The Strand Inn

Proprietor

Address

Contact

Description

I don’t know anybody who doesn’t love Dunmore East, that sweet little fishing village in County Waterford. Maeve Binchy even wrote a book around it. For years and years it has been the perfect haven for weekends away in its pretty environs. Right down on the cliffs overlooking the beach, with wonderful views out over the sea, is the sweet little Strand Inn which specialises in seafood – but has many other options as well.

In fact, the Strand Inn always reminds me of those little gems that one comes across in France so often that has been there for generations - and which we always wish we had more of in Ireland – a restaurant with rooms doing really decent food – a family place which offers honest comfortable accommodation. Indeed the food at the Strand Inn is also French style with an Irish twist, or should I say Irish food with a French twist, anyway one way or another it is damn good. The atmosphere is brilliant and there is that great away from it all feel. Dine al fresco on warm days - its bliss.

Starters will always include a good wholesome soup of the day. Deepfried Brie is served with a homemade green pepper jelly, whilst big steaming dishes of mussels might be in a black bean and ginger creamy sauce, or in white wine sauce with chives. Smoked salmon platter will have top quality smoked salmon with red onions and drizzled with a tangy lemon flavoured yogourt. They also do a smoked mackerel bake topped with local Kilmeaden Cheddar Cheese.

They come into their own with fish. I love Lobster a l’Amoricaine which is not a dish you see very often on Irish menus any more. It involves sauteeing the lobster with onions and garlic and then finishing it off with a sauce including Cognac, chopped tomatoes, white wine, and cream. At the Strand they do Monkfish Americana or, if we were in France, Monkfish a l’Armoricaine, so try it out. Naturally their fish depends on the catch that day but might include the King of Fish, black sole on the bone, or panfried turbot with Hollandaise sauce. Baked lobster, when available, is with lemon and garlic butter. They also do a very popular Seafood Pie, which is a selection of seafood and shellfish, cooked in white wine and finished with dill and cream. Another of their popular dishes is cod fillet with tomatoes, basil, sea salt, drizzled in olive oil, topped with Mozzarella cheese and baked until golden. Deep fried salmon fish cakes are very popular too served on a bed of creamed spinach with a lemon beurre blanc. There are specials too every day on the blackboard.

You don’t have to be a total fishophile to enjoy the Strand, they always have lovely fillet steaks cooked in butter with button mushrooms, flambeed in whiskey, and finished with cream. Panfried pork loin – sort of Weiner Schnitzel style – is there too, coated with a rosemary crumb and served with a caramelised compote of apple and raisins and there is always a nice chicken dish. All mains come with sinful Dauphinoise potatoes. Veggies are catered for too with perhaps linguini tossed with basil pesto and Parmesan or they also do a stir fry of seasonal vegetables tossed in a fruity curried sauce served with rice and crispy poppadom.

The Strand Inn is a great place to eat and relax.