“To create simple but refined dishes using only the very best local ingredients” was the philosophy of Cathy and Jane Farrell when they opened this spacious, informal cafe-restaurant, just off Gorey’s Main Street in 2011 - and that ethos has been continued with enthusiasm by new owners, Aine Gaynor and Michael Dmytrow, who took over the business in May 2022. And that will come as no surprise to its many regular customers, as Michael had already been a chef here for 10 years and Aine was restaurant manager for nine, so it was a seamless takeover.
It's a large space and thoughtfully divided into two areas, so families with children can be directed to one area and adults only to another. A central desk with newspapers for punters and a wine and cookie store divides the two spaces and the decor is a cheerful mixum-gatherum of unmatched but comfortable tables and chairs, with the kitchen partly in view. Some pavement tables are available too, in fine weather.
The Kitchen is open all day from lunchtime onwards, offering everything from an impressive tea menu and homemade cakes and cookies to wide-ranging lunches and dinners, when you can have anything from a light snack, to pizzas (served stylishly on wooden platters from an on-view wood-fired oven), or choices from a short but well-balanced menu.
Although the ambience and long opening hours make it popular as a drop-in daytime place, evening meals have finesse, and well-sourced, mainly local, ingredients - such as Wexford beef, fish from Kilmore Quay and Meyler’s in Wexford town - are cooked with care.
Starters might include McCarrons wood-fired pork ribs served with celeriac and apple slaw and there’s a good choice of mains – pan-fried trout with ratatouille and crushed baby potatoes or perhaps Angus chargrilled beef burger with Coolattin cheddar served on a Waterford blaa.
Pizzas from the wood-fired oven are special and you won’t find the average range of pizzas here, where toppings include chicken and Rioja chorizo, n’duja sausage and St Kevin’s Brie and jalepeno peppers and cajun beef mince.
To round off an excellent meal, there's a choice of about six desserts including Storm in the Tcup (cheese-cake delightfully served in a China teacup), crema Catalina and chocolate fondant.
Unsurprisingly, when covering such a wide range of options from the simple to a full dinner menu, the price range varies quite a bit when eating here. However, as both the cooking and careful sourcing of high quality foods are consistent, the value is always good - and, although almost everything is cooked to order, service is prompt and friendly.
A place well worth seeking out.
