Columbia Hillen
It is Sunday night and 10 West Bistro & Cocktail Lounge in Wexford city centre, within the ‘Riviera’ area of southeast Eire, is bustling.
A lot of the tables on this intimate, dimly lit restaurant are occupied, with friends in an upbeat and conversational temper. Opened three years in the past by Paul Cullen and Craig O’Toole, after a number of false begins as a consequence of Covid, the location was as soon as house to the legendary Granary restaurant.
Columbia Hillen
The inside is elegant, even heat, and definitely not ostentatious. On one facet of the room, small enclaves are embellished with flowers and bottles of gin and champagne. The alternative wall, alongside the road within the Westgate district, is adorned with framed images.
Columbia Hillen
Above, from a low ceiling, are suspended ball lamps of varied sizes and the ground is fabricated from shimmering wooden or wood-like materials. The lavatory is discreetly hidden, beneath the ground accessible by a small staircase and the music is especially jazz straightforward to take heed to on the proper quantity. Seating is booth-style or on plush padded chairs at easy, no-frills tables. Parking is handy, simply fifty yards away in a proper off-street parking space.
The workers are pleasant – an innate Celtic trait it appears – and JP, Damien and Paul sit down and serve us inside minutes of our arrival.
Columbia Hillen
With 33 completely different spirits and fifteen cocktails, together with classics just like the ‘cosmopolitan’ in addition to fashionable concoctions such because the gin fizz-based ‘bramble evo’, all utilizing home made syrups, to not point out craft beers, ales and a big selection of wines. , champagnes and proseccos, there are many drink accompaniments to select from.
Columbia Hillen
Earlier than dinner, my companion selected the ‘pornstar martini’, a fruity concoction of Ketel One vodka, vanilla bitters, ardour fruit and pineapple juice, with a sneaky splash of prosecco for the stability. I used to be craving a whiskey bitter, primarily based in Dublin, Roe & Firm, considered one of Eire’s latest distilleries, supplying the liquor.
Chef Mary Lengthy takes a brief break. Picture by Columbia Hillen
The restaurant’s menu created by Mary Lengthy, the group’s government chef, is diversified, with loads of choices to swimsuit all tastes. Take, for instance, the entrees, seven in all, starting from shrimp tempura with bacon jam, tomato and chilli emulsion to pressed ham hock with cauliflower cheese croquette, cabbage -root and apple.
Columbia Hillen
I counted eight mains, a stability of meat and fish dishes with two mouth-watering vegetarian choices – spiced chickpeas, herb falafel, Italian black kale and chili broth and a lemon thyme risotto with garlic des bear, king oyster mushrooms and hazelnut.
Columbia Hillen
Meat dishes included duck with Jerusalem artichokes, plum and potato fondant and prime rib with native Madeira greens and mashed potatoes. The fish and seafood choices ranged from hake with ricotta balls and Nduja and cream of tomato to particular catch of the day from native Meyler fishmongers.
Columbia Hillen
5 scrumptious desserts included milk chocolate nutmeg bread pudding; White chocolate honeycomb delight, pear-blackberry sorbet and lemon curd with raspberry coulis, meringue and diplomate cream.
With stunning gardens, coastal walks, historic monuments, castles and museums, Wexford has turn out to be some of the in style cities to go to in Eire and 10 West Bistro & Cocktail Lounge has simply made it much more in style.
