I'm really late doing this blog *slaps wrist* because I recently started college and turned 20 (I'm officially an adult now, I'm scared). A couple of weeks ago my mum and I were invited along to The Draft House pub in Strandhill for a bite to eat. It was the day before my birthday so I treated it as a pre-birthday lunch.
We arrived on a blustery Strandhill afternoon and scoped out the exterior of the place. The building is painted a fitting blue and adorned with quotes (their trademark 'Draft. Craft. Munch' and 'We don't do ordinary' above the door, most notably) and a bicycle that spelled out the word 'food'. When we went round the back of the pub we realised there were dog kennels - yes, you read that right - if you want to drop your pooch off for some downtime while you eat. Walking your dog on the beach is hungry work, after all! If this wasn't enough, The Draft House are also installing showers - in case you've come out of the sea and feel a bit grimy - both really nice touches, I have to say.
When we walked into The Draft House we were quickly seen to by Maya who seated us in a booth and took our drinks order. I requested a Desperados, which they didn't have, but Maya was quick to suggest an alternative and gave me a small taster. She told me all the craft beers were available to be sampled - great for someone indecisive like me.
It was then time for the fun part - to decide what we would get to eat. I was torn between the chicken special - polenta crusted chicken - or the vegetarian special - veggie curry with a toasted tortilla - but in the end went for the veggie option. Curry can be quite difficult to master so I was keen to see how this would turn out! Mum chose the fish and chips, a seaside classic.
Our food came very promptly - thumbs up for that because we were both starving - and after going upstairs to take some photographs (I could only get phone photos so apologies) we started to tuck in to our food. Everything was plentiful, hot and fresh. My veg curry was so big I could only eat half of it - it came with a massive bowl of rice and toasted tortillas dusted with spices. It was absolutely delicious - I'm not usually a curry fan but this was one of the best curries I've ever had. The rice was also cooked beautifully - no boring plain rice at The Draft House! The curry wasn't just your standard fare of vegetarian curry. Rather than the usual unimaginative carrots and mushrooms, this included courgette, cauliflower, sweet potato and an array of other vegetables. I would definitely get this if I went back to visit The Draft House. I'm a bit sad it's only a special and not on the usual lunch menu which has recently been updated for Autumn 2015. It's good to have seasonal fresh food rather than eating the same thing all year round!
Mum said her fish was beautifully crispy and flaky and the chips were just as good. We were well and truly stuffed by the end of our meal but decided we'd have to sample the desserts too to give an honest account. I chose the chocolate and orange mousse which was actually dairy free (woop!) and mum chose the meringue. I scoffed my mousse down in about 0.5 seconds, it was heaven in a bowl - well, jar.
I'm a huge fan of The Draft House's unique touch. In this day and age it can be hard to find a place that isn't the same been there, done that foodie fare - let alone a pub. We're lucky in Sligo that we have some stellar dining options!
We waddled out with full tummies and smiling faces after a delicious meal. If you find yourself in Strandhill be sure to pop into The Draft House for lunch, dinner or a drink at sunset - you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Maya for being so helpful and friendly and to The Draft House for accommodating us. Check them out here. Read my mum's account of our meal here - her photos are fantastic and so much better than my quick snaps!
Our food came very promptly - thumbs up for that because we were both starving - and after going upstairs to take some photographs (I could only get phone photos so apologies) we started to tuck in to our food. Everything was plentiful, hot and fresh. My veg curry was so big I could only eat half of it - it came with a massive bowl of rice and toasted tortillas dusted with spices. It was absolutely delicious - I'm not usually a curry fan but this was one of the best curries I've ever had. The rice was also cooked beautifully - no boring plain rice at The Draft House! The curry wasn't just your standard fare of vegetarian curry. Rather than the usual unimaginative carrots and mushrooms, this included courgette, cauliflower, sweet potato and an array of other vegetables. I would definitely get this if I went back to visit The Draft House. I'm a bit sad it's only a special and not on the usual lunch menu which has recently been updated for Autumn 2015. It's good to have seasonal fresh food rather than eating the same thing all year round!
Mum said her fish was beautifully crispy and flaky and the chips were just as good. We were well and truly stuffed by the end of our meal but decided we'd have to sample the desserts too to give an honest account. I chose the chocolate and orange mousse which was actually dairy free (woop!) and mum chose the meringue. I scoffed my mousse down in about 0.5 seconds, it was heaven in a bowl - well, jar.
I'm a huge fan of The Draft House's unique touch. In this day and age it can be hard to find a place that isn't the same been there, done that foodie fare - let alone a pub. We're lucky in Sligo that we have some stellar dining options!
We waddled out with full tummies and smiling faces after a delicious meal. If you find yourself in Strandhill be sure to pop into The Draft House for lunch, dinner or a drink at sunset - you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Maya for being so helpful and friendly and to The Draft House for accommodating us. Check them out here. Read my mum's account of our meal here - her photos are fantastic and so much better than my quick snaps!
P.S I've majorly lost my blogging mojo so most of my latest posts are food reviews - if there's anything you'd like to see on the blog please let me know!
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