They know how to do food at the Arches — for six generations the venue, by the river Clare in the heart of Claregalway has been in various iterations, and has been satisfying the appetite of its patrons. With time, comes evolution and a constant desire to offer new and exciting dishes from talented artisans in the food trade.
As a business, it has never stood still, the Dunleavy family, a constant promoter of the need to be daring and constantly innovating to ensure that there is always a surprise for the customers. In this mission, they have willing allies in experienced chef Tom Enright and general manager Stephen Cotter who have come up with a menu that offers the freshest of local produce merged with an imagination forged from working in the best kitchens across the country and overseas.
Their influences are many but allied to a desire to ensure people have a satisfying meal to headline their time out in The Arches. For Tom, it is all about the experience, the art of presentation and the taste.
He is a considered chef who is aware that eating out should be a treat, an experience, and that every aspect of that, from the presentation to the ingredients to the price have to be matched perfectly to ensure customers return again and again.
We'll certainly be returning after sampling some of the delights on the current menu. On the night we ate there, the specials offered fish, chicken and beef dishes, and were delightfully innovative. The Arches itself is a contemporary restaurant that makes use of its place opposite the historic nine-arched bridge in the middle of Claregalway.
It has a historic location, just 100m from the dominating structure of Claregalway Castle — and is a modern take on its long history as a place to rest and eat.
We opened with two starters to share among the three of us. The spicy beef tacos topped with sour cream and grated cheese got the taste buds hopping, as did the breaded mushrooms served with the garlic and herb mayonnaise.
We ordered off the Evening Specials. Herself had the Surf and Turf option which was a 5oz medallion of beef fillet served with Argentinean Tiger Prawns cooked in garlic and served on a bed of braised cabbage with chilli, and came with with potato and veg. The beef was tender and succulent, bursting with the flavours and richness. The cream sauce the right blend of luxury and lightness.
I went for the chicken enchiladas, Mexican-seasoned strips with a melange of vegetables, infused with a light chilli sauce and served in a generous tortilla wrap, and topped with guacamole and cheese. Sometimes enchiladas require a bit of work, but not here. The wrap was tightly constructed and held in the flavours with confidence.
The presentation of the food was stunning — each plate beautifully dressed, each aspect shown off to its aesthetic maximum, just inviting you to taste. The teenager had the tortellini pasta, stuffed with ricotta and spinach and topped with parmesan, and the plate was emptied.
For dessert, we had a berry crumble and wow, what a treat. It was unusual in that the crumble was at the bottom and the juice from the fruit permeated the crumble base to create an experience. Sometimes crumble from the top down is too heavy or too dry, but this was superb and kudos to the creator.
It is innovation like this that will draw customers to The Arches this summer. The service as always was superb, the waiting staff very much on the ball, and the atmosphere very pleasant. On a midsummer evening, there was nowhere nicer to be. Among family and friends, sampling the best of produce in a local setting. Top class. Well done, Dunleavy family and Tom, Stephen and team.
