Ladies who lunch will love the Lansdowne
By Paula Gracey
Paula Gracey enjoys a red carpet welcome to her latest girlie get-together
Very often we forget about the great places on our doorstep and tend to venture afar for food and entertainment but I have to say my friend, Louise, and I are definitely not guilty of that as once a month, we go to our local, the Lansdowne Hotel, in my own Belfast Antrim Road neighbourhood, for a Saturday afternoon girlie lunch that we very much look forward to.
The menu covers all bases, from small plates to main courses and delicious desserts. Vegetarians are well catered for and the menu changes to jazz things up a bit and keeps regulars like ourselves interested.
I would recommend the fish cake starter, which I sometimes have as a main with a side salad (with the most amazing coleslaw) and chunky chips and I have it on Louise’s good authority the fish, chips and mushy peas are amazing.
During the festive season we enjoyed the Christmas Dinner and it was one of the best we’ve tasted.
The Chicken Burger is another of my favourites. The wine list is small but perfectly formed and, needless to say we always go for our favourite, South African Sommosing Rose called – ‘Needless to Say’.
We are also working our way through the cocktail list and haven’t found one we don’t like yet – and the Baileys coffees are delicious. We have been here in rain, hail, snow and beautiful sunshine and it is always good craic.
The restaurant is usually packed on a Saturday afternoon, so I would recommend booking but it always crackles with a great atmosphere from family lunches, to birthdays and lots of locals enjoying the afternoon, including my second cousin who seems to be there every time we are!
Recently the Six Nations Rugby has been on and Ireland win had a place in joyous uproar!
On our last outing I arrived before Louise and was overjoyed to find a red carpet rolled out for me! Then I realised there was a wedding party arriving and it was great fun people watching to see all the style as the guests and then the bride and groom rocked up. We had a lovely table by a window and as the sun had actually made a long overdue appearance and was belting in the window we were really warm, so after our meal we headed out into the lovely beer garden which is always full of life during the good weather and on this occasion was packed with wedding party guests and the bride and groom having photos taken so we ordered another drink and watched all the goings on. They even had their two lovely doggies in the wedding photos, the beer garden being dog friendly, which is great!
Go Loco for Poco
Wine lovers and taco guests gathered in Belfast to celebrate the Northern Ireland launch of Poco Vino, a premium single-serve wine range designed for modern drinking occasions.
Distributed locally by Craigavon-based United Wines, Poco Vino – meaning ‘a little wine’ – is produced by Australian Vintage Wines and packaged exclusively in convenient 187ml bottles, offering consumers the perfect single glass without committing to a full bottle.
The range includes Malbec, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé, providing a convenient and quality option for wine lovers looking for flexibility and moderation.
To mark the launch, United Wines hosted a colourful ‘Paint & Sip’ event with Vino van Gogh at The Pocket in Belfast, where guests enjoyed Poco Vino while taking part in a painting session, demonstrating how wine and creativity can be a perfect pairing.
