O'Brien Chop House

Restaurant

Justin Green has done it again! The driving force behind the exquisite Ballyvolane House, once his boyhood home, and now the prestigious Country House he runs with wife Jenny, has given us a new way of eating, in an old and familiar setting. Justin’s new venture, O’Brien’s Chop House, in the heart of pretty Lismore, is as superb as it could be. He has once again put his hospitality brain into gear, to work out not just WHAT people want to eat, but HOW they want to eat. It’s a visionary way to do business, and one we know will be a huge success story for this lovely heritage town.

O’Brien’s was once a traditional Victorian shop and bar, and as a protected listed building, every single aspect of the front part of the interior has remained intact. The old shop front, with name proudly displayed above, original front door and pretty window railings provide an insight into the way things once were Heritage colours have been used outside and throughout to maintain the period feel. Inside, the wooden shop counter and shelving, and the cash cubicle is still there, polished and shiny. Shelves which would once have held tins and jars of household items, now display a range of Ballyvolane products like jams, chutneys and home made cordials. This area is separated by the original small partition from what would have been the bar area, where men would sup while their women shopped. The old bar still has its easy to clean marble top and brass rail – supposedly there to stop the pints spilling when things got rowdy! Now, this original part of the building, with its well-worn flagged floor, makes a casual place to sit and wait for a table, or just to have a drink and a bar snack. Through the small doorway to the back is the original ‘snug’ – where a game of cards might have been played as the rain fell outside and a fire roared in the grate. It now houses a large dining table perfect for groups of six or eight, and feels very private and homely with its fireplace and standard lamp. A light filled annexe connects the front bar to the kitchen area, with dining room and garden at the rear. A large banquette table is great for a relaxed gathering, and the two smaller tables opposite the open kitchen area are like gold dust if you want to watch the chefs at work, and catch a glimpse of the quality that comes out of this kitchen. At the rear, a small dining room marries style with rusticity in the form of modern furniture and whitewashed stonewall which is part of the original building. Through double French doors is the pretty garden, with its gravelled paths, flowerbeds overflowing with herbs and lavender, and quirky garden furniture - a great spot to eat outdoors and enjoy the sun when it shines.

Bar snacks at O’Brien’s include small plates of spiced nuts and olives, a home made soup of the day with soda bread, House Terrine served on a wooden chopping board with butter and chutney, and a delightful Half Pint of Prawns poking out from their pewter goblet, with homemade mayonnaise and soda bread. Gubbeen Smokehouse products appear on the Charcuterie Plate with cornichons and pickles. And if you have kids with you, they’ll love the Boiled Ballyvolane Hens Eggs with Soldiers. After lunch till closing you can grab any of these snacks, and Afternoon Tea features the lovely O’Brien Cream Tea with Scones, Jam, Clotted Cream and a pot of Tea.  

The ‘chop house’ theme is stolen from the original Chop Houses of London and as the name suggests, meat is very much on the menu at lunch and dinner. The meat travels all the way from…just outside the front door and down the road, all of five minutes away! Lismore’s longstanding traditional butcher Michael McGrath supplies all the meat, which he gets from his own farm and those of his neighbours, and also has his own abattoir. Currently, Justin is also rearing rare breed piggies, which will also appear on the menu here in good time. Much of the seasonal vegetables and fruit served comes from the Ballyvolane House Walled Garden, so it’s fresh as a daisy. Good quality meats and homegrown veggies, what more could you want? Well, perhaps a bit of good fish, and that’s taken care of too.

We enjoyed the first course of Ballyvolane House Beetroot Salad with Goat’s Cheese Mousse but we could have been tempted by McGrath’s Devilled Lamb’s Kidney’s on Toast or Cold McGrath’s Ox Tongue, again with that delicious Garden Beetroot and horseradish. Being offal lovers, we chose a main of McGrath's Lamb’s Liver, on a bed of Ballyvolane Mustard Creamed Onions, which came with a small dish of butter laden Sharp’s Express potatoes from the garden, and pewter pot of homemade chips, as well as a serving of mixed garden vegetables. Fishy fans will be bowled over by the opportunity to avail of a Whole Plaice, which serves two, cooked on the bone and brought to the table on a platter so guests can help themselves. The staff are also happy to fillet at the table if you wish. In traditional chophouse style, cuts like Hangar Steak are remembered and revered here, and McGrath's spectacular Porterhouse Steak weighs a massive one-kilo to serve two. Both of these served with Béarnaise Sauce and Chips. There will always be a seasonal vegetable based dish on the menu too. When we visited it was a tasty Butternut Squash and Garden Courgette Ragout with Wild Rice. 

If you think the kitchen has excelled itself with starters and mains, wait till dessert comes round. We had Autumn Berry Trifle, served in little goblets with creamiest custard and topped with fresh cream. Justin described it as ‘magnificent’, and it truly was, for it’s pure simplicity and total perfection of execution of this old fashioned pudding. Strawberries were still in season, and used for a glorious Eton Mess. Ballyvolane House Ice Creams are also fab, in wonderful flavours like Blackberry, Vanilla or Brown Bread, depending on season and how the chef feels! Artisan cheeses from Waterford, Cork and Tipperary form the cheese plate.

As we already mentioned, in this new venture, Justin has really thought about how people like to eat, and no more so than in the division of the Sunday Lunch Menu. A selection of simple starters is followed by a traditional roast – McGrath’s Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding and Gravy, Whole Born Free Organic Chicken with bread Sauce and Gravy, or Roast Butterflied Leg of McGrath lamb with Salsa Verde. These are served whole to the table for diners to carve themselves, and served with big dishes of garden veggies to accompany. It’s stylish, informal and very home from home, while blending the best quality of ingredients and cookery skills. We absolutely love it! Vegetarians are catered for on the Non Meat Lovers menu, which includes O’Brien Fish Pie, Baked Fish (according to availability) with Lemon Caper Butter or a seasonal vegetable based choice. 

Wines are well chosen for meat and fish, with the list divided into easy sections like Light and Crisp, Aromatic and Full and Rich for whites, and Soft and Fruity, Medium Bodied and Bold and Rich for the reds. We suggest you start with a glass of Prosceco or even the non-alcoholic Elderflower Fizz or Elderflower Bellini, made with berries from the Ballyvolane Estate. It makes the perfect celebration drink for a perfect celebration of best local meats, fish and vegetables, cooked simply, and served in the quirkiest of surroundings. Like we said, Justin Green has done it again!

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Highly Commended as Top Regional Member South East 2010

Contact Details

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

Main Street
Lismore
Co Waterford
+353 (0) 58 53810
Email: info@obrienchophouse.ie
Web: www.obrienchophouse.ie

 

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