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Just Ask Restaurant of the Month for June - Good Things at Dillon's Corner

The “Just Ask!” Restaurant of the Month winner for June is Good Things @ Dillon's Corner, Skibbereen, Co Cork

Carmel Somers - Good Things Cafe

A philosophy of creating an experience for diners rather than just serving good food is at the core of Carmel Somers’s renowned West Cork restaurant and cookery school.

The original Good Things Café opened in Durrus in 2003 and the move to beautiful two-storey premises in the centre of Skibbereen, 18 months ago, has given this gifted and very determined food heroine a magical setting to develop her national reputation as a leader in the local food revolution.

Here this exceptional chef, teacher and food writer (her book, “Eat Good Things Every Day”, is one to seek out), continues her mission to promote local produce. Fresh, seasonal and, where possible, organic is the fundamental ethos in both restaurant and cookery school, and the introduction to her Suppliers list says it all: “Good ingredients make good food. Therefore, at Good Things we make a priority of locally sourcing the best ingredients possible - below is a list of our wonderful suppliers that help us every day to do just that - from our local supermarket to the potter who makes our plates. If you would like more information on any of our supplier please ask a member of staff who will be happy to help.”

Good Things Cafe

The list that follows is not only a Who’s Who of great West Cork and other Irish producers and food and drink suppliers (including one of Ireland’s best supermarkets, Fields of Skibbereen), but you will even learn about the eco-friendly products (packaging, paper, cleaning products) used by this supremely environmentally aware business - and a separate page listing a couple of dozen ingredients, extols ‘The Health Benefits of what you are eating’: did you know that seaweed is ten times richer in calcium, and has twice as much Vitamin C as oranges?

Local producers who are hailed as heroes on the Good Things menus and imaginatively introduced on the website include many famous names - Sally Barnes of Woodcock Smokery, for her exceptional smoked fish; the Ferguson family of Gubbeen Farm (Gubbeen cheeses, smoked foods, fresh organic produce); the Kingstons of nearby Glenilen Farm, who make a wonderful range of dairy products including country butter, creme fraiche and clotted cream as well as their famous yoghurts - and some less well known but equally important people such as local butcher, William Walsh; Dave Louks of Sheehymore Organic Farm, who supplies organic chicken and eggs; and local fish and seafood suppliers, The Fish Station, who along with Ted Browne of De Brun Iasc Teo in Dingle, supplies a range of good things from the sea.

Many favourite dishes have migrated from Durrus to Skibbereen - the superb West Cork Fish Soup, for example, and Fingal’s Plate comprised of 'creations from his Smokehouse'... And at this time of year you may be lucky enough to find a plate of West Cork asparagus: served with balsamic dressing and Coolea cheese from Macroom it makes a rare seasonal treat.

Simplicity and fresh flavours are the essence of the cooking style - it’s the kind of place where even the most demanding know that they are in safe hands.

A wonderful place.

Good Things Cafe - Upstairs

SAMPLE MENU: DINNER

Starters:

Mezze Plate (Gf Available, Vg): €8.50
Caponata, Beetroot, White Bean And Rosemary Puree, Hummus, Flat Bread With Himalayan Rock Salt And Olive Oil
Salad Of Lemon Marinated Kale, Spiced Salted Maple Pecans, Herb And Garlic Cashew Cheese, Lemon And Honey Dressing And Gorse Flowers (V)(Gf) €9.00
West Cork Fish Soup (Gf) €10.00
Aioli(Gf),Garlic Croutons, Coolea Cheese(Gf)
Asparagus With Irish Apple Balsamic Vinegar Dressing And Coolea Cheese €10.50
Smoked Mackerel With Pickled Gooseberries And Red €9.00
Cabbage, Toasted Hazelnuts And A Horseradish Dressing

Ideal To Share Or Just For You:

Fingal’s Plate (Gf Option Available): €10.00
A Selection Of Gubbeen Cured Meats With Fermented Gherkins,
Mustard And Bread
Munster Cheese Plate (Gf Option Available, V): €10.00
Date And Apple Chutney, Oatcakes And Apple

Mains

Roast Chicken For Two On A Bed Of Onions, Served With Buttered Tarragon Spring Greens €25.00(Each)
West Cork Fish Soup (Gf) €17.00
Aioli(Gf), Garlic Croutons, Coolea Cheese(Gf)
Growers Plate - Creamy Filo Pie Of Sea Beet And Feta. Spiced €22.00
Salad Of Carrot And Beetroot. Cold Pressed Celery And Apple Juice
Beef Bourguignon With Iago’s Pasta €25.00
Scallops Grilled With A Coriander, Pumpkin Seed, Chilli And €30.00
Garlic Dressing Served With Kombu Mashed Potatoes

We Make A Priority Of Sourcing Ingredients Locally And Using Organic Produce.

Gf - Gluten Free Vg: Vegan And Vegetarian V: Vegetarian Only
A List Of All Our Allergens Is Available Upon Request. Please Note That There Is A Risk Of Cross
Contamination As All Foods Are Prepared In The Same Environment.

