Geek Grub

Myself and my better half just got back from a weekend of sheer bliss on Inis Meain.

For those of you who don't know it, Inis Meain is the middle Island of the 3 Aran Islands just off the coast of Galway.

 

I switched the laptop off at 3:30 on Friday evening and by 5:15 I was in my room on the Island. 95% of this time was spent battling Friday evening traffic in Galway as the flight itself, from the Aer Arann terminal in connemara, takes about 5 minutes

 

Inis Meain Restaurant and Suites is a new concept for the Island.

Owned and run by husband and wife Ruairi and Marie Therese De Blacam it has 4 large suites and a restaurant specialising in good, locally sourced home cooked food.

This building is very striking when you first see it. A very modern looking, long, low building with lots of glass. You would think that it would look out of place on an island full of traditional houses and old cottages but it, strangely enough, seems to fit on with the landscape better than most of the buildings on the Island.

 

For my money the big selling point of this place are the views.

Each suite has one entire wall of glass facing down the hill towars the pier.

There are blinds on the windows but why you'd ever want to block out the view is beyond me.

 

On the Friday night after we got settled in we made the 20 metre journey to the restaurant.

We were the only guests, as it was October, but another couple had booked for dinner so there was a quite, relaxed atmosphere.

Ruairi is usually the chef and as he was away the menu had been scaled back to a choice of 3 starters, mains and deserts.

I choose Lobster Salad to start and my wife had Goats Cheese Salad.

The Lobsters are caught by an Island fisherman and come in fresh everyday. If anyone can come up with anything with less food miles on it that than I'd like to hear it.

It's so very easy to overcook Lobster and I think its this that has made me think that crab is a better option. However this Lobster was utterly sublime, served with nothing but a mango salsa, mixed fresh leaves and a lovely dressing, it was one of those dishes that will live long in the memory.

The goats cheese salad was of similar stature, tangy, creamy and served with the same mixed leaves and dressing.

 

The lobster theme ran on to our main course of Monkfish with a Lobster sauce served with "famous" Island potatos.

The monkfish  was very firm and meaty as you'd expect and the creamy lobster sauce really nailed this dish.

 

The dessert was homemade apple pie and cream. Stunning!

 

I have a feeling the setting added to our enjoyment but this was top class food and remember, the alleged "chef" wasn't even there.

Marie Therese could hold her own anywhere I'd wager.

 

Saturday morning started unlike any Saturday I recall. We woke just after 7am to the most spectacular sunrise and the almost complete silence. Now this is silence on a whole other level. Traffic is at a bear minimum and the only sounds were a braying donkey, some crows and starlings. We didn't feel any complusion to get up so after spending a nice hour reading, the breakfast arrived to our suite.

This delivered breakfast is part of the package and its described as "comprehensive" in the brochure. Boy did it live up to the billing!

We got boiled eggs, cured meats, cheese, tea and coffee, breads, muesili and fresh fruit.

As you can imagine it took us quite a while to work our way through that lot, but that the whole point really.

Rushing is a totally alien concept here. I don't switch off easily but this place does something to the brain that makes rushing or worrying just plain wrong.

 

When we did manage to shower and get dressed we picked up our packed lunch, which is yet another perk the De Blacams offer, and we set off exploring in glorious October sunshine (now there's an oxymoron for you!).

Inis Meain is the least touristy of the 3 Islands and is all the better for it. Even though its bigger than Inis Oirr the population is only about 160 which is just over half that of Inis Oirr and a small fraction of that on Inis Mor.

Its probably most famous for the fact that John Millington Synge spent alot of time here writing.

"Synges' Chair" and "Synges Cottage" are popular landmarks.

 

Our trip around the Island was admittedly not that long. We strolled down to the Inis Meain Wollen Mills shop before making a circle back up to the "village". Everywhere we walked there seemed to be millions of inviting ripe blackberries which brought back childhood memories of hot summers and loads of free time.

 

You will need to bring your comfy shoes here. This place is hilly.

After we had negotiated the worst of the hills we found ourselves in the most densely populated part of the Island.

As you can image this part of the island housed the shop, church and pub.

This is where I have to admit to briefly popping back to the 21st century for while to watch England beat Australia in the rugby.

 

We we arrived back to the suite and it seemed the logical thing was have a little lie down which we duly did.

