Out to lunch

More from Yamamori

Dublin dining institution Yamamori, which translates roughly as “yummy more-y”, will be back on the map for business lunches on Ormond Quay in November. With construction work going on at a neighbouring hotel, it took the decision to cease weekday lunches, remaining open for lunch at weekends.

The business’s first restaurant, on the southside’s George’s Street, which opened back in 1995, is as fresh as ever, its success a reflection of its authentic tempura, sushi, Japanese grill and ramen dishes, prepared fresh daily.

It’s a family business and right now the family are just back from a road trip around Ireland, inspecting Wagu beef cows in preparation for some new additions to the menu, says director Graham Ryan. That’ll go down nicely with its much loved Hitachino Japanese beer, which it plans to distribute later this year.

It’s also got a new cocktail menu and a new food menu at Ormond Quay, right beside the Ha’penny Bridge.

Surf and seafood

Clontarf Castle made a bit of a splash over the summer with hotel packages that included paddle-boarding packages on its Dollymount Strand doorstep, in partnership with Pure Magic Dublin, the Clontarf-based water sports school.

It’s a great new string to its bow but if you don’t fancy getting your feet wet, you can at appreciate the sea at its Knights Bar. Head chef Stuart Heeney has a great two-course lunch option that includes seafood chowder with fresh Irish salmon and smoked haddock, and Clogherhead crab linguine. There’s also air-dried Connemara ham and Cashel Blue cheese, if you prefer the charcuterie board. Wash it down with its own pale ale, Cluain Tarbh, locally made at The Five Lamps Brewery.

The art of wine

Wine-loving art lovers – are there any other kind? – will appreciate the new Art and Wine Weekend taking place at the sumptuous K Club. The connection is this: the picture-perfect country house at the centre of the resort, Straffan House as was, was built by the renowned wine-making family, the Bartons, in 1832.

It takes place on the weekend of September 27th, and includes a choice of one or two nights’ B&B, a cellar tour led by Lisa O’Doherty, the hotel’s top sommelier, plus a cheese and Barton & Guestier Collection wine-pairing experience, matching Irish cheeses with select B&G wines.

Barton & Guestier is the oldest wine house in Bordeaux, originating in 1725 when Irishman Thomas Barton settled there and set up as a wine merchant. In 1802, his grandson Hugh, builder of the original Straffan House, joined forces with Frenchman Daniel Guestier to create a partnership that abides to the present day.

The art side of the house comes not from your own etchings, but from the fact that not only is the house picture perfect, but the K Club is also home to a collection of original paintings by famous artists, including Paul Henry and Jack B Yeats, who has a room dedicated to the largest privately-held collection of his work.

The Art & Wine Weekend also includes an informal and entertaining guided tour of the art and history of The K Club, as well as a four-course dining experience in the atmospheric Byerley Turk restaurant. It’s priced from €269 for one night, and €379 for two nights, based on two sharing.

Dine for Ireland

Whatever you do, don’t put business lunches on the back burner this quarter. You’ll be doing your civic duty by booking them, particularly in the run-up to Brexit. The Restaurants Association of Ireland has warned that one in five restaurants is likely to close in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The sector is already coping with visitor spending down 4 per cent. There’s still no better way to heat up that warm lead, or to seal that deal, so make the booking and eat for Ireland. It’s the least you can do. Cheers.