Lucinda O'Sullivan's Ireland

About The Restaurant

There hadn’t been that many additions of note in recent years to the Cork dining scene which is a bit surprising really but one of the most impressive that did come along is to my mind a simple Spanish style Boqueria Tapas bar on Bridge Street named after Barcelona’s bustling market. The atmosphere is brilliant, a long old pub with green leather seating, rows of bottles and books, and jars of Spanish vegetables, fruits, oils mixing with Carrigeen moss and Brown sugar, and so on, facing the big bar counter. At the far end is a dining area with a couple of those great big cow face paintings that are so popular right now. There is a huge selection of hot and cold Tapas with the daily specials written on big over mantle mirrors. Irish and Spanish ingredients are mixed to great advantage. Prices run from €3.75 for marinated olives or “tostada con tomate” up to a charcuterie plate at €15.50 Piquillos – are sweet peppers stuffed with crabmeat and shrimp. – made to go together one would venture. Albondigas are pork meatballs in spicy tomato sauce with melted cheese whilst pinchos morunas are mini chicken kebabs with chilli jam. They do calamares a la Romana – crispy calamari with aioli. I remember the first time I had Tapas was in Palma as a teenager and I thought the calamari was magic. The also do a chorizo al vino using fresh Gubbeen chorizo braised in red wine. I have also had in Boqueria the piquillos stuffed with Ardsallagh goat’s cheese and crushed almond as well as queso Manchego which is a Spanish sheep’s cheese topped with quince jelly – in fact I have become addicted to it. They also do gambas al pil pil – sizzling prawns in garlic and chilli as well as cangrejo – croquettes of crab and Ardsallagh goat’s cheese. You can also get Paella with chicken, shellfish, and chorizo, as well as a delicious tortilla – oh yes - I also love the patatas bravas. At lunchtime they have a deal offering one of their delicious unique posh sandwiches plus a cup of soup for €10. The sandwiches are really different. Roast beef will be with onion marmalade and beef tomato on white bread whilst Ardsallagh goat’s cheese is with piquillo peppers, baby spinach and pesto on baguette. Monday to Saturday 5 – 7 pm they have a Pre-Theatre Tasting menu - minimum 2 people – at €10 per person. You get a selection of pate de pollo – chicken liver pate with Serrano ham; Piquillos stuffed with goat’s cheese; Albondigas; Calamares a la Romana and patatas bravas. What a great idea. They also do a Tapas menu to share for four people or more at €25 per person which gives four starter tapas moving on to more five tapas as mains. They do “postres” also – lovely pear tart, lemon tart, baked cheesecake and chocolate tart. Wines are available by the glass, mini carafe, half carafe, or full bottle size from €18. There are lots of interesting wines all available by the glass – and don’t forget to kick off with a glass of organic white port. Dim the lighting, on with the candles…get with the music …who loves you baby.

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