First class at Number One

Senior Times

The Number One is situated in beautiful building in Limerick Georgian square

 Mairead Robinson discovers a new place to eat and stay in Limerick city.

 I like to think that every large town and city in Ireland should have a good number of places to eat and for local people and visitors alike there is plenty of choice when it comes to going out for dinner. Unfortunately, that is not always the case however, and I am always delighted when somebody recommends a special restaurant. I like to find somewhere different, with character and a unique style that is not just a copy of the latest trend in design and menu fashion. Recently I visited Limerick, a city that I was not overly-familiar with, certainly not in any “foodie” sense.

I had however visited No.1 Pery Square, a boutique townhouse opposite the People’s Park in Limerick’s historic Georgian Square and home to a spa, wine shop and Brasserie One Restaurant. It is a beautifully restored building with great attention to design detail and this is carried through to all of the rooms. The colours are soft the materials are natural and the there is a ‘feel’ of understated luxury.

I was meeting my old friend Lynda, a very talented artistic person who I don’t meet so often in recent years as we now live in different parts of the country. Many years ago we were neighbours. With ever the artists’ eye, Lynda was impressed with the décor, particularly the unique floorboards in the restaurant. We started with a drink in the bar where I had a gin and tonic and was offered the deliciously different Hendricks Gin, which is not easy to find, and prides itself on “being loved by a tiny handful of people all over the world”. If you like an unusual gin find out more by visiting www.hendricksgin.com

And so to the menu. One thing I really liked about it was the scope of choice it contained, not just a list of starters, mains and desserts. Instead the menu choices came in headings under Salads; Pasta; Soups; Fish; and Meat. It was almost like an all-day menu, not too long but with good seasonal choices. We were brought some good home-made sourdough bread and ordered some olives. Lynda had the Chicken Liver Parfait, which was definitely in a different league than the drier and heavier pate that usually appears. She followed that with Hereford Beef that came with a sweet glaze and I must say she cleared her plate for both courses. I suspect the sculpturing that she has been busy with recently is hungry work! I, on the other hand, started with a great 70’s classic – Prawn Cocktail – followed by lamb, and we ordered some glazed carrots to go on the side.

The wine list is well set-out and comprehensive with over one hundred hand-picked wines from around the globe. Since we were having steak and lamb respectively, we opted for a bottle of Malbec from Argentina which was very well priced at just €20
I was pleased to see that all the wines were very reasonably priced and yet the list is put together with great attention. Not surprising to learn that One Pery Square boasts its own wine shop.
We had a lovely evening, the staff were very attentive and we had an excellent table with both space and privacy even though the restaurant was very busy on that evening. I stayed overnight, and the next morning I was back in Brasserie One for an excellent breakfast of home-made muesli, yoghurt, green tea, perfectly poached eggs and delicious bread. Brasserie One has character and personality, it is a lovely Limerick restaurant, and I will never have to think twice again when it comes to deciding where to eat when I am back in that part of the country again. 
 
Brasserie One, Pery Square, Limerick.
Telephone: 061-402402
 
 
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