It's all about the south and the west of Ireland in this week's Bite-Size news round up.
If you live in, or are planning to visit, Cork or Kerry soon we have all you need to know about two new spaces where you can make the most of an Irish summer (indoors and out).
Plus, there's good news if you're a whiskey fan - particularly if you like to try something a little different - and one much-loved Irish pizza company has been voted one of the best in Europe.
The great outdoors
Co Kerry’s Ballyseedy Home and Garden has launched Taste of Ballyseedy, a celebration of food that can be enjoyed in its outdoor spaces - which include a new festival-themed area. The menu focuses on Irish ingredients and features The Funky One (a brioche bun with Irish beef patty, pickled red cabbage, piccalilli feta crumb and rocket leaves), and Fun-Guy Pizza (with tomato sauce, pesto, mushroom, Irish mozzarella, sundried tomato and rocket) as well as a range of health food bowls and even ice-cream. For more, see ballyseedy.ie
Star of the sea
Following the success of last year’s Currach Single Malt Irish Whiskey - Atlantic Kombu Seaweed Cask, Origin Spirits has just launched Currach Single Malt - Atlantic Wakame Seaweed Cask. It’s a triple distilled single malt Irish whiskey, matured in first-fill American oak ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Atlantic wakame seaweed charred virgin American oak casks.
The seaweed used is sustainably hand-harvested off the Clare coast by fourth-generation seaweed harvesters, the Talty family. Priced at RRP €60, the initial batch is limited to 3000 bottles and stockists include irishmalts.com, Celtic Whiskey Shop, Ardkeen Quality Food Store and originspirits.ie.
One of the best
Galway pizza restaurant The Dough Bros has been named one of the best in Europe, taking the 27th spot on Big Seven Travel’s 50 Best Pizzas in Europe list. It was hailed for achieving “the perfect amount of char, chew and flavour" in its Neapolitan-style pizzas both at the restaurant and in its at-home kits. Located on Galway's Middle Street, The Dough Bros restaurant is run by brothers Eugene and Ronan Greaney (above) and celebrates its eighth birthday this month. The business has 25 full-time staff and is set to almost double that as it expands the popular DIY pizza kit offering it launched last year. thedoughbros.ie
Top of the world
The Montenotte Hotel in Cork is opening a new €1 million rooftop bar later this month, just in time for the August bank holiday. The Glasshouse is an art deco-inspired space with a menu of signature cocktails created by the hotel’s award-winning mixologists. And for the month of August, the hotel is offering a Sunset Breakaway package, from €295 per stay. It includes one night bed and breakfast for two adults, with a reserved table at The Glasshouse on arrival where guests will get to try The Royale Rose, one of the bar’s new signature cocktails. A two-course lunch at the Panorama bistro is also included. themontenottehotel.com.
