ADARE Manor and chef Mark Donohue, the Cornstore Restaurant, the Mustard Seed, La Cucina and the Locke Bar have all come the fore for Limerick as category winners in the Restaurant Association of Ireland at the Restaurant Awards 2012 regional finals. The nominees and winners were announced at the awards night held in Cork this week.
Adrian Cummins of the Restaurant Association of Ireland said that; “Since their inception, the Irish Restaurant Awards have cast a spotlight on Ireland’s hottest restaurants and chefs. They have become a byword for quality, class and achievement…the awards everyone wants to win. As a testament to their success, the entries have doubled since last year, with 5,000 nominations made for Ireland’s favourite Restaurants, Chefs, Gastro Pubs, Hotel Restaurants and Local Food Heroes throughout the Country. Over 200 restaurateurs from the province attended the event and all the regional winners now go forward to the national event next month”.
Lorraine Fanneran, co owner and restaurateur at La Cucina in Castletroy picked up the best casual dining award for Limerick for a third year in a row. “We can’t believe it, it’s amazing to win it three years in a row and I think the more you win it the bigger an honour it is and it makes all the hard work worth it. The key to our business is consistency and this shows that we manage to maintain the standards we strive to. Because it’s based on customer nomination always makes it that bit more special”.
Padraic Frawley, Cornstore Group proprietor, was delighted to win the best restaurant award crediting his team and their dedication to delivering top quality food in Limerick.
The Limerick winners will now enter into a three pronged approach for judging that will form the basis of the national judging process where menu judging, mystery guests and the views of the national awards academy will formulate provincial and national winners.
A full list of the regional winners can be found online or below and the judging process is underway ahead of the national finals next May. The Limerick regional winners were;
Best customer service – Mustard Seed; Best gastro pub – The Locke Bar; Best casual dining – LaCucina;
Best hotel restaurant – Adare Manor; Best chef – Mark Donohue at Adare Manor; Best restaurant – Cornstore.
Best in CUSTOMER SERVICE
CLARE – TOWN HALL BISTRO
WATERFORD – ATHENAEUM HOUSE
TIPPERARY – THE FAIRWAYS BAR
LIMERICK – THE MUSTARD SEED
KERRY – JACKS COASTGUARD STATION
CORK – ISAACS RESTAURANT
Best GASTROPUB
CLARE – THE ROADSIDE TAVERN
WATERFORD – JACK MEADES
TIPPERARY – LARKINS
LIMERICK – THE LOCKE BAR
KERRY – SPILLANES BAR
CORK – THE WOODFORD
Best in CASUAL DINING
CLARE – L’ARCO
WATERFORD – MCLEARY’S
TIPPERARY – CAFE HANS
LIMERICK – LA CUCINA
KERRY – SOL Y SOMBRA
CORK – NASH 19
Best HOTEL RESTAURANT
CLARE – THE LONG ROOM @ THE LODGE DOONBEG
CORK – LONGUEVILLE HOUSE
KERRY – CELLAR ONE RESTAURANT @ THE ROSS HOTEL
LIMERICK – THE OAKROOM RESTAURANT @ ADARE MANOR
TIPPERARY – THE OLD CONVENT
WATERFORD – THE MUNSTER ROOM@ WATERFORD CASTLE
BEST CHEF –
CLARE – WADE MURPHY – THE LODGE AT DOONBEG
CORK – PAT KIELY – LES GOURMANDISES
KERRY – NOEL ENRIGHT – THE CHART HOUSE
LIMERICK – MARK DONOHUE – ADARE MANOR
TIPPERARY – DERMOT GANNON – THE OLD CONVENT
WATERFORD – MICHAEL QUINN – WATERFORD CASTLE
Best RESTAURANT
CLARE – THE WILD HONEY INN
CORK – LES GOURMANDISES
KERRY – CHAPTER 40 RESTAURANT
LIMERICK – CORNSTORE RESTAURANT
TIPPERARY – BROCKA ON THE WATER
WATERFORD – O’BRIEN CHOP HOUSE
MUNSTER WINE EXPERIENCE – HAYFILED MANOR, CO. CORK
MUNSTER KIDS SIZE ME – THE STONE CUTTERS KITCHEN, CO. CLARE