Good Food Guide 2017 reveals its best eateries, with Wine & Brine recognised as best new entry for NI

• Winner of the recent Local Restaurant of the Year Award, Wine & Brine, features on The Good Food Guide’s best new entries list
• Restaurants in Bangor and Belfast are the highest scoring restaurants for Northern Ireland in the guide.
• Belfast’s industrial-chic Muddlers Club makes a splash on best new entries list

The top entries and award winners from the 2017 Good Food Guide have been revealed today. The Good Food Guide (GFG), owned by Waitrose, is a guide to the very best restaurants and eateries across Britain. Northern Irish newcomer Wine & Brine, the winner of the Local Restaurant of the Year Award* announced last month, is also recognised in this year’s guide on the best new entries list.

Wine & Brine, “a relaxed town-centre venue” is located in the picturesque market town of Moira in Armagh. Chris McGowan and his wife Davina offer regional produce using on-trend preserving techniques such as ageing, curing and pickling.

Speaking about Wine & Brine, Elizabeth Carter, Waitrose Good Food Guide Editor says, “High Georgian ceilings and an open kitchen make the place feel airy and relaxed, but the next thing to catch your eye may well be the astonishingly restrained prices. There’s certainly no stinting on quality, as witnessed in a pair of chorizo dumplings smothered in a creamy onion soup, with hints of fennel adding edge.”

Helping to sustain the culinary excitement in Northern Ireland are the highest scoring restaurants, which can be found in Belfast and Bangor.

A former harbourmaster’s office and lifeboat station by the marina, The Boat House in Bangor, Co Down, is recognised as one of the top scorers for its “diverting blend of European and Asian elements in dishes that don’t stint on complexity of construction”. The guide notes that “the roughcast stone walls and tiled floor make a clean, simple backdrop for the Castel brothers’ classy operation.”

Another restaurant highlighted is OX in Belfast, a “contemporary venue for a transformed city dining scene” with an emphasis on seasonality throughout its dishes. “Technical wizardry” adds lustre to its desserts menu and an expertly chosen list makes it well worth a visit.

Continuing in OX’s modernist vein is new entry the Muddlers Club, whose industrial chic decor and modern Euro dishes are setting a high standard for Belfast’s hip Cathedral Quarter – it rightly earns its place on The Good Food Guide’s best new entries list.

The Good Food Guide’s annual Top 50 restaurant ranking is highly regarded by chefs and restaurant-goers alike. The top restaurant this year is L’Enclume in Cumbria, which scored a perfect 10 and kept the number one spot for the fourth year running.

The guide celebrates the tenth year of editor Elizabeth Carter at the helm. She has experienced many changes in restaurant culture during her decade at The Good Food Guide, which is still compiled by coupling reader feedback of eateries up and down the country with anonymous inspections by a team of experts.

Says Carter, Consultant Editor of the Waitrose Good Food Guide, “I’ve certainly seen changes in the UK restaurant scene in my ten years as consultant editor – what a golden era for restaurants it has been. London will always have an extraordinary wealth of top restaurants and chefs but I love the fact that the burgeoning restaurant scene beyond the capital, driven by more affordable start-up costs, has made our other great cities viable dining destinations.

“At the same time, dining out everywhere has become less structured, less formal, with more flexible opening times and menus, and with a much broader choice of quality venues in the lower price bracket. It means we’ve all had to come to terms with exposed ductwork, hard seats, small plates and communal tables – but it’s well worth it when you consider the all-day eateries, cafés, pizzerias, seafood shacks and pubs of genuine high quality offering everyday eating at everyday prices.”

The GFG, along with its team of anonymous inspectors and loyal readers, has uncovered a range of foodie finds in unconventional settings and structures. There are three restaurants housed in shipping containers featuring in this year’s guide: Cook House in Newcastle, Craftworks Street Kitchen in Truro, Cornwall and Kricket in Brixton in London. Then there’s a “modern marvel” in a service station. Gloucester Services on the M5 is an “independently run motorway pit-stop” with a gourmet café that is “committed to locally sourced food”. Also new to the guide this year is reader discovery Shuck’s at the Yurt, a restaurant housed in a quirky tent in Norfolk. The yurt eatery, located in a beautiful orchard, is run by husband and wife team Philip (Head Chef) and Beth Milner. And in Bristol, you’ll find a brilliant brunch and tasty tapas at Spoke and Stringer, a seriously cool café which is part of a bike and surf shop.

