In an almost rural location at edge of the city, this long-established restaurant has a devoted local clientèle who love the old-fashioned atmosphere, good French/Irish cooking and professional service.
An attractive entrance conservatory leads to a comfortable lounge/reception area, where the welcome is warm and you can choose from menus which offer a great choice of quite traditional dishes - starters like Clonakilty black pudding and Cashel Blue cheese, for example, and their very own excellent home-smoked salmon.
There’s a good choice of seafood and, along with ever-popular steaks, lamb (rack or shank) and pork (stuffed pork fillet, perhaps), poultry features strongly - notably crispy roast duckling, which is an enduring favourite and updated a little from time to time; currently it may come with plum jam, beetroot confit, glazed sweet potato and port reduction, which is quite a combination. Vegetarians are well looked after too.
The restaurant is large and divided into several dining areas, each with well-spaced tables classically set up with fresh flowers - and in chilly weather you may be lucky enough to get a fireside table.
Everything is cooked to order, with the emphasis on flavour and wholesomeness. The saucing and presentation are consistently good, accompaniments are carefully selected and service is professional and attentive; all round a reassuringly old-style approach, and there’s a pianist on some nights too.
The Barn is one of the few places in the area where they wheel out the dessert trolley - hard to resist! This is a style that’s coming back into favour and no wonder - indulgent desserts make the perfect treat.
The choice of menus offered includes Afternoon Tea, as well as an Early Bird and A La Carte dinner; Sunday lunch is very popular and menus are similar to the evening meals in style.
The Barn, over 30 years on the go, is one of those long established restaurants that we tend to take for granted. The standard is as high as ever and it isn’t a stick in the mud restaurant. The cooking may not be cutting edge but is has moved with the times - and it always seems to be busy. Long may it last.
