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Just Ask Restaurant of the Month for April - The Copper Hen

The “Just Ask!” Restaurant of the Month winner for April is The Copper Hen, Fenor, Co Waterford

The scenery of Waterford’s beautiful ‘copper coast’ is a treat in store for visitors and, with the West Waterford Food Festival on in nearby Dungarvan (April 9th-12th) this is a good time to plan a visit to The Copper Hen.

Eugene Long and his wife Sinead Frisby established their culinary credentials in the South-East some years ago at ‘Coast’ and the original Banyan, in Tramore, which attracted critics from all over while they were there - and then, in late 2010, a short move to this lovely space above Mother McHugh’s pub put the small village of Fenor firmly on the food lovers' map.

It’s a quaint spot with a small outside eating area beside the bar and, upstairs, a contemporary surprise in two separate rooms - a cosy one with a real fire for those chilly evenings and a high-ceilinged split level space, with skylight windows that bring a sense of light and space to this old building. The look is smart-casual and the staff are brilliant, making this an informal, fun place to enjoy seriously good food at a surprisingly reasonable price for the quality.

Eugene Long A committed chef with an ever-growing following, Eugene’s success has been built on quality ingredients - seeking out the best local and seasonal ingredients and supporting small producers has always been fundamental to the way he works.

Everything used in this kitchen is carefully sourced and, depending on the time of year, suppliers proudly credited on the menu may include Comeragh Mountain Lamb and Hereford beef, along with free range pork from Crowe Farm in Co Tipperary, and Glin Valley free range chicken.

Fish and seafood come from well known local supplier Billy Burk of Ballybricken and (even if the occasional tiger prawn may make an unexpected appearance on the menu) Eugene makes the most of plentiful supplies of fish and shellfish from nearby Dunmore East and Kilmore Quay - Kilmore crab and smoked salmon salad is a favourite starter, for example, and he makes a killer chowder with naturally smoked haddock and Dunmore cod.

Mussels Vegetables, so often under rated in restaurants, are given due respect with Wexford grower Tom Cleary credited on the menu and Irish cheeses also play key supporting roles in many dishes- deep-fried Chulchoill goats cheese (a little treasure from the famed Cooleeney range) is coated in a walnut crumb and served with Tom Cleary’s leaves and a homemade sweet red pepper relish, for example, while Knockanore smoked cheddar and Crowes bacon lift a beefburger with hand-cut fries into the gourmet class.

A knockout dish to try, for its delicious accompaniments as much as the flavoursome meat, is twice cooked belly of Crowe’s free-range pork which is served on a carrot and roast shallot purée, with buttered kale & fresh thyme jus…

Desserts - like the breads and all the other small touches - are homemade and, along with the very reasonable bill, make for a happy ending to any visit here.

The scenery of Waterford’s beautiful ‘copper coast’ is also a treat in store for visitors and, with the West Waterford Food Festival on in nearby Dungarvan (April 9th-12th), this is a good time to plan a visit to The Copper Hen.

[Open: D Thu-Sat, L Sun; also worth a call if travelling in the area at weekends when opening hours may be longer.]

SAMPLE MENU:

Set Dinner Menu

Set Menu - 2 courses €22 - 3 courses €25

Starters

Soup of the day with homemade breads (v) (c)

Kilmore crab and smoked salmon salad with lemon crème fraiche and baby leaves (c) (€2 supplement)

Terrine of Crowe’s ham hock with dressed leaves, apple and fresh thyme chutney and toasts

Spanish style Croquetas with chicken and Gubbeen chorizo served with green herb pesto and baby leaves

Deep-fried goats Chulchoill cheese in a walnut crumb with Tom Cleary’s leaves and homemade sweet red pepper relish (v)

Sautéed Black Tiger prawns in a garlic, white wine and fresh herb cream (c)

Homemade chowder with natural smoked haddock and Dunmore cod finished with cream and fresh herbs (c)

Mains

Twice cooked belly of Crowe’s free-range pork on carrot and roast shallot purée with buttered kale & fresh thyme jus (c)

8oz sirloin of Irish Hereford beef on grilled Portobello mushroom with pepper sauce or garlic and roast shallot butter (c) (€3.50 supplement)

Grilled beef burger with Crowes bacon, Knockanore smoked cheddar, red onion relish and hand-cut fries

Grilled fillet of Irish salmon on leek and sun-dried tomato fondue finished with fresh tarragon (c)

Pan-roasted Dunmore Cod on grilled spring onion polenta cake finished with field mushroom and herb fricassée (c)

Baked supreme of free-range Irish chicken with Gubbeen chorizo and sun-dried tomatoes served on crushed basil potatoes (c)

Vegetarian option (changes daily) (v)

(All of the above served with potatoes and vegetables)

Our Suppliers

Fish and seafood – Billy Burke, Ballybricken, Waterford.
Beef – Pallas Foods, Newcastle West.
Vegetables – Tom Cleary, Wexford.
Bacon and Pork – Crowe brothers, Dundrum Co.Tipperary,
Poultry- Glin Valley, Limerick

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VIEW ALL JUST ASK RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH WINNERS

“Just Ask!” is a public awareness campaign 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 always enjoy reading 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, we are delighted by the high standard of menus that continue to be 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.