Hotels and restaurants are thrilled to be open and back in business. The public are delighted too.

Questions abound around the kitchen tables: “Might we go out for a meal or will we go away for a night?” Those questions are answered with glee in the affirmative.

After a long lockdown, people are anxious to get together, to see each other’s faces and to look our closest confidants in the eye, to find out how they really are.

We have to remember that crowded places, even if outside, can be problematic

Some just want to get away alone for a hill walk or a stroll on the beach. For some reason, I’ve a real longing for a walk on a beach. Maybe this coming week, I’ll travel to one at a quiet time.

We have to remember that crowded places, even if outside, can be problematic. We’ve come this far; there’s no point in jeopardising the recovery so near the finish line.

A long wait

Last Tuesday, a glorious silver mist lay over Woodside, accentuating the green hues of everything. Our views were breathtakingly beautiful; enough to stop me in my tracks to take it in. The grass bent over with the weight of the moisture. Garden flowers and wildflowers dropped their heads for protection and luscious leaves cupped to store the droplets.

It was a day when we didn’t want any moisture as there was silage on the ground and we were also going to have our first meal in a restaurant outdoors with the family. You’d swear we were going on a holiday we were so excited. I had practically nothing to eat all day in anticipation.

I got the hair done, painted the nails and laid out our clothes. Off we went. We were shown to our table promptly. We were seated 30 minutes before we got to order. But we had plenty to catch up on.

I know it’s difficult to return to business after so long but unfortunately we are hungry and impatient for a good experience

We ordered starters and main courses and sipped our drinks. We sipped some more and some more. We passed around the water. We ran out of conversation while my stomach rumbled. One hour and 15 minutes later, the starter arrived. The whole event lasted over three hours and we had no tea or desserts.

The food was lovely but the waiting was a let down. I know it’s difficult to return to business after so long but unfortunately we are hungry and impatient for a good experience.

This is the challenge for businesses reopening. We’re starved for a nice evening out or a night away but we still require good service.

An unhappy traveller

The following morning; my phone rang as I was having breakfast. The man on the phone opened the conversation with the following introduction:

“I’m away up the country for a few days and I’m wondering why hotels butcher the food we produce. I’m paying €135 a night and the breakfasts are appalling. The sausages and bacon are shrivelled as if someone dropped in at five in the morning and cooked the lot!”

I could sense my friend John’s disappointment. He’s a well-travelled man with a discerning palate and a huge supporter of Irish food.

He said he was planning to order steak for the rest of the trip as it would be prepared and cooked fresh and to his personal liking

He also mentioned that he had ordered an evening meal of lamb in the hotel which he said was tasteless. We chatted about the grass-fed production of sheep and beef and how some places cook roast beef and lamb quite poorly. He said he was planning to order steak for the rest of the trip as it would be prepared and cooked fresh and to his personal liking.

We talked about the traditional Irish breakfast that is world renowned and John described the dried-up sausages that had been standing for hours in those “containers you open up” but out of sight due to COVID-19 restrictions. Why can’t breakfasts be cooked freshly in hotels we both wondered?

My enthusiasm has dropped already

I understand that this is just two people’s experiences as we come out of lockdown and for the most part, Ireland has some superb hotels and restaurants delivering fine food and service, but when you get let down; it stays with you. My enthusiasm has dropped already and John is looking forward to getting back home to fry a few nice sausages for himself.

Taking into account that there will be teething problems and staff training issues over the next number of weeks, I am confident that – after a long spell without hotels and restaurants – the hospitality industry will get back to business as usual. And we can look forward to some great dining experiences celebrating the best of Irish food.