Spice Up Your Life With Sligo Global Kitchen

I love trying new food. There's nothing quite like sampling a different cuisine, especially when it's cooked by someone who knows their stuff. That's exactly what Sligo Global Kitchen does; they aim to bring people together with food. The project allows people living in direct provision to showcase their culinary skills and gives a real sense of community. 

Sligo Global Kitchen is supported by The Model, who host the event. They aim to hold the event once a month or so, and I have to say I think it's a fantastic idea. The event is open to everyone and is free but donations are welcomed and encouraged. Yesterday, my mum and I went along and sampled food from Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Cameroon. 

Pic credit: Magnumlady.com

Sligo Global Kitchen offer starters, main courses and desserts from different countries, usually the main courses are all from a certain part of the world. This time it was Cameroon. We sampled Chin Chin (crunchy fried dough snacks), Akara (made from peeled beans and dough) and Pof Pof (fried dough balls) from Nigeria, fried plaintain and white kidney bean stew from Cameroon, which was absolutely divine, and various other offerings such as fried chicken, smoked mackerel and peanut butter beef stew. All of the food is just delicious and perfectly seasoned, we left with full tummies and smiles on our face. The atmosphere and ethos behind the project is really heartwarming and I hope Sligo Global Kitchen will continue to grow. 

The next Sligo Global Kitchen is on June 17th and will include Venezuelan cuisine. All are welcome. Find out more about Sligo Global Kitchen here, and read my mum's blog post about it here.

No More Ordinary: The Draft House Strandhill Review

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!

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!

Food, Glorious Food: Knox & The Draft House

Do you ever have those days where you feel like all you've done is eat? I had this on Friday. After work I headed along to the newly opened Knox café/restaurant in Sligo to meet my friend AJ for lunch. Usually we go to the Swagman but recently we've decided to switch things up and try different places, which I have to say I enjoy! Change is good.

When we first arrived at Knox we immediately noticed how busy it was and expected to wait for a table. Luckily we managed to nab a seat just as 2 people were leaving. After an awkward moment of having to get AJ to squeeze past the table to sit in at the wall because my booty was not about to attempt to do that, we were quickly brought some menus by the lovely staff. I will admit I got a little bit too excited upon seeing sweet potato fries on the menu - I don't know of anywhere else in Sligo that offers these and they're a favourite of mine.

It didn't take long for AJ and I to decide what we wanted. We both went for the chicken burger, served on a bun with homemade ketchup and guacamole, with sweet potato fries, homemade coleslaw and lettuce on the side. I opted for mine without the ketchup as I'm not about that life but I did try a teeny bit of AJ's and for ketchup it was pretty nice!

After a lengthy discussion about first world problems and everything else under the sun we were pleasantly full from our lunch. The food was absolutely delicious - tasty, fresh and not stodgy like other burgers and chips. I loved how this was a healthier option while still feeling like a treat and I didn't feel uncomfortably full after. 

We took a stroll to Lidl to get dessert (aka a cookie from the bakery) then headed up to the Model for the free food - I mean, to support my mum after her drama play. Tea, coffee, sandwiches, wraps and mini cakes were being served and we all sat together for a chat and (another) bite to eat. It was free, it would've been rude not to.

We said goodbye to AJ and then headed off to Strandhill. My brother and I went to The Draft House while mum had a meal in Trá Bán. I'm delighted I got to try The Draft House after missing it the last time I went to Strandhill (read about that). As I was still full from grazing all day I just chose the soup and Jono went for the chicken wings, a favourite of his. The portions were plentiful and the staff were very pleasant. I also enjoyed the décor and ambience of the place, I bet it's a great place for a few pints. Jono enjoyed his chicken wings and said they were tasty. My soup wasn't the most flavourful if I'm being honest but as it was only soup and the place is new I won't hold it against them! I saw some of the other items on the menu coming out and they looked superb.

After our food it was back into town to pop into Iníon Veigh for their opening. There was a delicious looking array of food and wine on offer but I was beginning to waddle from everything I'd eaten so I politely declined. Iníon Veigh is a craft and jewellery shop in Sligo and they have the most unusual beautiful things. I was so tempted by a leaf ear cuff and an awesome dragon ring with sapphire eyes but I managed to resist!

After a long day we were so happy to get home and relax a bit. Eating all day really takes it out of you!

P.S make sure to check out my friend AJ's great new blog here. How cool is the name?

Hope you enjoyed this blog. Have you eaten anywhere new lately? 

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.