For more than 20 years, the food and welcome at Bunker 43 have been well above par
Bunker 43 @ Lurgan Golf Club Windsor Avenue, Lurgan Tel: 028 3832 2087
It’s Lurgan of course… but a bustling food culture is not something it’s been renowned for. The town centre hasn’t had a top notch restaurant for as long as I’ve been around. Luckily, Lurgan Golf Club more than makes up for main street’s lack of foodie venues.
Lurgan Golf Club
The club’s restaurant, Bunker 43, has been run by head chef Mickey and his wife and manager Colleen for almost 20 years. Anybody who’s been there will know who Colleen is; the friendly face and booming voice always on hand to make sure her customers feel at home as soon as they arrive into the bar.
There’s only one way to begin any visit to LGC, and that’s with a Guinness: it’s right up there with the best pints you’ll get anywhere in the country.
On this occasion, we’re out for a celebration and, the starter generally being my favourite aspect of a meal, we opt to split the garlic breaded mushrooms and salt and chilli chicken. Like all the sauces the Bunker 43 restaurant use, the garlic mayo is moreish. It gives off a tang to complement the perfect texture of the mushrooms.
Bunker 43 at Lurgan Golf Club
The salt and chilli chicken comes with a hot and smooth sauce that is tempered nicely by a dollop of mayo.
I should confess at this stage something of a familiarity with the food at Lurgan Golf Club, having grown up as a member. One constant throughout that time has been my love of the chicken burgers they have on offer. No matter how they’re tweaked with different combinations, they’re always delicious. Back in our days playing junior matches for the club, the kitchen staff just stopped taking orders before the events, accepting we all wanted the chicken burgers.
With a nod to tradition, I go for the chilli shaker burger. This latest tweak to the classic combines the salt and chilli chicken with an 8oz beef burger and taco mayo.
Garlic mushrooms at Bunker 43
It’s a huge feed. Really the beef burger added on was greed on my part, given we’d already gone for starters on this occasion — but sure it was a celebration.
This chicken burger fanaticism is not shared by my wider family, who have plumped for what seems to have become the restaurant’s signature dish — the sizzling chicken.
It comes served with sweet chilli and garlic fries served in a puffed up tortilla basket which has returned by popular demand.
It’s a tomatoey sauce given a real spice by the jalapenos and never disappoints. It’s like the type of sauce you’d try to make up at home — but far better than that.
I hadn’t actually tasted the chilli and garlic fries until this outing, but they’re absolutely in the ‘must-have’ section for any future visits.
Salt and chilli chicken
Honestly, the portions are so big that a main course on its own is more than enough to fill all but the most insatiable of bellies. But if you want to taste a couple of courses, there’s always the doggy-bag option to sort the next day’s lunch with any leftovers! Win win!
I’m not sure if there’s a golf club with better catering throughout Northern Ireland. The friendliest of staff, tasty food and a top view, what more could you want?
The food
Total £59.10
The rating