Just got back from being taken out to dinner at a local Italian (Il Vulcano
in Westport, Co. Mayo, if anyone's ever near it) - and wanted to tell you
all just how wonderful my starter of duck confit in an orange and chilli
sauce was. I particularly wanted to relay the experience here because it was
the recent discussion about duck confit that inspired me to order it - and I
am SO glad I did - it was tremendous! It was a duck leg - cooked to
perfection, and the skin was just at the point of crispiness, with the meat
itself full of flavour and as tender as soft butter - intense flavour, too.
The sauce was sweet, without being too sweet, and the chilli cut through the
greasiness inherent in a duck just enough to enliven the taste buds.

My pizza was a bit of a personal decision to 'test' the restaurant (because
of our impending visit next week) - if I see a seafood pizza on the menu, I
wonder whether the crust will be underdone, and the seafood OK, or the crust
crispy, and the seafood cremated. They managed to get it right! Crispy crust
and tender seafood, including squid, which is always a bugger to get just
right.

The bill for 2 of us was ?61, including a bottle of red house wine (we left
a ?10 tip). I had the aforementioned duck to start, the hubby had a parma
ham and mozarella salad (too much for him to finish), followed by a pizza
with squid, mussels, and prawns (me) and ravioli ala Bolognese (him). We
were both too full to contemplate a pud (especially as there's most of a
homemade lemon meringue in the fridge for later, if we fancy it)., although
I was tempted by the Pana Cota (spelling unsure!) with hot chocolate sauce.

All in all, a wonderful meal out - to be repeated next Weds evening for our
2nd wedding anniversary!

I'm now about to put me feet up and watch mindless telly for the rest of the
evening (we went early to avoid the rush) - the hub has decamped to the pub,
though how he can contemplate pints of Guinness on a full tum is beyond me!

Jo


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.722 / Virus Database: 478 - Release Date: 18/07/04

On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:55:09 +0100, "Darkginger"
> wrote:

>The bill for 2 of us was ?61, including a bottle of red house wine (we left
>a ?10 tip). I had the aforementioned duck to start, the hubby had a parma
>ham and mozarella salad (too much for him to finish), followed by a pizza
>with squid

I hope you misspelled "pepperoni"!

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:55:09 +0100, "Darkginger"
> wrote:

>The bill for 2 of us was ?61, including a bottle of red house wine (we left
>a ?10 tip). I had the aforementioned duck to start, the hubby had a parma
>ham and mozarella salad (too much for him to finish), followed by a pizza
>with squid

I hope you misspelled "pepperoni"!

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

"Darkginger" > wrote in message
...
> Just got back from being taken out to dinner at a local Italian (Il
Vulcano
> in Westport, Co. Mayo, if anyone's ever near it) -

How wonderful! A need fulfilled!

<SNIP>
>
> All in all, a wonderful meal out - to be repeated next Weds evening for
our
> 2nd wedding anniversary!

Sounds like you had a great meal! I hope you have a happy, happy,
anniversary feed too!

> I'm now about to put me feet up and watch mindless telly for the rest of
the
> evening (we went early to avoid the rush) - the hub has decamped to the
pub,
> though how he can contemplate pints of Guinness on a full tum is beyond
me!

I don't see the problem Jo.

Charliam

"Darkginger" > wrote in message
...
> Just got back from being taken out to dinner at a local Italian (Il
Vulcano
> in Westport, Co. Mayo, if anyone's ever near it) -

How wonderful! A need fulfilled!

<SNIP>
>
> All in all, a wonderful meal out - to be repeated next Weds evening for
our
> 2nd wedding anniversary!

Sounds like you had a great meal! I hope you have a happy, happy,
anniversary feed too!

> I'm now about to put me feet up and watch mindless telly for the rest of
the
> evening (we went early to avoid the rush) - the hub has decamped to the
pub,
> though how he can contemplate pints of Guinness on a full tum is beyond
me!

I don't see the problem Jo.

Charliam

On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:55:09 +0100, "Darkginger"
> wrote:

> The bill for 2 of us was ?61, including a bottle of red house wine (we left
> a ?10 tip).

