Carrick-on-Shannon is blessed with plenty of choice when it comes to good restaurants, but the lively two-storey Buffalo Boy Steakhouse & Gastro Bar offers something something unique to the town.
A younger half-sibling to Sam Hanifa's renowned Jamestown restaurant The Cottage, it's named in honour of Sham's father, Mohd Hanifa (aka The Buffalo Boy) who was a butcher, and the story - which is explained on the website - is fascinating. Here Sham shares ownershiop with Brian Whelan (former musician with local band Drift) and former Roscommon footballer Sean Purcell and they're a deadly trio...
As with everything that Sham is involved with, quality ingredients are king - and that's the foundation of the good things that come off the open flame Solus grill, in particular. Tasty burgers - which, except for a chickpea based Veggie Burger, are made with Dexter meat from Leitrim supplied by the Beef Bros of Fenagh - are a big feature and so of course are the superb steaks, which include everything from a steak sandwich right up to a massive Beef Tomahawk (1kg).
But chef Danny Knight's wide-ranging menus offer plenty of other choices too, with popular dishes including Steamed Mussels in a fragrantly flavoured spiced lemongrass ginger & coconut broth served with sourdough, a Malaysian style chicken curry, and homemade Fish & Chips. Vegetarian options are available for some dishes, such as Loaded Potato Skins and Caesar Salad, and several are available in starter or main course sizes, which is always welcome.
Buffalo Boy is a big venue but it fills up quickly with hungry diners and others keen to try the speciality cocktails, so there's always a great buzz and a very relaxing vibe too, as friendly and well informed staff make everyone feel at home. But don't forget to bring a good appetite when you head in here for a bite, as you can expect not just hearty flavours, but hearty portions too.
