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| Don’t be fooled by this tiny building. Its a powerhouse of flavor. The finest takeaway in Connemara or perhaps even in Ireland, this tiny building offers outstanding fresh-caught seafood, fish and chips and many other items. See menu below. |
“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
Hurling. Both sports are native to Ireland. Collectively – along with Gaelic
handball, rounders, and others – the sports are known as the Gaelic games, under
the aegis of the Gaelic Athletic Association.”
When I had fresh-caught hake ready to cook for dinner, Tom decided he’d like to return to O’Flaherty’s Takeaway in Carna for fish and chips. I’d prefer not to cook this dish for him since it requires a deep fryer and lots of vegetable oil which we don’t use or have on hand. Plus, it’s messy.
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| Located at the Carna edge of town, this spot offers an extensive menu with fantastic flavors, cooked to order. |
We left the house at 1545 hours, 3:45 pm, to make the 20-minute drive to the small town of Carna. The fantastic little takeaway restaurant opens at 1300 hours, 1:00 pm and later on other days. It’s a great idea to check online to see if O’Flaherty’s is opened since opening hours may vary and they close during the winter months with less tourist.
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| The tinfoil packet contains non-breaded calamari for me. This thriving business, owned by Theresa and John O’Flaherty, (John, the fish guy) is a must-visit when in the Connemara area. |
But, believe me, it’s worth the effort, the 30 seconds it takes to check online or call to confirm they are open, especially as the summer season ends. They can be reached at 087 316 2444.
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| Freshly prepped ingredients may be added to certain menu options. Theresa makes the tangiest, best-tasting tartar sauce I’ve ever had. |
Please see this map for easy directions to O’Flaherty’s from anywhere in Connemara. With all the excellent reviews they’ve had, many tourists are inspired to make the drive, regardless of how far away they’re located.
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| Although the cooking area is small, it’s kept meticulously clean. |
We knew John, as our weekly “fish guy” who stops by the house weekly with his truck filled and chilled with the fresh local daily catch. There are many options and I’ve never had a problem deciding on what to purchase.
John’s visits have inspired me to try types of fish I’ve never tried in the past and have added to our Irish experience. See this post here when we included a photo of John and his weekly visits.
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| The daily menu changes based on the availability of fresh fish John’s brought in for the day. |
As mentioned in the past, Tom’s not a huge fish enthusiast. But he can’t get enough of fish and chips, especially those from O’Flaherty’s. He’s often ordered this meal in many locations we’ve visited throughout the world but only O’Flaherty’s and at Namale, Tony Robbins Resort and Spa in Fiji in 2015, are memorable. See this link here for that meal.
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| There are plenty of delicious non-fish items for those who accompany a fish lover that longs to try the seafood options. |
I was literally drooling on the ride back to our holiday home as he ate the sizeable portion of chips (fries) from a sturdy cardboard cone container. He enjoyed them so much, he had to go out to the rental car this morning to wash the steering wheel. But, I never tasted one, nor have I eaten a single chip in almost eight years. It’s best not to.
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| Tom always orders the fish and chips. He can choose the type of fish he’d like as shown on the daily menu. The fish is at the bottom of this sturdy cardboard container. |
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| Tom’s fish and chips. I gave him my chips which he ate in the car on the ride back to the house. Piglet. |
The restaurant was ultra-clean, the ingredients and fish fresh and ready for the day’s requested items and the location conveniently located at the southeastern edge of the town of Carna.
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| My grilled calamari and hake sauteed in garlic, olive oil, and butter. Delicious!!! |
Once back at home with the hot food, we prepared our plates. Earlier in the day, I’d made a new favorite vegetable side, sauteed shredded cabbage with onions and garlic. Since we’re grocery shopping today, we were out of green vegetables, which surely would have made my plate more pleasing to the eye.
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| Theresa and John have five or six friendly, adorable dogs hanging out in the backyard. |
But the taste? Over the top…wonderful! I can’t wait to return a time or two before we depart on August 8th, a mere 20 days from today.
O’Flaherty’s Restaurant is a special spot, big on charm, local history and some of the finest food in the land…add the two warm and friendly hosts and it’s absolutely irresistible. These types of experiences leave us with memories emblazoned in our minds forever.
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| We not only got a “food-fix” but also a “puppy fix” while visiting. |
Have an enriching day and evening.
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| The gestation period for African zebras is typically 13 months. For more zebra photos on Zebra Day, please click here. |