By Andy Spearman
The inaugural Taste of Drogheda Walking Tour which took place last Thursday afternoon was a big hit with the dozen or so people who took part.
Guide for the evening tour, not that anyone was in any danger of getting lost as all stops along the route were within 500 metres of West Street, was well known local wine buff and foodie Owen Murphy who has been supplying local restaurants with wine for many years.
The first stop on the trail was at Bare Food on West Street where proprietors Sonia and Damian Leddy served up pulled pork tacos with a spicy sauce. They also revealed, to the amazement of all present, that they have been open ten years this week.
Next up for the hungry dozen was a very special stop off in Laurence Street where having been seated under the canopy outside Kirwan’s fish shop where Jeanette and Peter Kirwan have built up a thriving business serving up the finest fish in the sea, fresh from the boats at Clogherhead.
Having enjoyed a fantastic selection of smoked mackerel, salmon, crab tasters and trout mousse dressed with caviar, the foodie tourists didn’t even have to change venue for their next serving as it came from Simona’s which is right next door and is another family business run by Simona and chef husband Fabrizio and their son Alessio who was host for the evening and served up a delicious taster of pasta and prawns in a chilli sauce. Once again there was some superior wine to complement the fine food.
The tourists were getting very comfortable at this stage, but guide Owen Murphy had an eye on the Tholsel clock and apparently we were behind schedule and we had to move. Thankfully the next stop was just across the street in yet another family run business, Tuites Butchers who have been winning international awards for their meat products for many years. So much so that their shop window is more like a jewellers such is the amount of silverware on show.
Having tasted their own brand sausages and puddings presented by Thomas Tuite the group was on the move again having been reminded of the schedule by Owen Murphy and this time there was the long trek to D’vine restaurant at Distillery House on Dyer Street which is also run by the aforementioned Sonia and Damian Leddy.
Once again, trail participants were amazed to hear that Damian and Sonya have been serving up their special menu for 20years.
People were getting quite full and very full at this stage so luckily the next stop was just a few yards, metres if you like, at the Natural Food Store which is run by Iris Hartigan on the corner of Dyer Street and Stockwell Street.
The Natural Food Store has been open for almost a quarter of a century but Iris has only been in charge for the past two years, and it was good to hear that business is really good with long-standing customers being joined by younger people who are taking more of an interest in the quality and freshness of the food they eat.
The next and final stop on the route was at the historic Clarkes Pub where we were promised a tasting of the Boann Distillery whiskey. This prospect certainly put a pep in our step as we climbed the hill up Duke Street.
Boann Distillery’s Sales Director Paddy Cooney gave us a rundown of the history of the family run Drogheda distillery and also introduced us to the Whistler Whiskey with honey added which was a big hit with all present and provided the ideal end to what was a fantastic couple of hours of adventure.
The consensus of opinion among the twelve foody “apostles” was that this was a great event that should be repeated more often and could even be incorporated into a permanent Drogheda Tapas Trail. Food for thought for the local restaurateurs perhaps?
