Jason Wall, the talented young chef of Wicklow's Enniscree Lodge, has come up with an interesting idea to prise us out of the gloom of winter. Each Friday and Saturday night, Wall is cooking a special menu with Mediterranean and eastern flavours - seafood broth with saffron and coriander; angel hair pasta with pancetta baby onions and roast peppers; spiced and seared chicken with braised coconut rice; grilled tuna steak with crispy leeks and a lemongrass and chilli butter; tropical fruit strudel with papaya ice cream - are just some of the dishes he has concocted for the dinners. It's another typically imaginative idea from Raymond and Josephine Power who own the hotel and who are steadily bringing this charming hideaway in the Wicklow hills to deserved prominence. Last year, they upgraded all the bedrooms, so those who want to make a night of it have also good accommodation to enjoy, and it's only half an hour from the centre of Dublin.
Enniscree Lodge, Glencree Valley, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow tel: (01) 286 3542