Restaurant review: Botanica Restaurant and Taste of Cavan

I’m deep in conversation with my father, discussing the upcoming match, when the phone line drops. I groan, blaming the phone, the hands-free connection, even my Dad – until I take a minute to consider my surroundings.

It’s not the phone, it’s the back roads of Cavan that are to blame. But turning in to Farnham Estate, what it lacks in coverage, it makes up for in scenery. Rolling vales of perfectly manicured greenery lead to grassy woodland and this is the view you enjoy over dinner at the Botanica Restaurant.

Hotel restaurants in rural areas feel the heat. Stay in a hotel in Dublin and you’ll be fighting about where to eat. Stay in Cavan country, though, and you mightn’t wander further than the front door – so the food has to impress. It should therefore be a menu that suits many a palette and Botanica Restaurant hits the mark.

Rare beef salad, orange and vodka-cured salmon and tian of crab with avocado and tomato petals all jump off the menu but it was particularly nice to see an innovative vegetarian starter: sweet potato and quinoa lollipops.

Off to a Good Start

Deciding on starters wasn’t going to be straightforward and that’s not because of the menu. A hushed argument ensued when the words pan-seared scallops were uttered ... again. Honestly, my husband’s obsession with scallops is getting a bit worrying.

“Please go for something else?” I plead. But he knows what he wants – adamant he is becoming a scallop expert. So when he declares fantastic, my fork shoots across the table at an embarrassingly fast rate. Beautifully seared, you enjoy a satisfying crunch before a rewarding juicy explosion. It doesn’t need sauce, it doesn’t need anything really but the accompanying cauliflower fritters are a delightfully light crunchy addition.

The smoked duck salad was calling to me. Resting on a bed of greens, the contrasting maroon colour meat jumped from the plate, a feast for the eyes.

I created a delicate balancing act on my fork with the subtle and smooth smoked flavour of the duck pairing beautifully with the crunch of the salad and the sweetness of the tangy tomato relish.

Innovation Needed

When it comes to eating out, I rarely opt for the chicken. I find it too much of an everyday staple to be considered a treat. But when I saw pistachio nut stuffed supreme of chicken on the menu, I thought this could be something different and interesting. Excitedly, I ordered but unfortunately, it wasn’t the experiential dish I hoped for. I had notions of roughly chopped pistachios adding a pale green and unique crunch to the chicken. The reality was a nice moist chicken breast with a lightly speckled stuffing but without any culinary boldness. Tasty but unimpressive.

Grilled sea trout with saffron potato, asparagus, baby fennel and tomato dressing arrived across the table. Although there was quite a variety of ingredients, visually it looked very attractive and clean. Less was definitely more here. The sea trout was well executed with the light creamy tomato sauce adding flavour but still allowing the natural flavour to shine through.

Cauliflower and broccoli topped with almonds were fresh, crunchy sides but our advice is, whatever you order, spend the extra €4 on the potato gratin. Charred on top, the potatoes were creamy but still held their consistency revealing a beautifully balanced garlic flavour.

Star of the Show

While you’re at it though, throw in their baked Alaska. I am such a fan of this dessert; I had it on my wedding menu. So again expectations were high but it really delivered. Golden meringue encased a light and goey filling which hid creamy ice-cream with specks of vanilla. However, the culinary surprise was the little chunks of honeycomb that left a sizzling sweetness on your tongue, securing it as the best course of the meal.

There was a little jealously and a few too many spoon requests coming across the table but the white chocolate delice helped avoid another tiff. Well put together, it layered dark chocolate, white chocolate and Baileys Chantilly cream. There was a moment when I feared the white chocolate was too sweet, but when paired with the bitterness of the dark, the result was a surprisingly light end to the meal.

Price

Three courses cost €45 per person. Add in the supplement for the scallops (€3) and the potato gratin (€4) which are well worth it and a bottle of Albariño (€42), our meal came to €139. Break that €45 down, you’re looking at about €25 for your main, €12.50 for starter and €7.50 for dessert. So it’s steep but not excessively so. CL