Owned by husband and wife team Conrad and Judy Howard and Tracey Corbett (of Market Lane Restaurant & Bar and the Castle Café at Blackrock; Elbow Lane), ORSO Kitchen and Bar brings some very welcome Mediterranean sunshine to Cork city centre.
Informal and inviting with a lively buzz, it’s open from mid-morning. The Lebanese flatbread, the Manoushi, features at lunch, perhaps with beef fillet tips, harissa sauce, carmelised onion and broccoli with Orso fries, and tahini or you might try spiced aubergine fritters with hummus, apricot & coriander relish, red cabbage slaw, garlic aioli & pickled red onion. Mains might include chicken korma or black lentil dahl.
All day long, there are sweet treats and drinks to enjoy, including a daily juice which is a treat - watch out for the orange and carrot one, no doubt your “cheeky” waiter will crack a joke about you seeing in the dark that night - and their unique five blend coffee and much more including a great selection of teas.
The dinner menu gears up to substantial dishes such as the whole roast fish of the day and slow cooked lamb shank. Sides might include roast artichoke 3 way – baked with gar¬lic, pureed with lemon, fried with chilli. Many of the dishes here are not only full of flavour but incredibly colourful too. many of the dishes here are not only full of flavour but incredibly colourful too.
The wine list is very impressive for a place of its size, with the added attraction that you can order taster glasses (75ml). Beers, including their own and a couple from Dungarvan Brewing Company, are also available.
Prices are very fair at this popular little restaurant, but no reservations are taken. Turnover is usually quick at lunchtime, but it can be a different story in the evening when the kitchen gets busy. However, if you don’t want to risk a long wait, there’s a plan B option - through their online ordering system you can order your food online for collection at a time that’s convenient to you.
