Jam On It

Something happens to people when they go to Kenmare, and what usually happens is that they decide that this lovely town is just the place in which to put down their roots.

James Mulchrone is no exception. He first arrived in Kenmare to work with Colin O'Daly in The Park Hotel, and after a spell or two cooking here and there he duly came back ­ as everyone does ­ and made a great name for himself cooking in Pat Gath's lovely d'Arcy's restaurant, at the top of the town.

And now,for anyone planning a September trip through the greatest gourmet grotto in Ireland, what you need to know is that Mr Mulchrone has gone out on his own, opened up a smart shop he has called Jam, and is wowing the locals and the visitors with super day-time food.

The Jam mixture is based on his own fresh breads (don't miss the seed bread: it's a beauty), lots of good salads, superb sausage rolls (don't miss the sausage rolls); excellent lunchtime specials, and there is always a big queue backed-up for the food to go. It's a smart mixture, all of which bears the signature of this intuitive, modest cook.

Lucky Kenmare. Already the finest place to eat in Ireland, it just gets even better.

Jam, Henry Street, Kenmare, County Kerry tel: (064) 41591