Just Ask Restaurant of the Month for October - Tankardstown House

The “Just Ask!” Restaurant of the Month winner for October is Tankardstown House, Slane, Co Meath

Since buying Tankardstown House in 2002, Trish and Brian Conroy have restored and renovated this lovely period property near Slane with consideration and taste – and, thanks to their efforts, it also stands proud once again on the parkland that belonged to the original estate.

Whether for a short break, a family occasion, a meal or just a light bite and a browse around the garden and gift shop, this Blue Book property is well worth a special visit.  Good food was always at the heart of the Tankardstown philosophy and it wasn’t long before Trish and Brian opened up buildings around a garden area at the rear, to provide not one but two restaurants...

The Bistro came first, a smart casual restaurant and bar in a characterful series of former outbuildings, with outdoor seating for fine weather; delicious, stylishly simple food is served here.

And then the fine dining Brabazon Restaurant followed in summer 2009. Although mainly a new build you would never guess it - the old cow shed was the starting point and, like everything else at Tankardstown, it has been built and finished with exquisite taste. The style is sophisticated rustic, with an open fire for winter and, for warmer days, a garden accessed by elegant French doors.

The setting is special and the cooking and service are excellent, but what makes the Tankardstown experience stand out is the attention given to sourcing the best in-season local produce.

They are fortunate in having easy access to the great ingredients that this area is renowned for, notably top quality meat from animals fed on the lush pastures of Co Meath, and fresh fish and seafood from nearby Clogherhead.

They also grow as much as possible in their own walled garden – and, recently, their own hens and ducks also supply free range eggs.

Dishes on the menus in both the Bistro and Brabazon restaurant are generously sprinkled with the names of local and speciality foods and suppliers – Lough Neagh eel, local butcher Peter Callaghan’s black pudding and beef, Boyne Pastures gouda style cheese – but the really interesting feature is the detailed suppliers list on the back of their menus, which tells the story of the foods they use.

SAMPLE MENU: Brabazon Restaurant

We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are

Adelle Davis

At Brabazon, we are committed to using the freshest quality ingredients in preparing our dishes to ensure a tempting, tasty and unforgettable culinary experience for you. We endeavour to use as many locally sourced seasonal ingredients as possible from our trusted suppliers. Our organic free-range eggs are supplied courtesy of Tankardstown’s hens while our walled garden, managed by Donal, provides the perfect space for cultivating a variety of salad leaves, vegetables, herbs and fruits which are used to create many of our dishes. By using the best ingredients and preparing them in varied ways, we think you’ll taste the difference.

Bainigí taitneamh as bhur mbéile!

Starters

Tankardstown Fish Soup, Wild sea trout, Lough Neagh smoked eel, monkfish and clams, rouille and croutons €10.00

Pressed Duck Terrine Confit leg, gizzard and smoked breast, rhubarb gel, red choucroute, peppered fig and puff pastry €9.00

Seared Dundalk Bay Scallops Peter Callaghans’ black pudding with roast bone marrow, coral powder, cauliflower, puréed and soused €10.00

Breast of Locally Shot Pigeon Pickled girolles and wet garlic aioli, leek and hazelnut boudin €8.00

Ballotine of Ardsallagh Goats Cheese (v) Beetroot from the garden, champagne soaked raisins, candid walnuts and rye crackers €9.00

Wild Rabbit Scotch Egg, Pea and broad bean salad, spiced carrot mayonnaise €9.00

Locally Smoked Mackerel Patê Elderflower jelly, pickled gooseberries, wholemeal Melba toast €8.50


MAIN COURSE

Roast Rump of Lough Erne Lamb Boxty potato, peas and carrots, vinegar jus and confit lamb breast €25.50

35 Day Dry Aged Rib Eye Steak Roast field mushroom, slow cooked shallot and green peppercorn sauce, rosemary fries, tarragon fritter €24.00

Fillet of Wild Halibut Ratté potatoes, clams & monkfish cheek, braised oxtail, peas and samphire, chicken and tomato consommé €28.00

Assiette of Pork Glazed cheek, sticky rib and crispy trotter, pressed potato, black pudding, pig head terrine and young vegetables from the garden €24.00

Baked Fillet of Atlantic Hake Warm potato salad, Annagassan crab and lobster, saffron water vinaigrette, lobster and pernod sauce €24.00

Breast of Free Range Chicken, Poach Grill Roast chicken leg croquette, boulangère potato and buttered scallion, turnip purée €22.00

Fillet of Beef from Brandon Murrays’ Farm, Tullyallen Sautéed morels and sweetbreads, Charlotte potatoes and broad beans€29.50

Beetroot Risotto (v) Horseradish foam, beetroot gelée, radish shavings and Boyne Pastures Gouda €18.00


Side Orders all €4.00 (v)

House Salad
Baby Potatoes with Herb Butter
Vegetables from the Garden (changes daily)
Skinny Fries with Rosemary Salt
Creamed Potatoes


Kitchen Garden

This is a place that is all about the walled garden.... everything is driven by the gardener and forager – they grow and find the food – the chef then makes the menu.

