Just Ask Restaurant of the Month for March - White Sage Restaurant

The “Just Ask!” Restaurant of the Month winner for March is White Sage Restaurant, Adare, Co Limerick

If good looks were the secret of a restaurant’s success then Tony and Bobbie Schwarz could just sit back and watch customers flocking to the door, as their cosily thatched White Sage Restaurant is probably the cutest of all the chocolate-box-pretty houses in Ireland’s prettiest village.

But that isn’t the way they do things at the White Sage, where Tony’s food philosophy is informed by sound classical training and a working life that has taken him to many of the best restaurants in Ireland and abroad. Gert Maes, Evan Doyle, Michael & Declan Ryan at The Arbutus Lodge, Gerry Galvin and Dan Mullane are among the great luminaries of Irish food who have influenced him, while experience abroad has included three separate stages at the one-star Michelin Lea Linster in Luxembourg (who has also helped and inspired other Irish chefs too, including Neven Maguire).

Even if you didn’t know all that, it would take only a few moments with one of Tony’s menus to see what makes this excellent Euro-Toques chef tick, and there aren’t too many restaurants you can say that about. Right away you’ll notice that he puts the customer first, with generous hours for the ‘Early Bird’ (it actually runs all evening except for a more restricted time on Saturdays) and not only a pocket-friendly pricing structure but also the inclusion of extras that are often charged separately such as breads and side vegetables.

Next you see that everything is cooked to order, a great sign and it allows you plenty of time to enjoy a drink before your starter arrives – no rushing customers in and out of this restaurant to turn around tables. Then you notice that there’s a lot of choice, even on the early bird – eight equally desirable dishes to choose from, on both the starters and main course lists – and that many dishes are considerately marked up with symbols for customers with special dietary needs (Gluten Free, Wheat Free and Vegetarian).

So far, so very good indeed. So it should come as no surprise at all to find that Tony Schwarz is committed to sourcing his ingredients with great care, and keeping things local. So much so, in fact, that his supplier list not only credits Irish producers but is restricted to showcasing the foods of the province - Our Suppliers of Munster – which is highly unusual and very interesting. Even allowing for the fact that a few more exotic ingredients and flavourings have to come from warmer climates, this is a saving of many thousands of food miles and keeps much-needed money circulating in the immediate area.

You’ll find some of our greatest producers here - Jane and Louis Grubb of Co Tipperary, for example, who make Ireland’s most successful farmhouse cheese, Cashel Blue, and its younger sibling Crozier Blue sheeps’ cheese; also Sean and Deirdre Fitzgerald, who make the speciality sheeps’ cheese, Cratloe Hills Cheese, in Co. Clare. You’ll find beef from the Hereford Society and Old Farm Heritage Pork, both from Co Tipperary and, nearer to home, wild game supplied in season by local sportsmen and Munster free range chicken from Glin Valley.

Seafood is from the famous Dan Browne in Dingle and Sea Lyons in Carrigaholt Co Clare, and there’s a supporting cast of wild and cultivated mushrooms from John O Connell, and Emer O Flaherty’s organic vegetables, herbs, salads from the great Springfield walled garden. Even the coffee is local (well, locally roasted), and comes from the excellent artisan handcrafted coffee roasters Ponaire of Annacotty, Co Limerick.

All this and good cooking, plus great atmosphere, service, value for money – and not much need to ‘Just Ask’, although you could be sure of a full and interesting reply if you do.


Sample Menus

Our Early Bird Menu
6.00-9.30pm Tues –Friday
6.00-6.45pm-Saturday
€33.00 x 3 course
€28.50 x 2 course

All main courses are served with seasonal vegetables, potato & a basket of bread. As all of our food is fresh and cooked to order, please allow 15-20 minutes for all courses, you may order your desserts with the entrée and main course

Our Early Bird Starters

(GF)(V)Roast Turnip soup, lightly spiced madras,yoghurt & almond.

Torchon of Duck foie gras, vanilla salt

golden raisins, sesame tuile (€3.00 Supplement).

Flash-fried pork rillettes, sweet-sour onion & raisin relish.

Smoked Eel, Jerusalem artichoke & horseradish

(GF) A Lobster & Chicken Sausage, Lobster Bisque.

Brown Crab & Leek Tart, orange & cardamom

(v) Savory pear, caramelized walnuts and Crozier blue cheese Salad.

(GF) Smoked salmon & potato gratin.

Our Early Bird main courses

(GF)Hereford Irish Sirloin, mushroom ketchup, spiced tomato relish & polenta chips

A little ragout of wild venison, smoked hickory bacon, Paris button mushroom

(GF)Crisp Confit Duck leg, choucroute, puy lentils and chorizo

(GF) Loin of Venison, cinnamon pear, red cabbage, Chocolate oil,
Port Jus (supplement €7.00)

(WF)Daube of Irish Beef, caramelized red onion, spice scented pearl barley Jus, carrot & caraway.

