Just Ask Restaurant of the Month for May - Thyme

The “Just Ask!” Restaurant of the Month winner for May is Thyme in Athlone, Co Westmeath

Right in the centre of Athlone, Thyme Restaurant is one of the town’s most popular eating places. 'Delicious food at affordable prices' is the stated aim at this cosy little spot and it's clearly getting it right as its appeal to people of all ages means that weekend tables need to be booked well ahead.

Owner-chef John Coffey’s menus are a model of good customer information, and diners are left in no doubt that this is a chef who sources every ingredient with the greatest of care, ensuring that everything travels as short a distance as possible.

“We are now trying to promote the great local produce we have on our doorstep as much as possible and really see the benefits," he comments.

You may see influences from world cuisines in the menus - a kindly priced two or three-course early dinner and a wide-ranging Sunday lunch as well as the à la carte - but, with ingredients name-checked on dishes and a detailed list of suppliers provided, it's clear where John's heart lies.

Describing a food philosophy that’s light years away from the restaurant’s early days, when the Guide noted ‘very little mention of suppliers’, John is proud to state that “Almost everything we serve is from local (or as local as possible) farmers”.

Many of the key ingredients are from around Athlone and most of the others are from the general midlands area: bacon, eggs and butter and some of the vegetables and chicken come from Athlone suppliers (Paul Lawlor, Paddy Halligan and Seamus Fagan, respectively); additional supplies of vegetables and chicken - from Beechlawn Organic Farm, Ballinasloe, and 'The Friendlly Farmer' (Ronan Byrne) of Athenry - do not have very far to travel.

There is free range Tamworth pork from Fergus Dunne of Tullamore, and Irish Food Writers' Guild Award winning Castlemine Farm in Co Roscommon also supplies pork, black pudding, lamb and all of the beef except sirloin, which comes from Brendan Coyle of Bellurgan Meats, Dundalk. The fish - "all Irish, sustainable and fresh" - is landed at Kilmore Quay and the main supplier is Atlantis Seafood, Wexford.

Menus change seasonally so favourite dishes may not always be available, but examples that showcase some of this wonderful produce include a starter confit of Fergus Dunne's free range Tamworth pork - deliciously accompanied by celeriac remoulade, plum chutney & toasted hazelnuts; and a main course of slow-cooked shoulder of Castlemine Farm lamb may be served with pipérade and an Ardsallagh goats cheese won ton, illustrating how eclectic influences combine beautifully with local produce.

Fish dishes are particularly interesting, with lesser-used species such as blossom and (the once familiar) ling featuring in both traditional and international flavour combinations; Panfried fillet of Kilmore Quay blossom, with peas, leek, smoked bacon and crème fraiche is a typical example from a Sunday lunch menu.

All menus offer good value for the delicious local foods served, and the early dinner is a snip.

SAMPLE MENUS

Value Menu

Organic Clare Island Salmon, Cod and Smoked Coley Fishcake with Sundried Tomato Aioli

McCarthy's of Kanturk Black Pudding and Smoked Bacon Potato Cake with Fresh Tomato Relish

Tea Smoked Chicken, Pear and Blue Cheese Salad with Candied Spiced Walnuts and Organic Beechlawn Leaves

Orzo with Wild Mushroom, Smoked Bacon and Baby Spinach

Soup of the Day

*******

Bellurgan Minute Steak, Wild Garlic Mash, Roast Onion and Thyme Purée, Café de Paris Butter

Daube of Castlemine Beef, O' Haras Stout, Horseradish Mash

Homemade Castlemine Farm Beef Burger, Smoked Carrigaline Cheese, Fresh Tomato Relish

Ballotine of Friendly Farmer Chicken, Wild Mushroom and Leek, Pickled Mushroom, Organic Celeriac Purée

Pan-Roasted Barbary Duck Breast with McCarthys of Kanturk Black Pudding and Salad Lyonnaise

Castlemine Farm Free Range Pork Belly, Beechlawn Organic Greens, Croquettes, Cider Apple Purée

