ABM Eats & Drinks: Cellar One & Pink Lounge at The Ross Hotel, Killarney, Kerry

March 21, 2016

On the night of the 13th of February 2016, Mr. Marzipan and I headed out for dinner and drinks in Killarney, Co. Kerry. We chose to eat in Cellar One -the restaurant in The Ross Hotel.

There are three different areas to wine and dine within the trendy Ross Hotel; Cellar One, The Lane, and Pink Lounge. I have been to the Ross Hotel in Killarney once before. Back in December 2015, The Lane bar was the destination chosen by my employers to host our Christmas party. We had a lovely night and the food and cocktails were gorgeous! I was delighted to return and to get a booking within Cellar One restaurant to experience the main dining area within the hotel.

Review of Cellar One, The Ross

What caught my eye once I entered Cellar One was the interior design. Modern, funky and different. Bright green and pink dominating the high ceilings which don’t distract from the glass-curved, spotlight staircase which leads to a wonderful place I fortunately discover later on.

Now onto the food. You can view the menu online if you like to plan your meals ahead, I always wait to see what the chef has on special for that night.

What We Ordered in Cellar One
Starter: Wok Fried Mussels, Lamb Pattie
Main Course: Duck Leg, Blue Agave Tequilla Prawn
To Drink: Massottina Prosecco

Initially we were served with a selection of complimentary breads and prosecco was served in a champagne coupé accompanied by a strawberry; with every sip there was a delicate pull from the fruit, a wonderful finesse! Sluurrp!

For starters I got the “Char-Grilled Lamb Pattie” which came with goats cheese, beetroot salsa, mango chutney, curried riata and pita bread. The dish was presented graciously sitting on a smooth grey slate. The flavours within the dish – the robust earthy strum of the goats cheese and the occasional pluck of the tangy beetroot salsa – accompanied each other melodically especially within the pattie itself. However I found the pattie to be quite dense and a little dry for my taste and the pita bread was superfluous.
Mr Marzipan was served the “Wok Fried Mussels” which were cooked with ginger, chilli and spring onion butter. Unfortunately mussels can’t be made look overly sumptuous on a plate, but they were served mannerly and separately in a bowl there was warm lemon water to soak fingers in after. The mussels were large and juicy and the flavours were delicious. I would definitely recommend the mussels as a starter and I would order them myself were I to dine here again.

For the main course I chose the “Blue Agave Tequila Prawns” which were cooked with chilli, garlic and ginger butter and served with coriander scented basmati rice. This dish was absolutely gorgeous. It was light and fresh. I’m aware coriander is not the most favourable herb for some but the basmati rice was scented delicately and cooked to fluffy perfection. The prawns were plentiful and tasted fresh. I thoroughly enjoyed the dish and would recommend it if you like Thai style fragrant cooking.
Mr Marzipan chose a heavier dish- “Confit of Skeaghanore Duck Leg” which was served with sweet potato mash and baby onion jus. There were also some vegetables served on the side including cauliflower and cheese. Mr Marzipan does not eat cheese so he was slightly disappointed by this. However that didn’t ruin his night. The hero dish of the night was definitely the duck. The leg was cooked to absolute tenderness where you could easily slide the meat away from the bone. The jus was rich and tasty. Au jus is a French culinary term meaning “in the juice”. It refers to meat dishes prepared or served together with a light gravy made from the juices given off by the meat as it is cooked. Parsnip and sweet potato crisps are always a crowd pleaser. A basic dish that pulled out all the stops and won the prize. I would definitely recommend this meal if you are after a more ‘Sunday roast’ type dish.

Although very tempting, we opted not to get dessert. We were so full! The wait staff were extremely attentive which ranks high in my book. Customer care is always a key component to creating my reviews, if I’m treated well, instantly everything else is great too! After our meal, we ascended up the stairs to find the Pink Lounge.

Review of Pink Lounge, The Ross

The Pink Lounge is a gin and champagne bar. If you enter the hotel through the front door, you will notice to the left some lounge style booths as you go straight to The Lane. This is the area that lights up on a Friday and Saturday night. Seating is limited so be sure to get there early so you can relax. When we first approached the bar it wasnt long before we realised the passion the bartender had for gin and the many different types of gin you can get. This passion was infectious! He explained to us the different types and aromas which go with every different gin and got us to smell the difference between almost all in the bar. We got the bartenders utmost attention and some brilliant recommendations and he was kind enough to offer to take a photo of the two of us awwh!!!

If you know me, you will know my drink is gin and tonic. I was certainly in my element in The Pink Lounge. Mr Marzipan is more of a brandy man but stayed to try something new. We ended up getting a few different gin and champagne cocktails which aren’t cheap but hey, we were treating ourselves! One drink that caught my eye was the “Bombay Palace No 42” which was made up of Bombay Sapphire East Gin, fresh lemon, sugar and (most mysterious) homemade Indian spicy takeaway syrup. I HAD TO TRY IT!! Anything that’s different or almost weird.. I have to try it out!! Mr. Marzipan is a prime example of this! I have never ever seen a cocktail like this one before and it was definitely a contrast to your typical strawberry daiquiri (which are amazing in The Lane). If your adventurous like myself, go for it! A cocktail that will definitely get your taste buds going and wondering what is going on! I honestly enjoyed it, but I’m not sure if many other people will.

I would highly recommend going to The Pink Lounge especially if you love gin or want to try something different. I know for a fact the next time I’m in Killarney I will be paying another visit. Drinks can clock up pretty quick but the atmosphere is pretty cool and chilled out.

Over all, we had a fabulous evening. We hadn’t planned where we were going after our meal and we ended up staying within The Ross hotel for the entire night. The Ross-A one stop shop, maybe the next time I’m staying overnight in Killarney I might just check out what the room and breakfast is like! Has anybody else been to Cellar One and Pink Lounge? Or even stayed overnight at The Ross? Leave your comments below, I want to hear all about your experience too!

Until Next Time,
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