All trails lead to straight to Seafood this weekend

As well as some of the country’s top celebrity chefs providing live cooking demonstrations, the festival marquee will open from 12noon to 6pm playing host to the Boulevard of Chefs, Celebrity Kitchen and a range of children’s entertainment for the whole family.

If that wasn’t enough, the feast of mouth watering maritime fayre at the festival this weekend, a seafood trail will continue to be celebrated in local restaurants throughout the duration of the week following the festival. The trail allows many of the chefs at the Festivals and others, to continue the celebrations in their own kitchens.

Mayor Blake, Tourist Officer and organiser of the Flavours of the Foyle said the Seafood trail offers a range local chefs the chance to share some of their fantastic fish dishes, created especially for the trail.

“Although our Seafood Festival will attract huge crowds on 26th & 27th July the Seafood Trail will continue the celebrations beyond the festival. From Lough Foyle Halibut, Greencastle turbot, to Burtonport crabs, our local chefs and restaurateurs will be creating some culinary magic and spectacular fish dishes. Starting on the first day of the festival, and running through the week until Saturday 3rd August, and with 23 local restaurants participating, visitors can feast of the very best seafood dishes, sampling a different creation each evening. With so much on offer you are sure to be hooked!

Noel Ward, Chief Chef at 68 Clooney, at the Best Western Plus, White Horse Hotel, said:

“My qualified team and I have created a tasty locally sourced fish dish exclusively for the Seafood Trail. Consisting of six courses, the special will run for the duration of the week for £24.95 and we are pulling out all the stops on this dish!! Treat yourself with our Lough Foyle Smoked Salmon Roulade with Candy beets and samphire, and after a cleansing of the pallet with a Mojitto sorbet, with a trio of pan-fried North Coast Seabass, Cod and Scallop with a vanilla and myroe carrot puree and summer vegetables in a burre blanc sauce. With a few more courses to follow this menu is designed to make the most of the magnificent local and fresh offerings on our doorstep and not to be missed.”

Resident chef at the Belfray County Inn, Charlie Dillon explains their plans for the trail.

“We are delighted to be included in the Flavours of the Foyle Seafood Trail map this year, and can promise some of the best fayre from the province. Using the freshest way to cook local Halibut and a range of organic and sourced ingredients, our dish will prove why the Belfray has been ranked as 18th in the top hotels in the UK. “

Admission to the festival event this weekend is free, and all are welcome to come and enjoy the treasure trove of local produce which demonstrates the city’s growing reputation as an exciting food destination. For more information on the full programme of events www.derrycity.gov.uk/seafood

Pick up a separate copy of the seafood trail map programme now at each of the participating restaurants and usual tourist information points, including the Guildhall or download the programme from the link above www.derrycity.gov.uk/seafood/Seafood-Trail

Seafood Trail Participating Restaurants are as follows:

1. 68 Clooney at the Best Western Plus White Horse Hotel

2. Ardmore Restaurant at the Beech Hill

3. The Belfray Country Inn

4. Browns Restaurant

5. Browns in Town

6. Cafe Del Mondo

7. Cafe Mezzo

8. Custom House Restaurant

9. The Delacroix

10. Encore Brasserie

11. Fitzroys Bistro

12. Flamin Jacks

13. The Grill at Everglades

14. Icon Restaurant & Winebar

15. La Sosta Restuarnat

16. Primrose Cafe

17. Quaywest Wine Bar and Restaurant

18. Saffron

19. The Sooty Olive

20. Timberquay Winebar and Restaurant

21. Thompsons Resturant at City Hotel

22. The Walls Bar and Resturanat at Tower Hotel

23. Waterfoot Wine Bar