Country Decision Making Process (Emily's Choice)
Our Michelin Journey began when I found out I had a work trip in Cork, Ireland last August. This was right after Josh would be done with his summer internship, and didn't start his final year of law school until later that month. We got Josh his passport (tip: if it's two weeks out and you still haven't received it, send an e-mail to your local senator and they'll get it out to you within 24 hours), and we were on our way. You'll notice a trend in our travels, basically I get to "pick" the country or state we go to based on my work, and Josh does the research.
Restaurant Decision Making Process (Josh's Choice)
Deciding on where to eat for our first Michelin Starred Restaurant was a daunting, yet exciting task. Thankfully, because Emily had created a thoughtful itinerary for Ireland, the choices became somewhat limited. Galway became the only city that would realistically work, so this limited our choices down to 2 restaurants - Aniar and Loam. Nothing against Loam, and I'm sure it is a fantastic restaurant, but Aniar seemed more established, so I decided to choose Aniar. The reservation was made through the website about a month in advance, and there was no pre-payment needed.
First Impressions
Emily: When Josh had told me about the Michelin Star Restaurants, my expectations were quite high. However, we missed the restaurant at first on this quaint little street. When we arrived, there were 8 or so tables spread around and we were greeted very promptly and friendly. They complimented my dress that I got earlier that day at a boutique in Galway, and I was feeling really excited. We were walked to our table corner, and given a menu. I remember being very confused as the menu was extremely vague, but I'm not a picky eater so I was excited to see what we had in store.
Josh: It was raining during our walk to Aniar (I know, shocking for Ireland), but it somehow added a positive connotation to the restaurant. Aniar prides itself on serving the best quality Irish food, and the rain added to the Irish experience. The building and the inside of the restaurant are both unassuming. There is no feeling of grandiose, but instead a warm and contemporary atmosphere. Any nervousness that we would not fit in to the Michelin Star crowd immediately dissipated.
This photo of Aniar Restaurant is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Menu/Ordering
In attempt to get a good feeling of all the different restaurants we go to, we decided to default to the tasting menu and wine pairing whenever it is an option. We decided to do this here as well.
The Food and Drinks
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| Curds and Whey Picture by us |
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| Aniar's Beef Tartare Picture by us. |
The beverage pairing was so creative, and is the only place that offered something other than strictly a wine pairing. The sour beer paired with the vegetables seemed like they were both created to go together.
Josh: This being the first time that I ever experienced a tasting menu, I was unsure of what to expect. I assumed the food would be really tasty, but Aniar blew me away. It wasn't even when I was eating the beef tartare (which was probably the best dish they served us) that I realized this restaurant was in a different league than anything I ever experienced, it was when I tasted the butter. That's right, butter. The butter had this wonderful salty and creamy combination that made you want more. At that moment, I realized that if they could make bread and butter taste this good, I was in for a fantastic meal. As for the drink pairing, I thought it was very cool that the drink pairing was not limited to wine. We enjoyed some beer with one of our dishes, which added to the feeling that this was not some stuffy, uppity restaurant.
The Experience
Emily: With this being my first true fine dining experience, I came in with a lot of questions. This was not needed, however as everyone who helped us volunteered so much information that it really was almost like a dinner with a show with how much I learned. At the end of the meal, I asked what distinguished them as a one star, as I was so blown away, and what it would take to get them to another star. They let me know there are some requirements that will make it very difficult to ever increase, as they are a small restaurant and, for example, the table we were sitting at is too near a door (something that did not bother me, nor were were that close to). We stayed for several hours, and found ourselves leaving energized, in good spirits, and a little (a lot) tipsy. They also gave us a menu to remember our visit with, and this is what started our attempt to have a keepsake from every restaurant.
Josh: The experience was wonderful, and I could not have hoped for a better introduction into the world of Michelin Starred Restaurants. There was never a feeling of embarrassment for asking how to eat a dish, or for even asking what you were eating. The staff was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the restaurant. I also throughly enjoyed discussing the Michelin rating process with our main server. She was very candid about it, and she enjoyed talking about working at a Michelin Starred Restaurant with normal people.
The Price
The all-in price for this meal was $538.13.
This included:
- The tasting menu
- The Beverage pairing
- Two glasses of Champagne (that we ordered extra)
- Two coffees
The Final Reviews
Emily: I felt the food was fantastic and made using local suppliers, but has experienced some more creative Michelin dishes. If you are going to Ireland, this is a must-add to your itinerary, and won't break the bank!
Josh: A perfect introduction to the world of Michelin Starred Restaurants. The food was incredible, the service was impeccable and the company was nice too (I think Emily will read this). If you can afford the price tag, it's definitely worth a trip!
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