The Waitrose Good Food Guide 2017 Editors’ Awards

Waitrose has also announced the Editors’ Awards from the 2017 Good Food Guide. These awards recognise restaurants and chefs who have shown excellence in their field. This year, Chef of the Year has been awarded to James Close from the Raby Hunt in Darlington, Durham. Restaurant of the Year has been named as Orwells in Shiplake, Oxfordshire and Best New Restaurant Entry is Forest Side in Grasmere, Cumbria. A new award for this year is Best Front-of-House, which celebrates the best restaurant customer service in the UK. This has been awarded to Jason Atherton’s Pollen Street Social in London.

Chef of the Year
James Close
The Raby Hunt, Durham

Chef to Watch
Ben Murphy
The Woodford, South Woodford, London

Restaurant of the Year
Orwells
Oxfordshire

Best New Entry
Forest Side
Cumbria

Best Front-of-House
Pollen Street Social
London

Best Small Group
Dishoom
London

Local Restaurant of the Year
Wine & Brine
Moira, Armagh

Top 50 Restaurants

The Good Food Guide’s annual Top 50 restaurant ranking is highly regarded by chefs and restaurant-goers alike, with particular attention paid to those chefs and restaurants who make it into the Top 10. The Top 50 recognises the very best talent in the country; a place on the list represents a huge achievement, with each position earned by its score in The Good Food Guide, editor appraisal and strength of reader feedback. A top score of 10 means “Just perfect dishes, showing faultless technique at every service; extremely rare, and the highest accolade the Guide can give.” Straight into the Top 50 at no. 37 is Forest Side, Cumbria and also new in the Top 50 are Castle Terrace, The Greenhouse, Simpsons, Orwells, Restaurant Marianne and The Whitebrook.

1 L’Enclume, Cumbria (10)
2 Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Cornwall (10)
3 Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottinghamshire (9)
4 Pollen Street Social, London (9)
5 Hibiscus, London (9)
6 The Fat Duck, Berkshire (9)
7 Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London (9)
8 Hedone, London (8)
9 Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Tayside (8)
10 Fraiche, Merseyside (8)
11 The Ledbury, London (8)
12 Midsummer House, Cambridgeshire (8)
13 Le Champignon Sauvage, Gloucestershire (8)
14 Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, London (8)
15 Fera at Claridges, London (8)
16 Le Gavroche, London (8)
17 Marcus, London (8)
18 The French, Manchester (8)
19 André Garrett at Cliveden, Berkshire (8)
20 The Peat Inn, Fife (8)
21 Whatley Manor, The Dining Room, Wiltshire (8)
22 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh (7) New to the Top 50 this year
23 The Kitchin, Edinburgh (7)
24 Bohemia, Jersey (7)
25 The Greenhouse, London (7) New to the Top 50 this year
26 The Waterside Inn, Berkshire (7)
27 Casamia, Bristol (7)
28 Paul Ainsworth at No. 6, Cornwall (7)
29 Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London (7)
30 Artichoke, Buckinghamshire (7)
31 Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxfordshire (7)
32 Restaurant Story, London (7)
33 Gidleigh Park, Devon (7)
34 Restaurant James Sommerin, Glamorgan (7)
35 Simpsons, Birmingham (7) New to the Top 50 this year
36 Sketch, London (7)
37 Forest Side, Cumbria (7) New to the Top 50 this year
38 Murano, London (7)
39 Restaurant Martin Wishart, Edinburgh (7)
40 Ynyshir, Powys (7)
41 Adam’s, Birmingham (7)
42 The Raby Hunt, Durham (7)
43 Freemasons at Wiswell, Lancashire (7)
44 Orwells, Oxfordshire (7) New to the Top 50 this year
45 Restaurant Marianne, London (7) New to the Top 50 this year
46 Hambleton Hall, Rutland (7)
47 The Whitebrook, Gwent (7) New to the Top 50 this year
48 Llangoed Hall, Powys (7)
49 Lake Road Kitchen, Cumbria (6)
50 The Dairy, London (6)

