Just Ask Restaurant of the Month - Longueville House

“Just Ask!” is a public awareness campaign run by Bord Bia that aims to encourage consumers when eating out to look for information on where the food (particularly meat) on their plate comes from, and encourages chefs to provide this information on their menus. The programme supports both large and smaller artisan suppliers, encouraging both Irish diners and visitors from abroad to support restaurants that are in turn supporting their suppliers.

Here at Georgina Campbell Guides we have always been avid supporters of the ‘eat local’ concept, and we take great delight in menus that have a real sense of place. The dining experience is greatly enriched by knowing that the food on your plate is inspired by the produce and traditions of the area, and sourced nearby – and we would love to see more chefs sharing that precious information with their guests. If you are a visitor to the area, learning a little about local food and the people who produce it adds a special extra dimension to the visit – and, for residents, it reinforces a natural pride in the good things of their locality and makes a meal all the more enjoyable.

So, I am pleased to be able to report that we have had some really fantastic menus submitted for our “Just Ask Restaurant of the Month Competition’, menus that really speak of the best of Irish foods – and the dedication of both the people who make them, and the chefs who select them to create wonderful dishes with real Irish flavour for our enjoyment.

The Just Ask Restaurant of the Month for April is Longueville House, Mallow, County Cork. Food simply doesn’t get more local than this and, in the introduction to his menus (see below), proprietor-chef William O’Callaghan tells guests in fascinating detail everything about ingredients used in his kitchen, most of which come from the farm, gardens and the river and woodlands on the estate while others, such as Newmarket beef, are from ‘just up the road’.

Read it for yourself…it’s wonderful!

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Country House Dining at Longueville

A very warm welcome to Longueville House. We wish you a pleasant evening’s dining in our Presidents’ Restaurant, the heart of Longueville. Chef/Proprietor William O’Callaghan, having trained under master chef Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, a two-Michelin-star restaurant, has brought that twist back home to Longueville House, his ancestral home, now a Country House.

His experience is allied to a firm belief in same-day freshness and this ethos he shares with his right hand man, Alan Woods. What makes our country house cooking special is that our menu comes straight from the farm, gardens and estate. When in season, there’s fresh salmon from the Blackwater River which runs through the property; pork & lamb from the farm; woodcock, pheasant, duck & snipe from the estate boundaries, vegetables, oriental greens, seasonal fruit and herbs from the walled kitchen garden and hedgerows that surround us. We even have honey from our own bees!

In addition, homemade artisan food products, such as garden fruit liqueurs, apple brandy, pâtés, chutneys, smoked salmon, house blended spices, jams and preserves are all made on site and available for you to take away to enjoy. Our water comes from our own wells and only the New and Old World wine list is drawn from farther field.

Each Wednesday, Thursday & Friday night, William pre-chooses and, with the help of his team, creates and delivers to you a seven-course tasting menu, focusing on the day’s freshest ingredients.

We also offer alternatives to Vegetarians & Vegans and will happily accommodate with a little notice guests with special dietary requirements such as gluten free diets, diabetics and food allergies.

On Saturday nights we offer our Table d’Hôte Presidents’ Dinner menu as well as a Surprise Eight Course Tasting Menu for our more adventurous foodie lovers.

Longueville House is now open every Sunday for hot & cold buffet luncheon served from 1.00pm to 4.30pm and again from the later time of 7.00pm to 8.00pm throughout 2009. Booking is essential.

Bon Appetit!

The Presidents’ Restaurant at Longueville House
Sample Midweek Tasting Menu



Pre Dinner Canapés Served in Drawing Room


First Course
Carpaccio of Newmarket Beef with a Shallot, Dijon Mustard & Hazelnut Oil Dressing


Second Course
Pan Seared Castletownbere Scallop & Foie Gras with Wilted Garden Rocket & Cep Sauce


Third Course
Champagne Sorbet


Fourth Course
Roast Breast of Ballyhooley Farmyard Duck with Confit Leg & Honey Glaze

Fifth Course
A Selection of Irish & French Farmhouse Cheese


Sixth Course
Valhrona Chocolate Tart with Garden Raspberry Sorbet

Seventh Course
Tea or Coffee & House Petit Fours


VIEW ALL JUST ASK RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH WINNERS