The Lodge at Doonbeg Cleans Up

Congratulations to Doonbeg for three great victories this week... and they have nothing to do with golf!

The Lodge at Doonbeg picked up three prestigious Irish Restaurant Awards held the Burlington Hotel in Dublin on Monday 14th May.

[Photo: The Long Room, and its glorious views. Photo courtesy of The Lodge at Doonbeg]

The 2012 Awards were sponsored by Santa Rita/Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine and celebrate all aspects of the food industry from Chefs and Restaurants to Food Producers, Local Food Heroes and Cookery Schools.

So what did Doonbeg win?

• The Lodge was awarded the Best Hotel Restaurant in Ireland... as well as the Best Hotel Restaurant in Munster (obviously).
• Head Chef Wade Murphy was named Best Hotel Chef in Munster, in the Long Room restaurant.... although he also prepares food for the more relaxed setting of Darby's Bar where the majority of golfers will find themselves.

Some sample menus are available here:
The Long Room
Darby's Bar

 [Photo: Darby's Bar. Photo courtesy of The Lodge at Doonbeg]

Joe Russell, General Manager at the Lodge, said: “These are the awards that everyone wants to win. I’d like to congratulate all of the team who continue to deliver unrivalled service and quality under the leadership of Wade who has done a terrific job raising the standard of food offering at The Lodge.”

A Golfing Appetite

[Photo: Not my Fish & Chips, but close enough. Photo courtesy of The Lodge at Doonbeg]

From a golfer's point of view, it is a great motivation after a tough round of golf to know that you're going to get some seriously good grub. When you're playing on one of Ireland's best courses, with an Atlantic sea breeze adding to the workload and filling your lungs with joy, you'll have worked up an impressive appetite by the time you walk off the 18th green.

It's been a while since I was there, but the Fish and Chips still live long in the memory... and not just because of the price. It is steep, for sure, but then the Lodge at Doonbeg is all about quality, from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. And, to be honest, it starts even before that because you see the Lodge rising out of the landscape on your approach, with only the Atlantic ocean beyond.

Greg Norman's Course

Norman's design is a triumph. It is a course in which to immerse yourself, to roll with the dunes (and the punches they deliver), and to draw inspiration from. There is so much to enjoy as you come back to Doughmore Bay on four occasions, and the view from the 9th green, back to the Lodge, is inspiring.

Green Fees range from €90 - €140.

[Photo: view from the 9th green, over the tee box and back to the Lodge]

It is only fitting that the Lodge, the facilities and the food match that quality, and you pay for what you get... so congratulations to everyone at Doonbeg for showing what Irish Golf Clubs (and chefs) should aspire to.

Follow The Lodge at Doonbeg on Twitter: @LodgeatDoonbeg
Follow Chef Wade Murphy on Twitter: @chefwademurphy

For a full list of the winners, in the various categories, click here for the Irish Food Guide Blog.