Knockranny House Hotel

Seamus Commons has brought the “Best Chef in Connacht” trophy back to Knockranny House Hotel so often that he all but owns it at this stage. A local man, with a profound love of local produce, he is lucky to have both the hotel’s vegetable gardens and the produce of a chain of superb artisans to work with. His cooking is almost phantasmagorical in its imaginative freedom, exploring every angle of a dish, every avenue of flavour, contrast, counterpoint. So Mayo sea spray lamb comes with crumbed skirt, pea purée, pommes Anna, garden peas, sweetbreads and chicken jus, whilst sole on the bone has almonds and almond butter, Killary mussels, confit tomatoes and cauliflower purée. He makes it all work, and the rest of the Knockranny team and the wine crew match the boss pound for pound.