Restaurants with Michelin Bib Gourmands, I have found, are worth seeking out when you’re travelling around the country, but I am still not quite sure what to expect. For all its love of consistency, Michelin is a bit of a mystery, to me, in this category. Notable restaurants such as Etto and Bastible have had Bibs and lost them; Uno Mas, which got a Bib in 2020 remains on the current list; and others, like Wild Honey Inn and Bastion jumped from Bib to Michelin star. For a while, we thought losing a Bib could be a good thing because a promotion was on the horizon, but I don’t know what to think anymore.
A Bib is quite different from a Michelin star, but it's not a consolation prize, they are quick to point out. There is a three-course range of descriptors on their site, starting with "friendly establishments that serve good food at moderate prices"; to "high-quality food at pocket-friendly prices"; scaling right up to "exceptionally good food at moderate prices". Confusing, yes, but the common denominator is an affordable price, which in Ireland, under their criteria, translates into three good quality courses for €40 or less.
If you've been reading this column closely over the last few months, you will be aware that €40 for a good quality three-course meal is a bit of a rarity. If anything, it is the starting point for a bottle of wine. Which is probably not the best starting point for a review of Table Forty One in Gorey, one of four restaurants to pick up a new Bib Gourmand earlier this year. The wine is indeed affordable, but there is not a single bottle on the short list that is of any interest to me. It is, I add with optimism, something that is easily remedied, and I would hope that it will get a great big priority tick beside it.
What you get here – after heading up a precipitous flight of stairs to two interconnecting rooms – is a concise menu which offers two courses for €29.50 and three for €38. That’s possibly worth the climb. And a basket of warm milk bread on our marble-topped table is a nice start.
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There was a time when terrines were popular in restaurants, particularly on early-bird menus as they can be prepped ahead and cheffed up with a few flourishes, and it seems that little has changed. Here we have dots and a precise sweep of curry mayo, but apart from a redundant piece of apricot, the whole pretty plate makes sense. It’s a really pleasing terrine with chunky pieces of chicken and pistachio, and crunchy piccalilli on the side. A good terrine is a safe bet for a good reason.
Our other starter is a sizable piece of smoked haddock; it’s undyed, which is good to see, and comes with a cauliflower puree, which could do with just a bit of acidity to balance its sweetness. Small chunks of chorizo are not too assertive and add a bit of spice.
For main courses, it’s cod with tomato fondue, a beautifully fresh piece of fish, cooked precisely, sitting in a clam veloute, which is the perfect dipping material for the generous side plate of carrots and potatoes. The pork tenderloin is a substantial portion, three loin cuts, with carrot puree and roast parsnip. By the time it comes to dessert, we reckon that sharing one is about all we can manage.
It is not the best frangipane tart I have encountered: it could do with more almonds in the frangipane and more pear and blackberries to make it just a bit moister, but it is hearty, much like all the dishes we have had.
It would appear that local man Andrew Duncan, who is the chef and owner at Table Forty One, has a very good idea of what his customers are looking for. Table Forty One is a busy restaurant, full on a Thursday night, and turning tables. It's not earth-shattering food, but it's comfortingly homespun. This is, perhaps the essence of what a Bib Gourmand is, and I am beginning to think that the edgier places are possibly the outliers. Could Gorey do with a more creative restaurant? Yes, why not? There is certainly room for more than one good restaurant in a town of this size. But here there is a room of happy people, with good, sound food on roasting hot plates.
Dinner for two with three glasses of wine was €87
Verdict: Solid cooking and good value. Facilities: Compact and clean. Music: Got my heart set on you, et al. Food provenance: The Ethical Gardener, Green’s Berry Farm, Meyler’s Fish. Vegetarian options: Yes, but limited; vegan options by prior arrangement. Wheelchair access: No accessible room or toilet.
