THE Ulster Regional Final of the Irish Restaurant Awards, in association with Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine, took place in The Merchant Hotel Belfast on Tuesday night and named the top restaurants in the nine counties 2014.
Owners and staff of Ulster restaurants celebrated their hard work and achievements at the awards, which saw most of the Donegal awards going to restaurants in the south of the county. Castle Murray Restaurant (Dunkineely) and Lakeside Restaurant at Harvey’s Point Hotel (Donegal town) both went away with two awards each.
Food outlets were nominated under the categories of Best Restaurant, Best Chef, Best Restaurant Manager, Best Hotel Restaurant, Best Casual Dining, Best Gastro Pub, Best Customer Service, Best Wine Experience and Best Kids Size Me.
The Donegal winners were: Best Restaurant, The Mill Restaurant, Dunfanaghy; Best Chef, Remy Dupuy, Castle Murray Restaurant, Dunkineely; Best Gastro Pub, The Water’s Edge, Rathmullan; Best Casual Dining, La Bella Donna Restaurant, Donegal town; Best Hotel Restaurant, Castle Murray Restaurant @ Castle Murray House Hotel, Dunkineely; Best Customer Service Donegal and Best Wine Experience, Lakeside Restaurant at Harvey’s Point Hotel, Donegal town. The overall Best Kids Size Me award in Ulster went to The Olde Castle Bar & Red Hugh Restaurant, Donegal town.
All county winners now compete for the Regional and All Ireland Title which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards in the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel, Dublin on Monday, June, 9.