SAMPLE MENU: LUNCH

Soup:

Feel Good Soup (Gf, Vg) €6.50
Root Vegetables, Turmeric, Ginger, Cumin, Soda Scone
Onion And Cider Soups Topped With Toast And Cheddar Cheese €9.00

Ideal To Share Or Just For You:

Mezze Plate (Gf Available, Vg): €8.50
Caponata, Beetroot, White Bean And Rosemary Puree,
Hummus, Flat Bread With Himalayan Rock Salt And Olive Oil
Fingal’s Plate (Gf Option Available): €10.00
A Selection Of Gubbeen Cured Meats With Fermented Gherkins,
Mustard And Bread
Munster Cheese Plate (Gf Option Available, V): €10.00
Date And Apple Chutney ,Oatcakes And Apple

Starters And Mains

Seasonal Tart (V) €8.00/€15.00
Salad Leaves, Soda Scone
West Cork Fish Soup (Gf) €10.00/€17.00
Aioli(Gf), Garlic Croutons, Coolea Cheese(Gf)
Smoked Mackerel Tart €10.00/€19.00
Salad Leaves, Soda Scone
Good Things Seasonal Salad Of Warm Puy Lentils, €9.00/16.00
Feta Cheese With A Spiced Lemon Dressing (Gf) (V)
Good Things Baked Beans With Breadcrumbs And Cheese €14.50
Topping, Apple, Celeriac And Kale Salad With A Wholegrain
Dressing Served With Sauerkraut (V)
(Gf,Vg Please Ask)

We Make A Priority Of Sourcing Ingredients Locally And Using Organic Produce.
Gf - Gluten Free Vg: Vegan And Vegetarian V: Vegetarian Only
A List Of All Our Allergens Is Available Upon Request. Please Note That There Is A Risk Of Cross
Contamination As All Foods Are Prepared In The Same Environment.

Our Suppliers

Good ingredients make good food. Therefore, at Good Things we make a priority of locally sourcing the best ingredients possible - below is a list of our wonderful suppliers that help us every day to do just that - from our local supermarket to the potter who makes our plates. If you would like more information on any of our supplier please ask a member of staff who will be happy to help.

Wines:

Wines Direct
Liberty Wines
Le Caveau
Mary Pawle

Fish:

The Fish Station, Skibbereen
Ted Browne, De Brun Iasc Teo
Sally Barnes, Woodcock Smokery

Meat:

Gubbeen Smokehouse, Schull
Walsh's Butchers, Skibbereen
Dave Louks, Sheehymore Organic
Farm (Chicken and Eggs)

Dairy/Cheese:

Durrus Cheese, Durrus
Gubbeen, Schull
Cashel Blue
Coolea Cheese, Coolea
Glenilen Farm, Drimoleague
Clona, Clonakility
Oisin Farmhouse Sheep’s Cheese,
Limerick
St. Tola Goats Cheese, Clare
Macroom Mozzarella

Vegetables: organic

Steve and Aly, Grá Farm
Tim Lisheen Organics, Lichen
Fields of Skibbereen
The Good Food Shop, English
Market
West Cork Garlic
Sprouted, Bantry

Misc:

La Rousse Foods
Independent Irish Health Foods
Castellanotti Olive Oil
The Happy Oyster
The Hungry Crow Market Stall
Dunbeacon Pottery, Durrus
Monica Gomez, Wild Foraged
Eco Friendly Products:
Down 2 Earth Packaging
Lily’s Ecoclean Detergents etc.
Klee Paper

We thought you would like to know…
The Health Benefits of what you are eating
BEANS: High in Antioxidants, Fibre and B vitamins
CHIA SEEDS: Source of Protein and Omega 3
CITRUS ZEST: Source of Vitamin C
CUMIN: Aids Digestion, Helps with Insomnia and the common cold!
CIDER VINEGAR: Aids Weight Loss, reduces metabolism and cuts sugar
cravings
COCONUT OIL: Source of Essential Fatty Acids and Reduces Blood Sugar
levels
FERMENTED FOODS: Stabilises Digestion and Creates Good Gut Bacteria
GINGER: Helps to Lower your Blood Pressure
GARLIC: Reduces Cholesterol
HERBS: Contains Antioxidants and Essential Oils
ONIONS: Source of Magnesium and Vitamin E
OATS: Slow Energy Release, Lowers Cholesterol
OLIVE OIL: Helps Prevent Heart Disease and Reduces Cholesterol
PUMPKIN SEEDS: Source of Zinc
PULSES: contains Protein and Folic Acid
SEAWEED: Ten times richer in Calcium than Cow’s Milk, 2 times more
Vitamin C than Oranges!
SHORT GRAIN BROWN RICE: Source of Magnesium and Fibre
SEA BEET: Source of Vitamin A and C
SEA SALT: SOURCE OF Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium
SROUTED BEANS AND SEEDS: Aids Digestion and Immune System
TURMERIC: Anti-inflammatory
THYME: Used to treat Bacterial and Fungal Infections

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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.