Now, at long last, Arklow has a truly excellent restaurant. Conveniently situated in the town centre, in a new build at the Castlepark car park (free after 6pm, pay and display during the day), the smart exterior is sure to draw the eye – and once inside the stylish modern interior, you’re almost certainly well on the way to becoming a regular.
For, here, the considerable talents of Head Chef, Colin Byrne (formerly of The Tannery and Marlfield House) and Ballymaloe-trained Orla Killoran have combined to offer short but interesting modern European menus featuring carefully sourced local food, highly professional yet friendly service and a relaxing, comfortable contemporary space – and it all comes together to provide a seriously delightful dining experience.
Well-placed for people doing business in town, The Park opens for long hours, with breakfast and all day lunch menus offering very good value - then, in the evening, everything notches up a few gears, when short and very appealing seasonal à la carte menus come into play.
There is no reception area, so arriving diners are shown directly to their table, given menus, offered water immediately (choice of bottled or iced tap water with lemon); the ambience is pleasant, with subdued lighting and unobtrusive music setting a relaxing tone for the enjoyment of an outstanding dining experience.
Enjoy some of the excellent homemade bread while looking at the menu, which is sensibly short, offering about six choices on each course, based on a balanced choice of main ingredients - soup (of the day pea and mint, perhaps), fish and shellfish, beef, chicken, duck, cheese, etc – and seasonal accompaniments; ingredients are clearly sourced to the highest quality and the cooking is of the very highest standard. Each dish has its own individual and intensely flavoured accompaniments.
You might start with a perfectly cooked and well-flavoured prawn and pea risotto, perhaps, or a real confit of meltingly tender duck leg on a bed of pan-fried potato slices with diced apple and shredded spring cabbage, or a Kilmore crab brulée; Mains could include a sparkling fresh fillet of cod with spinach, scallions and fresh peas, or an accurately cooked-to-order duck breast matched with sweet and sour red cabbage and intensely thyme-flavoured cubes of potato.
But, wonderful as the main courses are, it will pay to save a little room for the grand finale - seriously delicious desserts might include a a classy chocolate plate, yoghurt pannacotta with stewed rhubarb, fabulous homemade ice creams or (how good to see an exceptional local product highlighted in this way) a Hempenstall Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese Plate.
A short but carefully constructed wine list (€22-80 range includes four wines by the glass from €5.50 and a few beers at €4.50 euro.
Together with the excellent food, the warm, friendly and unobtrusive service makes this a great dining experience. The Park is a very welcome addition to the options in the Wicklow/Wexford area: a terrific new destination – and well worth a journey.
Seats 55. B & L Tue-Sat 10-12 & 12-6pm; D Thur-Sat 6.30-9.30pm. Value L €12, set 3 course L €30; value D €25, set D €44; also a la carte L & D. House wine €20. Reservations recommended; children welcome (high chair, children's menu, baby changing facilities); air conditioning. Closed Sun, Mon & 25-27th Dec. MasterCard, Visa, Laser.