Yeow. $60 for 2 personal sized pizzas, a salad and a bottle
of house wine? Must not be your regular neighborhood pizza
palace!





Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:55:09 +0100, "Darkginger"
> wrote:

> The bill for 2 of us was ?61, including a bottle of red house wine (we left
> a ?10 tip).

Yeow. $60 for 2 personal sized pizzas, a salad and a bottle
of house wine? Must not be your regular neighborhood pizza
palace!





Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 21:31:33 GMT,
(Curly Sue) wrote:

> On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:55:09 +0100, "Darkginger"
> > wrote:
>
> >The bill for 2 of us was ?61, including a bottle of red house wine (we left
> >a ?10 tip). I had the aforementioned duck to start, the hubby had a parma
> >ham and mozarella salad (too much for him to finish), followed by a pizza
> >with squid
>
> I hope you misspelled "pepperoni"!
>
de mare would have been a better description, but the entire
combination is absolutely mind blowing. I think the wine
was very, very good!

LOL





Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 21:31:33 GMT,
(Curly Sue) wrote:

> On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:55:09 +0100, "Darkginger"
> > wrote:
>
> >The bill for 2 of us was ?61, including a bottle of red house wine (we left
> >a ?10 tip). I had the aforementioned duck to start, the hubby had a parma
> >ham and mozarella salad (too much for him to finish), followed by a pizza
> >with squid
>
> I hope you misspelled "pepperoni"!
>
de mare would have been a better description, but the entire
combination is absolutely mind blowing. I think the wine
was very, very good!

LOL





Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 21:31:33 GMT,
(Curly Sue) wrote:

> On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:55:09 +0100, "Darkginger"
> > wrote:
>
> >The bill for 2 of us was ?61, including a bottle of red house wine (we left
> >a ?10 tip). I had the aforementioned duck to start, the hubby had a parma
> >ham and mozarella salad (too much for him to finish), followed by a pizza
> >with squid
>
> I hope you misspelled "pepperoni"!
>
de mare would have been a better description, but the entire
combination is absolutely mind blowing. I think the wine
was very, very good!

LOL





Practice safe eating - always use condiments

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:55:09 +0100, "Darkginger"
> > wrote:
>
> > The bill for 2 of us was ?61, including a bottle of red house wine (we
left
> > a ?10 tip).
>
> Yeow. $60 for 2 personal sized pizzas, a salad and a bottle
> of house wine? Must not be your regular neighborhood pizza
> palace!
>
>

You've neverbeen to Ireland, have you? Just a hunch...

Jo



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.722 / Virus Database: 478 - Release Date: 18/07/04

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:55:09 +0100, "Darkginger"
> > wrote:
>
> > The bill for 2 of us was ?61, including a bottle of red house wine (we
left
> > a ?10 tip).
>
> Yeow. $60 for 2 personal sized pizzas, a salad and a bottle
> of house wine? Must not be your regular neighborhood pizza
> palace!
>
>

You've neverbeen to Ireland, have you? Just a hunch...

Jo



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.722 / Virus Database: 478 - Release Date: 18/07/04

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:55:09 +0100, "Darkginger"
> > wrote:
>
> > The bill for 2 of us was ?61, including a bottle of red house wine (we
left
> > a ?10 tip).
>
> Yeow. $60 for 2 personal sized pizzas, a salad and a bottle
> of house wine? Must not be your regular neighborhood pizza
> palace!
>
>

You've neverbeen to Ireland, have you? Just a hunch...

Jo



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.722 / Virus Database: 478 - Release Date: 18/07/04

On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 08:46:52 +0100, "Darkginger"
> wrote:

>
> You've neverbeen to Ireland, have you? Just a hunch...


NO, but I'll consider myself forewarned to stay away from
Irish pizza palaces if I ever do go there.




Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 08:46:52 +0100, "Darkginger"
> wrote:

>
> You've neverbeen to Ireland, have you? Just a hunch...


NO, but I'll consider myself forewarned to stay away from
Irish pizza palaces if I ever do go there.




