Eat Local. Drink Local. That’s the motto at O’Mahony’s family run pub in Watergrasshill, about ten minutes drive from the edge of Cork City.
They've been looking after customers here for over 200 years and now Máire O’Mahony and Victor Murphy serve a popular evening menu every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6 – 9pm.
Victor is well known in Cork city as he is also a partner in the successful House Café in the foyer of Cork Opera House which also has a strong support local policy. So it will be no surprise to see producers such as Ballyhoura Mushrooms, Eight Degrees Brewery, Stonewell Cidery and Bertha’s Revenge Gin listed in Watergrasshill. Indeed, you may start your evening with the wonderful gin from nearby Ballyvolane House a Castlelyons, as it is the house drink.
It's a fun place as the outdoor areas, largely covered, are popular for groups and clubs, and the barbecue is big hit. Don't expect TV, but instead there is lots of talk - and music too, in a converted cowshed with a real dance floor.
And there's fun on the menu too - if you have kids with you, check out the blackboard first. In fact, they'll probably be there before you as they're encouraged to use part of the blackboard wall (there’s another one outside too) and they even run Blackboard Art competitions.
As for the food, there are tasty nibbles (olives, almonds), sharing boards of Local Cheese (Shandrum, Clonmore, Cashel Blue etc), and Local Charcuterie. Then there are small(ish) plates offering meat from O’Mahony’s Butchers in the English Market, and fish also from the market.
But vegetarians can also do very well here with good dishes to choose from, like Ballyhoura Wild Mushrooms (with cream, white wine, pecorino and sourdough toast), or Cavola nero (with chilli, aubergine spring roll, ginger, tamarind dipping sauce). And there's a very popular vegetarian side dish too, a special version of Patatas Braves with bravas sauce.
To finish, there's an all purpose seasonally varied Treats Board to share - a Shortbread treat with fruit (blackberries from “out the back” perhaps), a chocolate brownie, a lemon curd slice, and more. Coffee (from Badger & Dodo roasters, nearby in Fermoy) and tea are available to finish, of course - and many like to round the evening off with a wee glass of Sweet Agnes Dessert Wine...
