We recently had the pleasure of sampling the new Summer Menu on offer for 2018 from the Edge Restaurant at Redcastle Golf Resort Hotel and Spa in County Donegal. The Edge Restaurant is a setting that does many things at once. The floor to ceiling windows that affords the diner a spectacular view of Lough Foyle in sumptuous yet cosy surroundings is an experience that everyone should sample. This glorious panoramic view of Lough Foyle is more breath-taking than your normal seaside setting thanks to the fact that you are sitting on the edge of a spectacular lough that boasts the stunning backdrop of the County Derry coastline on the other side. This stunning view of Irish countryside is a visual treat that creates a living, pulsing tapestry across one side of the restaurant where the diner is liable to feel as though they could paddle their feet in the water while they dine.
To embellish and accentuate this remarkable setting, the staff of Redcastle Hotel has created a menu that is truly a feast of the senses. Visually stunning in its presentation, a host of culinary delights rolled forth from the kitchen.
From Amuse Bouche to dessert, each course seemed to surpass the previous, until, at the end, we truly appreciated what a fine dining experience we had just had. All locally sourced food that was passionately prepared and cooked to perfection. It is indeed a special treat when one has enjoyed a meal that can be classed as faultless. Every morsel, whether savoury or sweet, was bursting with flavour. The table staff was a joy to interact with, and we found them to be either very professional and well suited to their duties or truly passionate about making the diners’ experience one that they won’t forget in a hurry; for all the right reasons. The staff seems to have really bought into what the management is trying to achieve at the Edge Restaurant and it shows in their interaction with the clientele. There seemed to be an innate perception of when to dwell and chat, and when to speed things along to keep the dining experience pretty much seamless.
Although we would like to reserve our highest praise to the troops on the ground that is Head Chef Gordon Smyth and his excellent kitchen staff, we feel the real star of the show is the menu. The locally sourced produce such as Smoked Lough Neagh Eel, Atlantic Cod, Burtonport Crab, Inishowen Lamb and even Greencastle Honey took starring roles in a menu that is as good as you’ll find anywhere in the world. The supporting roles are made up of fresh, local, seasonal produce that embellish and accentuate flavours and combinations to thrill the palate. The presentation is exemplary and this well thought out menu is both adventurous yet complementary to its various components. Like a hug, you could eat!
This is high praise indeed but is not just idle fawning of a star-struck culinary groupie. The numbers stack up and there is considerable trade recognition to back up the ardour. Recently the hotel celebrated their second AA Rosette Award for The Edge Restaurant, as part of the AA Hospitality Award Scheme’s annual assessment of hotels across the UK and Ireland and been Best Hotel Restaurant Ulster by the Irish Hotel Awards for the second consecutive year. The Rosette scheme has long been established and successfully recognises cooking at different levels nationwide and this was not surprising. Head Chef Gordon Smyth has also recently received the highest praise from leading food critics, John and Sally McKenna in the McKenna Guide. So if you’re looking for a change that you’ll want to come back to or something for this Summer’s Bucket List, make a date with those friendly folk at the Edge Restaurant, where a culinary delight awaits you that goes beyond just having something to eat. This holistic experience of dining ticks all the boxes, and there’s always a comfy bedroom in the hotel to sleep it all off afterward if you so desire.