Catch and Sea

We had the fantastic opportunity on Saturday morning to go on the maiden Catch and Sea trip with Causeway Coast Foodie Tours. Our morning started very early, we met at 6.15am at the Causeway Lass in Portrush Harbour and we were taken out towards the Skerries and Dunluce Castle in time for sunrise. That experience in itself was worth the cost of the trip but it got better and better.

Our host was Wendy Gallagher from Causeway Coast Foodie Tours who made us feel so welcome and fed us lots of delicious local breads from Tony’s Griddle Goods.

Our fishing experts were Richard and Charlie. They put us at ease straight away and even though I have never fished before they gave me such confidence to have a go. It worked. I caught the first and largest mackerel. It was one of the best feelings!

We spent a couple of hours fishing and Charlie regaled us with local stories and lots of information about wildlife. We even spotted a sunfish. They are a rare sight and it was amazing to watch it swimming around the boat. Later we also watched a gannet circling the boat majestically. You can’t put a price on opportunities like this, I was grinning from ear to ear. Charlie and Richard also taught us about filleting fish and we were given a really helpful information pack at the end of our trip.

After a couple of hours fishing we returned to dry land and headed round to Babushka for our breakfast. Richard presented the mackerel and then the lovely people at Babushka cooked our breakfast with mackerel as the star of the show.

Even at this point in the trip when I knew we had got our money’s worth, there were more little treats in store. Babushka gave us a glass of their home made naturally fermented redcurrant soda to start our breakfast experience

and then we tasted 3 different coffees: Workshop Gachatha AA, Koppi and Pernodby Grecencio. I was having a ball and breakfast hadn’t even arrived yet. Then breakfast arrived. Oh my! it was a thing of beauty. The mackerel drizzled with a little Broighter Gold lemon infused rapeseed oil, Ursa Minor Sourdough, lashings of Abernethy butter, a poached egg and finally some crumbled Broughgammon Farm goat bacon. We also had some Northern Smokehouse smoked dulse to sprinkle over the dish if we wanted. This breakfast was a showcase of everything that is wonderful about local producers. If you haven’t tried any of the producers and products I’ve just mentioned then you need to, they are seriously good. It’s no wonder these producers have been winning stars.

What I particularly loved about this tour was the passion and knowledge that came with it. Everyone involved was a real advocate for the Causeway Coast wanting to share all it has to offer. Wendy was able to highlight the local food producers who have recently won taste awards and Babushka ensured that whilst mackerel was the star of the show other local producers were included. Quality shone through the entire morning. The goodie bag was another lovely touch to remember the morning by. If you get an opportunity to book on one of these tours, do it! You won’t be disappointed. We’ve definitely caught the fishing bug and are already planning a trip on Causeway Lass next time we are home.

Causeway Coast Foodie Tours: http://www.causewaycoastfoodietours.com

Causeway Lass: http://fishportrush.net

Tony’s Griddle Goods: https://www.facebook.com/tonysgriddledgoods/photos/pcb.605250119632281/605250009632292/?type=3

Babushka: http://www.babushkakitchencafe.com

Broighter Gold: http://www.broightergold.co.uk

Abernethy Butter: http://abernethybuttercompany.com

Ursa Minor Bakehouse: http://www.ursaminorbakehouse.com

North Coast Smokehouse: http://www.northcoastsmokehouse.com

Broughgammon Farm: http://broughgammon.com

Harry’s Shack (again)

I have to admit I was a bit nervous about going back to Harry’s Shack. The last time I ate here it was so good that I didn’t want to spoil it. Thankfully, it was good, really really good, and why would I expect anything less. These guys produce wonderful food, often under a tonne of pressure, as they are not only fully booked but have people walking off the beach asking for tables and they turn them round as quickly as they can to keep as many people as possible happy. Yet last night we didn’t feel rushed at all. We sat, we enjoyed the food, the hospitality and the view. THAT VIEW! Many times I’ve tried to capture it on camera but it fails to convey the beauty of Portstewart Strand. Even when a storm is brewing, as it was last night, it looks stunning.

Anyway, back to the food and drink. Harry’s Shack now have a drinks licence and serve a great range of local beers and they also have some local gins too. So my choice was the Belfast made Jawbox Gin and tonic and Mr Frivolitea went for a Hillstown Farm wheat beer.

The menu at Harry’s Shack changes regularly with fish and seafood dishes dependent on what the day boats bring in. That is what I love about this place. They adapt to what comes in and they cook it honestly and in my opinion to perfection.

For starter I had the prawns in garlic butter. Messy to eat and simply delicious, I could have eaten a giant bowl of them.

Mr Frivolitea had the Mackerel with piccalilli and horseradish. Another simple and really tasty dish.

