World Famous for its oysters and oyster themed events like the world oyster shucking championships, Morans near Gallway in Ireland was the perfect refuge for Mark and Lynn during a recent rain soaked late afternoon in Ireland.
The place is ripe with atmosphere that is straight out of a Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes film from the 30's. The ceilings are low, the floors and surfaces worn but scrubbed and the fire place was buring aromatic peat.
The smoked salmon and Guinness were good, but oysters are the thing here, however and they do not disappoint. They are fat, without being vulgar or overripe and they have a brininess that was missing in some of the more commercial places we ate. (As I understand it, the restaurant farms its own oysters, but I am not completely positive of that).
The place has a nice wall full of celebs local and international (Pierce Brosnan, Woody Allen, Roger Moore) who simply add to the raffish lore and myth of this 250 year old family business....
www.moransoystercottage.com
Moran's Oyster Cottage
The Weir, Kilcogan, Co. Galway
Tel: +353 91 796113
Fax: +353 91 796503