At Ballykealey we pride ourselves on offering a high standard of food presentation, quality and service.
The Oak Room is located in what was originally the drawing room and library of the house. It is a beautiful setting in which to serve our five-course Table d'Hote menu. Our carefully-selected wine list offers an excellent choice featuring a number of vintages from smaller suppliers and growers as well as several excellent choices by the glass.
With original features including 10ft solid oak dividing doors, ornate cornices and mouldings and integrated hand-carved oak bookcases, this is an exquisite dining room.
The Oak Room is open from Wednesday - Saturday. Prior booking is essential.
John Rupert's Bar, the hotel lounge, is a very tastefully decorated area with a distinctly relaxed atmosphere. The menu reflects a more casual dining experience with food available from morning to evening. Our drinks list offers a wide range of draught and bottled beers, speciality spirits and liqueurs and several excellent wines by the glass.
Weddings parties are provided for with our Banquetting Hall. Photo by Declan Burke
Excerpts from Review by Paolo Tullio
“...Ideally, both the food and the ambience of a restaurant should compliment each other. I found that happy combination this week when I went with John Boorman to Ballykealey Manor Hotel"
"...Unlike many big houses that have been through the hands of religious orders, Ballykealey still has period features, from the fine fireplaces to the beautiful doors and the fine ceilings. We sat at a large linen-covered table near a blazing open fire.”
“The menu isn’t avant garde, but a good blend of solid, popular dishes. Starters include warm goats’ cheese, a smoked chicken salad, crab and salmon roulade and wild mushrooms in puff pastry. Main courses listed rack of lamb, duck breast, fillet of beef, salmon, sole with langoustines and Chinese beef.”
“There are forty or so wines on the wine list, most of them priced between €19 and €25, which is very much at the lower end of the mark-ups these days.” “We settled on the really excellent Lawson’s Dry Hills Pinot Noir from New Zealand at €38.50.”
“For starters, John had chosen the leek and rosemary soup, quite delicious. I’d chosen the wild mushrooms in puff pastry, which was nicely presented and turned out to be very tasty. A touch of truffle oil gave it a bit of a kick. John had the sole and langoustines for his main course, not only did the plate look good, it tasted good. I’d picked the Chinese beef, a restaurant dish I used to do in my restaurant years ago. The tender strips of beef stir-fried with vegetables, ginger and soy sauce worked very well and brought back happy memories for me.”
“On balance, I thought Ballykealey Manor did very well. If dining in grand surroundings is to your liking, Ballykealey will fit the bill well.”
Irish Independent Weekend Magazine, Eating Out by Paolo Tullio. 8 March 2008
~ We are a Bord Fáilte Four Star Registered Hotel ~