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O’Donnell’s Restaurant & Bar
Mounthawk
It’s almost over now.
The end of the Festival always signals the last days of summer, the return to school and the days getting shorter. I know, it’s depressing (but at least the Premiership’s back, the rugby is starting again and Kerry are still in the championship…depending on when you’re reading this).
After a hectic week of work, I decided to go for an early bird on Friday evening, as a brief oasis of calm before getting back on the treadmill for the weekend.
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I hadn’t been to O’Donnell’s for about two years, when I had a delicious prawn salad on a typical Irish summer’s day. There were floods I think.
This time I was there for an evening bite with my better half and small girl. We were the typical customers on the night. It appears other families had the same idea as us, heading out for a bite to eat before a final trip to ‘de bazaar’. It wasn’t just families though – there were couples and a groups of ladies out for a bite, so the large bar was quite busy.
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The menu in O’Donnell’s is really extensive and reasonably priced – the special of the weekend was an 8oz rib-eye steak for €18.50.
I went for the early bird which was two courses for €16 with tea/coffee, or three courses with tea/coffee for €20. The choices weren’t bad too with, soup, goats cheese bruschetta and bacon and black pudding salad for starters, grilled fillet of chicken, baked fillet of cod or roast of the day as the mains and chocolate fudge cake or apple pie for dessert.
My wife chose scampi (€14.90) from the regular menu while the small girl had a decidedly unhealthy chips and chicken nuggets.
I chose the roast of the day – which was pork – and we didn’t have to wait long for the dishes to arrive. The scampi was declared great and the six year old slowly devoured her food while watching the iPad (yes, yes. Chips, nuggets and iPads…somehow we’ve narrowly missed out on Parents of the Year 2016 yet again).
The pork was plentiful, but a bit tough, while the gravy and veg was very good. The dessert was better, with the chocolate fudge cake really moist and rich just the way I like it. A really good coffee followed and the bill (with one glass of wine and a pint of lager) came to €51.
The service was very efficient and friendly too, helping to create an enjoyable Friday night out for the family. Now then, back to work.
