Review of Hardwood restaurant

Hardwood restaurant

Had a quick dinner here with 4 U.S. visitors (quick cos 2 of us had to dash over to the Opera House afterwards for the Cork Film Festival). Would love to have lingered longer over the food and the excellent company. The staff were very accommodating with two of us in a rush and did their best to be as speedy as possible.

We skipped starters. J. and I both went for the chilli and lime sea bass with cauliflower risotto and wilted rocket. The fish was divine and the risotto deliciously creamy. No need for the edible rose on the plate though. H. had the Seafood Bouillabaisse, a huge bowl of various fish/shellfish. The two golfing latecomers went for the Wexford lamb and Kentucky Bourbon BBQ Rib-eye, and both were delighted with their choice.

Rarely one to pass on dessert, I had the white chocolate and raspberry tart. The sweetness of the chocolate was very, very nicely countered by the tartness of the raspberries. M. decided to go for the chocolate bomb with caramel cream (the waitress advised it would take 15 mins), it was well worth the wait - warm, moist, light as a feather - we all had a taste, and the tart did the rounds as well. Need I say more?

Hardwood Restaurant, 31 Popes Quay, Cork

Rated 4/5 on Oct 16 2008
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Review Tags: food, restaurant

Review of Fight Like Apes - live

Fight Like Apes - live

An amazing gig by Fight Like Apes has left me slightly hard of hearing and in awe at their musicianship, good humour, and brilliant entertainment value.

They played most of the tracks from their debut album Fight Like Apes And The Mystery Of The Golden Medallion, plus a couple of extras from the EPs. Opening with Do You Karate?, other memorable tunes include a stomping version of Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues, remembered also 'cos of the kick on the shin I got from a dreadlocked, headbanging midget (definitely under 5 ft anyway), Jake Summers, Canhead, and I'm Beginning To Think You Prefer Beverly Hills 90210 To Me (described as a waltz by MayKay) with the crowd endlessly roaring 'you're so fired'.

They rounded off the night by crowd-surfing from the stage to the back of the room. Super cool.

PS The support act was 'giveamanakick', initially I was 'what the f***?', the two guys came on wearing high-altitude fighter pilot-type masks, but thankfully didn't keep them on for the entire show. Not that their removal made the vocals any easier to make out. I won't be getting their CDs anytime soon, but the main man had buckets of humour and charisma.

Rated 5/5 on Oct 13 2008
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Review Tags: music, gigs, concerts

Molecular gastronomy for kids

I know, from my sister, how parents can be at their wits end trying to get kids to eat veg, is this the answer? Eat Your Spherified Vegetables!

Review of The Seldom Seen Kid - Elbow

The Seldom Seen Kid - Elbow

Had heard of, but not listened to, Elbow before Electric Picnic '08, and it was really by chance that I went to their show, wonderful, a revelation. Which of course led to this latest album. It's certainly doesn't easily fit into what I've been listening to this year which has tended towards indie, off-kilter, loud. The album is subtle, lyrical, romantic, definitely romantic.

The opener Starlings is a love song, the object of his affection '[is] the only thing in any room you're ever in', while he deprecates his own attractions '...back a horse that's good for glue...'. The Bones Of You changes pace, as he reminisces about five years ago, he's smashed the momentos but 'I love the bones of you, that I will never escape'. The Fix has a Jacques Brel feel, in its sound and seedy theme. One Day Like This, the single, is as you'd expect, a swooning, joyous celebration of love. Throughout Guy Garvey's voice is warm, husky, and earthy, holding it all together.

To tackle The B Word. Some have called them boring, and you know, if you only briefly listened to a couple of tracks you might leave with that impression. But it's about time and patience, and (to nick a great word used elsewhere) the music gradually unfurls to reveal its emotional and lyrical depths. Beautiful.

Rated 4/5 on Oct 08 2008
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Review Tags: music

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