Classic dining restaurant AJLA in Clarinbridge is a new venture by the team behind PoppySeed Gourmet Cafés. AJLA combines casual and elegant dining. Enjoy evening dinner, all-day brunch, or breakfast in the restaurant, or simply sit and relax at the wine bar and enjoy a pouring glass and mezze board.
“Our hope is that AJLA will enhance the PoppySeed story,” said Anne Forde of AJLA. “The vision is to offer a comforting yet attentive dining experience that hits all the senses. The space is beautiful and cocooning. The menus are simple yet interesting.”
The evening menu and daytime menu at AJLA emphasise classic dishes with a creative, contemporary, edge and a strong focus on local, seasonal, ingredients.
Award-winning head chef Judy Forde said: “AJLA is a happy new food story for PoppySeed. Fresh, Irish food will be at the core, as well as quality produce treated with attention and care. I love playing with food and there are so many great Irish food producers to work with. Our menus will be simple and our specials creative, showcasing Irish food at its best.”
On the evening dinner menu you can expect a mix of classic and global-influenced starter, meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes in addition to shared mezze boards. Charred harissa chicken with Toonsbridge mozzarella and fresh tagliatelle, and roast butternut and chickpea tagine, sit alongside fresh fish dishes, as well as Barbary duck breast and prime Irish sirloin steak. The mezze boards come in charcuterie, Irish cheese, and veggie tapas combinations.
Creative cooking is to the fore on the breakfast and brunch menu. A traditional full Irish featuring local ingredients is present alongside a sweet potato and courgette rosti with Kinvara smoked salmon, poached Galway Free range eggs, and dill hollandaise, and further options with a contemporary twist like banana bread French toast; house focaccia with Toonsbridge mozzarella, Parma ham, and beef tomato with home fries; cranberry brioche with pastrami and smoked Gubbeen with home fries; and warm smoked duck with McCarthy’s black pudding, cashew butter, pear, and cinnamon.
AJLA also encompasses a luxury dining area called the Oyster Room. This stylish, comfortable, and tranquil space overlooks the Clarin River, making it an ideal choice for special occasion dining.
AJLA is located at The Bridge Centre, Clarinbridge, Co Galway (above PoppySeed Gourmet Café ).
AJLA is open daily from 10.30am until 5pm on Wednesday and Sunday with last orders at 8.30pm on Thursday through to Saturday. The breakfast and brunch menu is available up until 5pm, with the dinner menu available from 5pm.
See www.ajla.ie or phone 091 485 413 for more details. Stay up-to-date on Facebook @ajlaclarinbridge and Instagram at @ajla_restaurant.
