Lakeside Cafe
Tralee Bay Wetlands
The Tralee Bay Wetlands.
I NEVER thought of the Wetlands as somewhere to specifically go to have lunch.
I don’t know why, but I always thought the Lakeside Cafe inside as a place for people get a coffee or a quick sandwich while taking a break from the activities at the great facility we have in the town.
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It was only recently, when a friend said she rated it as one the best places in town for lunch, that my interest piqued.
So I drove up on a fine(ish) summer’s afternoon on Friday and found it was difficult to get a parking space.
It was really busy outside with kids ‘zorbing’ all over the place, people going for walks, children in the playground and youngsters on the climbing wall.
Like I said, it really is a gem of a place.
I went inside the very busy cafe and had a proper look at the menu. It’s an impressive one with three hot lunches daily, soups, chowder, steak sandwiches, cajun chicken sandwich, toasties, crostinis, bagels as well as a whole range of made to order sandwiches. It also has a separate light breakfast menu.
There were three salad plates too – Barbecued flaked salmon salad greek salad; Feta cheese and black olive Greek salad and baby cos chicken and bacon salad.
I plumped for the salmon salad (€10.50) with a cappuccino and took the only available seat which a draughty one by the open door leading out onto the decking.
The salad arrived very quickly and looked fantastic. There was loads of barbecued salmon and well as smoked salmon (which was a nice surprise) as well as peppers, grated carrot, rocket and a balsamic and beetroot essence which really made it special.
Before I had a chance to say anything, the very pleasant waitress asked if I would like some brown bread, one slice of which she duly delivered. If I have one small gripe, I’d say two slices of brown bread should be brought over with the salad as a matter of course.
The salad, while the portion wasn’t enormous (hence the need for the bread), was excellent and worth the money. A great cappuccino washed it down.
Great, friendly service and excellent food at one of the town’s best places to visit.
4/5
