Restaurant Thirty Seven at Silky’s,
37 Main Street,
Dungiven,
Co Derry,
028 7774 1772
facebook.com/restaurantthirtysevenatsilkys
I’ve often stopped in Dungiven, although never intentionally. Usually I was sitting in the car on Main Street, stuck in a line of traffic that simply refused to budge.
That was all pre-bypass, of course, by which I mean the dual carriageway; I’ve not had major surgery. Since then, I haven’t stopped there at all. I’ve just sailed along the A6, mildly baffled by the miles of cones that mysteriously appear and disappear without any sign of work that might justify their presence.
All that changed the other Sunday, however. We’d just got back from holiday and there was nothing in the house to eat. (This actually isn’t true. We’d been back for three days, but I’d been too lazy to go shopping. And there was food in the house, but you can only eat giant duty-free Toblerones for so long).
Needing sustenance and wanting to try somewhere new, we headed to Dungiven, to Silky’s. Restaurant Thirty Seven at Silky’s, to give it its full title, the owners since last August adding a bit to make it their own, but keeping the Silky’s, in honour of a distant relative of the previous owners.
We arrived for lunch pretty much at opening time – 12.30pm – but there were already customers in there, and it was close on full by the time we left. It’s a bright, fresh, light, open place, with lots of blue, grey and yellow. There’s a bar at the centre, with tables either side, at the front window looking onto Main Street, and stretching out towards the back. Our first impressions were very positive, apart from the – to my ears – awful playlist, a sort of country and western hip-hop hybrid.
The music, though, was the only fault I could find. Well, maybe the custard, too, come to think of it.
The meal began with two starters, both of which went to our daughter, who had been complaining of starvation since Drumahoe. I wasn’t allowed any of her soup, but my wife, who was, said it was deliciously creamy, well-seasoned, with a nice balance of flavours. The most impressive thing about the starters for me was the little salad garnish that accompanied the garlic bread. Peppery leaves, delicately pickled onion, and a subtle relish. This spoke volumes about the care and consideration that goes into the smallest detail at Silky’s.
And that thought and pride was evident in our child’s main, too – a lovely, home-made pizza, served with perfect chips. My wife chose the beef for her main. The meat was well-cooked and very tasty. Yes, it could possibly have done with a little more seasoning, but, once a touch of the sweet and sharp onion sauce was added, you didn’t notice this.
I loved every mouthful of my seabass. The skin was beautifully crisp, and the fish flaked away with ease. The white wine and dill cream enhanced the flavour of the seabass gently, while the asparagus added a good, flavoursome crunch.
The mash was soft and smooth, and the taste of the potato was pleasingly not swamped by either cream or butter. The accompanying vegetables – carrots, green beans, and broccoli – were properly cooked, retaining bite and freshness.
For dessert, the apple tart was fantastic. Like the vegetables, the apples were perfectly cooked, not left to go to mush at all, and the pastry casing was crisp and thin. Yes, the custard was a bit thick for my liking, but it was sweet and creamy, with a lovely hint of vanilla. I thought the chocolate nemesis was simply gorgeous – a great marriage of cake and truffle, with just the right amount of gooeyness, which was addressed anyway by the refreshing sorbet and the sharp dots of berry gel.
Every dish, incidentally, was beautifully presented and the service was excellent.
Silky’s is a fine restaurant, well worth bypassing the bypass for. I have every intention of stopping in Dungiven much more often in future.
The bill
Child’s potato and leek soup - £3.00
Child’s cheesy garlic bread - £3.35
Child’s Margherita pizza and fries - £6.25
Child’s ice cream - £2.75
Pan-fried seabass, asparagus, white wine and dill cream
Roast beef, crispy onion, Yorkshire pudding, gravy
Caramelised apple tart, vanilla custard, ice cream
Chocolate nemesis, mixed berry sorbet
All mains served with roast and mashed potato and vegetables; £21.00 for two courses.
Coca-Cola x 2 - £6.00
Americano - £3.00
Total: £63.50
