Dungarvan Brewing Company beer will be opened, Muldoon whiskey uncorked, oysters smothered in lemon and local beef fired up on the BBQ. Dungarvan is set to become a foodie haven this weekend thanks to the West Waterford Festival of Food.

Now in its eighth year, the festival gets bigger each year. For locals, it marks the beginning of summer, the start of the tourist season and a celebration of what the south-eastern town has to offer.

With 90 events taking place, the town is anticipating over 18,000 people in the square on Sunday. However, there is one event, taking place since the festival began, that continues to remain the most popular with visitors – the restaurant trail.

The Moorings

What’s not to love about it? You taste lots of different food, meet new people and have fun en route. There is a selection of trails throughout the weekend but Friday’s trail takes place along the quay and Irish Country Living starts in the Moorings.

“The party gets going right from the start,” says owner Marie Quinn. “As people gather, we will have live music playing. It’s funny to watch people start out nice and polite. We know within a few hours that they’ll be like long-lost friends.”

On the trail you have a starter in one restaurant, your main in the next and finish with desert in the third. There are three groups so it works on rotation and you get to chose where you want to dine for each course.

The Moorings has a private dining room and the atmosphere is something special. With large windows overlooking the harbour, the room is candlelit and you can see the festival lights twinkling on the water.

Served up in these impressive surroundings is the Moorings speciality – fish. If you opt for starters here, you’ll be enjoying a deliciously creamy seafood chowder which, when fused with the zing of fresh lemon, stops you in your tracks. Served with brown bread, which had a delicious consistency of spongy and crunchy, topped with local smoked salmon. The main course in this restaurant is their ever-popular creamy seafood pie with creamy mash and crispy breadcrumbs.

This year, the Moorings are also adding a little entertainment to the event as locals Susan and Judith Boyle are making sorbet in front of guests using dry ice and Dungarvan Brewing Company beer.

Indian Ocean

Where will you be off to next? Less than a minute down the quay, Indian Ocean serves quite a feast. If you opt for starters here, you won’t be caught for choice.

Libby Flynn from Indian Ocean says: “We like to give our guests a little sample of a lot. So, we have a tasting plate with onion bajhi, chicken tikka, Bombay fish and sheesh kebab. Bombay fish is one of the show pieces that people love.”

If the main course is more your style here, there are three dishes on offer, served in buffet style. The vegetarian balti is so flavoursome you’d barely notice the absence of meat. However, if you do like a little more bite to you dishes, you can opt for the chicken makhani which is a mild dish, whereas the lamb rezala has an extra kick.

Libby says: “It’s fantastic because sometimes people stick to what they know but this allows you to try things you mightn’t necessarily order, adding to the whole experience of a restaurant trail.”

Interlude

Choice is definitely key and if you’d prefer a hearty steak, then that option is available in the quirky restaurant that sits between the Moorings and Indian Ocean.

Interlude has a modern and fun feel which is reflected in the dishes. Starter here is pollock fishcake with the added twist of a melting mustard centre. Owner Susan Denn really keeps the ingredients local as the main course of fillet steak comes straight from her parent’s farm in Modeligo, while the crispy chips are made with Ballinacourty potatoes. She pairs this with a colourful beetroot puree and a rocket and Cashel blue cheese salad.

Notice how we haven’t mentioned dessert in any of these restaurants? This is where all three will be experimenting with the same ingredient – Muldoon Whiskey. And Michelle Lanigan in Interlude serves a trifle that is set to impress. Clear your mind of any preconceptions of heavy Christmas trifle. This desert is on a whole new level.

“I had fun creating this dish where the key was to showcase our local whiskey. So, I made an egg-based mousse for the top of the trifle. There is a toffee and hazelnut tone to the whiskey so I combined the soaked sponge with pears and honey. The great thing about Muldoons is that it doesn’t have too much of a kick so it is a great accompaniment in this light desert.”

Craic agus Ceol

The hardest decision that you have to make on the food trail is where to go for which course, but whatever you choose, you’re guaranteed one thing – a great night out.

Joan Clancy has being guiding groups on the restaurant trail since the start. A real character, she is the owner of a renowned art gallery in Mweelahorna, Ring in the West Waterford Gaeltacht, and has an impressive knowledge of the area – an interesting addition to the conversation.

“The trail isn’t just about food, it’s about enjoying a good night out. By the time we get to desert, there is often a sing song. All it takes is one person to open the lid and next thing people are trying to top other performances.”

In fact, there is now an annual request for Joan to do her animated recital of a local poem, Dungarvan in the Rain by John Betjeman.

“It’s not just groups that come along,” says Joan. “Some come on their own to meet new people. I’m hoping that one of these years a romance will blossom from our restaurant trail.”

Tickets cost €45 which includes three courses, a glass of wine or craft beer, some Muldoon whiskey and plenty of fun and entertainment. For more details and other restaurant trails, log onto www.westwaterfordfestivaloffood.com. Act fast as tickets are limited.