New Galway restaurant Chez Azur, in an elegant upstairs room with stunning views out over the docks, is a quiet culinary oasis just a stone’s throw from the buzz of Quay Street. At the top of the stairs are two lovely rooms with lots of character, a little casual with dark wood tables, comfortable chairs, and lots of light from windows looking out over the boats in the harbour. This was my second visit here since its opening night back in March and it has developed quickly into a well run restaurant.
Head chef Ian Daly is in charge of the kitchen, where the freshest available seafood direct from local sources features on the menus, with daily specials as you would expect from a restaurant specialising in seafood. They have a well priced set à la carte dinner menu for €31.50.
Besides the fresh fish choices, you can enjoy starters such as goats cheese crostini or a chicken and chorizo salad, followed by main courses of rib eye steak, Irish farmyard chicken, and a meltingly tender 24 hour pork belly. The kitchen manages mostly to pull off the delicate balancing act between classic French and modern Irish.
Having sipped some Prosecco with some 'gal pals' at the launch of the lovely new look Il Folletto (I know, it's a tough life, right? ) the three of us strolled down and were quickly seated at one of the coveted window seats. A prawn, mint, and petit pois starter, beautifully presented in a scallop shell with toasted sourdough bread and edible flower garnish, set the standard for the evening. The crab and smoked eel starter was light and flavourful, and the daily mussel special equally good.
The mains were all beautifully presented in good size portions. Hake, sole, monkfish, the choice of fish was wonderful with an option to add prawns or scallops to any dish for an extra charge of about €5, an excellent idea for those with difficulty making up their minds. Sides of potatoes, organic leaf salad, and seasonal vegetables are all charged extra. Seasonality and local producers get credit here also.
To finish, attractive desserts include popular dishes such as chocolate truffle and hazelnut, passionfruit and lemon tartlet — and a very good wine list, with some quality wines by the glass, served correctly by the ever-so efficient and attentive staff.
For a seaside town we are somewhat lacking in restaurants specialising in seafood. Chef and proprietor Ken Stembridge is hugely likeable and deserves to do well. Our outing here was very enjoyable, great atmosphere, good company and nothing was too much trouble for the staff. It's good to see Chez Azur quickly earning local support. And they have cocktails… what's not to like?
Chez Azur, 1 New Docks Road, Galway. Tel (091 ) 564 477.
Le Petit Delice is a nice little patisserie in 'Rue' Mainguard and run by a young French couple. There is always a steady queue of people to pick up their authentic French croissants and baguettes all made with French flour, from the pre-dominantly French staff. Le Petit Delice is an early opener and is a favourite coffee stop on a Saturday for the market traders. It pays to get there early while the loaves are still warm. Breakfast is a selection of pastries to eat in or take out. As well as hot beverages, it does iced lattes and mochas, which is good to know for when the next heatwave arrives.
While seating is quite limited, the outdoor tables are on the lovely shady side of the street and perfect for a light lunch. It is easy to pretend you are on the banlieues of Paris for half an hour before returning to reality. We had two very good ham and cheese croissants at €4.50 each. A Parma ham salad with the honey dressing on the side at €7 was also delicious, with an outstanding croque monsieur for €4.90 although the takeout prices are significantly less.
The menu of sandwiches and desserts is equally great and there is good wheelchair access. Be warned that they do not take any credit or debit cards and if you are sitting outside you will need to order and pay in advance at the till, though there is no sign to indicate this. Any of the loaves not sold on the day they are made go to the ‘yesterday’s bake’ shelf, for a much reduced price.
The patisserie counter has a wide selection of delectable desserts. We tried a pear tatin, a chocolate eclair, and one of the speciality macarons, all of which came with fresh cream and a light vanilla seed studded crème anglais. The shelves are stacked high with other beautifully crafted creations, all handmade in the off-site bakery. It's 'press your face up to the glass' time when trying to decide which to have. A selection of the exquisite macarons makes a fabulous little gift for someone special. In any case, Le Petite Delice is not to be missed. Le Petit Delice, Mainguard Street, Galway. Tel (091 ) 500 751.
