We all love to hear stories of those rare, mystical creatures from fairytales and folklore – Unicorns, children that turn into swans, horses that gallop across the sea and of course, the warm Irish Summer! Well, I have a secret to share. One of these things is real, and its not unicorns! While the weather remains as cheerful and warming as it has been, I am jumping ship to another seaside village for some outdoor eating. I am bringing you to the pretty village of Glandore to continue our adventures with kids on the West Cork food trail.
How Old Are My Kids – What Are Their Needs
My kids are at that wonderful age where, if you ask for their food to come out with the starters, you get all the way through your own main course before the bickering starts. After my main course, all I want to do is put my feet up, have some coffee or finish my glass of wine and …..chill! Of course, that is simply an aspiration for when the last one leaves for college. We will get there some day. For now, I am happy that we are simply able to get out for dinner as a family. I am also delighted to report that we can leave a restaurant of our own volition rather than being asked politely to leave for causing mayhem.
My children are 12, 10 and 8. They are utterly charming, all the time, I swear!!!! Except when they are not. Lets be fair to them though, I can understand boredom. I was never great at sitting still as a child and I don’t think we should force that on our children for long periods. The are built for running, jumping, rolling down hills and climbing trees. The trick is to find a location where they can do some or all of the above safely while you eat your delicious dinner!
This little gem was chosen because despite the fact that you are eating right next to the road, it is practically a pedestrian zone. Obviously, we don’t let the toddlers crawl in the sun warmed tar (that would be plain negligent) but cars are inclined to drive through town very slowly and carefully.
The Food
There is no designated kids menu. However, I don’t feel that this is a bad thing. We went for some sharing and ordered an adults portion of Carbonara.
Of course, middle child (who should have been born a vampire) loves a bloody steak. I’m not cursing. She loves a rare steak. The boys, however, prefer theirs just pink (and not dripping). We settled on medium rare and ordered extra roast potato pieces (no chips) for sharing. The steak came with green beans, carrot and parsnip. Needless to say, everything was shared and nothing was spared.
For The Grown Ups
All I wanted was to sit in the sun and have 1 beer and some good food. I was not disappointed. I had a Moretti (kind of like Peroni) and the Crab Cannelloni with Salmon veloute. Now, before you go thinking I’m all posh and cheffy and I know all about Veloute….I’m afraid I don’t. I know that it is a really delicious, creamy sauce, but my current culinary abilities don’t stretch quite so far.
My hubby had the prawn curry which was a perfect mix of creamy and spicy. It was brimming with huge prawns and packed with taste. I have to say, I am not a fan of salad with hot food. However, the option to have vegetables instead of salad is also open.
The Verdict
The atmosphere is delightful. It feels warm and cosy and has a certain homeliness that is present both inside and out. I guess the Danes would call it ‘Hygge’. I sometimes find the food a little on the salty side. Keep in mind that I restrict my salt intake for health reasons so don’t take me too seriously. If in doubt, just ask for no extra salt and they are happy to oblige.
Why It Is Great For The Kids
We sat outside in the sunshine overlooking the water. It was glorious. The traffic rolled slowly past us and didn’t kick up any dust. There is a community garden built on a slope just across the road from the restaurant. It is not suitable for ball games but it is perfect for lying in the sun, playing cars or hiding in the bushes. Obviously not activities for myself and the hubby, but the kids enjoy it. They love going there to hang out and read a book or play games while we share a slice of chocolate brownie. Ok, thats a blatant lie. I would never share a brownie. But it is great to know the kids are playing happily while we have a chill out. My 10 year old is also a budding photographer and has asked that I credit her at the end of this blog post with one of her photos from said trip.
If you decide to visit this spot, I would be delighted to hear about your experience. Please do tag me in your posts on Instagram @westcorkfit so I can see what your experience was like. If you enjoyed this review and you would like to hear about more West Cork spots to eat, then don’t forget to hit the subscribe button. Also, if you would like to hear about other West Cork locations to eat good food, my last blog post is right here.
Fi xxx