Panfried Fillet of Kilmore Quay Blossom, Peas, Leek, Bacon and Crème Fraiche, Roast Tomato Vinaigrette

Vegetable Charlotte, Caponata, Cannellini Beans, Parmesan Tuile

All served with a choice of side order- Homemade Chips, Potato of the Day, Vegetables, Side Salad, Coleslaw, Mushrooms, Onions

2 Courses €19.95
3 Courses €24.95

All our food is cooked freshly to order to ensure quality. During busy periods we appreciate your patience

Dinner Menu

Confit of Fergus Dunnes Free Range Tamworth Pork, Celeriac Remoulade, Plum Chutney, Toasted Hazelnuts €8.90

Cured Organic Clare Island Salmon with Avocado Purée, Shaved Fennel, Lemon Vinaigrette €8.90

Twice Baked Goats Cheese Soufflé with Carpaccio of Beechlawn Organic Beetroot €8.90

Friendly Farmer Chicken Rillette with Pickled Vegetables and Cheddar and Scallion Toast €8.90

Tea Smoked Chicken, Pear and Blue Cheese Salad with Candied Spiced Walnuts €7.90

Baked Flat Mushroom with a Bacon, Onion and Cheddar Gratin €7.90

Soup of the Day €4.50

*******

Steaks – 12 oz Bellurgan Sirloin or 10oz Castlemine Farm Ribeye, Wild Garlic Potato, Peppercorn Sauce or Café de Paris Butter €24

9 oz Castlemine Farm Beef Burger with Smoked Carrigaline Cheese, Crisp Serrano Ham and our own Tomato Ketchup €15.50

Pan Roasted Barbary Duck Breast, McCarthys of Kanturk Black Pudding, Salad Lyonnaise €20

Roast Ballotine of Friendly Farmer Chicken Breast, Wild Mushroom and Leek, Pickled Mushroom, Organic Celeriac Purée €20

Slow-Cooked Shoulder of Castlemine Farm Lamb, Pipérade, Ardsallagh Goats Cheese Won Ton €23

Cider Braised Castlemine Farm Free Range Pork Belly, Beechlawn Organic Greens with Bacon and Onion, Croquettes, Cider Apple Purée €19.50

Panfried Fillet of Kilmore Quay Blossom, Peas, Smoked Bacon, Leek and Créme Fraiche, Roast Tomato Vinaigrette €19.50

Salt n Chilli Kilmore Quay Ling with Sweet Chilli, Lime and Soy Dipping Sauce €19.50

Market Fish Special of the night  Market Price

Vegetable Charlotte with Caponata, Cannellini Beans, Parmesan Tuile €14.50

Orzo with Wild Mushroom, Organic Beechlawn Greens and Fresh Parmesan €14.50

Dessert Menu

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Sous-Vide Beechlawn Organic Rhubarb and Biscotti

Sticky Ginger Pudding with Poached Pear

Chocolate Fondant with Cherries and Vanilla Ice Cream

Tiramisu

Lime Curd and Meringue Ice Cream with Lime Jelly  and Chocolate Hazelnut Tuile

All €6.95

Our Suppliers:

Pork, Beef (Ribeye,Cheeks and Mince), Lamb, Black Pudding -Castlemine Farm, Roscommon
Chicken-Friendly Farmer, Ronan Byrne, Athenry
Seamus Fagan, Athlone
Vegetables- Beechlawn Organic Farm, Ballinasloe
Paddy Halligan, Athlone
Fresh and Ready, Moher, Longford
Beef (Sirloin) - Brendan Coyle, Bellurgan Meats, Dundalk
Bacon, Eggs, Butter - Paul Lawlor, Athlone
Milk and Cream - Monaghan Milk
Fish- Atlantis Seafood, Wexford
Duck - BD foods, Monaghan
Free Range Tamworth Pork, Pork Cheeks, Bacon - Fergus Dunne, Tullamore
We also use Pallas Foods, La Rousse Foods and BD Foods but we try to source as much as we can as close as we can.

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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.