Athlone thread

charlieIRL

Here you go.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Hungover and grouchy. Too lazy to cook. Mad for a hot dog.

What's the best chipper in town in your opinions?

veryangryman

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »

Hungover and grouchy. Too lazy to cook. Mad for a hot dog.

What's the best chipper in town in your opinions?

Alfredos or Roma Monksland

Buckfast W

Hello all,

I'm heading down to Athlone on Sunday and staying in the Prince of Wales. Just wondering where would people recommend for a good early bird? I've been to the Top Deck and Kin Khao before and thought they were nice but just wondering if there was anywhere else? We'll be having a few drinks with dinner so we wanna stay in the town, don't really wanting to be travelling out to Glasson or anything like that.

Thanks

Zubeneschamali

Buckfast W wrote: »

I've been to the Top Deck and Kin Khao before and thought they were nice but just wondering if there was anywhere else?

Kin Khao is my own favourite, but the Fatted Calf by your hotel, Thyme near the bridge, the Left Bank Bistro and Al Mezza Lebanese over on the other side are all good.

Oh, and the Silver Oak also by your hotel is a good Indian if that's your thing.

Buckfast W

Zubeneschamali wrote:

Kin Khao is my own favourite, but the Fatted Calf by your hotel, Thyme near the bridge, the Left Bank Bistro and Al Mezza Lebanese over on the other side are all good.

Zubeneschamali wrote:

Oh, and the Silver Oak also by your hotel is a good Indian if that's your thing.

They all sound like really good ideas I'll check them out thanks :-)

scarepanda

I second silver Oak if you like Indian food.

martin1

I see there is a new restaurant open across from the left bank bistro.

Its called "smoke" i think.

You could give it a try.

Zubeneschamali

martin1 wrote: »

I see there is a new restaurant open across from the left bank bistro.

Its called "smoke" i think.

Ah, is that open?

It's yerman from the Kin Khao opening a barbecue place, he was telling me about it a couple of months ago.

veryangryman

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Ah, is that open?

It's yerman from the Kin Khao opening a barbecue place, he was telling me about it a couple of months ago.

Jaysus they love the "blink and you'll miss it locations"

Zubeneschamali

veryangryman wrote: »

Jaysus they love the "blink and you'll miss it locations"

I think there may be a connection to Seans - if I recall, he said it would be called Smoke at Seans.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

I think there may be a connection to Seans - if I recall, he said it would be called Smoke at Seans.

I presume there's some connection all right as they moved a wall in Sean's beer garden in a bit to facilitate the new restaurant.

Lori2018

Buckfast W wrote: »

Hello all,

I'm heading down to Athlone on Sunday and staying in the Prince of Wales. Just wondering where would people recommend for a good early bird? I've been to the Top Deck and Kin Khao before and thought they were nice but just wondering if there was anywhere else? We'll be having a few drinks with dinner so we wanna stay in the town, don't really wanting to be travelling out to Glasson or anything like that.

Thanks

lL colosseo if you like Italian

Buckfast W

Lori2018 wrote: »

lL colosseo if you like Italian

I tried that place a few years ago, it was nice .

I think i'll try get my friends to go to that smoke place, I love BBQ but I'm not sure if they do.

Sunny Dayz

martin1 wrote: »

I see there is a new restaurant open across from the left bank bistro.

Its called "smoke" i think.

You could give it a try.

A social media page I follow, Two Phat Cows, (they are two females who cover Athlone and Galway in terms of food, drink, activities, fashion, beauty, etc). They ate in Smoke last weekend and they didn't seem overly impressed with the food. Hopefully it's just teething problems.

tubos

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »

I presume there's some connection all right as they moved a wall in Sean's beer garden in a bit to facilitate the new restaurant.

Yes it's owned by the crowd who own Seans. The also own the place to the left of Seans, the Shines Hairdressing place. I think they have plans for there as well, maybe a gift shop or something.

MadYaker

Sean's is owned by a guy called Phil. He also bought Bastion Quay from nama a few years ago and is gradually selling them off.

