Not a lot of people know this, but An Port Mór is named after Portmor House in Blackwatertown, Co Armagh, which is proprietor-chef Frankie Mallon’s home town – a pleasingly familiar place to us, from researching our Taste of the Waterways Guide.
The name has a nice ring to it and, although only open since May ‘09, this Euro-Toques chef (ex Cronin's Sheebeen) is delighting customers with his sound, no nonsense cooking, and carving out a national reputation for this Westport restaurant.
Already with a following in Wesport, Frankie is now ackowledged as cooking some of the best food in the area, noted for great sauces and flavour - and he is clearly achieving his stated aim: 'to give the customer the very best in local fresh produce and value for money'.
Formerly Italian, the restaurant is a long, narrow series of rooms with stucco style arches, walls and pillars, exterior patio type floor tiles and some candle wall sconces which, strangely enough, don’t seem out of place in its new guise and create a warm and comfortable atmosphere, helped by tables with white linen and maroon slip covers – and a lovely view through to a leafy little patio at the end.
Arriving guests receive a genuine welcome from the front of house staff, who are locals with a knowledge of the food producers featured on the menu: the food is Irish and local with a strong emphasis on fish and, true to Euro-Toques principles, suppliers are enthusiastically credited.
Among the seven starters (c. €4.50 to €10.50) you may find diverse dishes such as smoked eel and Connemara smoked salmon, a warm salad of pot roasted pig's cheeks with Kelly’s (of Newport) black pudding with an apple & vanilla sauce - and in summer the list of three extra specials could include Inisturk lobster salad and, perhaps, a warm Inisturk crab tart too.
Marinated rump of Mayo lamb and sirloin steaks are regular favourites among the eight main courses and three nightly specials (about €15 to €27) and there will probably be a poultry dish and a vegetarian choice, but main courses are also predominantly from the sea - Clew Bay king scallops with grilled fennel and lemon, saffron & extra virgin olive oil sauce is a speciality that's likely to feature, and a recent addition to look out for is Achill turbot, which is now successfully farmed on the island. From four homemade desserts, a warm chocolate tart with a vanilla pod extract parfait is the finale of choice for many diners.
The wine list offers about 35 wines, including a pair of organic ones from Chile; prices from four keenly priced house wines (€16.95/€5 per glass) rising to €39, 17 of which are under €25.
Seats 34 with an upstairs room for 16. D Tue-Sun, 6-10 (to 9pm Sun). 2/3 course early bird D €21.95/24.95. House wine €16.95. Closed Mon. Annual closure tbc. Mastercard,Visa, Laser.
