Dull old days call for fancy lunches and dinners.

There’s nothing like getting cosy in one of Cork’s many excellent restaurants and peering out at the rain while waiting to be presented with something magical.

The food will be very, very good, of course, but perfect plating is the pizzazz, the bit that you’d never take the time to do yourself at home when you’re heaping spag bol into a bowl or flinging fish into the air fryer.

Treat yourself to a meal out one of these dreary evenings and you might even find you’re inspired to stack your fish fingers in a neat bundle or ditch your plates for a poppadom on curry night.

Here are six spots where the art of plating is front and centre this spring: 

1. Small plates at Goldie

If you fancy a meal involving more than one pretty plate, hit Goldie on Oliver Plunkett Street and choose a few options from their small plates menu to share.

Pictured here is the Pollock with Jalapeño and Blood Orange. They do some marvellous stuff with mackerel too and a creative selection of desserts to finish the evening.

 

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2. Try the Beef Salad at The Imperial 

It’s a popular spot for a decadent dinner, but The Imperial Hotel has a fine reputation for luxurious lunches too.

Their Warm Shredded Beef Salad involves tender beef served in a crispy Indian poppadom shell, accompanied by house dressing, mixed leaves, creamy Cashel Blue Cheese, and a pomegranate and mango salsa.

 

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3. Oysters for two at No 51

It’s 5pm, which means the end of your week and the beginning of the night at No 51 on Cornmarket Street.

Open Thursday to Sunday, 5pm to 10pm, this buzzy neighbourhood eatery serves oysters for two at the counter with horseradish, trout caviar and wild garlic oil.

Make a booking the old-fashioned way on 083 0102321.

 

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4. Disco to-go 

Okay so it’s served in a box rather than a plate but that doesn’t detract from the appeal of Poulet Vous’ famous Disco Fries. The Marina Market chicken shop is open Monday to Sunday, 12pm to 8pm (or until they sell out).

The Disco Fries involve Korean fried chicken, lettuce, house pickles, Monterrey Jack cheese, kimchi slaw and kimchi mayo.

 

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5. Brunch at Budds

A brunch worth heading West for, Budds have a knack for turning simple ingredients into something really special.

From the Eggs Ballydehob served on brioche toast, with hollandaise and either Twomeys or Gubbeen rashers to brunch with a Turkish twist, everything’s visually stunning and made with love and a hefty reliance on local suppliers and growers.

With some new additions to the menu just added, they’re open on Main Street, Ballydehob from Wednesday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm and on Sundays from 10am to 5pm.

 

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6. Soup and a toastie, but make it fancy

Over at The Glass Curtain on MacCurtain Street, you can order a perfectly slow-cooked egg, maitake mushroom, onion dashi broth, and smoked Hegarty’s cheddar cheese on toast.

Featured on the a la carte starters and vegetarian tasting menu, the broth is poured table side for extra ‘oooh lala’.

 

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