Restaurant Review - Azur
STEPPING into Azur on a chilly Bank Holiday Saturday evening was like entering another world; an interlude from reality.
A pleasant wave of heat greeted us, followed by the fruity scent of candles, a gentle murmur of music and of course, a delightful aroma of food . A taste of the south of France on O'Connell Street.
Since it opened its doors in 2007, Azur has been a firm favourite of Limerick foodies. Specialising in seafood and with a strong French theme, proprietor/chef Ken Stembridge has created a completely unique dining experience here.
We were immediately greeted by our friendly waitress who showed us to our seats. The gentle glow of the candles on each table bathed the restaurant in a coral haze, perfectly complementing the decadent aquamarine colour scheme.
On to the menu, and we took some time to study the impressive a la carte menu. We were dining quite late on Saturday evening - he couldn't miss the football match! But we took some time to look at the Early Bird menu (€25.95 for three courses) and we agreed that we would have to return to sample it.
After we ordered, we were treated to an amuse bouche of smoked salmon on toasted french bread drizzled with a french dressing. It left us wanting more.
For starter my dining companion, a little downbeat after the Limerick footballers' heartbreaking loss, plumped for the spiced mussels, which were cooked perfectly and polished off in minutes.
I had the bruschetta, toasted and layered with a delicious olive tapenade, peppers, tomato and topped off with balsamic reduction.Scrumptious! The charming waitress recommended the Muscadet white wine which was crisp and complemented our meal perfectly.
After devouring our starters, we were presented with a delightful apple and cinnamon sorbet to cleanse our pallets.
Then for the main course, my companion was now in better spirits and consumed his 10 oz sirloin steak (medium rare) with vigour. I opted for the fish stew, which had a creamy tomato-based sauce and featured succulent prawns, salmon, scallops, mussels and baby potatoes. It was simply sensational.
While finishing our main course, I noticed a French family paying their bill. They looked content and satisfied - surely a seal of approval for this Gallic-inspired eaterie.
After polishing off his steak, which came with a peppercorn sauce, my companion still had room for dessert. I sadly did not and enviously looked on as he polished off a lemon tartlet with homemade vanilla ice-cream, and chocolate sauce. Heavenly, he declared!
I finished the meal with an espresso, which was dark, rich and aromatic.
A perfect way to spend a Bank Holiday Saturday evening. In fact, when I called to book our table, Ken told me that the restaurant would be a little quieter as most of his customers were leaving town for the weekend, giving the sense that Azur has a strong, regular client base who return week in, week out. It didn't surprise me.
And so with heavy hearts and sated appetites we returned to the real world.
I am planning my next trip to Azur already.
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Monday 21 May 2012
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