Love Food? Love Choice? New Gift Voucher for Three Restaurants from @EatGalway

One Gift, Three Choices from ‘Eat Galway’

‘Eat Galway’, the unifying brand and philosophy behind some Galway’s favourite restaurants, Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar, Aniar Restaurant and Eat at Massimo has launched a new gift voucher just in time for Christmas. The gift voucher can be redeemed at any of the three ‘Eat Galway’ restaurants – three choices from one gift for someone special.

The restaurants of ‘Eat Galway’ are guided by one philosophy: good food, local suppliers and artisan produce. JP McMahon explains, “‘Eat Galway’ represents our philosophy of producing good, tasty, artisan food and working with local suppliers. That philosophy unifies our three diverse restaurants, Cava, Aniar and Eat. While people can choose between these three unique places to dine, they can be assured that at any of the ‘Eat Galway’ restaurants they will enjoy delicious seasonal food that has been locally sourced and produced in a sustainable way.”

Situated on Dominick Street in Galway city’s West End, Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar recently won ‘Ethnic Restaurant of the Year 2012’ in the ‘Georgina Campbell Ireland Hospitality Awards’. Offering a truly Spanish experience Cava’s ‘50-dish tour of Spanish cuisine in miniature’ menu is in the Spanish language, with English sub-titles; while the wine list includes 80 well-chosen Spanish bottles. Cava prides itself on purchasing local and free-range produce and is committed to remaining ethical with regard to food sustainability and seasonality. It is recommended by both Georgina Campbell’s restaurant guide and the Bridgestone guide, and called “one of the most authentic Spanish restaurants in Ireland at present” by Sebastian Black, of ‘Spanish Flavour’. Tom Doorley has said that it serves the “best Tapas in Ireland.”

Critically acclaimed Aniar’s kitchen is run by Enda McEvoy of Cook Wild Project and former Head Chef of Sheridan’s on the Docks. Enda explains the inspiration of Aniar, “The food is based on our local ‘terroir’, that is the ensemble of natural influences that give a food a sense of place. Here in the west we are surrounded by lush ancient woodland, bountiful shorelines, thriving farmlands all heaving with some of the best ingredients in Europe but unique to us. We quite simply obey the seasons and let nature decide our menu.”

Staff at Aniar work closely with local producers while also gathering wild herbs, plants and seaweeds each day from the woodlands and seashore around the area to produce a cuisine based around light clean flavours.

The third eatery that comprises ‘Eat Galway’ is Eat at Massimo, a gastro pub experience on William Street in Galway. The menu features pub food with gourmet flair. Highlights include gastro pizzas featuring Irish cheeses such as roast potato, caramelized onion and Wicklow Blue cheese and Eat signature dishes of the 5oz Stout Burger while constantly in keeping with what’s seasonal. Current offerings include seasonal game, such as venison, duck and pheasant, all wild and direct from Dromoland Castle. Recent celeb-spotting include Bell X1 and a host of comedians and artists, the food at Eat is not your usual pub food. Not by a long shot. As per the Cava and Aniar philosophy locally sourced, sustainable and seasonal ingredients feature strongly. All the vegetable are organic, chicken is free range from Athenry and meats are sourced from the award winning Castlemine Farm in Roscommon.

To purchase an Eat Galway voucher and give someone you love three choices from one voucher telephone 091 539 884.  

Irish Examiner gives Aniar Restaurant in Galway an A+

Another excellent review for Aniar Restaurant in Galway.
Elevating food to an art form, The Irish Examiner gives Aniar an A+ rating. 'A taste of Galway on a plate'.

Aniar: 'Astonishing food with a lot of style' Catherine Cleary Irish Times

"Aniar is the new venture of young chef Enda McEvoy with JP McMahon and Drigín Gaffey, who own Cava, a Spanish restaurant and tapas bar that sits next door on Galway’s Lower Dominick Street.

They’re calling themselves a terroir restaurant. The word (typically associated with wine) means a sense of place and indigenous flavour, a dig-where-you-stand approach to food. It’s all very earnest. Don’t expect to see tiger prawns or Kenyan sugar snaps here any time soon.

It’s my third trip to Galway in recent months, the first two involving excellent eating. Aniar has some stiff competition in this city".

Full review read here: http://bitly.com/oCtw7j

Review of Aniar by Willie Shaw in Today's Galway Advertiser

Terroir-based Restaurant to Open in Galway

Introducing Aniar - Prepare for a whole new eating experience

The word terroir is usually associated with winemaking: the combination of factors, including soil, climate, and environment, that gives a wine its distinctive character. In this case however we refer to the terroir of food. A terroir-based restaurant, Aniar, is soon to open in Galway.

Owned and operated by Jp McMahon and Drigín Gaffey who brought us Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar, Aniar has set the hearts of foodies racing in anticipation.

The kitchen will be run by Enda McEvoy of Cook Wild Project and former Head Chef of Sheridan’s on the Docks. He explains the philosophy of Aniar, “The food will be based on our terroir, the ensemble of natural influences that give a food a sense of place. Here in the west we are surrounded by lush ancient woodland, bountiful shorelines, thriving farmlands all heaving with some of the best ingredients in Europe but unique to us. We hope to reveal and utilise our terroir. We will quite simply obey the seasons and let nature decide our menu”.

Recently returned from Noma, the Danish restaurant, voted the World’s Best Restaurant 2011, Enda McEvoy will be following the Noma philosophy of working closely with local producers while also gathering wild herbs, plants and seaweeds each day from the woodlands and seashore around the area to produce a cuisine based around light clean flavours.

Light sauces and stocks, properly reared animals (utilizing all of the animal), sustainably caught fish with an eye to the future of the fishing industry and evolving with the seasons using vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries, either from the wild or cultivated, all encompass the Aniar philosophy. The Chefs will pickle and brine as much as is bountiful during the spring and summer to see the restaurant through the winter. They will use modern culinary techniques to obtain the best out of the ingredients, but will never lose sight of the integrity of the product.

Their wine list features over 40 wines produced by small artisan wine producers who also take their “terroir” into great consideration. “When writing the wine list”, Jp explains, “I wanted our philosophy of food to leak into the wine menu”. Over 20 wines will be available by the glass to allow customers to experience the diversity of wine on a global level.

The food and wine will be presented and served in a relaxed, contemporary, brassiere type environment, ignoring the formalities of fine dining. Drigín Gaffey says, “We promise friendly informed service, in a warm welcome environment”.

Jp, Drigín and Enda have been friends for many years and are very excited about sharing their philosophy about food and their passion about allowing quality ingredients to ‘speak for themselves’.

Good food cooked properly in comfortable surrounding.

Aniar is due to open June 29th in 53 Dominick Street, Galway’s West End. Advance bookings can be made by emailing aniarrestaurant@gmail.com