The Good Food Guide will be available to buy at Waitrose from 5th September priced at £12.99 (rrp £17.99). The guide can also be pre-ordered now at thegoodfoodguide.co.uk

Baronscourt Estate in Co. Tyrone has one of the largest herds of pure Sika deer in Ireland, the gentle flavours of its naturally wild venison seducing the UK’s Guild of Fine Foods through the annual Great Taste Awards, described as the ‘Oscars’ of the food world and the ‘epicurean equivalent of the Booker prize’.

As part of Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016, Lord Hamilton, who is directly involved in the running of Baronscourt’s game food business, speaks of his love for the 400-year-old Estate which is also his ancestral home.

He loves to cook for his young family who are all “huge venison fans” – and reveals their “special meal” features freshly prepared venison French rack, happily coinciding with August’s ‘Love NI Meat’ theme for Year of Food celebrating all that is delicious about our local food and drink.

Mary Blake, Tourism Development Officer with Derry City and Strabane District Council which is actively supporting Tourism NI’s year-long campaign through a range of events and initiatives, paid tribute to Baronscourt’s success with its award-winning local venison and key role in promoting the area as an international tourist destination, attracting hundreds of visitors each year.

Asked what he loves most about Baronscourt – historic seat of the Duke of Abercorn since 1612 – located in the foothills of the Sperrins at Newtownstewart, Lord Hamilton said: “It is very hard to point to a single facet that I love most about Baronscourt Estate, but it’s essentially the people whom I work with and the community that I live within, as without them the Estate would not be as it is.

“I am particularly proud of our game food business, as the growth in venison sales is something we have really excelled at in a very short period of time. Providing a really healthy, sustainable food which has been awarded such great feedback and commendation from the top food judges in the UK, has been very gratifying.

“The most popular venison product we produce is the venison loin because it is simply the most delicious cut and full of flavour and has enjoyed great success having gained some notable awards in the Great Taste Awards – it was a 3 Gold Star Winner in 2014 and a Top 50 Food.” Further commendation followed in 2015 and just recently Barsonscourt Estate was again awarded a star for its renowned venison French rack.

Lord Hamilton continued: “It is also wonderful to be able to supply all the top restaurants in Northern Ireland and see our produce on their menus. I am passionate about food and sourcing local seasonal produce. I also love to cook, especially for a young family to feed who are all huge venison fans.”

Asked to describe his own favourite dish, he revealed: “For a special meal it would be the venison French rack, flash seared for a few minutes, then into a hot oven for 15 minutes, rested for 10 minutes then served with roasted potatoes, celeriac mash, and red cabbage.”

Baronscourt’s lakes, pasture, woodlands and heather moorland provide the ideal habitat for the highly prized Sika deer to live and breed. Throughout the year they feed on succulent myrtle bog, ryegrass and tasty saplings which are naturally free of any additives or growth promoters.

The Estate has been producing game and venison for the commercial market for a number of years and recently invested in facilities to improve its packaging and labelling, as well as being able to produce more sophisticated cuts and products such as the French rack of venison and burgers and sausages.

The Sika deer is renowned for its flavour, often stated to be milder in strength than the more readily available commercial venison from Red deer, leading to a gentler, rounder flavour. While Baronscourt has always enjoyed a local demand for its venison, Lord Hamilton said: “Increased consumer appreciation and demand for food that has been produced sustainably without any additives or subjected to any intense rearing practices, combined with its high nutritional value and healthy characteristics, has increased the popularity of venison. In addition, the rise in popularity of TV cookery shows and celebrity chefs has led to consumers becoming more confident in cooking less well known foods and learning just how easy it is to cook game.”

