Best eateries in the county revealed
The cream of culinary talent in County Cavan was honoured at the Ulster finals of the Irish Restaurant Awards at La Mon Hotel, Belfast, on Wednesday night where 135 awards were presented to leading chefs, restaurants and pubs across the region.
The big winners from the county were MacNean House & Bistro in Blacklion, which was named best restaurant; Gearoid Lynch of the Olde Post Inn in Cloverhill, who was crowned best chef and the Chilli Lounge in Cavan Town, which was declared Best Newcomer (scroll down for full results).
Over 400 people attended the Ulster Regional Final where the top establishments in each county were named.
The awards covered a wide range of venues and the winners from each of Ulster’s nine counties were selected from the following categories: Best Casual Dining, Best Emerging Irish Cuisine, Best Kids Size Me, Best ‘Free From’, Best World Cuisine, Best Restaurant Manager, Best Wine Experience, Pub of the Year, Best Café, Best Customer Service, Best Gastro Pub, Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant, Best Newcomer, Best Chef and Best Restaurant. There was also a special Regional award for Ulster’s Local Food Hero.
Speaking at the awards, Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) said: “Now in their 10th year, the Irish Restaurant Awards continue to showcase the exquisite and admirable calibre of food available in our restaurants and pubs nationwide. Online nominations have increased from 9,000 in 2013 to over 80,000 this year and with the increase in interest comes an increase in standards, making the judging process more difficult than ever.
“Our small island boasts everything from fine dining to high quality gastropubs, from the exotic taste explosions of world cuisine to the comfort of traditional dishes. We have an appreciation for what we eat, for the journey of our food from farm to fork, and for the dedication of those working in the food industry to serve up Ireland’s finest food.”
CAVAN WINNERS
Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – Oak Room Restaurant
Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – The Olde Post Inn
Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – The Wishing Well
Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – The Olde Post Inn
Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – Barduccis
Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon – Chilli Lounge
Best Wine Experience sponsored by ClassicDrinks – MacNean House & Restaurant
Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – Gartlan’s
Best Café sponsored by Illy – Hard Boiled Egg Café
Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – Murph’s Bistro at the Derragarra Inn
Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – St Kyrans Country House Restaurant
Best Customer Service – The Olde Post Inn
Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services – Blaithin McCabe at MacNean House & Restaurant
Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Gearóid Lynch of The Olde Post Inn
Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants – MacNean House & Restaurant