Kenmare is one of those towns that steps up a notch in the sun. Wooden chairs are pulled out on to the street, the locals stand at doorways waiting for the chat and there is a real buzz in the air. When it comes to restaurants, there are plenty with a relaxed, chilled-out vibe but for those extra-special occasions, Kenmare also hosts two five-star hotels.
The Park in Kenmare is one of those places with a well-established reputation. Walking in you feel like lord and lady of the manor. With a grand piano playing in the corner, we start the meal with a little tipple to send us on our way. The cocktails may have gone down smooth and easy – and were certainly made with some love and attention – but at €15 a pop, we were only having the one.
Opulent feel
Making our way into the dining room, it has an opulent feel with beautiful views over Kenmare Bay, high ceilings and stunning chandeliers. There is a fine line, though, between an opulent restaurant and a stuffy dining room where you are afraid to cough or use the wrong knife, and, unfortunately, on first impression it was the latter. However, the friendly staff eased us in and were probably the saving grace.
Sitting up straight, menus were delivered and it certainly showed creativity and experimentation with mushroom “hash brown”, poached farmhouse hen eggs with béarnaise sauce as well as rare-breed pork and a vegetarian option of heirloom beetroot with a St Tola emulsion.
However, I thought the risotto of butternut squash and wild mushrooms had real potential. Plated in a pristine white bowl, the risotto was a vibrant yellow colour, jumping from the confines of the crockery with slices of parmesan with a black pepper rim placed delicately on top. The risotto was rich and the aquerelio rice was well cooked, but still retained that beautiful bite. However, even though the plate was piping hot, the risotto itself was quite lukewarm. A disappointment on what could have been the highlight of the meal.
Across the table, my guest opted for the salad of Atlantic crab with radish, cucumber, dill and granny smith apple. A sizeable portion, dots of dressing added a little drama, while the green salad on top gave a pop of colour. Although it didn’t look as impressive as the risotto, this starter won out on taste and was like a fresh seafood explosion in your mouth.
Hereford beef fillet
After my rich starter, I was looking forward to my fish option. Balancing proudly on a bed of bulgar wheat, sprigs of broccoli and some broccoli puree, the fillet of monkfish was beautifully seared, adding an attractive orange yellow tinge. Deliciously meaty, it had an obvious moistness and its sweetness was emphasised by a hint of mint.
My guest opted for the Hereford beef fillet with Jerusalem artichoke, king oyster and watercress. Stunning in its simplicity, it had a beautiful charred exterior and was delicately decorated with a little jus. Unfortunately, her medium-well request was a more well than she would like, hence it lacked that expected juiciness.
As I felt a little virtuous following my fish, I decided to undo all my good work with the chocolate fondant with tonka bean caramel and Jameson whiskey ice-cream. Yes, it would get Willy Wonka excited but it comes with a caveat: only suitable for serious chocolate lovers.
Strawberry Creamaux with strawberry curd, coconut meringue and ice cream added a lighter touch to our dessert choices. The white chocolate surrounding the sponge resembled a fancy Easter egg, with a melting sorbet on top. Tiny balls of meringue added a much-appreciated crunch, resulting in a dessert that was light and fresh – definitely the highlight of the meal.
In all, the Park served up a fine meal. However, a good meal isn’t just about the food, it’s also about value for money – and that’s the element that we have a slight question mark over.
At €70 per head, we’d argue that the meal was on the steep side. Add in supplements of €4 for the crab salad and a further €7 for a steak, and it cost us €151 before a bottle of wine was even opened.
When you consider some of the country’s top chefs offer eight-course tasting menus for nearly the same price, we did feel that the Park in Kenmare is living off its celebrated name when it comes to price.
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Kenmare is one of those towns that steps up a notch in the sun. Wooden chairs are pulled out on to the street, the locals stand at doorways waiting for the chat and there is a real buzz in the air. When it comes to restaurants, there are plenty with a relaxed, chilled-out vibe but for those extra-special occasions, Kenmare also hosts two five-star hotels.
The Park in Kenmare is one of those places with a well-established reputation. Walking in you feel like lord and lady of the manor. With a grand piano playing in the corner, we start the meal with a little tipple to send us on our way. The cocktails may have gone down smooth and easy – and were certainly made with some love and attention – but at €15 a pop, we were only having the one.
Opulent feel
Making our way into the dining room, it has an opulent feel with beautiful views over Kenmare Bay, high ceilings and stunning chandeliers. There is a fine line, though, between an opulent restaurant and a stuffy dining room where you are afraid to cough or use the wrong knife, and, unfortunately, on first impression it was the latter. However, the friendly staff eased us in and were probably the saving grace.
Sitting up straight, menus were delivered and it certainly showed creativity and experimentation with mushroom “hash brown”, poached farmhouse hen eggs with béarnaise sauce as well as rare-breed pork and a vegetarian option of heirloom beetroot with a St Tola emulsion.
However, I thought the risotto of butternut squash and wild mushrooms had real potential. Plated in a pristine white bowl, the risotto was a vibrant yellow colour, jumping from the confines of the crockery with slices of parmesan with a black pepper rim placed delicately on top. The risotto was rich and the aquerelio rice was well cooked, but still retained that beautiful bite. However, even though the plate was piping hot, the risotto itself was quite lukewarm. A disappointment on what could have been the highlight of the meal.
Across the table, my guest opted for the salad of Atlantic crab with radish, cucumber, dill and granny smith apple. A sizeable portion, dots of dressing added a little drama, while the green salad on top gave a pop of colour. Although it didn’t look as impressive as the risotto, this starter won out on taste and was like a fresh seafood explosion in your mouth.
Hereford beef fillet
After my rich starter, I was looking forward to my fish option. Balancing proudly on a bed of bulgar wheat, sprigs of broccoli and some broccoli puree, the fillet of monkfish was beautifully seared, adding an attractive orange yellow tinge. Deliciously meaty, it had an obvious moistness and its sweetness was emphasised by a hint of mint.
My guest opted for the Hereford beef fillet with Jerusalem artichoke, king oyster and watercress. Stunning in its simplicity, it had a beautiful charred exterior and was delicately decorated with a little jus. Unfortunately, her medium-well request was a more well than she would like, hence it lacked that expected juiciness.
As I felt a little virtuous following my fish, I decided to undo all my good work with the chocolate fondant with tonka bean caramel and Jameson whiskey ice-cream. Yes, it would get Willy Wonka excited but it comes with a caveat: only suitable for serious chocolate lovers.
Strawberry Creamaux with strawberry curd, coconut meringue and ice cream added a lighter touch to our dessert choices. The white chocolate surrounding the sponge resembled a fancy Easter egg, with a melting sorbet on top. Tiny balls of meringue added a much-appreciated crunch, resulting in a dessert that was light and fresh – definitely the highlight of the meal.
In all, the Park served up a fine meal. However, a good meal isn’t just about the food, it’s also about value for money – and that’s the element that we have a slight question mark over.
At €70 per head, we’d argue that the meal was on the steep side. Add in supplements of €4 for the crab salad and a further €7 for a steak, and it cost us €151 before a bottle of wine was even opened.
When you consider some of the country’s top chefs offer eight-course tasting menus for nearly the same price, we did feel that the Park in Kenmare is living off its celebrated name when it comes to price.
Read more
New exhibition explores epic journey of the Irish
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