Right in the centre of the city, in Cork's Huguenot district, Ursula and Robert Hales' restaurant is a lot bigger than it used to be when it was tucked into a small site around the corner, but this lively place is still a very popular restaurant and it may be wise to make a reservation.
The attractive old brick building is a 19th century listed warehouse but, with light flooding through two-storey windows, it's bright and modern inside. The main restaurant is on the ground floor, with some tables outside for fine weather, and there's a tapas bar/restaurant upstairs where an open kitchen allows you to watch the chefs at work.
Arriving guests are promptly seated, as soon as a table becomes available, and offered extensive menus featuring popular international dishes: salads, bruschetta, gourmet sandwiches, wraps and and pastas on the daytime menu; there is some overlap onto the evening menu which offers a smaller choice of more substantial dishes, notably seafood and grills.
Long printed menus are often a danger signal but it is clear that a great deal of careful planning has gone into the menus at Amicus, and no short cuts are taken with sourcing ingredients - space is found on all menus to include a list of their excellent suppliers, mainly in the nearby English Market.
Real, uncomplicated food, fair pricing and a youthful atmosphere add up to an attractive package which is clearly popular with locals and visitors alike.
Service is friendly, although the pressure can sometimes show at busy times, and children are made especially welcome.
At the very top of the building, the atmospheric Loft, complete with baby grand and its own bar, is available for private parties.
*Nearby on French Church Street, Restaurant 14A is a smaller sister restaurant in the original Amicus premises, offering a more intimate dining experience and extensive outdoor seating.(Tel: 021 427 6457; Mon-Fri 9am-late, Sat from 8am, Sun 10am-9pm)