Free range Irish Chicken breast & leg, chestnut preserve parsnip purée, crisp rare breed black pudding & apple

Bourride of Market fish, mussels, blood orange, coriander & aioli

(V)Shallot tart tatin, St.Tola Goats cheese, white onion soubise.

(GF)=Gluten Free (WF) =wheat Free (V) =Vegetarian

Please note there is an extra charge for extra vegetables, potato and bread.

All of our prices include vat but no service charge, however we will ask for a discretionary 10%service charge for parties 6 and over. Some of our dishes may contain nuts please ask your waiters advice

Our Early Bird desserts

Hot Chocolate Fondant, cranberry pistachio compote chocolate ice cream

Poached Pear & almond Tart.

Crème brulee with sable biscuits.

Our Suppliers of Munster

John O Connell –wild & cultivated mushrooms
Ponaire-Annacotty Limerick Irish artisan handcrafted roasted coffee
Ted Browne-Dingle, Co.Kerry- organic Salmon, Crab, Prawns
Emer O Flaherty Springfield walled garden Co. Limerick - Organic vegetables, herbs, salads
Old Farm Heritage Pork Co. Tipperary –Pork
Pallas Foods, Hereford Society - Beef
Glin Valley Munster Free Range Chicken,
Sea Lyons Carrigaholt Co. Clare - Seafoods
Jane and Louis Grubb - Tipperary Crozier Blue Cheese
The locals - Wild Game
Sean & Deirdre Fitzgerald, Cratloe Hills Cheese, Co. Clare - Sheeps’ cheese

A la Carte Menu

Our Starters

(GF)(V) Roast Beetroot Soup, toasted Almond & yoghurt €5.50

(v) Savory pear, caramelized walnuts and Crozier blue cheese Salad €6.50

Flash-fried pork rillettes, sweet-sour onion & raisin relish €6.45

Torchon of Duck foie gras, vanilla golden raisins €8.56

(GF) A Lobster & Chicken Sausage, Lobster Bisque€7.50

Parfait of Foie gras & Chicken liver, prune & walnut chutney. €6.25

(GF) Crab cocktail with pickled cucumber & lime jelly€6.65

(GF) A little ragout of wild venison€6.50

Our Main courses

(V) Open Lasagne of Wild mushroom, truffle velouté €19.10

(WF) Daube of Irish Beef, caramelised red onion, spice scented pearl barley broth, pickled horseradish €23.50

Free range Irish Chicken, Jerusalem artichoke,Smoked garlic butter €22.50

(GF) Breast & leg of pheasant, fig marmalade honey & rosemary€23.50

(GF) Market Fish, saffron orange infused salsify, leek fondue €26.50

(GF)Hereford Irish prime Beef, wild Cep mushroom puree,chantrelle,crisp potato ,Bayonne ham truffle jus (Sirloin €25.50/ Fillet€29.00)

(GF) Loin of Venison, cinnamon pear, red cabbage, Chocolate oil, Port Jus €30.00

All of the above main courses are served with seasonal vegetables & potato, please note there is an extra charge for extra vegetables, potato and bread All of our prices include vat but no service charge, however we will ask for a discretionary 10%service charge for parties 6 and over (V) De-notes Vegetarian. Some of our dishes may contain nuts please ask your waiters advice


Desserts

As all of our food is fresh and cooked to order, please allow 15-20 minutes for all courses,

Hot Chocolate Fondant, cranberry pistachio compote chocolate ice cream €7.00

Poached Pear & Almond Tart Crème Anglaise €6.25

Crème Brulee with sable biscuits €6.25

Pan seared Cratloe Hills Sheep Cheese spiced carrot salad Golden raisin purée €6.25

Selection of homemade yoghurt ice cream, €6.25

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VIEW ALL JUST ASK RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH WINNERS

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“Just Ask!” is a public awareness campaign that aims to encourage consumers when eating out to look for information on where the food (particularly meat) on their plate comes from, and encourages chefs to provide this information on their menus. The programme supports both large and smaller artisan suppliers, encouraging both Irish diners and visitors from abroad to support restaurants that are in turn supporting their suppliers.

Here at Georgina Campbell Guides we have always been avid supporters of the ‘eat local’ concept, and we always enjoy reading menus that have a real sense of place. The dining experience is greatly enriched by knowing that the food on your plate is inspired by the produce and traditions of the area, and sourced nearby – and we would love to see more chefs sharing that precious information with their guests. 

If you are a visitor to the area, learning a little about local food and the people who produce it adds a special extra dimension to the visit – and, for residents, it reinforces a natural pride in the good things of their locality and makes a meal all the more enjoyable.

So, we are delighted by the high standard of menus that continue to be submitted for our ' “Just Ask!” Restaurant of the Month Competition', menus that really speak of the best of Irish foods – and the dedication of both the people who make them, and the chefs who select them to create wonderful dishes with real Irish flavour for our enjoyment.