The star of the show for me was my main course. Whole plaice on the bone, cooked with butter, caper and cockles and served with some roasted new potatoes. This dish was perfect. The fish was so beautifully cooked, the caper and cockle butter gave the right amount of flavour without being too salty and the new potatoes were delicious. I had to fight Mr Frivolitea off.

Mr Frivolitea was also very happy with his main choice. Pan fried hake with a chickpea and chorizo stew that came with a side of couscous to mop up the tasty juices.

Pudding choices were sticky toffee pudding

And lemon and bergamot posset with raspberry sorbet and salted shortbread. Oh how I wish they sold bags of the shortbread.

I can’t fault this place. Despite it being really busy and staff being under pressure, our waitress was wonderful, making us feel so welcome and chatting to us about the food. The fish was cooked with such care and attention and they let the fish be the star of the show. It’s why we keep coming back.

Bartali

Last year we visited Bartali on its opening night and we loved it. Sister restaurant of Coppi and Il Pirata, we knew what we were getting: beautiful Chichetti and Italian inspired dishes. We decided to book Bartali for the night we arrived back home this year but a few days before we headed home we discovered there would be a new chef and a new concept at Bartali. I have to admit I was sceptical. I loved it as it had been when we first went. Local food with an Australian twist didn’t appeal to me as much but there has been quite a build up to new chef Dean Coppard arriving and he’s award winning. The menu is very different to what it once was. A more traditional set up of starters, mains and desserts with a few daily specials. Much of the menu was a more Gastropub affair but with local seafood here and there.

I was relieved that they had included local seafood and chose the crab brûlée to start. This was really tasty but temperature of the dish confused me a little, neither hot nor cold, but I can’t deny the flavour was excellent. In particular in the tomatoey tapenade on the side.

Mr Frivolitea had the Thai chilli chicken starter. A tasty dish, nothing unusual about it but a flavoursome dressing. Mr Frivolitea did say he was surprised it was battered but I did have to remind him we were back in Northern Ireland!

For main course, Mr Frivolitea had the North Coast open fish pie. This was a beautiful looking dish, rich but generous in local fish. The mackerel fillets in particular were a great addition but I’m not sure it needed the puff pastry top alongside the whipped potatoes.

I chose the special, local half lobster thermidor with chips and I’m so glad I did. It was absolutely delicious and looked stunning on the plate.

I hope Bartali, as they develop the new menus, move away from having too much of the burger and steak style dishes and do more of the local seafood and other local produce such as Broughgammon goat for example. On our visit the signs were good, they can cook and present this food really well. I hope they can be brave enough to do more of the style of dishes we chose from the menu.

The Yorke Arms

This year for our anniversary we stayed at The Yorke Arms in Ramsgill-in-Nidderdale. An opportunity to walk in beautiful Nidderdale before enjoying food and wine and an overnight stay. I would highly recommend it. Everything about The Yorke Arms was outstanding; the location, the room ( I say room, more like a small house as it had a downstairs living room), the hospitality and the food.

We started our evening with a champagne classic sitting outside in the evening sun. The setting couldn’t have been any more perfect. The cocktail was accompanied by the most beautiful ‘snacks’ of cheese straws, hummus on brioche, ham hock terrine with gazpacho jelly and tapioca with squid ink, salmon, salmon mousse and caviar.

We then returned inside for our meal, a three course meal from the A La Carte menu, included in our stay.

The amuse bouche of lemon verbena jelly with artichoke was a real highlight of the meal for me. Simple in presentation and packed with flavour.

For starter I had truffled scallop, Whitby crab, cucumber. Some of my favourite things on one plate.

Mr Frivolitea had smoked rabbit, truffled press, radish, buckwheat, wasabi.

For main I chose the fish dish unsurprisingly. Turbot, stuffed courgette flower, tagliatelle, tomato & beetroot reduction. The reduction was particularly stunning and I loved everything about this dish, the flavour, choice of ingredients and the presentation.

Mr Frivolitea chose saddle of venison, hedgerow raspberries, black sausage, artichoke. Not the best photo and not the best looking dish but Mr Frivolitea loved everything about it.

For dessert I had lime leaf ice cream, pineapple, toasted coconut, nougatine. Wonderfully refreshing at the end of the meal.

Mr Frivolitea had what I think was the most beautiful looking dish of the evening. Yorkshire peach and curd tart, nasturtium and peach mousse, English cherry.

What I particularly love about the style of food at The Yorke arms is its seasonality and allowing the produce to shine. Much of the vegetables, fruit and garnishes come from the beautiful Kitchen Garden of the restaurant.

The care and attention in everyone of our dishes was clear to see. I couldn’t fault it. The Yorke Arms wins for me in every way and I can’t wait to return.