Clenaghan’s outside Aghalee is one of them. From the stone and red brick exterior of the 18th century building to the cosy insides and warm welcome, it all seems to fit perfectly with shaking off the cold and dumping the umbrella at the door.
The restaurant itself is all split up into various wee alcoves and snugs, so much so that I have absolutely no idea as to the layout of the place or how many it can seat.
On the food stakes, I definitely got the better of the selection lottery. While my other half opted for BBQ cauliflower with cilantro pesto to start, I went for what proved the more inspired choice of ‘Clenaghan’s Asian style chicken wings’. I’m a sucker for any dish that throws the restaurant name into the title.
The four huge wings were slathered in some sort of soy style concoction with a few chillies perched atop. They were different from any other wings I’ve tasted and all the better for it.
Asian style chicken wings
Unfortunately, the cauliflower was a little bit overdone and would have been more pleasing to my dining partner had it been, as she said in her best critic tone, “a little more al dente”. But the cilantro pesto was a delight, it has to be said.
On to the mains and once again, my penchant for a localised dish name paid off as the “Armagh apple” accompaniment sold a pork belly dish that I could eat again and again. The meat was perfectly cooked, tender and falling apart.
The fruit/vegetable trio, led by the apple, added a tangy lightness that balanced the dish to perfection. There was another of my absolute favourites in there too in the form of the softest black pudding I ever did eat.
The pork belly main that stole the show… and my heart
For my other half, it was a staple of hake fillet, accompanied by celeriac, king oyster mushroom, kale, tenderstem broccoli and bone sauce. It proved an altogether wholesome, healthy-feeling meal with a very generous portion of hake. There was nothing at all wrong with it… but it just wasn’t the pork belly.
A healthy portion of hake
With just a little room, we sampled a couple of the desserts in sticky toffee pudding and the Armagh apple crumble tart… and it WAS both a crumble AND a tart, one inside the other. Unfortunately, the giant portion tasted more of cinnamon than those Armagh apples.
The sticky toffee was a better option and the smooth caramel ice cream it arrived alongside proved the star of the dessert course.
I must also mention that we sat at a table beside one of those stone exterior walls, which my other half found a little drafty. If you’re similarly temperature aware, it may be best to make sure you’re not quite as close to the outer confines. And while I’m on the few negative points, the Guinness was more on the watery side of the scale than the desired creamy end. The fact we picked a night when a large share of the Guinness-drinking public would have been at home watching the rugby may not have helped.
Armagh apple crumble tart
Those grumbles aside, it’s well worth a winter visit, especially if you opt for the pork belly. If you want my recommendations, bookend the pork belly with chicken wings to start and a request for a bit of caramel ice-cream to finish.