Chefs are bringing daring cuisine to centuries-old pubs in remote corners of Ireland.
, a pub that dates back to 1768, located a 10-minute drive inland from Downings. It has low ceilings, worn wood everywhere, and hazy golden lighting. Walk in and you smell the aroma of burning turf and hear the sound of creaky floors. Depending on the day and hour, a fiddler might be playing by the fireplace. When asked what drew him to the Olde Glen, Sweeney simply stated: “The building tells a story.
And the Irish are natural storytellers. Sweeney tells his stories in the restaurant hidden away behind the pub, where the ceiling opens up and a long room offers glimpses into a modern, open kitchen. One of the most popular ways to begin a meal here is with Sweeney’s fermented potato bread served with bacon mousse and a smoky, sour cabbage. Familiar Irish ingredients are reimagined, but with a touch of nostalgia.
“My grandmother made potato bread; here it’s called fadge, on a hot skillet,” Sweeney told me. “It was always finished with butter, blackened on the outside, fluffy on the inside.” On a warm summer night, conversation halted as his version of the dish arrived at my table; we wiped clean every morsel.When you drive four hours from Dublin to the coast, it would be a crime not to indulge in Donegal’s seafood.
“We’re getting the grá back into it, cooking good honest food; that’s our buzz,” Sweeney said. Modest and charming, he’s also quick to point out that any success is largely due to the stellar quality of his ingredients, from local purveyors like
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