Why I’m a Regular at Fenn’s Quay and Electric

After reading Dianne Jacob’s post about food bloggers being pushovers (or not), I want to state clearly that even though I eat at Fenn’s Quay and Electric at least once a week, Tweet/blog about my visits there, am friends with Kate (something that happened after I wrote my TripAdvisor review) and know Ernest and Dennis, I do not receive any freebies or benefits that are not also given to other customers. Every so often, I get a free tea or hot chocolate as a random act of kindness to a group of people or customers, but this is not timed or in association with any action on my part. I have never ever been asked to write a post or review about either place. Below, I am listing what I like about each place.

FENN’S QUAY RESTAURANT

Sheares Street, Cork City (one street north from Washington Street, behind the Courthouse)
Tel: 021.427.9527
Facebook and Twitter
Open Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to late

Fenn’s Quay (owner: Kate Lawlor), Sheares Street, Cork City Centre

Why the love? 
1) The specials change daily and feature seasonal ingredients so it doesn’t get boring. But popular standards are always on their main menu. All at reasonable prices.
2) It is walking distance from my home, so it’s convenient.
3) The staff are friendly, helpful and knowledgable.
4) The food is delicious, using quality local ingredients.
5) The restaurant is clean with aubergine velvet banquet seating and chairs that feel elegant even though it’s a casual spot.
6) Ever since day one, my baby boy has received a warm welcome there and they make it easy to dine out with a little one. I am a sucker for a kid-friendly restaurant that isn’t geared toward children (ie, no frozen chicken fingers on the menu or plastic cups for everyone to drink from).
7) Free coffee refills.
8) Open from 8:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday. That’s three meals a day, six days a week!
9) Comfortable and warm. A very important attribute in rainy Cork.

 

ELECTRIC BAR

South Mall, Cork City (downstairs)
Tel: 021.422.2990
Facebook and Twitter
Open Monday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to late. Open Sundays too!

Electric Bar (owner: Ernest Cantillon), South Mall, Cork City Centre

Why the love? 
1) Simple but creative sandwiches and soups after Noon for reasonable prices.
2) It is walking distance from my home, so it’s convenient.
3) The staff are friendly and welcoming to my baby boy, LB.
4) There is a changing table in the handicapped restroom. Though it took me over six months of motherhood to discover that (I never asked).
5) It is clean with great natural light streaming in the windows.
6) They carry Australian non-alcoholic ginger beer and pitchers of water with different sliced citrus or fresh mint.
7) Welcoming to my knitting group. Knitters are the like the skateboarders of the craft world. We are too busy knitting to order lots of food and drink so not a real money-maker for wherever we meet.
8) Sometimes there is a little taster of biscotti with my hot chocolate and it’s such a treat. Not always there as it is not listed as part of the hot chocolate on the menu, so a nice surprise.

So, there you have the details on why I eat where I do. Now, there’s no need to doubt the sincerity of my posts and enthusiasm for Fenn’s Quay and Electric. I go to these places with regularity and love them without any compensation, freebies, bribery, brown envelopes or begging. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?

Reviewing my adventures on TripAdvisor landed me in The Times today

The Times ran an article today written by Daisy Greenwell (if you haven’t read her articles, you’ll like them since she writes about food fairly often and in a cultural and lifestyle sense) hat discusses online reviewers and their approaches, roles, and perspectives on the process and websites themselves. Throughout this post are screenshots of portions of the actual article.

Now that the piece is published, I’ll tell you all about how it came about.

A few months ago when I was in the final days of my pregnancy, Ms. Greenwell contacted me to enquire about my role as a Top Contributor on TripAdvisor. With over 280 reviews, I guess that’s something to be proud about. It’s also something I don’t spend much time dwelling on. Trips happen and while I’m busy writing about it for my blogs, why not whip up a review too? It’s only fair since I use TripAdvisor information to help plan the adventures in the first place. So back to me being very pregnant and on the phone with Ms. Greenwell… She interviewed me and I answered her questions honestly. I think I gave birth within a week or two after that so talking on the phone was just my speed at that point in the pregnancy. I kept quiet about her article until today because it’s her scoop to share, not mine.

