Before, Finn Valley, Stranorlar, Co Donegal
Tel +353 87 417 7484
MY instructions were clear and unambiguous, impossible to misinterpret: rendezvous at the front door at 1600 hours.
That would give us ample time to drive to Stranorlar, find a parking space, and be sitting at our table, perusing the menu, for 5pm.
We were late. Of course we were. As usual, my orders were ignored. No-one except me rendezvoused until a quarter past four, after which, unfathomably, it took the four of us 10 minutes to get into the car. And then, just outside Stranorlar, we found ourselves in a traffic jam.
We were probably the only four people in the county that didn’t know Donegal were taking on Tyrone in Ballybofey that evening. And, judging by the cars lining the streets and the yellow and green – and red – jerseys crowding the pavements, we were possibly the only people in the county not going to MacCumhaill Park to watch the match.
As it happens, we might have struggled to get a table had we arrived on time, given the number of fans leaving for the game as we turned up. It didn’t take us long to see why it had been such a popular port of call.
It’s a funny kind of place, mind. The front of the restaurant is actually a takeaway, and is narrow and a bit cramped. Go through a door into the restaurant proper, however, and the space really opens up into a big, airy dining-room with a bar in the corner and another dining area, possibly a function room, to the side. And go through the far door and you’re into a lovely terrace for open-air drinking and dining, with beautiful wild roses creeping over the wall from next door, and a border full of lavenders, verbenas, and salvias.
The decor is eclectic – the two old barber chairs in the takeaway section should have given us a clue – with cool colours, graphic art, pub windows bearing brewers’ names, and the table tops are slices of tree trunks, polished and gleaming. Taken with the brilliant music playing through the speakers, it’s all very cool and groovy.
We fought temptation and decided against any of the good-looking starters. My daughter’s pizza was knockout, as the smells wafting through the restaurant from the wood-fired oven promised it would be – a soft, smoky base, covered in sweet tomato, gooey cheese and nicely crisped, generous slices of pepperoni.
My brother diverted slightly from his usual burger route, opting for the brisket burger. A good choice. The meat was full of flavour, meltingly soft, and the potato bun had depth and sweetness.
Given the size of my pork chop, I must say I wouldn’t like to meet the pig it came from on a dark night. I was sure there was a plate underneath it, but it took a while for it to come into view. It was beautiful, cooked to perfection. Soft, flavoursome meat, with a hint of something like a Chinese spice, beneath a caramelised surface over which was a big chunk of melting butter. It came with a pot of pepper sauce, which contrasted with the sweetness of the pork, although the menu did promise chimichurri. My wife’s steak was just as lovely as the pork. Again, perfectly cooked, full of flavour, and a bit of a monster.
Get the chips, rather than the skinny fries. They were fine, but the chips were better.
For dessert (surely Before should do Afters, instead?) we had some delicious gelato, as well as the crème brulée and the Carrageen moss. The brulée was served with a bit of style, blow-torched at the table, and was smooth and creamy and rich with cardamom. The Carrageen moss was a bit of a dead loss, I’m afraid, to me, at least. I just found it flavourless to the point where it felt really healthy, and, while the stripe of berry coulis looked good, it was impossible to access, so didn’t contribute.
This, however, was the only wrong note of the night. Before offers high quality, casual dining, with great food served in a relaxed, stylish, light-hearted, lively atmosphere. If we lived closer, we’d be regulars, I’ve no doubt of it.
Prices for four in euro:
Mains
Sugar-brined pork chop – €22.00
Brisket burger – €18.50
Steak – €28.00
Pepperoni pizza – €9.50
Desserts
Organic Carrageen moss – €5.50
Vanilla gelato – €2.50
Crème brulée – €6.50
Drinks
Coke x 2 – €4.50
McDaid’s Football Special – €2.00
Total: €99.00 (£85.14)
