I’ve wanted to review this place for a while. I was here a few years ago, before the photo and kids madness took off and had a chicken sandwich. A chicken sandwich you say, well OK, proper chargrilled chicken in a roll and it was very good. So here I am back in Aughrim.

As a youf I used to work in the pub down the road from here. Has this place ever changed! Sign off the times: Biggest, newest building in the town is an estate agent. Tidy Towns is generating frantic meetings. I’ve been into Lawlers hotel, which was on the way, just to have a look. Nice looking old fashioned lobby, but a wait of 5 mins in a quiet bar for the bar menu, with the barman trying not to acknowledge anyone and working unbearable slowly made me remember….The STONECUTTER! It’s just up the street…

The chef is sunning himself at a table outside the door, the place quiet at 3.30pm, but the chef confirms its open. I feel bad. We’ve had ALL our summer in 1 week at the end of September, the roads are full of tractors rushing to save crops, and here I am, demanding food from the poor man…

The Stonecutter fills up a and it looks like the chef has seen the last of the sun for the day. The service is friendly and prompt. I order a white belgian beer called Blanche De Bruxelles.

It’s a nice crisp beer, with a tart taste, quite citrusy. It has a statue pissing on the label, but while the cherub may be suffering the effects of underage drinking and putting himself in the frame for an ASBO, he is assuredly drinking the Blanche and pissing something else, possibly Tennents.

Got the burger and chips on the recommendation of the waitress.

Spot on, rough ground real meat with nice flecks of onion, cheese, bacon and frites that are the shape of McDs but made of potatoe and gooooood with the sauces. Mayo with the chips and I had flashbacks of Hotel photoshoots in Antwerp and Ostend, but Belgians can’t do a good burger like these guys can. This was about as good as a burger gets and it was a fine filling portion.

Dessert. Again the waitress secommendations: Baileys and Chock Mousse Cake.

It was nice, huge portion couldn’t finish it, but then I’m more of a savory type, never had much time for desserts.

The verdict: This place is friendly, unpretentious and the food and drink are selected and prepared by people that care about good food. Get out of your hotel or apartment and drop in here if you’re passing, it’s a gem.

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Restaurant filled up fast from just before 1pm. Interesting looking menu, with reasonably priced mains.

Settled on the venison bangers and mash. Mash met my high standards, sausages had an excellent flavour, gravy was definitely made in house and made well. Washed it down with a nice Spaten beer and pontificated to my handler (quietly, to avoid blowing my cover) that my meal was ‘Hearty yet refined’. See photo below.

Onto dessert and the miserly Guestspy budget took a hit with €7.00 for Butter Cookies. Butter Cookies? for 7 euro? My greataunt used to stretch to a whole tin of them every Christmas and still had enough left over to pay for socks for presents. Here’s what arrived.

They were well tasty, and grudging I have to admit I would order them the next time I visit. And I will be visiting again.

Coffee needed work, about half the water would have been better, but I’m really nit picking here, great meal.

Too early for me to hit the vino, and beer with the sausages just seemed ‘right’, but here’s the wine blackboard FYI

Food: *****
Service: *****
Ambiance *****
Value for Money ****
Verdict: Eat here

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