Three of the chefs from last years Masterchef Ireland, Bridin Carey, Conal Markey and Richard Speedie run Seasons Supper Club.
I was planning a night in town and this coincided with the lastest Seasons Supper, held in Medley in Drury Street, a kind of dining room for hire.
What followed was one of the most memorable dining experiences I’ve ever had. The menu was fixed, no choices offered and I was attending with three non-foodies. It planned to be an interesting night, I knew I’d eat well, but wasn’t sure about the others. I needn’t have worried.
We were welcomed with a cocktail of Stonewell Cider, Cassis and Blackberry foam. Delicious, Mrs B (a non drinker) felt that this was a perfect Christmas Day drink.
There followed an amuse of Beetroot and Orange Meringues before the starter proper, Ryefield Goats Cheese Parfait with White Balsamic Vinegar and Quince. A great start, the goats cheese was not overpowering and the sharpness of the quince and balsamic the perfect complement.
Next up, Wicklow Pigeon, Pigeon Sauce, Almond Milk, Blackberry, Roast Shallot, Garlic Confit and Almond Crunch. Frankly we’d no idea what to expect here, one of my companions asked me whether she could order her pigeon well done, I told her she could not. She was however delighted with her pigeon, perfectly cooked, the sauce rich and tasty.
Having sampled Crowe Farm pork before I was looking forward to the second main course, Crowe Farm pork, Pulled Pork Faggot, Saffron Pomme Fondant, Pumpkin Puree, Marsala Sauce.
It was the Pulled Pork Faggot that garnered most interest. It came wrapped in leaves of baby gem lettuce and resembled a large sprout. One of our party passed it on (“…don’t like sprouts…”) before realising his mistake and swiping it back. The pulled pork was juicy and delicious as it should be, a wonderful plate of food and my favourite of the night.
Finally, dessert was Autumn Chestnut Cake, Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream, Poached Pear, Candied Squash, Meringue and a Tea Syrup. As with the other courses, a lot of elements to each dish, but each one chosen with a purpose and fit in perfectly with its colleagues.
This wasn’t a restaurant meal, of course the food was modern, exciting and thoroughly thought out, but what made the night was the added drama of having the kitchen separated from the dining room by only a think curtain, drawn back at the end of the meal.
This is the way dinners should be enjoyed.
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