The Guide is not generally a fan of roadside B&Bs but this smart modern house, set reasonably well back from the Rosslare Road just outside Tagoat, is an exception that is well worth knowing about.
Having return guests from the UK in your first year of business must mean you’re doing something right - and there’s absolutely no doubt that Eileen and Chris Hadlington, your hosts in The Archways B&B, do everything right. Both Eileen and Chris have some 30 years experience in hospitality, having previously had a restaurant in Plymouth and then a catering business.
When you arrive, Eileen is there with the welcome while Chris is busy in the kitchen – and he’s only too happy to tell you what he’s cooking for the evening’s guests. It’s a BYOB experience – bring your own wine. Eileen will pop the white in the fridge or will open the red so it can breathe before you eat.
Later, Eileen hands out the evening’s menu – a very reasonably priced no-choice three-course dinner showcasing local produce. You might start with Crab Bisque, featuring brown crab from Kilmore Quay, and follow with Bacon and Cabbage with Parsley Sauce. Chris uses Pat O’Neill’s dry cured bacon from Enniscorthy – a local product with a national reputation, it won an Irish Food Writers’ Guild Good Food Award in 2011 and Chris serves it with cabbage and colcannon.
For dessert, there might be Eileen's delicious Pavlova, topped with fresh seasonal fruits and Wexford cream.
The menu changes daily and, although the main menu doesn’t offer choices, Chris emphasises that they are happy to cater for any dietary, religious or ethnic needs - and they will even cook your favourite dinner if you let them know in time.
Guests meet in the very comfortable lounge (where there is a piano as well as comfy seating), sipping their wine and chatting. As it’s a large communal dining table, this getting to know you beforehand is important. Everyone is relaxed when they finally sit at the big wooden table, on comfortable leather chairs. Conversation flows and ranges over any number of topics.
When the meal is over, it’s more than likely Chris will sit down to chat; if it’s not food, it’s his beloved motorbikes. And Eileen happily reminisces about the family and friends.
Breakfast again shows off Chris’s considerable culinary skills – he makes his own delicious sausages and black and white pudding. As they’re all wheat-free, they’re suitable for coeliacs and anyone who is wheat intolerant. But as well as variations on the full Irish breakfast, including free range eggs, he also makes delicious porridge, served with honey and cream. And he’ll add a drop of good Irish whiskey if you like!
Eileen (who is Irish), is a dab hand with the soda bread , baked fresh each morning for breakfast. They also have their own free range pigs down the road happily foraging on 10 acres and, with all kitchen scraps fed to them as well, there’s no doubt the pork will be excellent.
The four modern bedrooms are smartly decorated to individual themes – one with two single beds has lovely green silk throws, matching the curtains, for example. Although not huge, they are comfortable, with either a tiled wet room or bathroom/shower and heated towel rail.
Fresh brew tea- and coffee-making facilities include homemade cookies, and on chilly nights the radiator is on to welcome arriving guests. While a flat screen TV with DVD and CD is provided (along with iPod Dock, Clock Radio Alarm an free WiFi), it seems unlikely that guests will want to turn it on in the evening – the chat is in the lounge.
Rooms 6 (all en-suite, ground floor & shower only; 2 family), B&B from €35 per person sharing. Children welcome (under 3s free in parents room, cots available free of charge, high chair, childrens menu). Dogs welcome (stay in bedrooms, no charge); free broadband wifi. Closed Dec & Jan. MasterCard, Visa, Laser.
