Stay Tuned

The Bridgestone Food Lover's Guides Update

That most brilliant and original cook and teacher, Otto Kunze, has decided to open his inspiring restaurant, Otto's Creative Catering, for individual diners as well as parties, due to its thunderous success ever since the restaurant and cookery school was established late last year. You will find flavours and foods here that can't be found anywhere else: lentil and wild smoked salmon soup; wild salmon and monkfish on a bed of sea spinach; organic lamb served with its own gravy; braised ox tongue with a rich port wine sauce; apfelstrudel with vanilla ice cream. Glorious. You will find O.C.C. at Butlerstown, near Bandon, Co Cork www.ottoscreativecatering.com

Cuisine de Vendage in Naas has had a name change - or rather a name translation. Now called Harvest Kitchen, Valerie and Susan continue to offer a neat range of wines, Butler's Pantry take-away suppers and super sandwiches and coffee to eat in or take home.
Harvest Kitchen, 1 Sallins Road, Naas Tel: (045) 881 793

The Spearman Bakery and Café is the new moniker and style of Elaine Spearman's much-loved Cashel destination. "My Mum and my brother JD do all the baking, and everything is made here", says Elaine. Whilst the focus is on bakery and confectionery, they do make a lunchtime soup, and The Spearman remains as vital an address as ever. Tel: (062) 61143.

And, a little further south, another vital address is back on the rails. La Bigoudenne, Noelle and Rodolphe Semeria's lovely restaurant in Fermoy, is open once again after building work, and is open for dinner (closed Monday), and is serving Christmas lunch for pre-arranged groups.
Tel:  (025) 24657

A new Slow Food Convivium has been established in County Kerry, with the first meeting held in Kenmare judged a great success by all and sundry. "At the moment we have food producers, restaurateurs and general foodies", writes convenor Mairead Robinson. "There will be other members in the next couple of weeks, as a lot of people have been saying they would like to join.  What I find really interesting is how different and unique each convivium is.  For example in Australia recently I looked up the local convivium, and had dinner with a load of ebullient foodies who just loved to eat out.  Whereas in Cork, they are almost all food producers themselves.  It will be so interesting to see how our Kerry Convivium grows". Interested parties should contact Mairead maireadan@tinet.ie