15 hours Ago By [email protected] (Daire Fitton)
A well-known Cork restaurant has claimed a gold medal for their fabulous fine dining experience at a prestigious national awards ceremony. Rare at Blue Haven in Kinsale were crowned winners at the Virgin Media Gold Medal awards on Tuesday. Rare beat out hotels and restaurants from across the country to claim their latest prize.
The restaurant has made waves since it first opened in 2020, with multiple awards under its belt from Virgin, the Irish Restaurant Awards and more. Last year, they were even added to the Michelin Guide for Ireland and the UK, which described the restaurant as “understated and engaging”. Meeran Manzoor, Executive Chef of Rare at Blue Haven, said:“ We are honoured to receive this award for Best Fine Dining Restaurant at the awards, we are grateful to our incredible team, and loyal guests who make it all possible.
Another great start to the year for us in Rare.” For those looking to try Rare for themselves, they're located on Pearse Street in Kinsale and offer a fine dining tasting menu experience featuring locally sourced ingredients influenced by chef Meeran’s Tamil Nadu heritage. Guests can enjoy a selection of cocktails or a curated list of wine pairings with their meal.
It's been a bit of a mixed start to the year for hospitality businesses in Cork as while some have closed their doors for good after the Christmas trade, we've also seen a number of new establishments set up. Among these is Don Gregorios, a new Italian restaurant on Washington Street. CorkBeo spoke with Rory O'Connor, one of the men behind the new venture.
He told us that Don Gregorio’s focuses primarily on fresh pasta dishes, allowing them to offer main courses at a lower price point than many competitors. Don Gregorio operates as a hybrid café and restaurant, allowing customers to grab a quick to-go dish while also having the option of a more formal sit-down meal..
