Restaurant Recommendation Thread - Anyone for seconds?

airy fairy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121248830#Comment_121248830

I'm quite tired of you having a hop off me, and this isn't the first interaction of such kind either. I'm entitled to put my opinions on this thread I won't justify to you my opinions of value for money. Looking your nose down at people who go to McDonald's isn't a nice trait, for the record, due to dietary needs, I can't go there, but perhaps you can let me know if the menu has changed seeing as you know their pricings.

I bid you good night.

rob316

I was at a party in Il Pardrino at the weekend, great atmosphere and service was good but the food was ok only. Not bad, but for the prices they are charging its not close to authentic. €22 for a pasta dish and they aren't using fresh pasta? I sampled some of the starters, the Arancini was good, the bruschetta was more like a pizza. My main was nice but you could make it at home, just cream, chorizo and some peppers. They had Carbonara made with cream and spring onion! My friends Italian wife would die on the spot.

Again not bad but I'd lump it in with all the vastly overrated average food places.

the beer revolu

Il Padrino was always that standard. Not great and not very good value.

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121275098#Comment_121275098

Wasn't my pick, I had been years ago and I cant remember it any better. I can't understand the followings places like this get.

what the hell!

I’ve never understood the attraction to Il Padrino. So expensive for what it is. The decor and everything is awful.

Cork Lass

Likewise, I never rated Il Padrino and only ever went there when one of my group of friends wanted to (a group of us that met once a month for a meal/chat). Vastly overrated.

the beer revolu

My last ever visit to Il Padrino (years ago), we had a table for 4 booked, turned up on time and were told we'd have to wait outside for our table. Seems fair enough but there was a table for 4 free inside that was being kept for someone else who wasn't there, while we were expected to wait outside in the rain. As far as I recall, we just buggered off, never to return.

Having said that, I never liked it before that, anyway.

limnam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121277594#Comment_121277594

I know "We" In Ireland are not always the best at customer service but that's outrageous.

I wouldn't be going back. How do these places remain open

sammyjo90

Speaking of italian, has anyone eaten in DaMirco recently?

New person has moved over from sicily and someone brought the poor man to scoozies! 😱

I'm thinking DaMirco might be more authentic 😅

leahyl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121283680#Comment_121283680

Probably should take him to Sicilian Delights!

sammyjo90

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121285343#Comment_121285343

To be fair I've never actually been there so I might!

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121287344#Comment_121287344

It's very simple but nice and very reasonably priced. Mostly bowls of pasta. Caters to the students in the area.

mrpdap

DaMirco is a an excellent spot, authentic Italian but uses locally sourced ingredients where possible.

rob316

I went to Sano Pizza at the weekend, have to stay the food was absolutely excellent.

Now the service to be expected is a bit all over the place newly opened, food came quick but bit of a lack of synergy with the bar for drinks. Had to ask a few times for our drinks but im sure that'll be all sorted soon.

Bruschetta for starter, lovely. Diavola pizza, possibly one of the best pizzas I have had, the base is perfection. Desert, I had this sort of rum soaked sponge cake with whipped ice cream and strawberries, so light and tasty. Tiramisu equally as good. Good beer on tap there, 5 lamps.

Really nice setting and atmosphere, very casual.

Price was amazing value - 3 courses each, 2 pints, 2 cokes, cappucino. €62

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121306382#Comment_121306382

Nice review Rob!

Is it just pizza for mains, any pasta dishes?

Pen Rua

Did Sano for a work lunch today, and would echo the above. Food was actually rather good and service a bit disjointed (we were asked if we wanted to order, 5 mins after ordering... with the same waitress). Pricing is really quite good especially with Milano's around the corner charging min. €5 more for a less product.

Menu is online -- https://assets-global.website-files.com/627b8565d3873d2793d64fef/6523e16b62af55eac3b70c63_SANO%20CORK%20MENU%20Oct_NovCork_2023_a%20copy.pdf

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121306576#Comment_121306576

Just pizza

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121306705#Comment_121306705

Oh, they do make/bake at home kits, interesting!

Bake at Home

PAR-BAKED Sano pizza at home but this time we are doing the work for you. We have par-baked our 12” base, topped it with our signature ingredients & vacuum packed it ready for you to pop in your oven at home. Margherita - Fresh mozzarella, basil & tomato sugo (1,7) €5 Diavola - Spicy salami, fresh mozzarella, basil & tomato sugo (1,7) €6

Make at home pizza kits

Our signature dough, mozzarella di bufala, tomato sugo, basil & extra virgin olive oil. (1,7) - Makes 2/4 pizzas 2 Pizza kit - €8 or 4 Pizza kit - €15 + 2/4 free dips Our signature dough, mozzarella di bufala, spicy salami, tomato sugo, basil & extra virgin olive oil (1,7) - Makes 2/4 pizzas 2 Pizza kit - €10 or 4 Pizza kit - €18 + 2/4 free dips

Be right back

Is Sano where sliced used to be?

