Just across from the pier in the pleasant village of Lower Aghada, Martin and Imelda Budden’s attractive bar and bistro has built up a following for good food and hospitality. The welcome is warm, the surroundings peaceful and there’s an appealingly fresh menu to choose from – what’s not to like?
Although in a traditional building, it’s been pleasingly modernised and the ground floor bar/restaurant area is a nice spot for daytime dining, with an open hatch to the kitchen. Upstairs there’s another attractive restaurant area for use on busy evenings, and this first floor space is also available for private functions.
Menus are based on local and seasonal availability and, although there are lunch and evening menus, the main daily offerings are on a large blackboard.
Seafood is the key speciality and, give or take the occasional tiger prawn dish, you may expect most of it to be local. Poached fillet of haddock topped with buttered leeks, mussels in white wine sauce, grilled fillet of cod with rocket, or a good chowder with decent chunks of fish are all typical – and not only do the Fish’n’Chips come coated in their own ‘unique batter’, but the chip potatoes come from a named supplier (John Wall) and they’re cooked in traditional beef dripping too.
But you don’t have to eat fish here to eat well: homemade beef burgers and prime steaks are also a speciality - and the less expensive dishes will also be made with quality ingredients. The Bangers’n’Mash on the main lunch menu, will be made with the famed O’ Flynn’s Gourmet Sausage, for example, along with crispy bacon & grilled Clonakilty pudding, then topped with red onion marmalade and red wine & rosemary gravy. There are quite a lot of spicy flavours in the mix here too - think Cajun chicken goujons, Thai beef salad or chilli chicken noodles...
Coeliac-friendly dishes are highlighted, but it might be wise to forget about the calories when eating at the Pepperstack, as specialities such as warm death by chocolate, lemon tart and a delicious duo of pannacotta with homemade shortbread biscuits are sure to weaken your resolve.
Attractive special offers draw regulars back time and again - Thrifty Tuesday brings a €10 menu, for example, the Sunday roast is as just €10 too, and there are specials for kids on Friday evenings.
Martin’s innovative cooking and Imelda’s front of house skills backed up by friendly and efficient staff make for a pleasant and relaxing outing here – and you can be sure of getting good value too.
