The Michelin star Irish restaurant where kids eat free
The Michelin owner and chef has been blown away by the response
A Michelin star Galway restaurant is allowing kids to “eat free” across November as part of their ‘Young Diners Tasting Menu’.
Aniar on Dominick Street, renowned for its “farm to plate” Irish menu, is giving children aged 7 to 15 the chance to eat alongside a paying parent or guardian at no extra cost.
The month-long promotion, which is being carried out for the second year due to popular demand last year, is part of Galway’s Blas Na Samhna.
Aniar’s owner, chef and well-known foodie extraordinaire JP McMahon said it has given him a new found love for cooking after all these years.
He said: "We were blown away by the response last year. Watching a young diner try something for the very first time - a piece of seaweed or a cured fish - and watching their eyes light up is exactly why we do this. Food education doesn’t only happen in a classroom. Sitting down together, sharing a meal, and talking about where the ingredients come from is one of the best lessons there is."
The multi-award-winning restaurateur unveiled his latest endeavour last year – a new ramen and bao bar, serving a flavour-driven menu rooted in the traditions of Japanese street food.
Kombu on Druids Lane will offer a casual-style experience featuring steaming bowls of ramen, teriyaki, tempura, innovative rice dishes, and a creative selection of bao buns, as well as some playfully creative desserts.
Developed by Chef Patron JP with a kitchen led by chef Gabriel Hoefling Ossani – who has worked alongside McMahon at the Michelin-starred Aniar before this – the duo are bringing a shared passion for Japanese cuisine to the new venture for the last 14 months.
Colourful graffiti feature walls by Galway artist Tracey O’Callaghan add to the urban vibe in Kombu, paired with subdued lighting and a playlist curated by Matt Orlando (formerly of Amass restaurant in Copenhagen) to create a contemporary space in the heart of Galway's Latin Quarter.
JP McMahon said he had long held the desire to open a Japanese-inspired restaurant – and he was delighted that Kombu will bring that dream to life.
“Japanese cuisine has inspired how we cook in Aniar, influencing our approach to fish and vegetables with a strong focus on seaweed and sea herbs, which results in contemporary Irish cuisine,” he said.
“Kombu is different in many ways, yet also similar. As we have done in our Spanish tapas restaurant, Cava Bodega, where we marry Spanish recipes and techniques with Irish ingredients, Kombu will be a fusion of Japanese and some other Asian influences with the best of Irish produce”.
Ramen takes centre stage, with rich, comforting bowls of broth and Dan Dan noodles, offered with a choice of pork belly, chicken udon and a celeriac option for vegetarians.
The Spicy Chicken Bao, which features pickled daikon, crispy onions, and black garlic mayonnaise, is a must-try.
The desserts also receive a Japanese twist, featuring a savoury-sweet bao bun filled with chocolate crèmeux and wasabi sea salt, a creamy ‘soft serve’ with seasonal fruit, meringue, and crumble, and a beautifully balanced Black Sesame Tart with yuzu curd.