Hometown glory at the Eastern Seaboard

Although a confirmed city dweller these days, I am a country lass by birth and breeding. Growing up on the outskirts of Drogheda – then a smaller, sleepier town – there wasn’t nearly as much in the way of choice as there is now, with spots like Traders Cafe and Andersons popping up in recent years. By far, though, my favourite place to eat when “up home” these days (aside from the mammy’s kitchen, that is!) is the Eastern Seaboard Bar & Grill, now in its third year of operation.

We visited, en famille, for the umpteenth time last Friday evening, for a last gathering before my photographer sister leaves for Blighty next week (sob!) Our meal got off to a lively start with a couple of bottles of prosecco courtesy of the foodie uncle, who just so happened to be sitting at the next table, and well-buttered doorstop slices of crusty salted seeded bread. Then began the tricky task of perusing the recently-revamped menu (which now features an entire A4 page devoted to the restaurant’s suppliers, including several from Louth and Meath – lovely to see).

One of my favourite things about the Eastern Seaboard’s menu is the long list of starters and small plates, and I am determined to one day work my way through them all. I plumped for the smoked mackerel pate with pickled cucumber salad and crostini, and though the pate was more mousse-like in texture, it was fresh and light and zingy and perfect alongside the cucumber.

Had I not been in good company, I would have picked clean the beef short ribs that followed. A new addition to the menu for summer, they were falling-off-the-bone tender, with a sticky-sweet mapley (and possibly bourbony?) sauce. They went perfectly with the Asian slaw side dish I chose, although I will confess to being too stuffed to have many of the chips.

I did manage to save a tiny bit of room for a shared dessert, though – who could resist a “thank crunchy it’s Friday” special of fresh strawberries, cream, melted chocolate and homemade honeycomb in the one bowl? Despite several attempts, I have yet to successfully make honeycomb myself (it burns in an instant!), and my portion was a teensy bit on the burned side, but the sweet Meath strawberries saved the dish.

The only downside to the evening was the after-dinner drinks service – a marked difference from the service we’d had during the meal. Himself had enquired after the bottle of Hibiki behind the bar, to be told it was “on hold” and not for sale. His order for a glass of port instead went awry, then somehow disappeared from the menu altogether, then was slow arriving and was ultimately cancelled as desserts had long been finished. (A subsequent Twitter exchange with management revealed that the Hibiki had been on sale all along – pity!)

All in all, though, dinner at the Eastern Seaboard is to be recommended, for classy but unfussy dining, American-style with an Irish (and particularly local) twist. A fantastic addition to the town, and the perfect spot sibling send-off, for sure. I’ll be back soon to continue working my way through their menu (and perhaps for a glass of Hibiki, too).