Explaining the importance of sustainability for the business, Lord Hamilton continued: “The Estate is over 400 years old and we are very much planning for the next 400 years! Sustainability runs through everything we do, whether it is through our forest management which is undertaken in accordance with Continuous Cover Forestry management principles, to the rearing of game on the Estate for sporting purposes.

“We believe very strongly in ensuring that our game is reared to the highest possible welfare standards and that all game harvested from the Estate is processed and brought into the food chain to ensure that nothing is wasted. A sustainable approach to all that we do ensures that we can continue to achieve the environmental and commercial objectives of the Estate, and continue to offer employment to the local community.”

Baronscourt’s venison and game is supplied to individuals, restaurants and wholesalers throughout Northern Ireland, with products also sold into other markets such as the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain. “We have in the past supplied the prestigious Fortnum and Mason store in London, who experienced huge demand for our wild venison,” said Lord Hamilton, who added that traceability is also paramount.

“Baronscourt is one of only a handful of Estates to operate a fully Approved Game Handling Establishment which is licensed under European Union legislation, is approved and audited by the Food Standards Agency and is subjected to weekly checks by the Veterinary Public Health Unit of the Department of Agriculture. It is this chain of custody which is so important to both us and our customers and we have invested heavily over the years to ensure we are compliant with the regulations.”

Lord Hamilton acknowledged that the culling of deer can be an emotive issue for many people. “For those who are perhaps adverse to eating venison because of the beauty of the deer, they should understand that those of us who live and work on the Estate are the strongest advocates for the preservation of the deer and the protection of their health.

“However, like all things in life a balance must be struck and, given the Sika deer’s ability to reproduce prolifically in this part of the world, the numbers have to be controlled in order to reduce the substantial damage they can cause to trees, crops belonging to both the Estate and our neighbouring farmers, and the risks to life posed to those who travel the roads in the vicinity of the Estate.

“In addition, a deer herd left uncontrolled can increase to levels which can cause damage to the overall health of the herd itself due to their forage habitats becoming over-exploited, leading to a decline in the condition of the animals.

“We closely monitor the condition of the health and size of the herd on an annual basis. Culling the deer is an essential part of what we do and we believe strongly it is our responsibility to ensure that all animals culled are not done so in vain, and by investing in both our Estate employees and our facilities we have created a viable business which means that the meat can be enjoyed by many in a safe and sustainable way.”

He continued: “The Estate has a small team of gamekeepers who oversee the management of the herd and we are fortunate to be supported by a number of friends of the Estate who enjoy stalking and assist us with the annual cull. All of those carrying out the deer management activity are fully qualified, possessing either the Deerstalking Certificate Level 1 or Level 2, or both qualifications, and are legally permitted to possess and use the appropriate firearms to humanely carry out the cull. We also welcome visitors from around the world who come to stalk the elusive and highly prized Sika deer.”

Baronscourt Estate has two self-catering holiday cottages – the Governor’s Lodge and the Clock Tower – located in the historic Stable Yard. Tourists staying on the Estate can enjoy walks around the grounds and, by private arrangement, avail of tours of the House and Gardens.

Lord Hamilton continued: “The Ulster Way crosses the Estate and this is popular with hikers and walkers alike. We also have salmon fishing on the River Mourne and pike fishing on the lakes on the Estate. We welcome visitors from Europe and further afield who come stalking or shooting and we focus on ensuring that our offering is the very best it can be and have established a reputation for excellence as a result.

“The food offering plays a large part in this as clearly Northern Ireland is becoming widely acknowledged as the home of great food and we are proud to be able to play our part in this story through our game and venison.

“The Estate’s salmon fishery includes the famous Snaa pool where the salmon rivers of the Strule and the Derg meet to form the River Mourne and 2016 has so far been an excellent year, with salmon up to 20lbs in weight having been caught.

“Our anglers come from throughout Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and as far away as France and the USA. Whilst we can never guarantee they will leave having caught a fish, our guests always leave having had a memorable experience on the Estate!”

