Avenue Cafe Restaurant, Maynooth.

Review

Maynooth is a busy Town, what with the colleges and large companies that are situated in and around it. Avenue Cafe & Restaurant have been serving this market very effectively. Opening in December 2007 by Robert & Bronagh Kennedy, Avenue already boasts a band of loyal local customers and has gained a reputation for excellence. . The restaurant is located at the Dublin end of Main Street, and is spread over two floors. Downstairs the room is very much a stylish cafe feel, while the upstairs is more sedate - so downstairs for lunch, upstairs for dinner would be my choice.

The food is modern Irish, and head chef John Cole creates top notch food using local ingredients wherever possible. This use of the best Irish suppliers tells through in the cooking, delivering a depth of taste and flavour that is noteworthy..
.
The menu changes regularly and there are always daily specials. The lunch menu offers a light special of soup or Panini or wrap for a tenner, while you can also enjoy grilled lemon and cumin chicken, Bantry bay mussels or one of their gourmet burgers. The dinner menu carries on theme, with other choices added such as rack of lamb or bangers and mash, but bear in mind, if you fancy any of the dishes for lunch, they are more than happy to oblige..
.
We recentlyy had lunch there and had starters of Clonakilty pudding with poached egg and Bantry Bay mussels in garlic, shallot and white wine cream. The mussels were big and juicy and the Clonakilty pudding came with a homemade salsa and a perfectly runny egg. This was followed by a bowl of fish stew - large chunks of fresh fish and shellfish with potatoes in tomato cream sauce, topped with calamari rings - delicious. Deirdre chose a duck spring roll with Asian salad and dressing, which was very nicely flavoured. We finished with warm chocolate pudding served with chocolate sauce, orange & chilli syrup and vanilla ice cream and had two good coffees. .
.
Avenue is a really well run restaurant serving delicious food at reasonable prices. They wanted to create somewhere you can go with a gang of friends or family for a great night out, and with their quality food, value and consistency I think they have succeeded. Well worth a visit.