Time to catch up on my
blog posts. No dry January for me as there is no way I would enjoy a good meal
without a glass of wine! However, Christmas has definitely been tough so I am
now on the look out for some new food venues that would agree with this month
tight budget.
Damien offered to try
The House, a small pub in Stranmillis. It turned out to be exactly what we were
looking for, cheap and cheerful and a fantastic atmosphere.
We had a late booking
on a Saturday night and the place was already busy when we arrived. The
waitress guided us past the bar area to our table, at the corner of a
fireplace. It was so cosy and comfortable with the cushiony bench and the
roaring fire.
The menu was short and
sweet. Damien ordered the duck and roast potatoes and I chose the Works burger.
We asked for a bottle of Chilean Chardonnay while we were waiting for our food.
The music was quite low but the chatter from the bar created a nice buzz and it
was an ideal set up to relax and enjoy a nice conversation.
Damien’s duck was fabulous;
the breast was elegantly dressed and cooked to perfection, a beautiful shade of
pink. The skin was golden and crispy and the Lyonnaises potatoes as fondant and
tasty as they should be. The dish was served with a Cointreau jus that
complemented the duck magically!
As for my burger, it
was a real treat, the perfect comfort food for the ice-cold snowy weather we
had at the time. The patty was tender, coated in deliciously melted cheese and
topped with real “crispy” bacon, light and fluffy homemade onion rings and
garlic mushrooms. It definitely “worked” for me; I literally couldn’t stop
leaking my fingers. My burger also came with a side of gorgeous chunky chips
and a dip of black pepper sauce: oh yum!
After these very
satisfying main courses we couldn’t resist ordering some desserts. I just love
ending up on a sweet note, so I picked the chocolate fudge cake and Damien the
banofee pie. The cake was moist and smothered in a rich fudgy sauce, the kind
of simple pleasure that never disappoints.
Damien’s pie was a hit as well;
sometimes there is nothing better than a well-executed classic to make your
tummy happy. The pastry was flaky and buttery, like a shortbread biscuit and
the caramel was so gooey, the contrast of textures was amazing.
We truly had a
fantastic evening, and I have nothing but compliments, the food was really
great, the service warm and efficient, the wine was good, the atmosphere
festive and all this for a really reasonable cost. We will be back!
