Cava Spanish Restaurant Open 24 Hours for The Volvo Ocean Race Welcome

Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar will be throwing its doors open with a 24 hour fiesta from Tuesday July 3rd from 12pm until 12pm the following day to welcome the Volvo Ocean Race yachts.

Jp McMahon who will be working the 24 hours shift along with some of his hardy chefs and waiting staff comments, ‘everyone recalls the excitement and exhilaration the arrival of the first yachts caused in 2010. The first teams arrived into Galway Docks about 3am and it was mainly party goers and night clubbers that stayed out and had the opportunity witness the fun.  With Cava staying open in what will be a first for Cava and possibly a Galway Restaurant,  people can come for tapas and fun, stay on for the evening until the early hours to see the yachts arrive in. We’ll have a truly fiesta feel with music and special tapas to mark the occasion’. Flamenco music and DJ will set the tone.

Social media will play an important role in the event by alerting diners when boats are due to arrive and keeping them updated, while also letting followers who are not present, in on the action. Jp will be documenting his 24 hours via Twitter. You can follow the event with hashtag #cava24 .

Every night of the Volvo Ocean Race will have a party in the ‘The Irish Village at The West End’. The idea being that once the Race Village closes at the Docks the party moves to the West End with streets closing from 10pm until 2am.

For more information see www.cavarestaurant.ie or phone 091 539 884.

Pick up a ‘Pincho’ at Cava

To celebrate the annual Seville Tapas Fair, Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway has launched a special Pincho Menu which will be available each evening throughout February. Popular in northern Spain, particularly in the Basque region, ‘Pinchos’ are small Spanish canapés which can be eaten in one or two mouthfuls and are usually eaten in bars or taverns as a small snack while socialising with friends. As part of the celebrations, Cava will also host a FREE sherry tasting evening each week throughout February on Thursdays between 6 and 7pm.

Spain is the nation of the ‘Fiesta’ and one of the first festivals of the year is The Seville Tapas Fair which takes place in February each year. A four-day event, the festival involves almost 50 restaurants and bars creating mouthwatering tapas and inviting guests to sample them with the accompaniment of beer, sherry or wine. Regarded by many wine experts as ‘underappreciated’ and ‘a neglected wine treasure’, Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes which are grown near the town of Jerez de la Frontera in Spain.

Cava’s Pincho Menu includes Serrano ham, quince and manchego cheese; dry aged sirloin with caramelised onions; grilled free range pork and Spanish ‘Torta del Casar’ brie; Piquillo pepper stuffed with crab; Smoked octopus; Chicken and roasted garlic mayonnaise. Serranitos, which are small sandwiches of grilled pork ham popular in Seville, will also be available. They are served with Patatas Bravas and Mojo Picón sauce.

Pinchos or tapas offer groups of friends the perfect opportunity to taste and to share a wide selection of dishes from different regions throughout Spain.  Three pinchos cost €4.50 while a Serranito costs €6.50.

For more information see www.cavarestaurant.ie or phone 091 539 884.

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.  

Don't Miss This - World Renowned Flamenco Dancer Magda Navarrete

Monday 7th November Magda Navarrete will present authentic Flamenco dancing and  music from the Spanish region of Andalucia originated by the Andalucian Gypsies in Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar.

"Magda Navarrete has mastered flamenco singing and dancing while studying in Madrid, working with internationally renowned flamenco teachers such as Montse Cortez. She has taken part in various flamenco festivals in Southern America and Europe while working on such projects as Indialucia, Arte Flamenco.

Magda will be accompanied by one of the finest guitarists Andrzej Lewocki who has recently took 2nd place during the Nino Ricardo Flamenco Guitar Festival in Murcia, Spain. Andrzej has worked on international flamenco projects and is often running flamenco workshops".

There is no cover charge for the event. Show starts at 8pm. See www.CavaRestaurant.ie for more information.

Cheers To Sherry

Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar are celebrating the Jerez SherryFestival which takes place this time of year in Spain by offering weekly sherry specials for the month of September.

