Just Ask Restaurant of the Month for May - The Cornstore, Limerick & Cork

The “Just Ask!” Restaurant of the Month winner for May is The Cornstore, Cork & Limerick

“Quality Food Sourced Locally” has always been the mantra at Padraic Frawley’s Cornstore Restaurants in Cork and Limerick, and this innovative restaurateur cites "Sourcing local suppliers and producing fresh quality ingredients in-house” as key to the success of the two restaurants - and of the newer Cornstore At Home, in Limerick, which offers restaurant quality ready meals (‘take home dining’, made across the road in a dedicated kitchen at the Cornstore Restaurant) as well as an exciting collection of speciality foods.

Both restaurants are in stylishly converted historic buildings, and a lot of thought has gone into marrying atmosphere and comfort with top quality food and accessible prices.

Steaks and seafood are the specialities and, while there is much more to The Cornstore than surf’n’turf (including a ‘proper food’ children’s menu, which is complimentary for under twos), many customers come to the Cornstore especially for their steaks - and no wonder, as they take their meat very seriously here.

Not only are their steaks well sourced and expertly cooked, but this go-ahead group has even got its own in-house ageing unit. Specially imported Himalayan salt is used to absorb humidity in the ageing unit - usually over a period of up to 35 days, sometimes even more - with the aim of producing exceptionally tender, flavoursome meat from the top quality beef supplied by skilled butchers, notably Eoin O'Mahony of Cork’s English Market who sell beef and lamb from their own family farm.

Other trusted meat suppliers include Jack McCarthy Meats, Kanturk, Co. Cork, and Crowes Butchers, Dundrum, Co.Tipperary - who, like Caroline Rigney of Curraghchase, Co. Limerick, supply outstanding pork products - while fish suppliers include renowned Limerick fishmongers, Rene Cusack, and growers include Green Field Farm, Glanmire, Co. Cork and Devoy's Organic Farm, West Cork.

Flavour is a word used often at the Cornstore, and it is key to their choice of beef. Executive Head Chef, Mike Ryan, says, “We love to use Hereford, because of its marbling, but we also love Dexter when available. Piedmontese beef, which has fewer calories than chicken or salmon, has proved very popular and we are also in talks with breeders of Wagu to source some for both our restaurants in Cork and Limerick.”

This spring, Cornstore launched their “9 Signature Beef Cuts”, with special cuts sourced from Eoin O'Mahony, who hand picks the animals for these unusual cuts like Tomahawks, Onglets and Ribs, as the quantities are not too large.

The sirloins and fillets are all aged on the shell. “I like this method because I feel the quality is much better when hung and aged on their shell,” Mike Ryan comments, “From the flamboyant Tomahawk to the marinated Drunken Rump, you won’t be disappointed.” In the search for new flavours, the kitchen team also experiment with various ageing times from 32 – 50 days, and they use the house steak rub, which won Gold at Blas na hEireann food awards in 2013.

The menus and supplier information may vary slightly between the two restaurants, but the sourcing policy is fundamental to both.

SAMPLE MENUS

ABOUT OUR SUPPLIERS

The Cornstore operates a policy of sourcing ingredients for all its dishes from local suppliers. Organic, free range and artisan producers are reviewed on a regular basis, with our own chefs inspecting off-site premises to find the best ingredients. This policy ensures that every dish to leave the The Cornstore kitchen is of the high standard you can expect.

Our suppliers include:

Caroline Rigney, Curraghchase, Co.Limerick
Green Field Farm, Glanmire, Co.Cork
Crowes Butchers, Dundrum, Co.Tipperary
Rene Cusack Fishmongers, Limerick City
Devoy's Organic Farm, West Cork
Jack McCarthy Meats, Kanturk, Co.Cork
Bushby's Rosscarbery Strawberries, Co.Cork
Nature's Bounty, Kilcornan, Co.Limerick

T O S T A R T

Caprese Salad of Irish Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese with beef tomato and fresh basil with extra virgin olive oil (g) (v) €7.50

Warm Goat’s Cheese Crostini with roast red peppers and balsamic glaze (v) €8.50

Cornstore Chicken Wings with crozier blue cheese dip (g) €8.50

Cornstore Treacle Cured Salmon with whole grain mustard, celeriac remoulade and pickled cucumber (g) €8.50

Pepper Crusted Beef Fillet Carpaccio with smoked sea salt, horseradish dressing and shaved pecorino cheese (g) €9

Prawn Pil Pil in extra virgin olive oil, roast garlic and sour dough bread (g) €9.50

Crab Pot with sour dough toast, mango and basil purée €9.50

Organic Leaf Salad with strawberries, toasted sunflower seeds, raisins, truffle honey & organic Irish rapeseed oil dressing (g) (v) €7.95

Charcuterie Antipasto Plate €10.95

1/2 Lobster Cocktail with crisp leaves and marie rose sauce (g) €19

T O S H A R E

Baked Crusty Garlic Bread Loaf €5

Warm Bread Loaf with hummus, pesto and olive oil with balsamic reduction €6

Cornstore Chicken Wings with crozier blue cheese dip (g) €14

Prawn Pil Pil in extra virgin olive oil, roast garlic and sour dough bread (g) €14

