Lobster rolls, seafood platters and summer vegetables with aioli are all best enjoyed under the sun with wine (optional). These five summer menus are perfect to try now that the sun has returned. Top tip? Book ahead for the bank holiday weekend …
Vaughan’s Anchor Inn, Liscannor & Vaughan’s on the Prom, Lahinch
Clare is certainly having a moment when it comes to good food, giving us yet another reason to visit. Should you happen to find yourself in the Lahinch or Liscannor region, lunch or dinner at one of the Vaughan’s restaurants should be on your list. Yes, the famous fish and chips with 22-year-old start batter is among the best in the country but there is so much more to Vaughan’s. Seafood platters piled high with local shellfish, flaggy shore oysters and crab gratin are just some of the dishes you can feast on in Vaughan’s on the Prom in Lahinch.
A five-minute drive will bring you to Vaughan’s Anchor Inn in Liscannor where the dining room is a little more formal and the food is delicious. Summer seafood specials include Liscannor Bay lobster boudin with coriander, apple and imperial caviar; Castletownbere scallops with carrot, tandoori, bacon crumb and wild garlic oil; and butter poached lobster with cauliflower, satay and basil. We’re sold. www.vaughans.ie
Caladh, Greystones
Greystones’ new(ish)comer is Caladh which has recently launched its summer set menu and it sounds pretty darn good. Grilled prawns with bisque, lemon and focaccia, Andarl Farm pork chop with kimchi, apple and celeriac and hake with fennel, courgette, broad bean and lemon sound as summery as a 99 – perfect. Anywhere that offers an after dinner treat of Delice de Bourgogne with fig jam is all good in my book but for those with a sweet tooth, choux pastry with blood orange and pistachio ticks all the right summery boxes. www.caladh.ie
A Fianco, Stoneybatter
The bite-size dishes at A Fianco in Stoneybatter change regularly which only adds to the overall appeal, but some recent summer dishes have popped up on Instagram as a reminder that it’s time to revisit A Fianco. Yes to the Maritozzo bun with stracciatella and Cantabrian anchovies. Yes to the Grilled octopus with Calabrian chickpeas, wild fennel and spicy breadcrumbs. And hell yes to the new summer dishes of Connemara oysters with spicy sardella di Crucoli and the slow cooked lamb with garden peas, mint sauce, pecorino cheese fonduta and deep fried artichoke. Book us in! www.afianco.ie
King Sitric, Howth
Nothing says summer like a lobster roll and just last week, the clever folk at King Sitric took the bull by the horns and announced that as the lobster prices had almost reached peak summer prices, lobster season has officially begun. Of course, there are no right or wrong choices when it comes to picking a dish at King Sitric, the handpicked crab is excellent, the Dublin bay prawns are the best in, well, Dublin and the rope grown mussels are delicious. However, I think we can all agree that a lobster roll is one of the most quintessential summer dishes out there and if King Sitric says lobster season is open, then it’s open. We don’t need any more convincing. www.kingsitric.ie
Rosa Madre, Temple Bar
Owner of Rosa Madre, Luca De Marzio is a larger than life character. His passion and enthusiasm for his business, and food in general, is intoxicating and when he introduced his new ‘nibbles’ menu last week it took all my willpower not to abandon my plans and book a table right away. New dishes to the Rosa Madre line-up include anchovies with butter on toast, fresh crab on toast, baccala tempura with wasabi mayo and sea bass croquettes with piquillo. Another summer classic that is a favourite of Luca’s is spaghetti al Pomodoro e basilica with datterini tomatoes, confit tomatoes, fresh spaghetti and fresh basil. Perfect summer food if you ask us. www.rosamadre.ie