This week it's Grilled Pork Fillet with a glass of Amontillado Sherry (€9.50) and Foie Gras with a glass of Palo Cortado Sherry (€9.50).

That'll help take the chill from our wind swept bones.

Vamos! Takeaway Menu from Cava Spanish Restaurant Launched

Finally Galway has a takeaway option that is more then pizza or chips. Hurrah! welcome the Cava Takeaway Menu.

Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway have launched a Takeaway Menu with a diverse range of tapas and other dishes for you to enjoy at home. Rid yourself of ‘takeaway guilt’ as all food to go is made to order and using the high quality Cava has become renowned for.

Try a Paella for two Arroz con Pollo (€18) or some of the all time Cava favourites like Patatas Bravas (€4), Spanish Omelette with Romesco sause (€5.50) and Spinach with apricots, pine nuts and garlic (€6). All tapas include homemade bread. If planning a romantic dinner you could save yourself a lot of work by ordering the Sirloin Steak with spinach, pan fired potatoes, French mushrooms and sherry cream sauce (€22.50)

For the full menu of over 50 tapas and other dishes see www.CavaRestaurant.ie

Just phone with your order to 091 539884 and collect. Good food, real simple.

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

Heads or Tails?

Fancy Crispy Pigs Ears or Braised Ox Tail ? Experience True Nose To Tail Dining at Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar Galway.


Jp McMahon, head chef and owner of Cava Restaurant has launched an initiative to reintroduce nose to tail dining. Ox tail, trotters and liver may conjure up images of old however there are many more possibilities for delicious contemporary dishes from lesser known cuts.

Jp explains “The Spanish tend to cook with more off cuts and offal then we, the Irish, do. Offal is much more economical then the popular cuts and, prepared properly, can be even more delicious. Once we can overcome our squeamish preconceptions tongue, heart, ham hock, pigs cheeks and ears can all become as everyday as our steak and chicken breasts.”

Each week Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar will feature daily specials that highlight nose to tail eating. Prepare to chose from braised ox tongue in spicy chorizo sauce, braised pig's terrine with piquillo pepper sauce, ham hock and black pudding broth, free range chicken livers with chili jam, or crispy pigs ears with garlic mayonnaise.

Using off-cuts generally takes a bit more preparation and cooking time. The chefs in Cava confit pork belly for 10 hours, so as to make it mouth watering tender. The pig cheeks are cooked for 3 to 4 hours. Some cuts however, like liver and kidneys, can be cooked quite quickly—pan-fired in a knob of foaming butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. Offal goes superbly with Cava’s own piquillo pepper sauce, which can be purchased in the restaurant.

When purchasing offal from your local butcher Jp recommends looking using a local specialty butcher who will be able to explain to you the best way to use certain cuts. Also, look for Fergus Henderson’s book Nose to Tail Eating or The Fifth Quarter: An Offal Cookbook by Anissa Helou.


For more details, menus and recipes see http://www.cavarestaurant.ie/.

Take Your Taste Buds For a Culinary Trip to Madrid This Month

During the month of May the capital city of Spain pulls out all the stops to showcase its culture, music and cuisine. This month, representing the colourful and diverse Spanish cuisine in Ireland, Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway is featuring an array of special dishes and wines from Madrid.


Explore the tastes of the region with classic Madrid tapas such as meatballs, calamares and tortilla. Also, enjoy nightly specials such as Madrid-style marinated oxtail and free range pork fillet with piquillo pepper marmalade (pictured). For the month of May, Cava will also be offering two tapas and a glass of wine from Madrid for €15.

Not forgetting Madrid’s proud history of fine wines, headlining the line up at Cava, and recent visitors to Galway, are the wines from Bodegas Francisco Casas with their Camparron range. These renowned wines will be on special, with 20% off the Camparron bottles of wine.

Soak up the Madrid atmosphere in Cava this May, with live flamenco music to accompany your tapas and wine.

There’s only one think left to say - ‘Vamos’!

For more information see www.cavarestaurant.ie or phone 091 539 884. Advance booking is recommended.