, comfortable rooms and great restaurant, it represents the perfect destination for anyone seeking a relaxing break with top-notch food and impeccable service.

 

Selection of Bread

The impressive ground floor dining room which houses VM Restaurant is located in the original stable buildings which have been converted to create a spacious area with a high ceiling and large windows that look out on to the immaculately maintained gardens.

 

The menu reads extremely well with choices to suit most palates. It changes regularly to take advantage of what is seasonably available and where possible, Head Chef Gary O’Hanlon uses produce that has been locally sourced. Although still in time for the Early Bird menu which finished at 7.30pm and is served on Wednesdays and Thursdays only, we decided to go for the Dinner menu instead.

 

Duck Leg Confit Terrine

Bread is made from scratch on the premises and a good selection is offered including White Bread and slices of an Apricot & Walnut Loaf - both of which were flavoursome and had good texture with a nice crust.  My favourite however, was an outstanding Guinness & Treacle Brown Soda Bread which had a wonderfully moist and chewy texture. Thickly spread with butter it was impossible to improve on. The bread was served with butter and a nicely spiced Red Pepper Hummus.

 

Our meal then kicked off with an amuse bouche of Thornhill Duck Leg Confit & Salt Baked Celeriac Terrine. This was an unconventional way to serve the duck as the meat had been removed from the bone and shredded to form the basis of the terrine. It came presented with carrot, a sweet and earthy baby beetroot purée and a particularly well-made piquant celeriac remoulade. Powdered duck fat completed the dish and added a vaguely salty element which dissolved pleasingly on the tongue. We really enjoyed it.

 

Pork Cheek

My starter of Beetroot Cured Clare Island Organic Salmon was a beautifully presented and colourful dish. The inclusion of some lightly pickled shitake mushrooms was an inspired addition to the plate as their texture (which was reminiscent of cooked oysters) complimented the salmon perfectly. Furthermore, the pickling juices of the mushrooms along with the small segments of fresh pink grapefruit which had also been included cut through the richness of the salmon. A fresh and citrusy quinoa salad provided interesting textural contrast. This was a very clever dish which showcased the excellent quality of the salmon that had been used.

 

John’s starter of Braised Rare Breed Pork Cheek, Grain Mustard & White Onion Bisque looked and smelled absolutely delicious. Here the pork had been slowly braised and showed no resistance to the lightest of pressure applied by the fork. The soft and succulent pork was so satisfying to eat and was perfect with the smooth mustard and onion bisque. Garnished with crispy potato flakes and seasoned with onion salt, this was a rich dish full of intense gutsy flavours.

 

Jelly & Yoghurt

As part of its Dinner menu the VM Restaurant offers an optional extra course which is served before the mains. After a rich starter, John enjoyed his light and refreshing Jelly of Viewmount Blackberry and Richmount Farm Elderflower, Glenisk Organic Natural Yoghurt which came presented in a tiny Kilner jar. The jelly was tart having been barely sweetened and together with the thin layer of tangy yoghurt that it was topped with created a dish with wonderful palate cleansing properties. By way of contrast my velvety Celeriac Soup was a substantial dish. It included generous chunks of slightly salty ham that accentuated the natural sweetness of the celeriac and was comforting to eat.

 

Chicken

I settled on Wild Irish Sea Bream for my main course. This was another attractive looking dish which included two large sea bream fillets which had been carefully cooked so that the flesh was soft and succulent and the skin wonderfully crispy. Served along with fresh orange segments and a lively citrus beurre blanc this was a light yet satisfying dish. Compressed marinated fennel added another layer of flavour and a pine nut and almond crumble provided textural contrast.

 

John selected the Irish Free Range Chicken with Celeriac Mornay, for his main course. The celeriac mornay was inventively presented as a smooth purée onto which well-cooked, moist and tender pieces of roast chicken were placed. A chorizo, butternut squash and spiced walnut nage inspired by the flavours of the Middle-East worked well with the delicate chicken to create an interesting and elegant interpretation of a classic roast chicken dinner. Garden peas and pea-shoots completed the dish.

