City slickers may disagree, but it’s only in the country – at places like The Pot Belly in Tullylish – where you get a proper feed like this
There’s a reason why something like Six By Nico isn’t setting up shop in Cullybackey.
It’s become an old cliche but tasting menus really do leave you as much frustrated — and slightly hungry — as anything else. And that just won’t do in Northern Ireland’s countryside.
I count myself among the number who think there’s no substitute for a good, hearty feed. And The Pot Belly, one of Co Down’s most-loved traditional restaurants, knows exactly what its clientele is in the market for.
That’s not to say there’s any lack of quality in favour of quantity; far from it. This historic Tullylish (between Gilford and Banbridge) establishment has a reputation primarily for the former; hard-earned and still well worthy of it.
Arancini at The Pot Belly
We were met, as is his usual custom, outside the door by the friendly boss, who guides us up the stairs to the upper section of the restaurant which has, by this time at almost 9pm, been completely booked out since 12 noon.
The upstairs, by the by, is our favourite spot; that bit more relaxed and with plenty of craic being had around us as the downstairs diners move up for a post-dinner pint or three.
It’s a packed menu, including all the old favourites but also spiced up with more modern options in there as well. Speaking of which, we opt for arancini to start, along with pâté, both of which hit the spot.
The arancini is delightfully moist with a definite kick off the roasted red pepper and tomato sauce, perhaps too much heat if anything. I enjoyed it but if you were polishing off an entire portion yourself, you might need to get the table water topped up. The Burren balsamic relish complements the pâté perfectly and, of course, the key to a good dish is the pâté-to-bread ratio which, as a distinct and pleasing rarity, is absolutely spot on.
Pate served at The Pot Belly
On to the main course and, after much consideration, we both decide we’re in a bit of a basic mood. We’re out for a good country feed and, as such, the Wagyu beef burger sounds suitably hefty for me, with the Japanese meat variety adding enough pizzazz. And it was great. No surprises but every flavour was just what you’d hope for from the patty, tomato, lettuce, bacon, house sauce, Monterey Jack cheese and brioche bun. As a bonus, the chips were skin on, definitely home made. Magic.
The Wagyu beef burger was suitably hefty for me
For my other half, it was a curry; a balti, actually. It’s listed as a vegetarian dish with the option to add king prawns or chicken tikka and so it’s packed full of veg.
Fit to burst, we just about decided to split a sticky toffee pudding, which, like everything else, was bursting with flavour but went well with the smooth vanilla ice cream to make for the perfect mouthful.
The sticky toffee pudding
All in all, The Pot Belly delivered just what we were after. An established favourite, its flavours pack a punch, its portions almost belly-busting and the whole ambience of the place, set by the manager himself, encourages diners to feel at home.
It’s a bastion of Northern Ireland’s country hospitality that, with new dishes and an outdoor summer bar area, knows how to move with the times. Still an utter delight.
The summer bar area outside
The food
Total £68.20
The Pot Belly
The rating