Planning a memorable meal this Mother’s Day is a cinch with these five restaurants in Dublin, Cork and Waterford …
Volpe Nera, Blackrock, Co Dublin
A word of advice. If you manage to secure a booking at Volpe Nera for Mother’s Day, order the cep dumplings with aged soya, fennel and herb oil. In fact, order two portions as they will likely be devoured by envious dining companions. Barry Sun’s cosy neighbourhood restaurant is a real treat and the Mum in your life is sure to be impressed with an afternoon feasting on dishes such as the aforementioned cep dumplings, or wild seabass crudo followed by snow white grilled wild halibut, cauliflower, vadouvan, guanciale and grapes. www.volpenera.ie
Variety Jones, Dublin 8
Variety Jones will be open to welcome mums of all persuasion on Sunday March 19 but bookings are bound to be as rare as hens teeth so don’t delay. The menu will consist of a chef’s choice set menu with six courses for €80 which seems like good value for food of this calibre. The menu is broken down into sections of snacks, cold, warm, pasta, mains and afters, and the chargrilled seabass with spiced tomato and herb salad, curried peppers, octopus and potato salad would be reason alone to visit. www.varietyjones.ie
Sage, Middleton, Co Cork
In Middleton, Sage Restaurant will be serving up a set menu for Mother’s Day priced at €42 per person. Starters include crispy smoked pork with chilli sauce and Waldorf salad or salt cod croquettes with aioli and pickled apple salsa, while main course choices include hake Kiev with fennel and little gem Caesar salad. The children’s menu is also worth mentioning with all dishes priced around €10 and not a chicken dipper in sight. www.sagerestaurant.ie
Mount Congreve, Waterford
Mother’s Day afternoon tea will be hosted in the ‘Chinese Room’ at Mount Congreve House with its intricate, priceless wallpaper that is the only one of its kind in the world. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the room with natural light while Waterford Crystal chandeliers and lamps bestow a grand sense of occasion befitting Mums of all types. Guests will be served a sumptuous Afternoon Tea with a selection of seasonally filled finger sandwiches, homemade scones and an array of pastries and desserts with produce from the estate’s kitchen gardens and local artisan food producers. www.mountcongreve.com
Loretta’s, Dublin 7
Sharing is caring when it comes to Sunday dinner at Loretta’s in Phibsboro so gather the clan because the more people in your party, the more dishes you get to try. And you will want to try them all. Kick off the festivities with a selection of snacks such as celeriac, short rib, Hegarty’s cheddar and truffle or a chicken char siu bun followed by sharing plates of whole grilled brill with lemon, parsley and roast garlic or woodfired tamarind chicken, tortilla and pickles. In total there are six sharing plates to choose from, each serving two. Finish off with a milk chocolate tart with honeycomb ice cream and bitter chocolate tuile before rolling all the way home to your couch. www.lorettas.ie
