Has your favourite made the cut?
The reigning champion of Ireland's best carvery will see some competition in the form of spuds, meat and vegetables this year as the Great Carvery of the Year competition has just announced the nominees for 2018.
The contest, which is open to pubs and hotels across the country, is now in its ninth year and aims to celebrate nothing but the best of the best.
Once the nominees are announced, the mystery judges will take four weeks to sample each and every dish on the list to find out who deserves the top spot. Nice work if you can get it...
The competition is split into two categories; Best Hotel Carvery and Best Pub Carvery.
Kevin Watson, head chef of Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel, Fermanagh – who claimed last year's hotel top spot – urges anyone who is considering getting involved to do so.
“We would strongly encourage any hotel or pub thinking of entering the competition to do so. Not only can the recognition help to boost business, but it raises standards both back and front of house," Watson said.
"There is nothing like competitive spirit to get your team motivated! Our top tip would be to source as much as possible locally. For us, it means we get the best cuts from our meat supplier and the freshest vegetables from our grocer.”
The shortlist for this year's competition has been broken down into provincial categories. And in no particular order:
Munster
- Mulcahy's, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary (Hotel)
- Rochestown Park Hotel, Douglas, Co. Cork (Hotel)
- Castle Hotel Macroom, Co. Cork (Hotel)
- Kirby’s Brogue Inn, Tralee, Co. Kerry (Pub)
- Bobby Byrne’s, Limerick (Pub)
- The Hi-Way Bar, Dooradoyle, Co. Limerick (Pub)
Connacht
- Galway Bay Hotel, Upper Salthill, Co. Galway (Hotel)
- Murphy’s Hotel, Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo (Hotel)
- Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, Co. Roscommon (Hotel)
- The Trappers Inn, Castlegar, Co. Galway (Pub)
- Mulroy’s, Castlebar, Co. Mayo (Pub)
Leinster
- The Newgrange Hotel, Navan, Co. Meath (Hotel)
- Riverside Park Hotel, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford (Hotel)
- Whitford House Hotel, Co. Wexford (Hotel)
- Silken Thomas, Kildare Town, Co. Kildare (Pub)
- The 51 Bar, Haddington Road, Dublin 4 (Pub)
- Beaumont House, Beaumont, Dublin 9 (Pub)
Ulster
- Bailie Hotel, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan (Hotel)
- Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh (Hotel)
- Benedict’s of Belfast, Co. Antrim (Hotel)
- The Fiddlers, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan (Pub)
- The Market Yard, Limavaddy, Co. Derry (Pub)
A total of 24 nominees (with three in the pub category and three in the hotel category) have been chosen from each province. Those who have been nominated will be mystery-dined.
On 10 September, eight provincial winners will be announced and on 21 September, the overall hotel and pub carvery of the year winners will be revealed.
