IRISH SEAFOOD....SOMETHING SPECIAL.

Luscious Dublin Bay prawns, succulent oysters, melt in the mouth mussels, tempting smoked salmon, mouth-watering mackerel, tantalising  monkfish…just some of the delicious seafood you’ll find on menus right round Ireland

Irish people love to eat seafood when dining out; in fact, unlike our European neighbours, we eat more seafood outside the home. Perhaps this is a testament to the quality of our restaurants. Visitors to Ireland also place a high value on the range and quality of Irish seafood. For many, a trip to Ireland wouldn’t be complete without sampling a few oysters and sinking a pint of the black stuff.

Be prepared to be surprised. You’ll find wonderful seafood in so many places, from award winning restaurants to little bistros, pubs and even top class chippers. Locally caught seafood is especially good and is often flagged on the menu.

Seafood is incredibly versatile, allowing chefs to creative innovative dishes suitable for all meal occasions whether it’s a breakfast, light lunch, quick snack or gourmet dinner.

Irish seafood is renowned for its quality and flavour and is much sought after in markets worldwide. Smoked Irish salmon finds a ready market in France, Italy and Germany while Irish mussels are enjoyed as far afield as the west coast of America. Pub goers in Tokyo are snacking on Irish crab, salmon and mussels and in Spain monkfish and hake from Irish waters are snapped up.

BIM/Irish Sea Fisheries Board, the State agency with responsibility for the Irish fishing and aquaculture industry, has developed the Seafood Circle initiative to support and reward restaurateurs and retailers offering top quality seafood and service to their customers. The programme sits under three categories and has a total membership of 132 for 2008; Hospitality with 75 members, Supermarket Seafood Counter with 23 members and 34 Seafood Specialist members.

BIM works with Georgina Campbell, food writer and editor of The Guide – (a comprehensive listing of the best places to dine in Ireland) to select restaurants, hotels and pubs that meet criteria necessary to become Seafood Circle members. Ms. Campbell is contracted by BIM, as part of the Guide’s ongoing assessments of over 1200 establishments, to select establishments specialising in seafood, to become members of the BIM Seafood Circle.

The Guide’s experienced team conduct an anonymous consumer-focused assessment and base their conclusions on the normal customer experience as found on the day of assessment. The team uses a number of criteria to assist the selection process. A good proportion of the menu should consist of seafood, with a bias towards seasonal local fish and shellfish. The menu should give information on where the seafood is sourced - for example Kilmore Quay scallops, or Clogherhead prawns. The seafood served should be fresh, of excellent quality and appropriately cooked, and served by knowledgeable and courteous staff in pleasant, comfortable surroundings.

All multiple, symbol groups and independent supermarkets offering a range of seafood from a wet fish counter, as part of a much greater offering of other foodstuffs, are invited to apply for membership in the Supermarket Seafood Counter category. The Seafood Specialist category is open to seafood retailers who derive in excess of 50% of their turnover from seafood sales and where the retail portion of their premises does not exceed 250 m². 

For Seafood Specialists and Supermarket Seafood Counter members, the assessment process involves at least two visits from an independent third party assessor and qualified BIM personnel. The team uses a number of criteria during the assessments to ensure that the establishment offers a wide selection of top quality fresh seafood, displayed in an inviting manner. Seafood should be served by pleasant, courteous staff with good knowledge of how to prepare and cook seafood.

Seafood Circle membership is awarded on an annual basis and may be withdrawn at any stage if an establishment fails to continue to meet the criteria necessary.

Check out the listings in this guide and on www.seafoodcircle.ie  and you’ll find top quality, innovative, delicious seafood dishes in the establishments carrying the distinctive Seafood Circle logo.