The Strawberry Tree

As the first forkful of the starter course entered my mouth, the words ‘I’m in f*&^/$# heaven’ slipped out. I wasn’t trying to be rude, especially not in the most low key yet sophisticated restaurant going, but sometimes, disarmed by taste, you have to just say it as it is.
Heaven is pretty much how I feel about the whole Brook Lodge experience. Staying there is a rare treat, and it really is supremely relaxing, completely at one with its stunning surroundings, run on principles of sustainability and eco-​awareness, and less showy than homely but always beautifully judged.
This restaurant is its crowning glory and it has never been less than excellent. Food is either organic or wild, and for flavour there’s nothing to compare it to. I had a starter of scallops on a bed of seaweedy stuff and pickled ginger and no doubt about ten other things I couldn’t discern but which added up to this complex and rich taste hit that I know now I’m going to be thinking about for ages in a sort of happily nostalgic paradise-​lost way. The tender scallops never seemed better matched.
The décor of the place is very intimate and again quite unlike anything I’ve seen — it’s midnight blue from floor to ceiling for starters — but the overall effect evokes timeless elegance, beauty and a certain originality. In keeping with Ireland’s only fully organic/​wild restaurant.
What can I say? Eating here always makes me happy, body and soul, the staff are wonderful, be hungry in the extreme before you come as you want to sample everything and yet by dessert you think you might burst. But you get over that, and just about manage to stand up to leave.
Oh, you will never get over beetroot sorbet with a shot of elderflower champagne poured over it though. Not just its bold beauty but the intensity of the earthy beetroot sweetness and elderflower richness — it feels decadent, a word not readily associated with root vegetables let’s face it, which may just make it a feat in itself.
Enough said. Worth saving up for, you will enjoy every minute, and life is short.
Four course set or eight course tasting menu — both priced the same.

A night or two in Brook lodge is a treat and if you want to ppush the boat out even further the Strawberry Tree is a great option.
the restaurant is billed as an Organic diner which is not something I’d take a whole lot of notice of, all I want is a good meal and nice atmosphere — both of which are supplied in abundance.
The Décor is a little odd — very dark with velvet covered walls, marbled effect carpet, many candles and a shiny 70s-​esque ceiling, not sure what they were going for but the overall effect is, as I say, odd!
The wine list is good — actually very good but pricewise not for the faint hearted, we started with 2 glasses of a really exceptional New Zealand Sauv Blanc before moving on to a very respectable Australian Shiraz (can’t remember the names but there were not many that fit the description!)
I started with a chicken dish, followed by an excellent broth and mains was a slow roasted pork dish. All of it tasty but sweet jeebus, a HUGE meal… you will only dine here once during your stay (unless you are there for a month!!)
We fairly rolled out of the place, fit for nothing but bed; a worthwhile experience, definitely to be tried once!