 

Honey Sponge, Popcorn ice-Cream

Intrigued by the sound of the popcorn ice-cream on offer, I decided to pick the Warm Citrus & Honey Sponge, Candied Popcorn, Salted Caramel & Popcorn Ice-Cream for dessert. Here citrus juices were used along with honey to create a light but not overly sweet sponge cake with a lovely texture. This sat on top of a generous ‘smear’ of salted caramel sauce. The ice-cream was heavenly and with its distinct popcorn taste was fun to eat. I love desserts and this one did not disappoint.

 

John’s choice of dessert - a Granny Smith Apple Parfait, Sorbet of Richmount Farm Elderflower & Apple, Honeycomb was another winner. The parfait was smooth and refreshing and contrasted nicely with the freshness of the compressed apple. Honeycomb nuggets provided little bursts of sweetness.

 

Apple Parfait

We washed everything down with a half bottle of a 2009 Chateau Tour de Pas St. Émilion which was reasonably priced at €19.50. It was full of ripe berry flavours with a good length on the palate and was a good choice with our diverse menu choices.

 

A trio of petits fours including a raspberry marshmallow, chocolate truffle and mini-madeleine along with cups of filtered coffee brought a thoroughly enjoyable meal to a close. I think that at €55 per person, the Dinner Menu is outstanding value for the quality of food you get. Gary O’Hanlon is one of this country’s most talented chefs and he produces well thought-out interesting food that is absolutely delicious.

 

Service throughout the meal was very professional, but in no way stiff or overly formal. There are many establishments who could learn a lot from Beryl and her team in this regard as it was faultlessly delivered and perfectly pitched.

 

VM Restaurant

Viewmount House

Dublin Road

Longford Town

County Longford

 

Tel: 043-3341919

 

This review first appeared in TheTaste.ie

Guiness Treacle Brown Bread

Restaurant Review: Forest Avenue, Suffolk Terrace, Dublin 4

Ireland seems to be rapidly developing its own unique culinary identity. Whilst recent years have been challenging for the Irish restaurant industry, there is now a feeling of optimism in the air with many talented chefs from around the country producing food that is no longer derivative but instead, confidently expresses who we are as a people.

A perfect example of this is to be found in Forest Avenue located on Sussex Terrace in Dublin where Chefs John and Sandy Wyer are offering up truly exciting food using Irish ingredients in innovative ways.



Forest Avenue is a self-styled ‘neighbourhood restaurant’ and is named after the street in New York where Sandy grew up. The dining room has a minimalist feel but cleverly avoids appearing sterile by the use of warm, inviting colours. Dark wooden floorboards and tables add to the Scandinavian-inspired look inside the restaurant.

 

Sourdough Focaccia

The restaurant was very busy on the evening that I visited but I had booked in advance so getting a table was not a problem. Seated opposite the open kitchen where John Wyer and his brigade of chefs were working, we happily nibbled on some excellent breads - a superb Sourdough Focaccia and slices of a Caramelised Onion Loaf which came served with a very moreish Whipped Ricotta & Chive Spread - while we examined the menu in greater detail.

 

There were two menus available on the evening that I visited; a Residents’ Menu which offers two courses for €28 or three for €35 and a Tasting Menu at €49. Two choices were offered for each course on both menus each of which included some intriguing dishes. In the end we decided to go for the Residents’ Menu.

 

Salad of Charred Bread

An amuse bouche of Pollock Tempura with Tartare Sauce was first up and set the tone for the rest of the meal. Pollock can be a strong-flavoured fish but the light and crispy tempura batter highlighted its underlying sweetness. The accompanying tartare sauce was full of gutsy, pungent flavours and was served as a smooth purée which was ideal as it didn’t distract from the soft and yielding texture of the daintily presented pollock.

 

My starter - Salad of Charred Bread, Celeriac, Broccoli, Egg, Black Garlic, Parmesan & Hazelnuts had been plated with finesse and looked beautiful. I loved the way the flawlessly cooked egg surrendered a perfectly runny yolk when it was pierced by a knife. This created a rich creamy ‘dressing’ that was wonderful with the crisp salad leaves, the thinly sliced broccoli stems and the nutty crunch of the toasted hazelnuts. The wispy tendrils of finely grated parmesan provided a gentle saltiness which completed the dish.