Pen Rua

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121306852#Comment_121306852

Yes, on Parnell Place.

sporina

4 of us had a fab lunch in Bocelli last weekend - wow.. from start to finish - food, staff... everything..

can't wait to go back

had not been b4..

just booked it for a change (over market lane)

Water John

The menus there look really nice, thanks.

airy fairy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121317616#Comment_121317616

Never been,menu looks good. Are the portions decent? I've found some Italian restaurants give very small portions. It's a pity they don't have a gluten free menu online,

sporina

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121319452#Comment_121319452

portions wer fab.... none of us finished our dishes... and lunch was so reasonable

Iguarantee

I went to Ichigo Ichie in October as a group of four people. Two of us had been there once before (early this year), the others were first timers.

Collectively we had mixed reactions to the entire experience.

To put this visit in context, I'll give a brief summary of our first visit:

*Myself and my OH

*We both like sushi

*We both really enjoyed the experience as a whole.

*We both agreed the dessert was crap and fell well below the quality of the other items on the menu.

*There were only a couple of things we didn't like, but gladly accepted that a 13 course tasting menu carried that risk.

*We had the earlier booking (6pm). The service was good but we were really rushed out at the end, so much so that they printed the bill for us 30 minutes before our 2.5hour booking slot had ended. All but f*cked out the door is a more apt way to describe it.

This visit:

*Myself, my OH and two friends

*Three of us like sushi, one was 50/50 (but had been briefed on what to expect).

*Booked, and weeks later they sent us an email telling us that the prices would be increased slightly by e5. Strangely, the notification said that the prices would increase starting a week or two before the notification email. I emailed them to politely point out that they should be a bit more on the ball about that kind of stuff, they replied and thanked me for the feedback.

*We paid for the best seats in the house i.e. food prepped and served by the main chef; this was true for approx 50% of the meal, the rest was served as normal, which I'd hoped would not be the case.

*We took the later booking this time (8pm). Once again, we were rushed out at the end of the meal,

*The same dessert as the first time, it was still crap the 2nd time around!

*Three or four of the dishes were the exact same as the first visit, not really acceptable given that they state the menu changes throughout the year.

I believe the proprietor(s) are decent and we had a good chat with the main man on the night. They have done a lot for food in Cork in a relatively short time. We didn't mind the cost of the meal at all, but at that price point I'd expect a 5-star experience in every aspect; in my opinion they do not offer that.

I see that they are closing next month to reopen next year as a different style of restaurant. I wish them luck and I'm confident they'll do a great job, however, as fine dining goes, I just don't think it's right to charge e150/head and rush people at the end of the meal, specifically for the later booking which effectively should be as open ended as any other restaurant in town.

Iguarantee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121283680#Comment_121283680

I went there last night with two friends. It's OK. Some nice stuff, some very average, bland stuff. Nothing struck me as being excellent.

I liked that it wasn't a 10 page menu of all the usual stuff you'd get (arrabbiata, carbonara, etc.). Instead it's 3 starters, 3 pasta dishes and 3 meat based dishes along with some specials. I'd never tried either of the main courses I had, which was interesting.

The antipasti board was pretty boring, especially the cheese. The focaccia was good. The pasta special was a lamb ragu w/ macaroni which was great. The vegetarian secondi piatti (meat dish) was bigoli pasta with a pumpkin cream sauce, gorgonzola & walnuts was pretty bland and seemed like it didn't have enough cream (I love pumpkin, which is why I ordered it). Tiramisu was good.

Oddly, I really felt their pasta was undercooked. I know the whole schtick about "al dente" but this was taking it to another level, both the macaroni and bigoli I had were actually pretty hard. I've been to Italy a bunch of times and never got pasta like this, anywhere.

The service was good, they were friendly and attentive and were a bit of craic too.

I'd go back, but unfortunately there still isn't really a standout Italian restaurant in Cork as far as my opinion goes.

igCorcaigh

I find Italian restaurants in Cork City quite bland and very overpriced. Especially Rossini.

I've been to DaMirco and Bocelli too, but nah. I haven't visited Gallo & Galetti yet.

I've never been to an Italian restaurant, and thought: that was amazing. Maybe I just don't like Italian food?

And I know what you mean about the "al dente" thing @Iguarantee. It's just undercooked pasta. Not for me.

sammyjo90

This doesnt bode well for the judgey Italian 😆

If I take them I'll let ye know if it gets the seal of approval

Drdenise75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121330028#Comment_121330028

I gotta ask...and not to be critical here, but why is a Sicilian expecting (or even looking) to get good Italian food in Cork??? Surely nothing outside of Sicily is going to meet expectations so they should look for good local food and cook their own Italian at home, no??? I've been to Sicily, the food was outstanding. Nothing in Cork even comes close. To be honest, the only really good Italian food I've eaten in restaurants has been in Italy. Everything else is a pale imitation.

Loyal Lady

We had a great meal in Sonflour recently