Practice safe eating - always use condiments

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 08:46:52 +0100, "Darkginger"
> > wrote:
>
> >
> > You've neverbeen to Ireland, have you? Just a hunch...
>
>
> NO, but I'll consider myself forewarned to stay away from
> Irish pizza palaces if I ever do go there.
>
>

It's not unusual for a 2 course meal at the most basic of restaurants here
to come to ?40 (that's a Euro symbol) for two. Often, the only 'starter' on
the menu costing under ?5 is soup - which I hardly ever order, as I can eat
soup at home! So, you're up to ?10 before you get to the main course (for
2). Main courses *start* from around ?8.50, ie ?17 for 2, so that's ?27
before you even think of a drink or a side dish.

Wine in the average Irish restaurant seems very expensive - it's difficult
to find even a decent house red for under ?17 or so. Small, individual
bottles are around ?4. Add the ?17 for wine to the ?27 for food, and it
comes to ?44 - and I stress that this is for basic pub style food, nothing
fancy. That's why I consider ?61 for a meal for two which included the
confit of duck and a bottle of decent wine to be reasonable (I think the
pizza was about ?12.50). We more usually find that a dinner out will cost us
in the region of ?100, and that's without taking into consideration the cost
of a taxi from home to the nearest town - ?15 for 10 miles, each way!

This is out in the west of Ireland - Dublin prices would probably be higher.
OTOH McDonalds is as cheap as it is everywhere else! Not that there IS a
McDonalds within 30 miles of where I live - when we're eating on the cheap
we go to a local pub for lunch (The Towers down at the Quay in Westport, Co.
Mayo - food highly recommended, especially the fish pie!), and get away with
one course at ?8.50 each - with a couple of cokes (diet for me, regular for
him) lunch comes to just over ?20.

How expensive is food where you live?

Jo


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.722 / Virus Database: 478 - Release Date: 18/07/04

On Sun, 1 Aug 2004 09:03:10 +0100, "Darkginger"
> wrote:

> How expensive is food where you live?

I'll just stick to the low glamour, non-tourist type
restaurant, since that's what you were talking about.

Most, (if not all) neighborhood type restaurants around here
have a good selection of entrees under $15. What I usually
order is in the $8-12 range. Wine can be as little as $3.00
for a large glass or as much as $7.50 for a rather small
one. It all depends on where you eat and how committed they
are to not gouging customers on the price of wine. I know a
lot of the labels and know how high they are marked up in
most restaurants. <GAG>

I found one of our regular spots on the net, so see for
yourself - their menu ranges burgers to seafood. They have
a full bar with entertainment and two dining rooms (one is
more formal than the other) and their servers still wear
full on, old fashioned tuxes. The wine I order on a regular
basis is a 1/2 carafe of house, which turns out to be not
much more than a large glass. Sssssh! Their burgers are
easily 1/2 lb. (although no one is measuring) and they
aren't limited to lunch.

http://joesofwestlake.citysearch.com/



Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Sun, 1 Aug 2004 09:03:10 +0100, "Darkginger"
> wrote:

> How expensive is food where you live?

I'll just stick to the low glamour, non-tourist type
restaurant, since that's what you were talking about.

Most, (if not all) neighborhood type restaurants around here
have a good selection of entrees under $15. What I usually
order is in the $8-12 range. Wine can be as little as $3.00
for a large glass or as much as $7.50 for a rather small
one. It all depends on where you eat and how committed they
are to not gouging customers on the price of wine. I know a
lot of the labels and know how high they are marked up in
most restaurants. <GAG>

I found one of our regular spots on the net, so see for
yourself - their menu ranges burgers to seafood. They have
a full bar with entertainment and two dining rooms (one is
more formal than the other) and their servers still wear
full on, old fashioned tuxes. The wine I order on a regular
basis is a 1/2 carafe of house, which turns out to be not
much more than a large glass. Sssssh! Their burgers are
easily 1/2 lb. (although no one is measuring) and they
aren't limited to lunch.

http://joesofwestlake.citysearch.com/



Practice safe eating - always use condiments