Photo by Don Moloney for The Times. Taken at Electric on South Mall in Cork City.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, she asked about sending a photographer out to take my picture. Me? Post-pregnancy me? With my son’s age still being counted in weeks, I am not feeling my fittest but professional photographers bring out the best in us, right? Hopefully. They even sent Don Moloney, a professional photographer, to photograph me in seven or so poses to choose to run with the piece. I waited and hoped a photo would look good. I guess it must have because one friend didn’t even recognize me. Provided, the ponytail makes a difference.

I was relieved when the interview was shared in a straight-forward manner, giving little chance for misquotes. Honestly, I was worried I would somehow come across as a ruthless reviewer who seeks out opportunities to ruin businesses with harsh ratings. Trust me, I’m not. I think anyone who knows me will laugh at that worry now that I’ve voiced it. Of course, I also worried about that photo. Should I have worn a necklace? Did the post-pregnancy weight show? Were my Tracy Anderson DVD workouts helping? Would I shine through as the person I am in spite of the fact I was faced with a photographer (usually I snap my own portraits with my camera’s self-timer feature, like I did for my Twitter profile pic).

Want to read my reviews on TripAdvisor? Go right ahead. I’ll warn you though, some a short and some are long with no consistent review format being followed. If I go to a place that doesn’t give much of an impression, I only mention the part of the experience that made an impression. The boring things that every restaurant or hotel offers/has/does are skipped.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that’s it. And my boss is asking me to make him lunch now. He’s so good at encouraging me to keep my blog posts brief in favor of the all-important snuggles, floor playtime, and meals.

Do you write review on TripAdvisor? What food do you think defines the success of a restaurant or hotel? What is your top pick in Cork, Dublin, or Ireland for a place to visit, stay, dine? I’d love to hear from you!

A Good Deal for a Great Meal – Electric Cork

I am not in the habit of posting deals or suggesting you go purchase anything in particular on this blog, but today’s Living Social email had me sit up and take notice!

Lunch for two for €17 at Electric in Cork City (on South Mall).

This could cost as much as €40 normally, not to mention the fact that the coupon is good for use on the weekend! I’m so used to see coupons only good for dining Monday through Thursday, but this coupon is valid for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday lunch.

Now, you may recall I have a bit of a crush on the food at Electric which started when I first dined there in November 2010. Since then, I’ve had tea there countless times, lunch there once, and enjoyed a stop there on the Cork Gourmet Trail.

I’m thinking that even though I bought myself one of these lunch deals, I may go back and get another to save as a Christmas gift because there’s nothing like a nice meal to give to the person who has everything and I love to plan ahead!

To get your lunch at Electric for just €17, click here.

While you think about it, here are some photos of their food!

Cork Gourmet Trail – Every Delicious Detail in Words & Photos

A few weeks ago, I enjoyed participating in the Cork Gourmet Trail. A the time, I posted a detailed account of the day with photos (oh, they’re yummy photos too), but forgot and only posted it on my new blog EvinOK.net – so here’s a link so you know where to find it and three teaser photos (food by Greenes, Electric, and El Vino respectively) to entice you come over and check out what I have to say about the Cork Gourmet Trail. Trust me, every bite is worth the trip.

Dining at Electric in Cork City

We hear right and left that four out of five office Christmas parties will not take place and news of fiscal cutbacks in the government and our own budgets, so now more than ever we need to be able to embrace a bit of fun. This is where Denis O’Mullane comes in with his latest restaurant venture. Electric is bringing back the evening out, in spite of the Irish economy’s best efforts.

Arriving on a crisp evening at the bright building at 41 South Mall in Cork City Centre, I was struck by the life-size gold figures adorning the building’s facade. With the grace of a ballerina and the strength of an Oscar statue, these ladies foreshadowed the unique architectural history and innovative design of the restaurant and bar within. We stepped into the ground-level bar area, which boasted the start of a few mingling friends Saturday night. The room felt young and vibrant with the soft buzz of lively chatter and the unmistakable sound of great craic being had.