Pub owners who are despairing of how to invigorate traditional Irish pubs should drive to Carrigaholt to see how Tony and Imelda Lynch have made The Dock into a destination address for good food and good times. The Lynchs make it look simple – have a handsome, well-turned-out flower-bedecked exterior, a comfy, traditional interior that feels like a proper pub, a warm welcome, a promising blackboard list of fresh fish, and some solid-sender favourites like bacon and cabbage and liver and bacon.
Critically, Tony knows how to handle his fish – simply and respectfully – so that everything tastes not just as good as it can, but also tastes of itself: lemon sole with brown butter; their classic chowder; crab tart; steamed mussels; herb-crusted cod. A model example of what a coastal pub could, should, and can be.
