Coppi
Saint Anne's Square (028 9031 1959)
Mourne Seafood
34-36 Bank Street (028 9024 8544)
The Devenish
33-37 Finaghy Road North (028 9075 5566)
HELLO old friends, good to be back eating out after a very long period of eating in. On your behalf I have selflessly been out and about giving my patronage to our struggling hospitality sector, so take a seat and let me fill you in on all the biz.
I understand some of you are nervous; we all need to move at our own pace. I’m not, so consider me an explorer, sent on ahead to make sure the path is clear of potential danger.
My first night back in a restaurant was THE first night. I’d a table booked in Coppi at St Anne's Square the day the executive announced the reopening date. What can I say? I’m a sociable person.
And I’m glad I did, the team at Coppi had put in the graft in to make sure returning customers felt safe. Owner Andrea O’Neill greeted us; no handshakes, no hugs – there’s no touching in the new normal – but a huge, warm smile on her face.
Unlike some places that have struggled to fit dividing shields into their décor, Coppi have placed framed Perspex between booths, which I didn’t even notice until it was pointed out.
And here was the real innovation – our table settings, cutlery, side plates, glasses etc were sterilised and sealed in plastic wrap, like a huge present. You open the plastic and set the table yourself, reducing contact.
There were also no menus, instead a piece of paper with a QR code to scan on your phone that took you to the online menu. Don’t worry if this sounds baffling – I’m assured menus can be supplied if needed.
I’ve had a few restaurant boxes in lockdown but how I missed having a meal served to me. We’d a selection of small plates to start – duck fritters, feta fritters (they’re dripping in truffle honey) and the Portavogie prawns, all delicious, chat flowing, everyone excited not to be wearing tracksuits for the first time in over 100 days. £11.50 for three or £17.50 for five small plates.
If you’re new to Coppi get the signature Duck Ragu with Porcini Mushroom Ravioli, Truffle and Parmesan, £17. It is a death row meal, it contains more calories than I drank bottles on wine in lockdown, but you deserve it. We all deserve it.
I had the market fish, a lightly smoked cod with a jewelled couscous – flaky moist, perfectly cooked and seasoned, £17.
There was a Chicken Parmigiana with grilled courgettes and potatoes with a salsa verde ordered as well, an Italian classic and always a crowd pleaser, £17. A fairly shameful amount of wine was put away, but the craic was brilliant and while there are aspects of our lives that have changed forever, the joy of sharing great food with good company is always joyous.
For those worried about sitting in a restaurant, why not go al fresco instead? I’ve had not one but two lunches in Mourne Seafood Bar; along with neighbours Kelly’s Cellars they’ve made the most of their location in Bank Square and used a lot of the outside space for seating. They’ve also adapted the menu for outside. They’ll probably kill me for saying this but it’s sort of posh chippy.
The half lobster with a plump prawn veloute and fries is the most expensive thing on the menu at £14.50 and I can assure you it is outstanding, luxurious, delightfully decadent. The beer battered fish and chips is a huge portion of top quality fish for just £10.50.
There’s a salt and chilli squid starter, my favourite thing, for just £7. Mourne have a brilliant cocktail menu, or why not get a great big pot of mussels with a crusty roll for dipping and a glass of wine starter size (£6.50). THen again, why would you even bother? Go large for £10.50. Time spent eating seafood and drinking wine is never wasted and while it feels safe being outside and distanced, there’s still a good buzz about the place.
I’m a westy so can’t go past my local the Devenish at Finaghy for decent, well-priced grub. The tables have been well spaced out, sanitiser at the door, the staff are attentive, table service only and the food is simple pub grub well done.
We had a chicken stack on a mountain of mash with peppered sauce (£11.95) and a pulled pork burritos with fries – you could have fed two people with it for £9.95. I had envy over the huge pizzas being brought out of the open kitchen – but sure you know me, I’ll be back for one soon. This is a good place for families during the day and kids were well catered for.
And so we move forward, slow, cautious steps... but I have to say it’s good to be back.
