This is a post two years in the making as Steffie and I desperately wanted to eat at Idaho Cafe during our 2010 adventure but could not fit it into our schedule. What we were able to squeeze in, however, was a pop-in to grab some coffee (for Steffie) and a couple of their deliciously thin waffles with chocolate sauce and get them to go:
Waffles To Go!
Breakfast of Champions
It was the crispy, squishy, chocolaty goodness that ensured my return to Idaho Cafe, bumping them up to priority status upon my next visit to Cork City.
I actually wrote out a strict schedule of where to eat and when, but the bank holiday threw me for a spin and of course I made an exception when Fresco Bistro was kind enough to invite me to their summer menu experimental tasting. Knowing I would not be there until 3:00pm, however, I decided to get up early and jet to Idaho Cafe for breakfast.
Debating between savory and sweet breakfast can always be a tough choice, especially when I had such a great experience with their waffles and wanted to recreate it. Yet I pushed myself to try something new. Go bold, go big or go home, right?
Black pudding, bacon & sausage Bap €4.80
Black pudding, bacon & sausage Bap €4.80
Clearly I wasn’t going for healthy points. Juicy bacon, plump sausage and lovely black pudding wedged between lightly toasted and buttered bread made for a deliciously meaty filling start to my day. Though not a huge sandwich, I did cut the heaviness of the meat with the provided ketchup.
It’s a great sandwich for the ravenous carnivore and reminded me of a modern version of the traditional Irish breakfast commonly found at Bed and Breakfasts’. For the Americans giving a wary eye to the black pudding, do not alter the bap by omitting the black pudding; just be bold and go for it!
As I was good and saved half of my sandwich to be given to Csabi later, I decided to inquire about the available daily baked goods, especially the tart sitting on the counter opposite me; taunting me as I ate my bap.
Chocolate Pear Tart €4.85
Keats famously wrote, “A thing of a beauty is a joy forever”, though this morsel lasted all of five minutes before it was demolished forever. From the richly moist interior to the crisp top and big chunk of pear, there wasn’t a single thing wrong with this slice of heaven.
Tucked away on the small Caroline Street behind Brown Thomas, Idaho Cafe could easily be overlooked were it not for their strong following that keeps their cozy quarters jammed packed during official hours. Husband and wife team Richard and Mairead (also the head chef) are hands-on restaurateurs with a passion for staying as green as possible. All meats, cheeses, dairy products and bread are from Ireland, with priority given to purveyors within a 100km radius of Idaho Cafe. Recycling is enforced, to-go cups are can be composted and their electricity is from renewable sources. To say that Idaho is just another cafe on the street would be an injustice.
I asked Richard Jacob via Twitter that if wanted future patrons to know one essential thing about Idaho Cafe, what would it be? He replied: Fab, tiny space, making great Irish food with even better service!!
I couldn’t agree more.
Idaho Cafe
19 Caroline Street
Cork, IE
http://idahocafe.tumbler.com
Tue-Thurs: 8.00am-5.00p
Fri-Sat: 7.00am-6.00p
Closed Sundays-Mondays
