Attention all you gourmands! Oregano Restaurant is giving its customers a chance to sample a month in Provence as it launches its Foodie Friday Nights this week.
The award-winning Newtownabbey eatery will resemble a Provencal Chateau when it serves fabulous food from one of the most popular French regions.
Chef and owner, Dermot Regan, who has just returned from a gastronomic trip to Provence, was so inspired by the cuisine that he decided to use it as the opening theme for his exciting new gourmet experience.
“We want to give our customers a taste of summer. Provencal food is about simplicity and using the freshest of ingredients to make wonderful, delicious dishes with courgettes, aubergines, peppers, fresh baked bread and lovely local cheeses,” he said.
Dermot and his wife and business partner Catherine, spent two days as guests of the owners of Chateau Vignelaure, one of the top wine producers in Provence, sampling their fabulous wines and enjoying their delicious food and warm hospitality.
During the trip they also visited Chateau Leoube on the shores of the Mediterranean. It is famed for making high quality organic wines as well as its own extra virgin olive oil.
Some of the wines they sampled during the trip will be offered as part of the Provencal Foodie Friday menu. The region, so beloved of UK tourists, is famed for its rose wine, the perfect accompaniment to its sunshine food but there are also big, complex reds packing a real punch.
Foodie Friday is the latest idea from talented chef Dermot, who is determined to spread the gospel of imaginative food, using fresh, seasonal ingredients, accompanied by the finest wines and service.
Earlier this year, Oregano Restaurant won the Michelin Guide’s prestigious Bib Gourmand Award for the second year running and Dermot is determined not to rest on his laurels.
He said: “Visiting Oregano on Foodie Friday will be that little bit special. We will continue to offer our general menu but for those wishing to try something new there will be an additional chef’s choice menu accompanied by the perfect choice of wines.”
The philosophy for the Foodie Friday menu is the same for all of Dermot’s cooking. He will choose the best of seasonal produce to transform into a memorable gastronomic experience.
All of the wines have been provided by James Nicholson, one of the UK and Ireland’s top independent wine merchants.
Since opening Oregano in 2005, Dermot and Catherine have been committed to ensuring that Oregano is synonymous with providing high quality, adventurous food, using fresh local produce. The pair’s commitment to quality of taste and service means that they regularly seek feedback from their loyal customers.
Oregano is situated in an elegant country house on its own grounds in Ballyrobert, Newtownabbey a few miles north of Belfast. It is renowned for its stylish interior and welcoming atmosphere.
2011 has been an exciting year for the husband and wife team. On top of winning the second Bib Gourmand, they opened their second restaurant, The Potted Hen in Belfast’s Saint Anne’s Square. It has earned rave reviews from the city’s food critics and customers have made it one of the most popular eateries in the city.
The menu for this Friday:
Bread with olive oil and tapenade
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Bouillabaisse with grilled bread and Rouille
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Salad of grilled aubergine, courgette & roast tomato with crispy goat’s cheese, aioli and fresh herb de Provence dressing
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Roast guinea fowl with meditterrean vegetable farce
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Tart au pomme with fig ice cream
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Selection of French & Irish cheese
£34.95
For more information about Foodie Friday at Oregano, visit www.oreganorestaurant.co.uk
