Aldridge Lodge Restaurant and Guesthouse

Aldridge Lodge Restaurant & GuestHouse B&B

The pretty Aldridge Lodge restaurant and guesthouse in Duncannon, New Ross Co. Wexford is run by Billy Whitty and Joanne Harding.  Aldridge Lodge is a gem of a Guesthouse with a very fine restaurant open to non-residents too. Its location out in the Wexford countryside is convenient for the Waterford/Wexford Passage East Ferry Crossing and the house itself is only two minutes drive from Duncannon Beach. In fact some of the rooms have distant views of the beach, and if you’re here on a long summer evening you can watch the sun go down over the west before having supper.

Rooms are comfortable and very well kept. Interior design here is modern and minimalist with a touch of old world charm. Our room had wood beamed ceilings, a luxuriously made up queen sized bed and small sitting area with squashy sofa, coffee table and TV. Very nice indeed! Bathrooms are simple and well equipped and contain all you need for a comfortable stay.

In the evening, don’t miss a superb dinner cooked by chef Billy in one of the finest restaurants in New Ross. This innovative young cook takes a flexible attitude to devising the daily menu. He prefers to wait and see what arrives in his kitchen before deciding, rather than trying to create something specific from ingredients, which may not be available. That’s the key to making the most of the wealth of local produce around here, and incorporating seasonality too. And it means that residents and visiting diners never get the same thing two nights in a row.

Billy’s father Thomas is a fisherman so much of the shellfish comes from his catch, including fantastic local lobsters and crabs, whilst Susie Whelan, Billy’s sister, is a fish supplier with family boats which provide a vast choice of top quality freshest fish from local waters. Another sister is an organic pork farmer and makes a small amount of superb sausages, which are always featured here when available. Vegetables come from a nearby grower, though soon the Whitty/Harding partnership is hoping to have it’s own tunnels from which to feed the Guesthouse and restaurant’s growing clientele.

The restaurant, presided over by Joanne, is situated at the back of the house in a dining room with glazed conservatory extension looking out over tranquil country scenes. Before hand enjoy a drink in the lounge situated by the always-open door of the kitchen. As you sip you’ll be surprised how remarkably calm and controlled the environment in there is – considering the reputation of some chefs who love to cook up a fuss as well as the food! Not so here, and again, it reflects Billy’s laid back attitude and his pure love for the job. He doesn’t need to strut his stuff in an egotistical way. His cooking speaks for itself, where it should - on the plate!

Pre-dinner drinks are served with a tantalizing plate of superbly presented nibbles including Black Pudding Filo Rolls, dressed fresh crab with homemade breadsticks, and gorgeous black olives, which whet the appetite for things to come. We started with a divine saddle of Roasted Rabbit wrapped in Pancetta, and served with Puy Lentils and Dijon dressing. The follow up of Grilled Hook Head Lobster with Pomme Duchesse and Lemon Butter was to die for and met all expectations of what good lobster should be. And the dessert of Buttermilk Sorbet with white chocolate sauce and iced summer berries made the perfect end to a delicious feast. Wines here go from the French country house red and white to classic Chablis, Bordeaux and St Emilion, to fabulous Spanish and a good smattering of New World gems.

In the morning, invigorate yourself with a hot shower before partaking of a hearty breakfast in the conservatory. A buffet table of cereals, local yogurt with homemade raspberry puree (yummy!) and fresh Ballycross Apple Juice is followed by a choice of trad full Irish breakfast, Smoked Kippers and Poached Eggs, or classic Scrambled Egg and Smoked Salmon. The sweet-toothed can have Waffles with Honey. All this comes with Billy’s homemade brown bread and preserves. Not to be sniffed at! And when it’s time to check out - you’ll be sorry you have to leave this charming guesthouse in New Ross!

SAMPLE DINNER MENU

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Contact Details

To Contact a Member Directly, please click on the email or website below

Duncannon
New Ross
Co Wexford
+353 (0) 51 389116
Email: info@aldridgelodge.com
Web: www.aldridgelodge.com

 

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