CLOSED DURING WINTER (reopens in May, for Summer season)
Catherine Whelahan’s popular restaurant is in a neat modern building, on the right hand side as you go through the village of Clogherhead to the beach, set back a little from the road, with steps up to the front door.
The fairly large ground floor restaurant is more formally appointed than might be expected for the location and, upstairs, there’s a large multi-purpose lounge area with various uses including aperitifs and coffee at busy times.
You don’t have to be a fish-lover to enjoy a meal here - menus offer a range of meat, vegetarian dishes – although local seafood, brought in to the nearby fishing harbour of Port Oriel, is of course the speciality and very good it is too.
House specialities include crab claws in garlic/lemon butter, lobster thermidor and sole on the bone with lemon, lime and dill butter; an exceptional dish is Clogherhead scampi, cooked and served the traditional way with sauce tartare.
With the Clogherhead Prawn Festival in July once again attracting attention to the village as a seafood destination, Catherine decided to open Cafe Little Strand in 2010, as well as the well-established evening restaurant. Here she offers visitors lighter and less expensive food including chowders, soups, freshly baked breads and cakes.
Seats 60 (Private room 12-16). Open Thu-Sun (high season) and Bank Holidays, Thu & Fri 6pm-"late"; Sat & Sun all day 12-8/8.30pm (depends on demand); á la carte; special value menus €19.95; house wine about €18, sc discretionary; air conditioning. Closed Mon, Tue (& Wed/Thurs off-season). MasterCard, Visa.
