Whats All the HYPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My promised review of a restaurant in Westmeath,
 its Weirs of Multyfarnham!!!!

Went to eat here weekend gone, i have heard great things about weirs.. And actually contrary to some of the other reviews, the food was the BIG let down. The menu is boring and lackluster ordered the Gravalax to start, it was all right, the selection is pitiful and common salad garnish with all starters, is a thing of the 90s. the other starters were duck leg confit, bought in i suspect and the potato cake with chorizo sausage, really nothing to right home about...... we all ordered steaks, the highlight of the meal i would say was the quality of the meat, but if you got a chef who cant cook a Medium Rare steak the there's a problem and at around €23 its totally unacceptable, side order of vegetables was good, the chips were not homemade as described on menu and the garlic potatoes were unevenly heated, i suspect the "microwave" was not on full blast!!! bits of cold cheese in the middle, the pint of Carlsberg was good and the dessert was average enough. All in all unimpressive i have seen national reviews about Weirs and my experience does not match what i have read!!!!

I enjoyed the pint of Carlsberg, not great advert considering we went for dinner, not DRINKS!!!!

Scallops!!!

We got Scallops the other day at work and this is the special we did with them

Curry scented Scallops, Onion Taglitelle, Parmesan, Chorizo & Asparagus

5 Scallops
1 Large Spanish Onion
Parmesan Cheese
Cream
Chorizo
3 Asparagus Spears
Madras Curry Powder
Chives

Peel onion and slice on slicer or with knife thinly, cut the large onions into the middle, leaving broken like onion rings, steam these for 4-5 minutes
Bring Cream to the boil, whisk in grated Parmesan cheese till slightly thicken consistency, and leave aside
trim asparagus and blanch, leave aside, slice chorizo and the make julienne and flash fry until crispy
Pre heat a griddle pan, dust the scallops in curry powder, salt and oil, Then sear scallops well and finish under grill, make sure not to over cook
In a separate pan warm up the Parmesan cream with the onion correct seasoning and finish with chives.
Heat asparagus up in a butter glaze (butter & water).
to plate coil the Taglitelle round a carving fork, place scallops around put chorizo on top with the asparagus

Michelin Back in Galway!!!!

I have had the privilage to work long side and learn vital aspects of being a chef from the last person to recieve a michelin star in Galway, so when i heard the leak a few weeks back of the Star returning to Galway, it means alot  to the city and confirms the good work being done in Galway..... Heres my review i did on Aniar Last Christmas....

This was the first night out in Galway in a while, I have eating and worked in some good kitchens... so we decided to try the much talked about Aniar...
It definitely was the best eating experience i had in Galway.... So far!!!! It was around New Year, Menu was seasonal, intriguing and beautifully simple.... Service sublime!!! I did think at the time the time the food was a touch under seasoned but on reflection I think that was deliberate prob to promote the flavour of the natural ingredients.... Food absolutely fantastic!!! Balanced!!!! Definate highlight was the desert cinnamon custard, flap jack, apple granite!!! I don't even usually order desserts so it makes it even more of a HIT.... Only minor negative, there were two larger tables behind us and the noise level was to the point that I couldn't really hear my partner web she spoke or web the food was being explained by the server!!! But minor issue, and will be back

Fish N Chips

We are on a small Island in the Atlantic and its a dam shame that you cant get "proper" Fish N Chips....... I have experienced it more so in the west but have been disappointed as much. combination of fish not fresh, dodgy THINK batter, crap tartare sauce and what about chips (mainly frozen).....
Here's my take on it

Ingredients:
Fresh piece of fish (Hake,Cod or any white fish)
For the Batter:
Self Raising flour,
Sparkling water,
Salt,
Vinegar, 
Lemon zest

Combine flour and salt in bowl, add sparkling water to flour mix until smooth consistency (ie coats back of spoon) Add dash of vinegar and zest of 1 lemon set aside dip the fish in batter and cook in clean oil at 160c

Tartare
1 Medium White onion Diced
200g Capers
200g Geurkins... Diced
500g Mayonnaise
4 Hard boiled Egg (optional)
1tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 Lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and correct seasoning

Chips
Its all about the variety of potato and Maris Pipers are the only ones!!!!
Cut the chips nice and chunky making sure there are all relatively the same size...
wash the starch off, Steam or blanch in hot water for 5-8 mins, remove and let cool down and dry them off
Heat fryer to 140c and blanch the chips in the oil without colour for 5 mins or until the chip is tender....
Increase the fryer up to 180c and cook chips until nicely golden, remove and season with sea salt immediately

By combining all of the above it should be a more than decent fish and chips!!!!

VOTE for the NEXT RECIPE i POST UP

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Useful Tool

Here is great page of Classic Food Combinations, when coming up with dishes its great to refresh the CLASSICS in one brain!!!!


