UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT FROM DECEMBER 2022 - New owners: Paul Lenehan & Ronan Kinsella (Hartes of Kildare; Firecastle, Kildare; Dew Drop Inn & Brewhouse, Kill)
It’s the fantastic food that draws people to the O’Sullivan family’s pub and it’s wise to book well ahead to get a taste of the wonderful things this fine country kitchen has to offer.
The neatly painted cream and black exterior, the clipped trees in tubs flanking the front door, all bring a sense of anticipation, confirmed by the warm interior with welcoming open fires.
Hospitality is a strong point at this stylish bar - arriving guests are greeted at a reception area at the door, and you will either be given a table in the front Café Bar area, or you can go through to the ‘Back Bar’, a big open plan bar with a vibrant atmosphere.
There are bar specials available as well as an à la carte menu.
A Special Lunch on the run Menu offers real food for customers in a hurry: a delicious home-made soup and a ham and cheese toastie and soup of the day (Mon-Fri to 5pm).
Evening Café Bar menus are a little more formal, offering a well-balanced choice, but this is beef country and the inn is renowned for its steaks - chargrilled aged sirloin or fillet - and rack of Slaney lamb is almost equally popular.
Nobody understands the importance of careful sourcing better than Georgina O’Sullivan does and, as a matter of course producers and suppliers are credited on dishes - and the policy of using only the very best ingredients, careful cooking and a relaxed ambience have proved a winning formula.
And a concise, very carefully chosen wine list includes five bubblies, a couple of dozen available by the glass and some by the half bottle as well as wine specials.
A small shop area also offers some house specialities to take home and products from other artisan producers.The cookbook is also available to buy here, and it has lots of great recipes to try out.