Scrumptious Seaside Dining at Trá Bán

I've mentioned Strandhill before in my blog - whether it's for a coffee and a cake at Shells quirky café, watching the sunset with a pint from The Strand or just for a stroll along the beach, Strandhill never disappoints. For fine dining, however, it has to be Trá Bán.

Last week me and my mum decided to head along to Trá Bán for a midweek meal. We'd never been before but had heard great things about it - not to mention all the impressive awards the restaurant (and its sister restaurant in Sligo, Eala Bhán) has won. I was initially a bit worried it would be all seafood - I'm not a fish fan - but I was thrilled to see the menu offered extensive choice for seafood lovers, meat eaters and vegetarians alike. All of the ingredients, meat and seafood are locally sourced so you really know what you're eating. As well as the usual foodie fare, Trá Bán also offers a range of wines and craft ales to compliment your meal. 

When we first went up to the restaurant (situated above The Strand bar in Strandhill) we were impressed by the décor - soft lighting was offset by sheer curtains and projected onto the wall was a light effect to look like waves. It was a very intimate and romantic setting - I can imagine this would be perfect for a romantic meal or something special. 

To start we were served a slate of bread with a seaweed and sweet chilli pesto - it may sound a little bizarre but it was divine and really whet our appetities. For the main course, as I rarely eat steak at home as I find it a treat to get when I go out for a meal, I ordered the sirloin steak. I'm not lying when I say it was the best steak I've ever had. It was cooked to perfection (I like mine bloody but the chef will endeavour to fulfill your request however you like your steak cooked), beautifully seasoned and juicy and served with pesto mash, mushrooms and onions. I don't like mushrooms so mum ate those but she said they were perfect also. Everything on the plate was so tasty and fresh - it made shop-bought steak taste like a McDonald's hamburger! Mum ordered the chicken linguini which I also had to sample of course. It was beautifully rich and creamy and again, fresh and cooked to perfection.

As I had a starter (the chefs in Eala Bhán and Trá Bán make some of the nicest soup ever in my opinion) I couldn't eat another thing until we noticed the chocolate fondue on the dessert menu. Chocolate fondue is one of my absolute favourite things in the world so me and mum decided to share one. The Belgian chocolate fondue is served in a mini saucepan and was absolutely incredible. It was rich, sweet and creamy without being too cloying or sickly - by the end I was tempted to just eat the chocolate with a spoon. The fondue came with diced fruit and marshmallows for dipping - there's nothing like soft fluffy marshmallows and sweet strawberries dipped in warm melted chocolate to finish off a perfect meal. Mmm...

If you're looking for somewhere to enjoy a nice meal for a special occasion look no further than Trá Bán. Beautiful food followed by a leisurely stroll along the shore - what more could you want?!

Trá Bán also offer Early Bird and Christmas menus for the upcoming Holiday season (it's creeping up on us!) here or you can enjoy a meal as part of the Thrill Of Strandhill package - be sure to check out the Facebook page to keep up to date on offers.

Thanks to Anthony and all at Trá Bán for a wonderful evening.