Duck and Orange
Orange and Fennel
Fennel and Arugula
Arugula and Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar and Strawberries
Strawberries and Cream
Cream and Garlic
Garlic and Haricot Verts
Haricot Verts and Almonds
Almonds and Trout
Trout and Horseradish
Horseradish and Roast Beef
Roast Beef and Potatoes
Potatoes and Duck Fat
Duck Fat and Parsnips
Parsnips and Beets
Beets and Lemon
Lemon and Poppy Seeds
Poppy Seeds and Radishes
Radishes and Sea Salt
Sea Salt and Caramel
Caramel and Chocolate
Chocolate and Red Wine
Red Wine and Filet Mignon
Filet Mignon and Truffles
Truffles and Leeks
Leeks and Chestnuts
Chestnuts and Venison
Venison and Shallots
Shallots and Corn
Corn and Chipolte
Chipolte and Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise and French Fries
French Fries and Mussels
Mussels and Saffron
Saffron and Lamb
Lamb and Cardamom
Cardamom and Rose Water
Rose Water and Pistachios
Pistachios and Artichokes
Artichokes and Mozzarella
Mozzerella and Tomatoes
Tomatoes and Cucumbers
Cucumbers and Lingonberries
Lingonberries and Wild Goose
Wild Goose and Wild Rice
Wild Rice and Sausage
Sausage and Spinach
Spinach and Pine Nuts
Pine Nuts and Couscous
Couscous and Chicken
Chicken and Peanut
Peanut and Cilantro
Cilantro and Avocado
Avocado and Grapefruit
Grapefruit and Jicama
Jicama and Mahi Mahi
Mahi Mahi and Mango
Mango and Thai Basil
Thai Basil and Japanese Eggplant
Japanese Eggplant and Miso
Miso and Shiso
Shiso and Yuzu
Yuzu and Tamari
Tamari and Pecans
Pecans and Pumpkin
Pumpkin and Prawns
Prawns and Sirloin
Sirloin and Blue Cheese
Blue Cheese and Asian Pears
Asian Pears and Pomegranate
Pomegranate and Yogurt
Yogurt and Meyer Lemon
Meyer Lemon and Green Olives
Green Olives and Manchego
Manchego and Quince
Quince and Vanilla Bean
Vanilla Bean and Peaches
Peaches and Brown Sugar
Brown Sugar and Bacon
Bacon and Eggs
Eggs and Cotswold Cheddar
Cotswold Cheddar and Walnuts
Walnuts and Honey
Honey and Apples
Apples and Cinnamon
Cinnamon and Star Anise
Star Anise and Mint
Mint and Grand Marnier
Grand Marnier and Crepes
Crepes and Mushrooms
Mushrooms and Goat Cheese
Goat Cheese and Figs
Figs and Foie Gras
Foie Gras and Brioche
Brioche and Butter
Butter and Marjoram
Marjoram and Pearl Barley
Pearl Barley and Pearl Onions
Pearl Onions and Sweet Peas
Sweet Peas and Pancetta
Pancetta and Capers
Capers and Smoked Salmon
Smoked Salmon and Bagels
Bagels and Cream Cheese
Cream Cheese and Caviar
Caviar and Oysters
Oysters and Turkey
Turkey and Turkish Apricots
Turkish Apricots and Spanish Onions
Spanish Onions and Brisket
Brisket and Bread
Bread and Dijon Mustard
Dijon Mustard and Pork
Pork and Juniper Berries
Juniper Berries and Pineapple
Pineapple and Coconut
Coconut and Lemongrass
Lemongrass and Ginger
Ginger and Duck

O'Gradys on the Pier, Barna

This was my last dining Experience.... it was in O'Gradys of Barna
“Dessert doesn't match the rest of the menu”

Went to O Gradys with my partner, made booking that day, I a famous tv add says it does exactly what it says on the tin!!! And that's O Gradys..... Had smoked haddock to start wit spinach, bernaise and crispy egg, nice start but the bernaise had split, my partner had the clam linguini to start, with squid. It tasted good, visually it did the taste of the dish an injustice, for main course she had the salmon, cooked beautifully... Classic with bernaise... I suppose it wasn't the most innovative but she loved it, I had the Turbot, it was cooked again very well, served with pea purée, wild mushrooms and prawn bisque, I think the garnishes clashed, with in a minute of starting the pea purée and bisque had mixed and kinda didn't complement the beautifully cooked fish then, I would also think the bisque was not as strong as it could've been, I suppose I'm being a bit harsh, I think there was no need for the side of veg and potatoes, but in Ireland it's the done thing!!! The broccoli was lovely and there's not many places you would get beautifully cooked new potatoes.... The dessert was very pedestrian, I regard to the rest of then menu, I had the olive and pistachio cake, not great it was like something I'd get in a cafe, the roasted strawberries resembled what one would get in a tin!!!!! The cake was dry, and the other dessert was creme brûlée, basic enough served with a biscuit.... In a nut shell it's a good fish restaurant that I would recommend, starters and mains very good (Im a hard critic), dessert was disappointing, it's not cheap but fresh fish isn't either!!! Definitely worth a try!!!! Service was efficently effective!!!