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Jacobs On The Mall

Its location in the former Turkish baths creates a highly unusual and atmospheric contemporary dining space for what many would regard as Cork's leading restaurant.

Head Chef Mercy Fenton does a consistently excellent job: modern European cooking is the promise and, with close attention to sourcing the best ingredients allied to outstanding cooking skills, the results are commendably simple and always pleasing in terms of balance and flavour.

Details like home-made breads are good, and fresh local and organic produce makes its mark in the simplest of dishes, like delicious mixed leaf salads; similarly a house speciality of free range chicken stuffed with Gubbeen, savoy cabbage and bacon, with a thyme jus that presents an upbeat dish based on traditional Irish themes.

Reflecting the availability of local produce, lunch and dinner menus change daily and are sensibly brief - with seafood and vegetables in season especially strong points: a simple meal of Ballycotton crab salad, and sirloin steak with lyonnaise potatoes could be memorable, for example.

Creativity with deliciously wholesome and colourful ingredients, accurate cooking, stylish presentation and efficient yet relaxed service all add up to an outstanding dining experience. Finish on a high note - with a delectable falling chocolate cake, with vanilla ice cream, perhaps, or farmhouse cheeses, which are always so good in Cork, served here with fruit and home-made oatcakes.

An interesting and fairly priced drinks list includes cocktails, and a wide choice of spirits and after dinner drinks; the wide-ranging wine list includes many interesting bottles, some organic wines and a good choice of half bottles and wines by the glass.

Children welcome. Special diets willingly accommodated with advance notice.

*Development under way at the time of going to press will see Jacobs extended to become a 37-bedroom boutique hotel, Jacobs Mill (www.jacobsmill.com) in the near future.

Toilets wheelchair accessible; children welcome; special diets willingly accommodated with advance notice. Seats 130 (Private room, 50, with own bar); air conditioning. L Mon-Sat 12.30-2.30, D Mon-Sat 6.30-10pm. A la carte. House wines from €22; sc10% (excl L). Closed Sun, 25/26 Dec, L on bank hols. Amex, Diners, MasterCard, Visa, Laser.

Directions:

Beside Bank of Ireland, at the Grand Parade end of the South Mall