The menus will change by the minute depending upon what the forager turns up with or what our kitchen gardener Donal deems to be in perfect condition. Home grown with clarity of flavour, true to the seasons and influenced by the forest – these are the drivers of our food style.

What we can’t grow or source ourselves comes from the following suppliers:

Terry Butterly, Annagassan Co Louth

Terry has been a local fisherman for the past 35 years. He is recognised for his special interest in conservation and the service he provides in keeping chefs informed about the seasonality and availability of fish. Terry Butterly oak-smokes quite possibly the finest salmon in Ireland, he also provides us with fresh seafood, including live lobsters

Seamus Dunne Clogherhead, Co Louth

Dunne’s is a family-run business. Seamus is a local Clogherhead fish supplier, buying mostly from Bay boats that come into Clogherhead and Kilkeel. The shellfish they supply is both wild and from well-managed and sustainable fisheries. Any other fish that they buy also comes from sustainable fisheries.

Nicholas Lynch Seafood supplier, Ashbourne Co Meath

Nicholas proudly boasts of a great heritage in fishing! His father came from Clifden and his mother from Inismeáin! In business for more that 25 years, his focus is no middleman. Nicholas buys directly from 5 boats landing on the East Coast.

Callaghan Butcher’s, Ardee Co Louth

Call it old fashioned, but Peter Callaghan is the fourth generation of craft butcher in a family where traditional methods are a way of life. This combination of traditional methods and new ideas has been winning awards – Callaghan’s Black and White Puddings are both All Ireland Gold Medalists at the National Great Taste Awards.
If it is Wednesday morning and you are looking for Peter Callaghan, don’t bother trying his family butcher shop in Ardee. He will be out visiting local farms, cherry picking the highest quality lamb and grass-fed Hereford and Angus beef. After he finds what he wants, he dry ages it in the traditional way, 21 – 28 days, on the bone – to get the very best flavour and succulence.

Brendan Guinan – micro herbs & speciality vegetables

This is a one-man-band operation…Brendan saw an opportunity in 2010 to produce quality Irish food at reasonable prices direct to local chefs and has not looked back since!
Specialising in micro herbs and speciality vegetables such as baby carrots, baby leaf spinach and white turnips, he has found demand way outstripping supply. Head Chef Richard Luckey works closely with Brendan to create menus with organic and seasonal produce.

Sheridan’s Cheese mongers

Sheridans Cheesemongers is run by Kevin Sheridan, Seamus Sheridan and Fiona Corbett. The company was founded in 1995, when Seamus and Kevin started selling Irish farmhouse cheeses at the Galway market. Shortly afterwards they opened a shop in Galway with Irish farmhouse cheeses piled from floor to ceiling.  Since their first foray in to the world of cheese from a small market stall, they have expanded their business to include a total of four retail outlets, 11 market stalls. Their base is in converted railway building premises at Carnaross, Co Meath, where we get our supplies for Tankardstown.

They are passionately committed to sourcing highest quality artisan products and forging links directly with the food producers. The close relationships they have with their suppliers are of the utmost importance to the ethos of the company. Many of the farmhouse cheeses and foods are handmade locally in Ireland. They stock a list too long to print of Irish farmhouse cheeses, featuring the likes of Durrus, Clonmore, Coolea and Cooleeney Raw Milk Cheese. They put a lot of effort into ensuring that our cheeses reach us at optimum levels of ripeness and maturity.

Burkes Farm Ice Cream
On their farm at Carbalton, near Tara, Bernie and John Burke have been producing ice cream from their herd of Jersey cows, since 2006. Since then, their Burke Farm Jersey Ice Cream has won many awards for its great flavours and quality. Their story has been featured on RTE, TV3 and in numerous national and local newspaper articles.

ALL OUR MEAT AND POULTRY IS 100% IRISH AND FULLY TRACEABLE

Vegetarian (v)
Coeliac menu available on request.

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VIEW ALL JUST ASK RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH WINNERS

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“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.