The Restaurant Recommendation Thread

sporina

I was in the Douglas tea Rooms recently and I was so impressed. LOved the staff, the food, the decor, the ambiance.. its a must see.

Malari

sporina wrote: »

I was in the Douglas tea Rooms recently and I was so impressed. LOved the staff, the food, the decor, the ambiance.. its a must see.

It's lovely isn't it?! Tell me you actually had tea - they give you a pot with real tea leaves, a china cup and saucer, a strainer and a little miilk-churn shaped milk jug!

TeletextPear

sporina wrote: »

I was in the Douglas tea Rooms recently and I was so impressed. LOved the staff, the food, the decor, the ambiance.. its a must see.

Another +1 for Douglas Tea Rooms, lovely place. The paninis are great there.

sporina

Malari wrote: »

It's lovely isn't it?! Tell me you actually had tea - they give you a pot with real tea leaves, a china cup and saucer, a strainer and a little miilk-churn shaped milk jug!

lol no i didn't have tea - but my mate did - i am a coffee person myself. But yeah she had tea and all the trimmings. I thought that it would be really pretentious but it was not at all. I had to laugh though - the place was full and there was only 1 guy in the room.. lol…


oh and was the premises amicus before?

Malari

Yep, and they share a kitchen with La Lavanda next door, formerly Amicus. I didn't like LL at all though the last time I went. Bad food, bad service, overpriced.

It is a bit 'ladies who lunch' LOL!

sporina

Malari wrote: »

Yep, and they share a kitchen with La Lavanda next door, formerly Amicus. I didn't like LL at all though the last time I went. Bad food, bad service, overpriced.

It is a bit 'ladies who lunch' LOL!

sorry the tea rooms formerly amicus or la lavanda? not familiar with douglas - dipped into the tea rooms - out of the rain and didn't see what was next door

Malari

Both! The whole unit was Amicus, and they split it into two units.

who_me

I've eaten in La Lavanda a few times, thought the food was very good though the portions are a bit small. No issues with service. It's certainly an improvement on Amicus. Amicus in town was great, but the Douglas restaurant wasn't a patch on it.

The Tea Room is great too. Even for a non-tea drinker, it has a decent enough selection of food & desserts. Love the lamps in there too. It's a nice change of decor from the other Douglas venues.

Loire

removed

mik_da_man

Decent review, but if things are not as they should be in a restaurant you need to make it known to the staff, espically the under cooked pasta.

Loire

I've removed my post because I felt it was too harsh. This is a new business after-all and secondly I'm not exactly a food critic either! Overall, apart from one course our food was very good. I think it could be better value for money but having said that, the food on offer was certainly above the run of the mill "pizza & pasta" joints in town. There was a good vibe to the place and perhaps most importantly, the staff were excellent.

I really hope they make a go of it and I'll probably go back in a few months again

Loire.

Malari

We went to the Elm Tree in Glanmire over the weekend and sat outside in the beer garden. It's really beautiful and sheltered, especially in the sun. I was very impressed with the menu choice. I was expecting the usual pub grub fare, but there were some really tempting salads, although I eventually went for fish and chips. It was delicious and all the food is cooked to order so it's worth waiting for. I'd definitely go again and it seems like a lovely place for a function.

cantdecide

Malari wrote: »

We went to the Elm Tree in Glanmire over the weekend and sat outside in the beer garden. It's really beautiful and sheltered, especially in the sun. I was very impressed with the menu choice. I was expecting the usual pub grub fare, but there were some really tempting salads, although I eventually went for fish and chips. It was delicious and all the food is cooked to order so it's worth waiting for. I'd definitely go again and it seems like a lovely place for a function.

The place is fantastic really. I've never seen a better carvery lunch cheaper.

pwurple

cantdecide wrote: »

The place is fantastic really. I've never seen a better carvery lunch cheaper.

I like the Elm Tree alright. Fast service for work lunches too, and the food is very consistant.

I've only a teeny tiny gripe, only because I'm a giant food snob. Thai sweet chilli sauce. That stuff is my bugbear the way it's lashed about in Ireland in general. They put it in their chimichanga wrap in the elm tree. I love mexican food, so putting a thai sweet sauce in a mexican thing is bordering on sacrilege.

Otherwise v nice there though.

the beer revolu

pwurple wrote: »

I like the Elm Tree alright. Fast service for work lunches too, and the food is very consistant.

I've only a teeny tiny gripe, only because I'm a giant food snob. Thai sweet chilli sauce. That stuff is my bugbear the way it's lashed about in Ireland in general. They put it in their chimichanga wrap in the elm tree. I love mexican food, so putting a thai sweet sauce in a mexican thing is bordering on sacrilege.

Otherwise v nice there though.

Yup, sweet chilli sauce is the new ketchup!