For further information, visit http://barons-court.com/

A business programme aimed at helping small food and drink producers to export sales and link to new customers in GB and ROI markets has been launched. The Food Heartland Export Support Programme, funded by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council will support 15 small (no more than 10 employees) food and drink producers located within the borough, who are export ready, with all the necessary support they need to take their products outside of Northern Ireland.

Utilising the NI Year of Food and Drink and the borough’s growing reputation for top quality food and drink products and producers, through recent awards such as the Great Taste Awards, the council continues to demonstrate its commitment to maximising and building on opportunities by showcasing the thriving agri-food sector across NI and beyond as well as maximising the potential of its number one priority – growing the local economy.
The Food Heartland Export Support programme, running from Sept 2016 – Oct 2017, will provide 15 small businesses, from within the borough, with practical support and bespoke mentoring, export strategy development, access to industry buyers and stakeholder workshops. Participants will also benefit from attending prestigious trade shows both in Ireland and GB as well as benefitting from the council’s partnerships with experienced marketing consultants, Invest Northern Ireland, IntertradeIreland, Southern Regional College and Food NI.
Speaking at the launch Chief Executive for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Roger Wilson said:
“Throughout 2016 we have worked hard to promote our Borough as the Food Heartland of Northern Ireland. Utilising the NI Year of Food and Drink, and our fantastic partnerships, we are gaining regional recognition for the high quality and great taste of our products and the innovative people who work in the sector. The Food Heartland brand is now widely recognised across the borough and further afield as a brand of excellence. However we need to be looking to the future and continue our focus on our priority area of growing the local economy. The Food Heartland Export Programme is an excellent programme which will benefit 15 small food and drinks businesses to grow beyond NI. It will support and showcase businesses under the Food Heartland brand as well as provide access to potential new customers at a number of national trade shows in ROI and GB. We already know how great our local food and drink is but with the support of The Food Heartland Export Programme we can let others know that too.”

Cllr Garath Keating, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough added:
“ The Food Heartland Export Programme is an excellent opportunity for 15 businesses to help us to continue with our commitment to showcasing our thriving agri-food sector not just locally, but further afield. We are committed to ensuring a legacy for our agri-food sector and we know that many of our smaller food and drinks producers are also ambitious and ready to take their business to the next level. The Food Heartland Export Programme will help to achieve this aim. With access to expert mentoring, guidance, support and partnerships – I would urge all small food producers in the borough to seize this fantastic opportunity and consider taking part and help us grow our local economy together.”

Brian Irwin, from Irwin’s Bakery and Local Food Ambassador, said:
“ The Food Heartland Export programme is an excellent opportunity for small businesses to understand the process of taking their business to the export market. This excellent programme will not only provide all the necessary advice and support required but will put businesses in contact with businesses, like mine, who can offer practical advice on what it takes to achieve export success. It’s a very exciting opportunity and I commend Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council for this support as well as for their ongoing commitment to developing and growing our borough.”

Applications for the Food Heartland Export Programme are limited to 15 places and will close on Friday 9th September at 5pm. Interested businesses from the borough can complete an application form online at www.foodheartland.com or contact Lara Goodall Consulting on 028 9083 9205.

Northern Ireland’s top Queen tribute band, Flash Harry, is set to return to the Hillsborough International Oyster Festival’s line-up on the evening of Saturday 3rd September 2016. Harry Hamilton, the band’s front-man and Oyster Pearl, Shannon Graham (pictured), have started warming-up for the live concert and BBQ which is supported by New City Cabs.

Performing all the top Queen tracks, Flash Harry will entertain guests with hit records like Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, and Don’t Stop Me Now, while local chefs will be serving up a sizzling barbeque menu produced with premium Northern Irish meats for concert and BBQ ticketholders.

To book your tickets and further information on the Hillsborough International Oyster Festival’s full programme visit www.hillsboroughoysterfestival.com

The Hillsborough International Oyster Festival also kindly acknowledges the support of Tourism Northern Ireland and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council in the staging of this year’s event.