Again, the silence and relaxing atmosphere makes this a very easy option.

 

On waking it was almost time for dinner. This time we ate in our suite because as the only guests there didn't seem like much point in opening the restaurant.

The suites are very well kitted out for in-room dining. The mini-bar is a mini-deli as well with plenty of nice cured meats and wine and even chocolate.

 

Our second meal of our stay was a very nice Island vegetable soup followed by roast chicken for me and beer bourguignon for her.

A bottle of Cote de Nuit Burgundy completed this fabulous meal.

 

The fresh Island air had taken its toll on us and it wasn't long after sunset when we were panned out.

 

Sunday started in pretty much the same way as the previous day, with a huge breakfast.

We were taking the 10:15 flight back to Galway so we said our goodbyes and made our way down the hill to the airstrip.

The 3 lads running the show down at the airstrip seemed untroubled by our appearance and continued their chat.

At 11:00 am we did get it out of them there was fog on the mainland and the plane would be along when it lifted.

No other information was forthcoming and nor did we seek it, I think in the vain hope that we'd be stranded on the Island.

 

It did arrive at 12pm and it was with heavy hearts but an utter certainty of returning that we boarded the plane for the shortest of flights back to Connemara.

 

An unforgettable weekend and practically in our own backyard!

 

As promised the aim of this posting it to provide a few ideas for the over worked developer who needs ease himself back into the real world. I have no particular taste or budget in mind so the fact that the few that I mention here are from the so called "bottom" of the scale to the so called "top" is purely coincidental.

 

Well, in Galway the options are many and varied. Thats not to say that Galway is very well served with good places to eat but thats a whole other sack of spuds that we will get to in due course suffice to say that there is no where in this fair city that would trouble the Michelin man.

 

The first place that springs to mind is argueably the most central. K.C. Blakes has been pretty consistent since I moved to Galway at the turn of the century. Althought I'm not a great fan of the Early Bird concept K.C. Blakes is the exception. They have a 2 course option with a glass of wine for not far off 20 quid (it was 19.95 the last time I checked). The options are pretty much the entire menu.

The only down side to this is that service can be a little rushed but that's really splitting hairs because getting you in and out asap is pretty much what your paying for.

 

There is no one that will tell me that a well executed kebab isn't a joy to eat. This is not just soakage food (although is serves that purpose very well) and in this neck of the woods its not done better than in the Charcoal Grill. Essentially a takeaway with seats, the Charcoal Grill is the real deal. The slab of meat on the spit, the ultra sharp knives, the skilled Turk slicing almost as fast as you can blink, the works!

With extra chilli sauce and a diet coke a doner kebab here is a real treat. Cost doesn't really warrant too much attention. Its cheap!.

 

So you want to treat yourself and the other half?

Well, one of the major additions to Galway in recent years has been the much hyped g hotel (lowercase intentional, apparantly its trendy!)

The restaurant here, Riva, is a pretty nice spot for some nice food and some people watching on busy nights.

I have eaten there a couple of times now and its has all the bits you would expect from a restaurant is a 5 star hotel (in Galway).

Very intelligently they have a strong emphasis on seafood. This is a huge bug bear of mine. Restaurants that don't serve the freshest of fish in Galway really aren't with the program. The service in ok but just maybe could be a bit better considering we are well into its second year of trade. Need I say this ain't cheap but I think its probably worth it.

 

If you don't fancy splashing out in the restaurant then there is very nice "lounge food" e.g. a burger and calmari I've tried which were very very nice. Bring the shades, you have been warned!!

 

 

 

 

 

Its happened more than once in conversations recently with so-called geeks that the conversation has turned to food.

I like my food and I've made a sort of a hobby out of becoming as knowledgeable as I can about food and good places to eat and it would seen to me that I'm not the only nerd to have that interest by a long shot.

 

Gone are the days (almost) of programmers living off caffine and fast food.

I think we've fast become a more sophisticated bunch and the purpose of this blog is to give my take on the culinary world will live in and maybe stimulate a big of debate on anything and everything even remotely based on food, restaurants or whatever take your fancy.

 

This being a blog based in the west of Ireland the next posting will be for those poor individuals who after 48 straight ours playing Halo 3 are getting it in neck from the other half.

To win some brownie points back I'll be making some suggestions on nice places to eat in and around the environs of Galway city.