An appealing restaurant in a pair of rooms above Heffernans Fine Foods, The Poacher Restaurant was opened recently by a talented young couple, Yvonne Kathrein and Daniel Mayr. They have a following in the region from their time at The Waterfront in Ennsicrone and several other well known kitchens - and their background shows in the polished experience on offer here.
Although the new kid on the block, the Poacher had a remarkably settled feel from the start, both in its décor and in the competence and flair displayed in the menus, which include a children’s menu and an enticing vegetarian/vegan menu, as well as regular evening and Sunday lunch menus and blackboard specials.
Originally from Austria, Yvonne has a passion for seafood, artisan foods and local suppliers which is strongly reflected in her dishes. Fine dining without the fuss – and at very reasonable prices – is the aim here and it is achieved seamlessly thanks to the talent in the kitchen and excellent service front of house, where her husband Daniel is warm, welcoming, enthusiastic and knowledgeable on both food and wine
Yvonne, who is a keen forager and seeks out the very best locally sourced produce available, is a confident as well as competent chef and is really sure footed in putting her dishes together. Her menus offer something instinctively different and seasonal – an early autumn menu, for example, might embrace the change of season with a glorious dish of wild Irish venison, along with other treats such as wild pigeon and West Coast sea trout and, of course, terrific meats from Heffernans butchers downstairs (who have their own abattoir).
Some of the smaller touches may be the most memorable – like the utterly delicious preserved rhubarb with a starter of pickled John Dory, for example, or sauces, served with rib eye steak and venison perhaps, which may be indistinguishable to the eye and yet taste totally different. Vegetables, also, go far beyond the usual expectation on the main menus as well as the (excellent) vegetarian and vegan offerings – how lovely to find an underused vegetable like Irish grown organic kohlrabi given its due.
The drinks list includes some pleasant surprises too – cocktail specials (and non alcoholic cocktails), a keenly priced Wine of the Week (although available only by the bottle, not by the glass), local craft beer from Crossmolina, and an unusual alternative to your after dinner coffee - fresh mint leaf tea with local local foraged dandelion honey.
Desserts tend towards the ‘grand finale’ style, so the simpler dishes may prove to be the best – but best of all will be the very reasonable bill, which is sure to make you want to return as soon as possible.
