We were not ready to call it a night after we finished dinner. So we headed over to another local pub called J.R. O’Connors Bar.
It had been recently renovated but the original establishment has been around since 1863.
It was cozy inside, with low ceilings. We grabbed a seat by the fire again to warm up. We enjoyed a pint with the locals before heading back to the hotel.
www.facebook.com/p/JR-O-Connors-100064953101715/
Enjoy!
T
With all of the activities and walking that we did earlier in the day, we really worked up an appetite for dinner. We thought we would check out The Four Winds that was recommended to us. Our waitress was very nice and very patient with our large group.
I ordered the Chicken & Mushroom Vol-au-Vent. This was a creamy check and mushroom dish, similar to a pot pie filling, just with a few less ingredients. They served it on top of puff pastry. And like almost all Irish dishes they served thick cut fries on the side (they call them chips).
This dish was so savory. The chicken was extremely tender. It looked like a lot of food, but it was easy to finish both puff pastries. I would highly recommend this dish.
They offered a cream vegetable soup with soda bread on the side.
A turkey dinner was offered on the special’s menu. This was a traditional Thanksgiving meal. The turkey was moist, and the gravy had a rich flavor that was perfect on the stuffing and vegetables.
There was a steak on the menu as well. Beef I popular in Ireland and there is cattle everywhere, so it’s only natural that their beef would taste great. They served onions and mushrooms on top. The salad on the side offered so freshness. The chips were the potato element to pair with the beef.
The curry chicken on the menu was a surprise. It was tender pieces if breast meat served with a lot of sauce that allowed it to be eaten with the jasmine rice.
We did get a side of mashed potatoes that everyone could share. They were great with the “brown sauce” packets that were located with the other condiments. It was similar to steak sauce and acted like a salty beef gravy. This was also good drizzled over the chips.
It was time for dessert. I ordered an Irish coffee.
This one was different than the others I had enjoyed so far in the trip. This was a little more coffee forward. The coffee beans on the top of the cream was a nice touch. They served a homemade piece of chocolate on the side to enjoy with the coffee.
There was also ice cream & jelly ordered. We were curious what this dessert actually was. When it came to the table, we realized it was ice cream and Jello. The ice cream was creamy and the vanilla flavor paired well with the cherry flavor of the Jello.
Our entire meal was fantastic at The Four Winds. If you are in Charleville then you should check them out.
www.facebook.com/TheFourWindsCharleville/
Enjoy!
T
If you want to have a traditional Irish pub experience, then visit Geary’s Pub.
As soon as we walked through the doors, we felt welcomed. The locals where were at the bar smiled at our group as we walked to a table by the fireplace.
We wanted to warm up so Irish coffees were ordered all around. They were made with such care. The whipped cream used on top was freshly made. And it was accented with a shamrock on top. A little biscotti cookie was served on the side, which was a nice treat. It was the perfect ratio of coffee to whisky.
We got to meet the owner of the pub, Claude. He’s the 5th generation owner. The back room of the pub is full of his family’s history.
Claude was extremely friendly. We were all talking about travel, American football, and whisky. We did a few tastings while we were there too.
Claude was so nice he took tons of pictures with us. Plus he allowed our whole group behind his bar to get group photo.
If you want a fun experience, definitely head to Geary’s Pub.
Enjoy!
T
Inside the Charleville Park Hotel is the Park Bar & Grill. The bistro style menu offered a little bit of everything.
Since I had just visited Smithwick’s, I got a pint of their Red Ale to enjoy while I looked at the menu.
I was not extremely hungry, so I ordered their soup of the day. It was a Root Vegetable soup. It came out pureed, so it was creamy. I noticed that this is a common thing for soups in Ireland. I was expecting this to be a chunky soup with pieces of potato, carrot, and parsnips. But it was still very good, and I finished the whole bowl.
A Steak Sandwich was ordered. It came out on top of a garlic Ciabatta roll. There was a pepper gravy on the side as well as French fries and a side salad. It was a lot of food. The beef was flavorful and tender.
Another dish that was ordered was the 24 hr Feather Blades of Beef. This was a tender cut of beef that fell apart with a fork. It was extremely savory. They served it with creamy mashed potatoes. There was a red wine au jus that was on top. Plus there were roasted vegetables and parsnip puree.
If you want a huge dish with leftovers, then order the Chicken and Bacon Penne Pasta. There was a generous amount of shaved parmesan, carbonara sauce, and a big slice of garlic bread. It was very creamy and filling.
If you like chowders the North Atlantic Seafood Chowder will hit the spot. It was extremely creamy and loaded with fresh seafood that ranged from shrimp, fish, muscles, and potatoes to add a chucky texture.
Check out their complete menu at www.charlevilleparkhotel.com/the-park-bar-grill/
Enjoy!
T
This beautiful, quaint hotel is just on the outskirts of town. It’s only about a mile walk to get into town.
The rooms are a great size, perfect for spreading out. The downside is there were not USB charging ports, so make sure you have a converter plug.
The entire staff is friendly and very helpful. They helped with restaurant / pub suggestions as well as helped get taxis for guests who did not want to walk.
The hotel offers a large Irish breakfast each morning. There is an assortment of cereals, fruits, eggs, sausages, and juices.
Enjoy!
T
Our next stop was Charleville. We would be spending 2 nights in town. After checking into the hotel, it was time to get some dinner. We ate at the Park Bar & Grill that was located inside the hotel.
After dinner it was time to start exploring Charleville. It was a small Irish town, exactly what I was hoping for. The shops were closed for the evening, but the pubs were open.
We stopped at a local pub that was recommended to us by the staff at the hotel. It was Geary’s Pub.
This pub was extremely cozy inside. We made sure to grab a table by the fireplace to warm up. We ordered Irish coffees and got the meet the owner of the pub. It was the exact experience that I wanted to enjoy in Ireland, and the perfect way to end the day.
Enjoy!
T
