Cork-Barcelona exchange at An Crúibín
Pigs might fly at An Crúibín
Run by Paul Lewis and Frank O’Connell, the bar and restaurant occupy the space that used to be The Lobby on the corner of Anglesea Street and Union Quay in Cork city. I love the sensitive renovation of this beautiful bow-cornered building. I love the selection of wines at pretty reasonable prices, served by bottle or glass. And I love the food.
The classy grub served in the bar has provided me with the best bad reason not to climb the stairs to the restaurant. I’m a semi-regular there and, barring one unexceptional stuffed courgette, I’ve always found the food in the bar great value.
An Crúibín
From rustic plateens through to more nuanced dishes like a beautiful, subtle seared tuna electrified by anchovies, or a bowl of lamb shanks, the food is delicious and satisfying. Plates licked clean. By the way, lest you don’t know, Crúibín (pronounced crew-bean) is the Irish for pig’s foot, a local indelicacy as featured in Bessie Smith’s song, Give me a crúibín and a bottle of beer.
I don’t have a menu in front of me for a very good reason. Like a foodie raga it’s re-composed afresh every day depending on what’s what in the market and appears fleetingly chalked up on the blackboard from around 6.30pm. A wrinkled receipt tells me the dishes I enjoyed during my last lash at the place ranged from €7.50 to €13.50.
Compared with some mid-marked eateries, this could seem expensive. But in such places, the food is often an illusion, all curtain and no show. Do the math(s). Subtract the stack of cheap carbohydrate and discover you’re spending more at the “cheap” places.
Chef Paco Guzmán is cooking at An Crúibín. Picture: Vicens Gimenez
One day soon I’ll check out the Silk Purse restaurant, and I’m looking forward to it.
This weekend there’s an extra reason to consider popping upstairs. As part of a “gastronomical food exchange”, Paco Guzmán — who runs the Santa Maria restaurant in El Born, Barcelona — will be cooking using Irish ingredients sourced from Cork markets on Saturday October 24 at 7.30pm.
It’s only €35 for Paco’s five-course taster menu and a glass of wine.
An Crúibín is open daily, pub hours.
The Silk Purse is open Thursday to Saturday from 7pm till late.
See the Crúibín / Silk Purse blog or phone 021 431 0071 for bookings and further details. ♦
[Discolosure: I am a former colleague of one of the proprietors, and related to one member of staff croobeen cruibin crubeen ]
Filed under: Ireland, Online, Wine, food | Tagged: Cork, food, fun, going out, Ireland
