Galway with evening setting in- 11 pm in summer
Spanish Arch Galway
Hello again! I hope that you are all having a fab Sunday and looking forward to a short work week! I know the next few weeks will be intense, but even if I work from home on Friday, it will be nice to mix things up a bit. A Bin Ends Fine Wine Flea Market post will follow tomorrow – because it was an awesome event from which we purchased 12 bottles!
Tonight’s review is of one of my Galway, Ireland favorites. As I have posted in the past, I have spent quite a bit of time in Ireland and especially in Galway, and I definitely have the places I go to again and again. There are so many Galway eateries and drinkeries that I crave, but tonight is devoted to McSwiggan’s. My first experience with McSwiggan’s was 8 years ago, when my roommates and I would drink there and occasionally steal rolls of toilet paper from the closet in the restroom so we wouldn’t have to buy it ourselves. Illegal yes, classy no. I apologize for this behavior, but it was what it was, and I admit to it.:( Young and stoopid.
Anyway, I am going to go past McSwiggans as a drinking establishment for now. It is one of my fave date night spots in Galway and boasts some amazing food, including THE BEST VEGGIE CURRY EVER.
The last time we ate at McSwiggan’s was about a month ago on a trip to Ireland for the hub’s Masters program. It was relaxing for me, because while he was meeting with advisers, I was spa-ing. On our final night, we took the fam out to dinner to one of our favorite spots. The interior has been revamped a few times in the years I have been going, and now it is pretty swank while maintaining a lot of the old Irish charm, including the tree that goes up through the building.
courtesy of mcswiggans.com
Deciding on what to order at McSwiggan’s is difficult for most, but for me, the decision to order the veg curry is easy. I crave it every time I am home in the states and plan to eat it every time we visit Ireland.
We ordered a bottle of Clare Valley Aussie red for the table when we arrived, and our lovely server also brought a big glass of the white for us to try. My sister in law couldn’t make up her mind on a starter, and when she chose the Thai Salmon Cakes, the server brought the Pate Maison for her to try as well. Such great service!
I of course ordered the veg curry, but tried the salmon cakes, and they were delicious! One thing I love about new Irish cuisine is that there are all sorts of flavor influences, and the sweet and spicy chili of these cakes, matched with the freshness of local Irish salmon, was perfect.
We were given several baskets of bread for our table of 6, and I had one piece while waiting for my beloved entrée. When it finally did arrive, I once again marveled in its mix of veggie goodness, accompanied by a yogurt sauce and naan bread. This dish is huge, and I probably brought about ¾ of it home. It is so full of veg that it just makes me full after a few bites. The yogurt sauce is to die for.
The hub always splurges here and gets a steak with the cream cheese garlic potatoes. I have tried to make these at home, and while the outcome has been yummy, nothing compares to the garlicky-cheesiness of these potatoes. They are really in a class by themselves, and I would recommend going all the way to Galway for them 🙂
Favorite city ever (photo courtesy of mcswiggans.com)
Needless to say, we NEVER make it to dessert at McSwiggan’s but I bet it would be amazing. We normally end up at a nearby pub for a pint and some music, only to return a few hours later to veggie curry leftovers – genius!
I have SO many more Galway photos and recommendations, and I plan on sharing all of them in the future. For now I will be uploading my shots from the Bin Ends Flea Market today and look forward to writing more tomorrow!
Buenas noches 🙂