Hillsborough International Oyster Festival committee member Sarah Waugh, Oyster Pearl Shannon Graham, and Nigel Crawford, Executive Director, Quilter Cheviot toast the launch of the exclusive Quilter Cheviot Pearl and Oyster Ball which will take place on Friday 2nd September as part of the Festival’s 2016 programme.

With world-class entertainment from the American Supreme Dream Girls, guests will enjoy a six-course gala dinner with boutique Chateau de la Ligne wines. A raffle will also take place to raise funds for the Festival’s 2016 charity, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust with one lucky winner receiving a stay at the luxurious Chateau.

Nigel Crawford, Executive Director, Quilter Cheviot said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring this year’s Pearl and Oyster Ball and helping to support the Festival’s charity. The festival is a huge draw for visitors to our region and we are proud to give our backing to the Ball, which is a key part of the event and a much-anticipated date on the local social calendar. We’re looking forward to greeting guests to what is set to be a fabulous evening.”

The Hillsborough International Oyster Festival also kindly acknowledges the support of Tourism Northern Ireland and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council in the staging of this year’s event. The ball gown worn by Oyster Pearl Shannon Graham (pictured) was generously provided by leading Irish designer Maryrose McGrath.

To reserve a table contact Sean Hall on 0044 (0)7802 311388 or email sean.g.hall@outlook.com

For further information on the Hillsborough International Oyster Festival’s full programme visit www.hillsboroughoysterfestival.com.

Food lovers are in for a treat at Lurgan Market this August when celebrity chef Jenny Bristow will be rustling up a range of delicious dishes and seasonal snacks while showcasing how to ‘Love Food Hate Waste’.
Jenny will be rocking up to Lurgan Plaza on Thursday 25th August from 11.30am-2pm, to work her culinary magic and whip up some gorgeous grub – including quick and easy recipes for all busy parents out there to try out when the back to school madness starts all over again in September!

This morning of fabulous food is organised by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council in support of the national Love Food Hate Waste campaign which creates awareness of the simple steps we can all take to reduce food waste.

Shoppers will have the chance to sample Jenny’s fabulous food, pick up ideas on budget friendly family dishes and school lunches while making the most out of the weekly food purchases. Shoppers will be able to take home recipe cards, free lunch boxes, cool bags, aprons and goody bags plus there will be some treats for the young ones in the audience including a fun-filled seed planting composting workshop to take home and grow their own veg! Jenny will also be dishing out some handy hints and tips on how to cook with leftovers and guests will have the opportunity to ask questions about home cooking.

Making an appearance will be Lord Mayor of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon, Councillor Garath Keating, who comments “Council is taking major strides in tackling waste, particularly food waste which not only has a huge impact on resident’s pockets but also on the environment through the energy used in producing and transporting the food. This event is a great way of promoting the importance of watching how much food we waste and throw away plus showcasing to locals that food made from unwanted food and leftovers can be delicious. I really hope Jenny’s cookery masterclass encourages more people throughout the Borough to be creative with their cooking and to use their imagination to rustle up some really tasty treats.”

Gavin McDonagh, Business Development Manager, RiverRidge Recycling adds; “RiverRidge Recycling is committed to tackling the issue of food waste and is delighted to support this excellent event. Diverting food waste from landfill has become a priority and with new food waste legislation, RiverRidge offers a dependable and transparent waste management service, including a free waste management audit, to help identify the most effective and efficient solution to managing waste streams. We are continually investigating new and more resourceful landfill diversion strategies for food waste and are pleased to support this great opportunity to learn practical advice and recipes which will help consumers to get the most from food purchases, waste less and protect the environment from the damaging effects of food wastage.”

Free raffle on the day with superb back to school prizes including a Samsung Tablet, £50 voucher for a local shoe shop, £30 voucher for Easons and a voucher for a cut and blow dry at People 1st Hair Salon in Lurgan.
This event has been sponsored by RiverRidge and Flo Gas.

For further information please call Recycling Officer, Jennifer Cunningham on 028 38 312467