It can be said that the quality of food on offer in a restaurant or pub can be judged on whether you would come back…
With that in mind, my girlfriend and I found ourselves on a warm Wednesday evening in a quaint and characterful Foley’s Bar, a traditional Irish pub and restaurant in every sense, based in the thriving seasonal town of Kenmare, Ireland.
Having never been to Ireland in my near 28 years of eating, my sisters’ wedding in the heart of Co. Kerry seemed like a perfect excuse to take a 4 day trip and sample as much of the Irish culture as possible.
And what better way to start our mini-break than by arriving in to Kenmare at lunchtime on Tuesday, meeting up with family and the first order of the day being to choose which one of the 20+ bars and restaurants within a half mile radius we wished to sample.
With the sun beaming down and feeling quite tired from an early flight, we opted for the nearest pub and elected to sit outside.
The Lansdowne Arms Hotel and Public House is situated at the top of the Kenmare triangle and was recommended by my sister as the perfect place to start our Irish dining experience, whilst also allowing us to sit outside, enjoy the sunshine and cater for my sisters’ dog, Boo, as well.
Now whilst our choice of 2 platters of fajitas to share between the 4 of us can in no way be considered an Irish dining experience, there is no denying that the generous portion size, friendly staff and slightly overpriced cokes were a good benchmark for the days to come.
After finishing up our Mexican/Irish lunch and heading off to settle in to our rental cottage, the four of us met up with my sisters’ fiancé in the evening and ventured back in to town to decide where our next meal should come from.
And after a brief discussion, the recommendation was given for us to try Foley’s.
We walked through the entrance and turned left towards the dimly lit restaurant area we were greeted by our waitress and advised that if we were happy to wait for a few minutes then they would have a table for 5 ready for us.
After a short wait at the bar, during which our drinks needs were met (naturally inclusive of a couple of Guinness amongst our party) and the atmosphere of the room could be nicely observed, we were escorted to our table and handed our menu’s.
Browsing through the menu, it was clear to see that local produce was at the heart of everything they do, with oysters and mussels from Kenmare Bay as well as Kerry Beef and Lamb dishes, all offered up as a hearty meal with the suggestion of a pint of Guinness never far away.
A selection of starters were ordered, including some of the finest fried prawns I’ve ever tasted but it was the mains that truly left an impression.
I opted for a 8oz Kerry Beef Burger, whilst my mum, sister and brother in-law to be ordered a mixture of lasagne and steaks (all sourced from County Kerry of course), and finally my girlfriend scoured the menu and found an item that had intrigued me…Kerry Beef and Guinness Puff Pastry Pie.
My burger was as expected, succulent tasting beef, served between a sourdough bun and applied with salad and condiments and a generous helping of thick cut chips. In fact there wasn’t an unsatisfied member in our party, particularly not my girlfriend. It took her one bite of the mix of beef and pastry for her to realise that she would try her best to clear her plate…but alas luckily for me, there was a small amount of meat and pastry left to sample when the realisation kicked in just how full she was.
And my goodness was I grateful for her small appetite.
Housed between the remains of the 2 individual sheets of pastry lay thick cuts of beef that simply fell apart as you picked it up with your fork. This should have been my first clue to the deep flavour that I was about to experience, as it was clear that the meat had been slow cooked, allowing the Guinness flavour to permeate throughout…something my taste buds enjoyed deeply, even from that small taster.
About 9:30pm a chap with a guitar appeared on the stage in the bar area to our left, leading to chorus after chorus of traditional Irish music, adding to the atmosphere rather than taking over it.
After our stomachs were satisfied, thirst quenched and ears charmed, it was time to pay the bill, a generous tip and of course our compliments to the Chef…
As it turns out, the chef and owner of Foley’s was also the landlord of our rental cottage for the week, adding to the community feel that the small town of Kenmare brings.
Our evening can best be described as a superb experience all round!
The following night, there was a real celebratory atmosphere building as the number of guests for the wedding party grew in the small town. After a few early evening drinks at O’Donabhan’s across the road from Foley’s, my girlfriend and I set off up the road to decide which establishment to eat at that evening.
We walked the 2 main roads of Kenmare centre, stopping at each potential pub or restaurant and perusing the menu outside to see if anything stood out to tempt us inside.
All the time we were doing this, both of us were discussing how impressed we were with the meal the previous evening and how tonight’s meal had a lot to live up…whilst also remembering just how succulent that beef was and how we could still taste the Guinness-laced gravy.
After about 10-15 minutes of deliberating we found ourselves venturing towards a familiar doorway and sign above our heads.
Heading through the entrance, turning left and entering that now familiar dimly lit dining area, we knew exactly what we could expect…and 2 Kerry Beef and Guinness pies later we were not disappointed.
Needless to say the entire Kenmare experience will be one to remember and no doubt we will be back…to sample other Irish delicacies but if that pie is still on the menu at Foley’s when we do…well it would be rude not to!
And it’s fair to say that with all of the quality food options on offer in Kenmare and Ireland as a whole, I would have to add to my opening line… that the best judgement of any establishment is surely not just based on whether you would come back…but whether you would come back the very next night!
