Irish SeafoodIrish seafood is thankfully still plentiful, delicious and best enjoyed with some Irish soda bread, a pint of guinness and a sea view. Strangely enough for an island nation we never really ate or even liked fish up until a few years ago when it became healthy, trendy and expensive? Apart from fridays, especially Good Friday, when it was common to fast from meat as part of the catholic religion, but then that is not the only side of religion not rigidly adhered to anymore?You can pick fresh mussels along the shore in the wintertime anywhere fresh water meets the sea. There are ancient scripts dating back to the 6th century commending the mussels in Galway Bay as being 'of the finest quality'. Lightly steamed in a little white wine, garlic and cream they make an almost instant treat or you can buy them fresh on the pier in New Quay. One of those tastes that takes you straight back to childhood is crispy fried mackeral, freshful caught by the bucketful when there is a shoal running anytime in August, they can be bought very cheaply in fact you will probably be given them for free if you stand around and look hopeful....
Irish seafood has recently received international acclaim having being credit with one of only two genuine organic salmon farms in the world, just off Clare Island, County Mayo. Most of which is exported apart from those being smoked in the Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna, County Clare. Available locally from their own shop or online, but also in other restaurants and shops further afield. Homemade seafood chowder is very popular with brown bread as a starter or light lunch. Well made it is a combination of seafood, white fish, salmon, prawns and mussels in a creamy stock with a nice wedge of salmon on the side. McDonaghs in Galway is an institution in itself, famous the world over for its fried fish and chips to eat there or take away, portions are generous portions so go hungry. And whether you love them or loathe them fresh oysters have been paired with Guinness and are now an important item on the Irish event scene when there is an 'r' in the month, which are the only months you are supposed to eat them. Kicking of with the Oyster Festivals in Clarinbridge each September, it becomes a holy trinity of Oysters, Guinness and Jazz..... The 10 Best fish restaurants in Ireland, in alphabetical order are .... Barrtra Seafood Restaurant Lahinch, County Clare with a lovely long beach to walk it off afterwards or just sit and watch the surfers if you prefer? Cullinans Doolin, County Clare, husband and wife team James and Carol are deservedly winning awards all around them. McDonaghs on Quay Street, beloved of starving NUI students, the 'finest' fish & chips in the land.
Morans Oyster Cottage The Weir, Kilcolgan world famous thatched cottage wonderful bar, snugs, oh and did I mention the seafood.... O'Dowds Seafood & Bar Restaurant Roundstone, one of those places that never changes, a wonderful atmosphere that no interior designer could ever just swoop in and conjure up. The Asgard down the harbour in Westport is the same, scatter my ashes in the front bar please. O'Gradys on the Pier Barna, ahh here...open turf fire and the kind of lunches you dont get up from till five in the evening? Portfinn Lodge doing wonderful things with fresh fish that just hopped out of Irelands only fjord, near the village Leenane, County Mayo where 'The Field' was filmed. Stoop Your Head or Stoops as it is known locally, in Skerries, County Dublin. You can book your table there and then go up the road for the best pint in Ireland (it was my father's local and he'd of been a bit of an expert)in the fishermens bar in Joe May's they will call you when its ready. The Long DockCarrigaholt, County Clare I havent been here yet as 'Its a long way from Clare to here' and even further for you lot as the next parish is in Manhattan, but I have heard that its excellent so will keep you posted.
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