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Johnny Franks Bar
Meadowlands Hotel
WE finally got some really good weather on Friday and it appears the whole town took advantage of it.
There was an exodus to the beaches while the Town Park saw an influx of lunchtime walkers and diners, probably keen to soak up any fine weather ‘just in case’…
Consequently, at 12.30pm, Johnny Franks Bar was quiet with only a handful of diners at the tables. It was a similar case when I last ate in the Meadowlands and reviewed it two years ago (although to be fair, that time it was 2.15pm on a sunny Friday in July, after the lunchtime rush).
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Even at peak time though, it’s difficult to fill as the bar is so vast and spacious. It’s undergone a refurbishment too since September of last year and looks very smart indeed with new furniture and upholstery, adding a brightness to contrast the dark wood furnishings.
I took a seat and had a look at the menu. I only fancied a sandwich, but perused the daily special lunch options and they all looked great and reasonably priced for a hotel bar.
Roast loin of pork, poached paupiettes of lemon sole, smoked salmon and spring onion quiche were all €10.90, while supreme of chicken and pasta carbonara were just €9.70.
There was a great selection of all types of sandwiches and salads, but my eye was drawn to the ‘speciality sandwiches’ section where there was a ‘chicken with pesto and mixed leaves on bloomer loaf’ for €6.95.
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It sounded tasty, so I ordered and listened to Radio Kerry while watching the office workers wander in to the bar for some sustenance. It wasn’t long before the sandwich appeared and my first reaction was that there didn’t seem to be much on the plate.
After taking the first bite it really made me wish there was more, because the sandwich was very good. It was lightly toasted, drizzled in pesto and while the salad was sparse, it was really good.
The temptation here is to suggest the reason the food in this 4-star hotel bar is priced lower because the portions are smaller.
However, this theory was dispelled by seeing some of the plentiful and mouthwatering mains dishes being brought out. The sandwich was great but it didn’t fill me, so an Americano was in order (coffee always kills my appetite).
Johnny Franks has great food and friendly staff but the next time I’ll go for the roast pork!