DeesWholefoods

Ate in the Yuan Ming Yuan Chinese last night, it's the most authentic Chinese restaurant in cork imo, brilliant Dim Sum menu and lots of veggie options. Not your usual run of the mill menu. Advice: be a little adventurous with your ordering than the standard fare you won't be disappointed, there's lots to choose from. If you download the Waygo chinese menu translator app you can even order from the special Chinese menu at the back!

the beer revolu

DeesWholefoods wrote: »

Ate in the Yuan Ming Yuan Chinese last night, it's second cond cond e most authentic Chinese restaurant in cork imo, brilliant Dim Sum menu and lots of veggie options. Not your usual run of the mill menu. Advice: be a little adventurous with your ordering than the standard fare you won't be disappointed, there's lots to choose from. If you download the Waygo chinese menu translator app you can even order from the special Chinese menu at the back!

I've always wanted to tackle that menu but Google translate doesn't seem to do Chinese characters. Alas the Waygo app isn't on android.

pwurple

the beer revolu wrote: »

Not

I've always wanted to tackle that menu but Google translate doesn't seem to do Chinese characters. Alas the Waygo app isn't on android.

The staff in there are actually really helpful if you want to do that. The guy who was there the last day explained a couple of things on that chinese menu and they are more than happy for you to try stuff off it if you are adventurous.

Managed to get to Gallo and Galetti. Very good, we were impressed. Tiramisu wasn't the best (kinda dry and a bit grainy/crunchy. Sugar wasn't dissolved in the mix maybe), but the antipasti, mushroom bruschetta, fish dishes, salad, pasta and pizza all got thumbs up from the crowd we were out with. It was jammers as well. Seem to be doing well! Good luck to them.

the beer revolu

pwurple wrote: »

The staff in there are actually really helpful if you want to do that.

I don't know why we haven't done that already. That guy knows Mrs Beer by name at this stage - I'm sure he'd oblige.

miss_shadow

La Lavanda in Douglas, it's not your usual Italian. would give it 10/10. no faults whatsoever. It's perfect if you like fresh fish, had lemon sole fish and salad but came with a salmon ice-cream which was just divine.
And the usual pizza pasta dishes.
Prompt service and friendly staff. It was the old Amicus, which imo was getting a bit old.

Milly33

miss_shadow wrote: »

La Lavanda in Douglas, it's not your usual Italian. would give it 10/10. no faults whatsoever. It's perfect if you like fresh fish, had lemon sole fish and salad but came with a salmon ice-cream which was just divine.
And the usual pizza pasta dishes.
Prompt service and friendly staff. It was the old Amicus, which imo was getting a bit old.

Never heard of this place where abouts is it...We are always looking for good places for freah fish, love the stuff but somewhere nice kinda casual...

Has anyone been to the Tea Rooms in douglas - just spotted it on facebook it looks nice. Wouldn't be too impressed with the come backs though or their pages as they give no information on it

Faith

It's right next door to the Tea Rooms. I had a much different experience to miss_shadow there, but maybe it's improved in the last couple of months as it found its feet.

miss_shadow

Milly33 it was the old Amicus next to East Village.

What experience did you have there faith?

starlit

Amicus is very good in the city so highly recommend it if it in douglas. Nice italian places to eat at mahon point shopping centre too.

Lots of nice italian places in the city too.

Malari

I haven't been to Amicus in the city lately so can't really compare. I find the Douglas La Lavanda doesn't get a lot of footfall at lunch anyway, so it's often empty except for a couple of tables and I think that's reflected in the quality of the food. A little bit overcooked or dried out and ramekins of mayo for example that are turning hard and yellow. Not pleasant at all.

Are the places in Mahon good? I thought it was really just fast-food, not very good quality Italian I'd imagine.

Best in Cork for Italian would be Italee, although not for pizza. Also Napoli in Monkstown is a wonderful little deli that serves a set menu on Friday nights only. Absolutely fantastic meal there!

Faith

miss_shadow wrote: »

Milly33 it was the old Amicus next to East Village.

What experience did you have there faith?

I posted about it before, but basically I felt it was just the same old Amicus with the menu translated to Italian and the prices put up. I ordered a dish by name (an italian name, obviously) and the server replied with "Do you mean [English translation]".

Now, we had lunch there and, as Malari said, it was dead and that was reflected in the quality. It was also in April, so it may have improved a lot since.

curly from cork

+1 for Italee in Oliver Plunkett St . A Genuine Italian , reasonably priced ( coffee 1.50 best value around ) open til 9 fri and sat . Haven't tried the Monkstown Italian but have heard good reports also

miss_shadow

curly from cork wrote: »

+1 for Italee in Oliver Plunkett St . A Genuine Italian , reasonably priced ( coffee 1.50 best value around ) open til 9 fri and sat . Haven't tried the Monkstown Italian but have heard good reports also

yeah the monkstown one is fab. oh the coffee and cakes are yummy!

sporina

Milly33 wrote: »

Never heard of this place where abouts is it...We are always looking for good places for freah fish, love the stuff but somewhere nice kinda casual...

Has anyone been to the Tea Rooms in douglas - just spotted it on facebook it looks nice. Wouldn't be too impressed with the come backs though or their pages as they give no information on it

i had lunch in douglas tea rooms a while back and it was delightful; hope to go back really soon..

bofinfan

Spices of India do a lovely Lamb Bhuna. Market Lane is great, good food, good prices. Also Star Anise is great, has an early bird menu.