 

Pastrami

The Beetroot, Radishes, House Sour Cream, Lovage, Organic Lettuce, Seeds, Smoked Pastrami starter was another winner. I have always been a huge fan of pastrami, a cured and spiced meat product generally made using beef which is not unlike the spiced beef served in many an Irish household at Christmas, so I was delighted to see it on the menu. Here, its subtle smokiness was the perfect counterfoil to the earthy sweetness of the beetroot, the paper-thin slices of peppery radish and the toasted seeds. I loved the tang of the sour-cream dressing which was pleasingly refreshing and brought everything together in a cohesive way.

 

Cod, Cauliflower Textures

My main course of Cod, Whole Roasted Cauliflower, Mussel Butter & Baby Gem was a beguilingly simple looking dish that revealed sophisticated flavours when eaten. Cauliflower was presented as roasted florets, as a purée and as ‘couscous’. Each variation contributed something to the overall dish and complimented the impeccably cooked piece of meaty cod wonderfully! Everything was perfectly judged and left me sighing with pleasure. Even though it included ingredients that I have eaten many times before there were moments when I felt like I was discovering new and wondrous tastes.

 

The Suckling Pig, Pointed Cabbage, New Season Carrot, Dried Plums was also presented simply and was another outstanding dish. Here, the wonderfully crispy skin/crackling of the suckling pig gave way to meat that was tender and just melted in the mouth. The accompanying small but succulent pulled pork bonbon was delicious especially when eaten with the plums, the sweet whole roasted carrot and the ribbons of slightly crunchy cabbage. This was really clever cooking.

 

Suckling Pig

I love desserts and my Mille Feuille of Blood Peach, Pistachio & Vanilla Ice-Cream did not disappoint. I will admit that I have never tried blood peaches before but I was won over by their slight tartness which prevented this dessert from being overly sweet. The peaches were poached and served sandwiched with a lovely crème patissière between layers of crispy buttery puff pastry. The accompanying vanilla ice-cream was velvety smooth whilst a pistachio praline crumb provided textural contrast.

 

A cheese course of Whipped Fivemiletown Goat’s Cheese, Prune & Rosemary Bread was my dining companion’s choice to finish off the meal. This was not a traditional cheese board but instead was presented almost like a dessert in a bowl with some poached pear and a pear purée. A drizzle of honey and a restrained swirl of a balsamic vinegar reduction completed the dish which was served with a mini loaf of bread. We both loved it.
 

Mille Feuille

John and Sandy Wyer bring a Nordic sensibility to the food that they serve in Forest Avenue but it remains food that is very much rooted in all that is Irish. Commonplace ingredients are treated with respect and with an inherent understanding of how they can be creatively used to thrill diners.

 

What I liked so much about Forest Avenue was its lack of pretension or self-consciousness. There is nothing smug or self-congratulatory about the food served. Under John the kitchen operates with a sense of focused calm and determination which is apparent on every plate of food served. Service is relaxed but attentive without being obtrusive and added to our enjoyment of the meal.



Prune & Rosemary Bread

For me, dining in Forest Avenue was like falling in love. I was enthralled and won over from my very first mouthful. The food that I ate left me tingling with excitement. Everything tasted so intensely of itself and there were times during my meal where I felt like my palate was being awakened from a very long sleep. There was something almost magical about the whole experience which left me totally smitten and eager to return.

 

Our bill for the meal plus optional gratuity came to €95 which included two White Ports with Tonic and a bottle of sparkling water.
 

Forest Avenue

8 Sussex Terrace

Dublin 4

 

Telephone: 01-6678337

Website: www.forestavenuerestaurant.ie

Opening Hours:

Closed: Mondays & Tuesdays.

Lunch: Wednesday – Friday 12pm-2pm.

Dinner: Residents’ Menu available on Wednesdays & Thursday evenings only.

5 course Tasting Menu is available Wednesday – Saturday.

Brunch: Sunday 12pm – 2.30pm

 

This review first appeared in TheTaste.ie

 

Whipped Goat's Cheese