Barti

Anyone done the driving test in Athlone recently? My other half has her test coming up in a couple weeks so just wondering if there is anything to look out for as we have moved out of Athlone for the past couple months now (the one way system or anything else). She's well able drive, has driven long journeys from Waterford to Galway and in and out of work in the mornings, but she is a nervous type so want to be as prepared as possible.

Zubeneschamali

Barti wrote: »

My other half has her test coming up in a couple weeks so just wondering if there is anything to look out for as we have moved out of Athlone for the past couple months now

No harm get a pre-test lesson, ask the instructor to take her around the known routes.

veryangryman

Barti wrote: »

Anyone done the driving test in Athlone recently? My other half has her test coming up in a couple weeks so just wondering if there is anything to look out for as we have moved out of Athlone for the past couple months now (the one way system or anything else). She's well able drive, has driven long journeys from Waterford to Galway and in and out of work in the mornings, but she is a nervous type so want to be as prepared as possible.

Do the 1-way route that goes down and up the narrow back streets in town by the river at the moment. Id say if the test is during the works, its a cert to be part of the drive. Alot of hill starts, dealing with pedestrians etc.

Blanco100

Barti wrote: »

Anyone done the driving test in Athlone recently? My other half has her test coming up in a couple weeks so just wondering if there is anything to look out for as we have moved out of Athlone for the past couple months now (the one way system or anything else). She's well able drive, has driven long journeys from Waterford to Galway and in and out of work in the mornings, but she is a nervous type so want to be as prepared as possible.

Does she drive these journeys on her own? Is she not worried about being pulled over as a learner driver ?

veryangryman

Blanco100 wrote: »

Does she drive these journeys on her own? Is she not worried about being pulled over as a learner driver ?

I read his post as him accompanying her, i could be wrong. Anyway i'm sure the cops will do their job if necessary.

Barti

Yeah, I go with her whenever she drives, we live in Waterford now but never changed the test location after moving down a couple months back, hence the long driving sessions.

Was more just wondering whether things had changed much on the roads in Athlone since (we had used the orange loop going down through town, but not sure if anything has changed on that as they used to close off the road in the evenings to do works to widen the footpath). The test is around 3pm one of the days during the week, so she may hit the school traffic if they go up by retreat road, but she is grand at all that town driving really.

flazio

Went into Athlone last Saturday for bits and pieces for Fathers day, couldn't believe at around 2pm the traffic queue in was back as far as the GAA pitch. Is this now the norm since the orange loop or was it just one particulary busy day?

pawrick

flazio wrote: »

Went into Athlone last Saturday for bits and pieces for Fathers day, couldn't believe at around 2pm the traffic queue in was back as far as the GAA pitch. Is this now the norm since the orange loop or was it just one particulary busy day?

sounds about right, I've been avoiding the town as much as possible myself

flazio

I think anymore I'll try approaching from the Dublin side.

veryangryman

Lads it takes 5 extra minutes to clear the Crescent. If that's too long, one really needs to take a look at one's self. Taking the Dublin road alternative will not save any time for traffic coming from West.

The "jaysus i'd be quicker goin ta Ballinasloe r Roscommon" crowd are alive and well.

4ensic15

Is there now a way through Sarsfield Square?

charlieIRL

veryangryman wrote: »

Lads it takes 5 extra minutes to clear the Crescent. If that's too long, one really needs to take a look at one's self. Taking the Dublin road alternative will not save any time for traffic coming from West.

The "jaysus i'd be quicker goin ta Ballinasloe r Roscommon" crowd are alive and well.

I'm from Athlone but work out of town and unfortunately am rarely there during the day. the only time i pass through is dropping kids to the community college in the morning and i must say the orange loop is a huge help and no delay at all, however, the odd time I have to head in on a Saturday or Sunday? Takes much more than 5 minutes extra to get anywhere!! Now I know its a mess until the roadworks are complete but still, its handier park at St. Peters and walk over!!

L.Jenkins

4ensic15 wrote: »

Is there now a way through Sarsfield Square?

No. The old football stadium side of Sarsfield has bollards in place just before the railway bridge.