WORTH THE WAIT

Sometimes you walk into a restaurant and you just know it’s going to deliver.

To my shame – and despite it being on my ‘must visit list’ since I moved to Belfast as a rookie reporter several decades ago, I have never managed a meal at The Old Inn in Crawfordsburn.

I do remember a colleague in the newsroom excitedly planning a night at the hotel with his girlfriend many years ago. The Old Inn was absolutely the place to go at the time. Sadly, there was no significant other to take me and so my romantic evening eluded me.

The arrival of two children since has hampered even further my social life.

In the intervening years, the hotel was bought over by the Galgorm Collection and has benefited from a more than £1m investment, and last year it achieved AA four-star silver status and been awarded an AA rosette for culinary excellence.

So, it was with much excitement that I finally pulled up outside The Old Inn in the quaint village of Crawfordsburn recently. We weren’t sure where to find the restaurant, but the concierge was immediately on hand to direct us down the corridor. It was a very friendly welcome and set the tone for the night ahead.

We were there to sample the new seasonal a la carte menu. But before we get to the food, let’s talk about the décor.

Following the acquisition of the hotel by Galgorm Collection and the subsequent redesign, they have managed to create an intimate dining experience, yet it is also bright and airy. I was particularly taken by the generously plump cushions at our seats. Relaxed yet elegant was the order of the day.

We arrived for our dinner at 6pm and were the first customers in the restaurant. In less than two hours, there was an enjoyable Friday night buzz and not a spare table to be seen. A combination of local visitors and residents at the hotel, we were informed.

As for the food, it’s clear why demand for a table is high.

The offerings on the menu are in line with a restaurant with AA rosette status. You won’t find any of the tired, well-rehearsed options here. At the very least, any of the more common ingredients have been revamped and upgraded. If pate if your normal go-to, try the chicken liver and foie gras parfait with toasted sour dough.

Other than that, the starters were as imaginative as they were refreshing to see – seared scallops with spring cabbage and Connemara ham, green asparagus with truffle dressing and cured egg yolk, shaved rose veal with smoked eel mayonnaise and spring onions, and sweet cured mackerel with wilted lettuce, garden herbs and jalapeno pepper all made an appearance.

There was no question in my mind – I went for the scallops and they were everything I wanted and more. My companion for the night – an even more cynical hack than I – was equally as impressed with her scallop starter.

Our choices diversified at the mains. I couldn’t resist the call of the roast rump of lamb with baked potato mash, curds and wild garlic. Lorrae went for the duck.

Thankfully, the success of the starter wasn’t just a one-off and the taste and quality continued. Sometimes I find myself limiting the accompanying jus with my meal to stretch it out to the end, but rationing wasn’t required this time. Neither was the plate swimming with the sauce.

Somewhat concerned by the concept of curds with my dinner when placing my order, the reassurance from our server was correct. It went perfectly with the rest of the plate. My side orders of sprouting broccoli and coolea cream were by no means required but absolutely delicious. Rich and creamy, the potato dish was perfectly balanced by the slightly sweet broccoli. Most importantly for me, the broccoli was al dente (overcooked broccoli is a greater sin than an overdone steak, as far as I’m concerned).

In fact, I was so impressed by the side that had they arrived on the table with nothing else, I would have been perfectly happy.

When it came to the Grange Farm Barbary duck breast, the new season carrots and sesame and barley malt were the talk of the table. They were snapped up before I got a chance to try.

As was the case throughout the night, our server was happy to answer questions about the dessert. I can’t normally go past the chocolate but the call of the sticky toffee pudding – after I was told they could hold the raisins – was too strong.

I feared I had made the wrong choice when the chocolate mousse was delivered to my companion (food envy is not funny) but actually I’m glad I took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy a fruit-free sticky toffee pudding.

We talked late into the night – by the time we left the restaurant was as empty as when we arrived. The food, the atmosphere, the décor, all of it perfect.

I did begrudge the fact I wasn’t staying the night, particularly as I made a sneaky little recce past the spa and it looks fabulous. My disappointment that the experience had come to an end was only tempered by finally getting a glimpse of the exquisite Northern Lights when I pulled up at home.

Watching the aurora borealis dance across the sky from my front doorstep will probably be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, hopefully dinner at The Old Inn won’t. 

For more information about the new seasonal a la carte menu, log on to www.theoldinn.com.