The Bucks Head

The Buck's Head has got to be one of the best restaurants in Ireland/Northern Ireland at the moment. We visited on a chilly Sunday afternoon, and rocked up to the pretty green doors with no booking and fears we would be turned away. But no, it was no trouble at all to get a table for one. The Maitre D could not have been more accommodating. The Sunday A La Carte menu is very inviting. A number of snacks such as Tempura of Kilkeel Crab Claw precede the starters and mains. I ordered the Tuna starter, which was served very thinly sliced, with Asian flavours like ponzu, soy and sesame seeds. The presentation was beautiful, and the flavours and textures would give most Japanese places a run for their money. Every mouthful was light and delicious. For mains, I could have gone for one of the market specials of brill, sea bass, salmon or scallops, but I chose what most other diners seemed to be ordering: the Roast Sirloin (or Chicken or Lamb Rump) served with Yorkshire pudding, roast and mashed potatoes, slow cooked aromatic carrot, a quenelle of turnip, long stem broccoli and a little jug of gravy. Each element on the large earthenware plate was cooked perfectly. I had ordered my sirloin pink (the other choice was well done), and pink it was, two thick blushing slices of flavourful beef at its best. I went a bit mad when I saw Cafe de Paris Butter on the list of sauces, and asked for it to be served on the side. This spiced butter melted over my slices of sirloin and made them even more luxurious. Could there be a better Sunday lunch out there somewhere? I doubt it. This feast cost £26.50. The Tuna was £15.50, the Cafe de Paris Butter £3.95, and with a double Espresso (£3) to finish, the bill was £48.95. A service charge of 10 % is added to all bills. For cooking of this standard, the value is remarkable. The service was exemplary, the setting cosy and warm, featuring a roaring log fire. It will be hard not to head for Dundrum again next Sunday. Very special experience.