Andrew Carey
IT’S official, Adare’s Restaurant 1826 is the best restaurant in Munster after Wade Murphy’s eatery was crowned with the provincial title at the Irish Restaurant Awards held in Dublin this Monday night.
Clearly surprised and delighted for his kitchen brigade, Chef Wade Murphy tweeted “Be da Lord we just won Best Restaurant in Munster. Feckin Go Team 1826”, while the doppleganger account of the restaurant posted “Holy Crap, we just won best restaurant in Munster.”
As the party rocked in Dublin in to the wee hours, we said that we would let Wade and crew take a well earned rest and catch up with them in next week’s edition.
Run together his wife Elaine, Wade’s thatched cottage restaurant that is 1826 Adare, gets its name from the year the first Lord of Dunraven, built the cottage.
The duo took over the premises in May of last year when it was full renovated but retaining the old world charm and character of the cottage, whilst offering you modern Irish cooking, matched with friendly and attentive service.
Recognised for the relaxed setting, Wade and Elaine combine modern comforts for diners with the intimacy of a family-run establishment.
But it is in the food where this gem is listed amongst the top five in the country.
Diners can enjoy chef owner Wade Murphy’s cooking served in a relaxed setting. The cooking ethos is based on the use of wild, free-range, seasonal and local produce that is then cooked with modern and classical techniques in order to ensure the quality ingredients are the centre piece of each dish.
Meantime, the ever cool and hip Canteen on Mallow Street can take a bow for their online presence as they were crowned with the title of Best Digital Marketing campaign for the food and beverage industry in Ireland after the team of judges picked out Paul Williams ahead of the rest of his peers.
In other awards from the night, Dingle was crowned the Foodie Town of Ireland after it won over the judges with its focus on food, drink and sustainability in the West Kerry peninsula.
Campagne in Kilkenny scooped the best restaurant in Ireland while Neven Maguire was hailed as the best chef in Ireland.
The Lady Helen Restaurant in Mount Juliet took the honour of best hotel restaurant while Etto on Merrion Row in Dublin is the place to go to experience the best casual dining in the country.
You will have to stay in Dublin to visit the Chop House for the best Gastro Pub.
A trip to the newly crowned Foodie Town of Ireland – Dingle – and you can experience the taste the best emerging Irish cuisine. Stay in Dingle and you can savour the best value dining at Fentons before you scoot up the west coast of the country to Barna in Galway and there you will taste the best seafood experience.
Hat tip to Limerick’s Strand Hotel head chef Tom Flavin who was on hand in Dublin last night to lead the brigade of over two dozen chefs who cooked the fish course at the gala awards night.
Tom himself picked up a regional award earlier in the competition dubbed the #foodoscars.
With dozens of awards handed out on the night before a glittering audience from the food industry,
Pádraic Óg Gallagher, President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland said;
“This year’s awards have been the biggest, brightest- and the best. They are the awards everyone wants to be associated with, and everyone wants to be a winner. As a testament to their success, we’ve seen a huge increase in nominations and votes since last year, with over 19,000 nominations for Ireland’s favourite restaurants, chefs, gastro pubs, hotel restaurants, restaurant managers and ‘foodie towns’ throughout the country.
“The Irish Restaurant Awards are all about celebrating those who have brought acclaim to the Irish food scene from abroad and who keep the restaurant industry thriving at home.
“Ireland has so much to offer to the culinary tourist, and these Awards remind everyone of the quality and class of Irish restaurants and Chefs. The Irish restaurant scene is vital to the economy, employing 64,000 people and generating revenue in excess of €2 billion per year, it’s great to celebrate the work that all of our restaurateurs around the country do to keep this aspect of our culture alive and kicking.”
For those of you planning a foodie tour of Ireland this summer, here’s the full list of provincial winners.
Best Restaurant
Connaught- An Port Mór, Mayo
Dublin – Dax Restaurant
Leinster – Campagne, Kilkenny
Munster – 1826 Adare, Limerick
Ulster – Ox, Antrim
All-Ireland- Campagne, Kilkenny
Best Chef
Connaught- Frankie Mallon ofAn Port Mór, Mayo
Dublin – John Wyer of Forest Avenue
Leinster – Billy Whitty of Aldridge Lodge, Wexford
Munster – Kevin Aherne of Sage Restaurant, Cork
Ulster – Neven Maguire of MacNean House and Restaurant, Cavan
All-Ireland- Neven Maguire of MacNean House and Restaurant, Cavan
Best Hotel Restaurant
Connaught- The Restaurant at Belleek Castle, Mayo
Dublin – The Cellar Restaurant at Merrion Hotel
Leinster – The Lady Helen at Mount Juliet, Kilkenny
Munster – The Dining Room at Gregan’s Castle Hotel, Clare
Ulster – Newforge House, Armagh
All-Ireland- The Lady Helen at Mount Juliet, Kilkenny
Best Casual Dining
Connaught- Shells Seaside Bakery & Café, Sligo
Dublin – ETTO
Leinster – Avenue Café & Restaurant, Kildare
Munster – Nash 19, Cork
Ulster – Hadskis, Antrim
All-Ireland- ETTO, Dublin
Best Gastro Pub
Dublin –The Chop House
Leinster – The Fatted Calf, Westmeath
Munster – The Derg Inn, Tipperary
Ulster – The Brewer’s House, Tyrone
All-Ireland- The Chop House, Dublin
Best Wine Experience
Connaught- West at The Twelve, Galway
Dublin –Fallon & Byrne
Leinster – Sha-Roe Bistro, Carlow
Munster – Killarney Wine Rooms at The Malton, Kerry
Ulster – Ox, Antrim
All-Ireland- Fallon & Byrne, Dublin
Best Customer Service
Connaught- Renvyle House Hotel, Galway
Dublin –Chapter One
Leinster – The Restaurant at Marlfield House, Wexford
Munster – Earl of Thomond at Dromoland Castle Hotel, Clare
Ulster – Vanilla Restaurant, Down
All-Ireland- Renvyle House Hotel, Galway
Best Kids Size Me
Dublin- ely gastro bar
All-Ireland- ely gastro bar
Best Restaurant Manager
Dublin – Stéphane Robin of Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud
All-Ireland – Alain Kerloc’H of Ox
