Have you ever heard people talk about a certain place over and over again, yet it takes you so long to check it out?
That happened to me recently. It wasn't that I didn't believe the reviews, I just hadn't been near Gorey, Co. Wexford in a while. As soon as I made it home last week I knew that this was the perfect opportunity to book myself in for lunch.
The Duck is located on the grounds of Marlfield House just outside of Gorey town.
The first thing I noticed was the stunning location. It's so tranquil and the ideal spot to take a step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
What's The Suss?
The restaurant and café is situated in a restored courtyard building, it's got that rustic feel to it, which I love.
The sun was shining over the pretty rose and vegetable garden beside the terrace, so I perched myself at a table there. I couldn't dream of eating inside when it was that warm.
I did however, go inside for a peek, sure I had to.
The restaurant has ample seating and even has some intimate areas for group or private dining.
There's quirky, vintage decorations all along the walls and there's a big open fireplace down the back, which I will deffo see myself visiting when the evenings get colder.
It's one of the prettiest venue's I've eaten at in a long time.
What's On The Menu?
The restaurant serves a mixture of coffees, pastries, cocktails, lunch and dinner.
For lunch, in keeping with the location, I ordered the duck flatbread.
When I ordered it, I didn't really know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised when it was put in front of me.
The flatbread looked just like a pizza but so much better. It was super tasty and bursting with flavour, ideal for lunch, not too heavy but perfectly filling.
All of the ingredients used were fresh from the garden and locality.
A contemporary menu with inspiration taken from Italian home cooking, this was exactly what I had hoped for and more.
What's the damage?
The flatbread came to a reasonable €16. A little pricier than your standard café lunch but for this atmospheric oasis of tranquility and top class food, it was a bargain.
I will definitely be coming back during my next visit home.
Overall?
This place was just so calm and so special. It's stunning for al fresco lunches but also ideal for dark evenings in winter.
Marlfield house in general is such a stunning place, after the meal we walked around the grounds and it really is spectacular.
Great food, atmosphere and service - The Duck gets a big thumbs up from me.