Charcuterie Antipasto Platter €17

GRILL

ALL OUR BEEF IS 100% IRISH MATURED FOR A MINIMUM OF 28 DAYS. THE RIB STEAK IS A SLIGHTLY FATTER CUT OF BEEF HENCE ALL THE FLAVOUR
 

[Price: RIB-EYE /FILLET]

Steak and home-cut chunky chips with béarnaise sauce (g) €24.95 /€28.95
Horseradish mash and buttermilk onion rings with pepper sauce (g) €24.95/ €28.95
Surf’n’Turf with sautéed tiger prawns, pont neuf potatoes (g) €29.95/ €33.95
Sautéed Fois Gras, onion rings, mash and pepper sauce (g) €29.95/ €33.95
Cornstore Chateaubriand for two with creamy horseradish mash, market greens with pepper sauce and béarnaise sauce (g) €25/pp
{Treat yourself to sautéed prawns or pan-seared foie gras for only €5 or both for €9 extra}
 

F I S H

Pan-Seared Sea Bream Fillet on a vegetable spaghetti with sauté tiger prawns, rosti and citrus beurre blanc (g) €21.50
Roast Monkfish with crab and caper risotto, shellfish bisque (g) €24.50
1/2 Grilled Lobster with minted baby potatoes, grilled asparagus and coral sauce (g) €25
Whole Grilled Lobster with minted baby potatoes, grilled asparagus and coral sauce (g) €39
Market Fish Special of the Day please ask server

M A I N S

Potato Gnocchi with roast garlic and cherry tomato compote, sage butter and rocket salad (v) €16.50
Baked Cannelloni of Butternut Squash goat’s cheese, pine nuts, spinach and figs with
sundried tomato pesto (v) €17.50
Brown Bread & Wild Mushroom Dumpling with organic poached egg, asparagus and garlic cream sauce (v) €17.50
Pan-Seared Chicken Breast stuffed with Chorizo with sautéed potatoes, red onion,
tomato salad with a tarragon yoghurt (g) €18.50
Roast Rump of Lamb with sautéed baby potato, apricot, pine nuts and spinach, mint salsa verdi, thyme jus (g) €19.50
Duck Plate Carved magret duck, the leg confit and foie gras with organic beetroot, truffle jus (g) €22.50

S I D E D I S H E S

Market greens €3
Creamy mash €3
Buttermilk onion rings €3
Pont neuf potatoes €3
Organic mixed leaf salad €3
Rocket and pecorino salad with honey truffle dressing €3
Grilled asparagus with béarnaise sauce €3

S U P P L I E R S

GROWERS: GREEN FIELD FARM, DEVOY’S ORGANIC FARM,
BARTLEMY FRESH VEG, DAVID BUSHBY, JOHN MULLANE ORGANIC
VEG, SPRINGFIELD WALLED GARDEN ORGANICS, NATURE’S BOUNTY
MEAT: MCCARTHY’S BUTCHERS, O’MAHONEYS BUTCHERS, ENDA
AHERN BUTCHER, QUIGLEY MEATS, COOLCOWER MEATS
CHICKEN INN, CURRAGHCHASE FREE RANGE PORK
SEAFOOD: HAVEN SHELLFISH, BALLYCOTTON SEAFOOD,
RENÉ CUSACKS, SEALYONS SEAFOOD

V = VEGETARIAN, G = GLUTEN FREE OR CAN BE MADE COELIAC FRIENDLY.

KIDS SIZE ME MENU….YOUR FOOD FOR THEIR SIZE

Under two (Complimentary)
Baby bowl with mash, vegetables and gravy
Penne pasta with parmesan cheese
 

To Start

Soup of the Day €2.95
With homemade brown bread
Warm Garlic Bread €2.00

Mains

Chicken Wings with proper chips (g) €4.50

Organic Pork Sausages €4.50
With mashed potato and gravy

Goujons of Chicken Breast with chips €4.95

Homemade Irish Beef Burger €6.95
(100% Ground Irish Beef)
Add Bacon & Cheese €1.00

Baked Cannelloni of Butternut Squash €6.95
With goats cheese, pine nuts, spinach & figs with sundried tomato pesto (v) (g)

Pan Seared Filet of Seabass €7.95
With mash potato & green beans (g)

Oven Roast Salmon €7.95
With mash and broccoli (g)

5oz Sirloin Steak €8.95
With mash and broccoli (g)

Desserts

Selection of Homemade ice cream €2.50
Chocolate Cake with Fresh Cream €3.95
Fresh Fruit Salad with Ice Cream €3.95
ALL CORDIALS & MILK COMPLIMENTARY
FACE PAINTER EVERY SUNDAY 1.30pm – 3.30pm
KIDS MENU AVAILABLE ALL DAY/ALL WEEK