Flanagan's Restaurant in Ballina/Killaloe is undoubtedly one of the best restaurant locations in the country, situated on the banks of the River Shannon as it meets Lough Derg.

We arrived at the restaurant on a Thursday evening and 'impressive' is an understatement in the description of first impressions. Proprietor Clionadh Flanagan has created a welcoming, classy, modern yet timeless food emporium which ouses ambience. The interior white walls give such an expansive illusion, blending beautifully with the dark wood furnishings, oak floors, and fabulous Italian light fittings- impressive and more!

Swedish manager Stefan Persson showed us to our window table, with an exceptional view, and made us familiar with his extensive menu and specials of the evening. Stefan, well known in dining circles as he previously managed Goosers and the South Court Hotel, and is a well known genius with the cocktail shaker, and that we can verify! Inese Riherde, our very knowledgeable waitress assisted us as we started with Creamy Fresh Seafood Chowder;
Steamed Black Neck Clams &Garlic Bread; Warm French Country Salad; Steamed Black Shell Mussels.

For mains, Magret Oriental Duck Breast; Fresh Golden Coated Halibut; Fillet Mignon, Juicy 8oz Tenderloin, The King of Cuts; T – Bone, Thin 16 oz on the Bone, cut with the Centre loin & Tenderloin. All the Steaks are served with Colcannon Mash & Garlic Bread, and a Choice of Sauces - Three Peppercorn Brandy Sauce, Braised Shallot Gravy, Slow Roasted Garlic & Chive Butter, Rich Red Wine Sauce Infused with Truffle & Foie Gras Pate. And for sweetness we had, Warm Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble ,; Vanilla Ice Cream, Fresh Whipped Cream; Dutch Deep Apple Pie; Death by Chocolate Part 2, Chocolate Fudge Cake, and a Trio Of Irish Cheeses, Cashel Blue, St. Brendans Brie, & Carrigaline Smoked Cheddar. A wonderful meal, expertly presented with excellent service in amazing surroundings. Flanagan's opened in June last year and have been establishing their restaurant as a major player in fine dining venues in the Mid-West.

The quality of the food and presentation were top-class compliments to the chef, Farn Boogie. I have to mention their unique 'glass room' wine display which is most eye-catching and emphasizes the effort in design and attention to detail throughout this quality restaurant. Continued success to Clionadh Flanagan and her team on such a professional operation! We had a wonderful evening and can recommend highly Flanagan's to Business Limerick readers. Book your place in the classy restaurant, dial 061 622790.

The Wines
Muscadet L a Griffe Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie An elegant, fresh and appetizing wine, with aroma of fruit and honey, that is both clean tasting and delicate Château de Pennautier, Cabordes A soft red wine with an aromatic nose of cedar, red and dark berries! They are beautifully balanced with fine tannins and a pleasant appealing finish. The Cocktails As recommended by the resident expert Stefan, San Francisco, Vodka base with banana liquer and orange juice: Mojito, gold rum with lime juice and soda water and my personal favourite, Cosmopolitan, Absolut Vodka Citron, Cointreau with cranberry and lemon juice"

Limerick Now Magazine, March 2008

"Culinary Delight

'What a delight' I thought on my entrance to Flanagans, a stylish new steakhouse set in the picturesque Ballina/Killaloe. Closing the door on the murky weather behind me, I settled down for what was truly a sumptuous banquet.

Flanagans is great for large groups or intimate dinners and has a capacity for 200 people, divided into sections. The interior is truly an eclectic combination of contradictions, but it works wonderfully. Styled in an American steakhouse fashion, it also conjures up images of old Italian villages basking in their rustic glory. Banquette style leather seating and Murano glass chandeliers imported from Italy create a luxurious atmosphere and the white painted stone and dark mahogany wood give flanagans a decadent edge. Antiques mix with modern art and contempory pictures adding to the overall effect.

The solid wood menu covers hold an abundance of dishes to choose from. I decided to opt for something different to start, I ordered the steamed little Black Neck Clams. This dish was exquisite with its rich Irish ale, garlic and onion stock, and garlic bread - so good I needed a spoon to catch the remaining sauce! There are a variety of starters and platters to choose from and the chef (Farn Boggie) did a fantastic job on both the presentation and panache of this appetiser. The menu holds all the old classics but each has its own individual twist.

I chose the famous Aged Aberdeen Angus Irish Beef for my main course. Flanagans is renowned for its succulent cuts of meat T Bone, Rib Eye Delmonico and Sirloin Strip Steak (to name a few) catering for all meat lovers' tastes. The King T-Bone takes centre stage in the restaurant but I opted for the Fillet Mignon. The fillet was a juicy 8oz tenderloin served with a creamy colcannon mash and garlic bread. There is an abundance of sauces to choose from and I finally settled on the Rich Red Wine Sauce, infused with Truffle and Foie Gras Paté. Truly a sumptuous feast for all the senses!

The wine list is quite extensive but the majority of wines are under €30 and the champagne is pretty reasonable too. The menu also carries a large drinks list with cocktails of so many varieties and a wide range of scotch, Irish whiskies and brandies. The choice and variety on the menu is truly fantastic.

On being the unfortunate owner of a very sweet tooth, I had to finish off this spread with one of the sumptuous treats. There is an abundance of desserts, so once again, it was taxing to pick just one. In the end, I decided on the Warm Strawberry and Rhubarb Crumble - the fruit was slow braised with a delicious crumbly topping and the organic vanilla ice cream hich accompanied it is sourced locally in Tipperary. Flanagans does simple food but with a twist. It incorperates home-grown and locally produced foods with exquisite worldly wines, pastas and pizzas. For those who don't just want a fabulous meal, but also a fantastic atmosphere, ambience and satisfaction to boot, pay a visit to Flanagan's."