Lunch At Ben Bulben
by John Willmott of Celtic Ways
I've arrived back from a couple of wonderful packed days in Co. Sligo and have several blogs to share with you about this. One of my adventures was a trip around the base of Ben Bulben, a mountain of many legends and distinct feature that makes it the trademark of Co. Sligo.
Before taking my adventures around the base of Ben Bulben I decided I had better have a lunch break.
First stop was the cafe by the high cross at Drumcliff, more famous as the resting place of W.B. Yeats than its origins as a St. Columcille monastry. Unfortunately that delightful cafe that was full with people waiting for seats. Not far away is the Yeats Tavern, but that was also full with people waiting for seats. A few kilometers later, at the base of the point of Ben Bulben, and still quite high up, I arrived at the Monsoon Tavern.
Surrounded by just a couple of farmhouses I arrived in the middle of a fierce wind and driving rain, so the name seemed appropriate. It turned out I was their only customer. Greeted by a smiling Indian lady I was seated and relaxed browsing their 9.95c lunch menu to the ambiance of Dionne Warwick's "Walk On By". She immediately presented me with a basket of popadoms and prawn crackers .... yummie
I quickly decided to be served with an onion bahji starter followed by a vegetarian main course with a name that I could not read or pronounce or even understand when the smiling lady repeated it to me several times.
After entering the kitchen for what must be two seconds, and first bite on a popadum, she appears with my onion bahji served with a wonderful coleslaw in a yoghurt base. Was this a psychic plan that anticipated my choice? "Walk On By" then played again as I enjoyed one of the best onion bahjis I have ever tasted.
Alas, before the ceremony of my last delicious mouthful the plate disappeared back into the kitchen along with the plate of popadums and prawn crackers despite my pleas and begging for their return.
Still smiling, she returns to inform me that the main course will take a little while and asks if I like a cold beer while I was waiting. As I was driving I said no but would have the tea that is part of the lunch package.
While sipping delightful darjeeling tea and listening to "Walk On By", for probably the 5th time by now, a Heineken truck pulled up and delivered an enormous load of kegs, what seemed like 4 or 5 times what we take at Glendalough for St. Patrick's Day. Just in case you are not familiar with Ireland today, Heineken is Ireland's most popular beer amongst Irish people with Guinness taking 2nd place. I wanted to ask the smiling lady if they have evening binge drinking here. Who on earth is going to buy all that beer?
On, probably, the 10th replay of "Walk On By" my main course arrived. A bed of a delightful mixture of basmati and pilau rice along with a bowl of assorted vegetables that looked as if they were cooked in curried ketchup, and that's what it tasted of. I enjoyed it though ...... but, I was hot, hot, hot !!!!!!
I yelped "Yes, I'll have that cold beer now!"
Beer is said to be the best liquid to dilute the effects of hut curry much better than water or wine.
"What beers do you have?", to which the smiling lady replied
"We only have Heineken!"
Here in the wilds of the base of Ben Bulben within the Monsoon Tavern we have two of the wonderful successful business "secrets" of the Indian nation.
First, buy a single item in bulk to get the best discount and because you do not have other options people will still buy due to their need.
Second, charge a nominal fee for something, such as the 9.95c lunch and then create a instant demand that causes the customer to spend more, such as a hot curry that might create an extra 12 euros in sales of cold beer.
As I finished my meal to the 20th encore of "Walk On By" I was full of visualization of a bunch of curried drunks walking down the hill, as they would be too drunk to drive, singing "Walk On By" perfectly and with gusto. But then I noticed a sign on the narrow roadside beside the tavern that read "This Is A Community Alert Area".
Despite my satirical comments here, this is a place I would return to for lunch and recommend you do the same should you be wandering around the wonders of Ben Bulben. At least you'll probably not have to wait for a seat for lunch.
More on what I explored around Ben Bulben and the people I met, soon.
I've arrived back from a couple of wonderful packed days in Co. Sligo and have several blogs to share with you about this. One of my adventures was a trip around the base of Ben Bulben, a mountain of many legends and distinct feature that makes it the trademark of Co. Sligo.
Before taking my adventures around the base of Ben Bulben I decided I had better have a lunch break.
First stop was the cafe by the high cross at Drumcliff, more famous as the resting place of W.B. Yeats than its origins as a St. Columcille monastry. Unfortunately that delightful cafe that was full with people waiting for seats. Not far away is the Yeats Tavern, but that was also full with people waiting for seats. A few kilometers later, at the base of the point of Ben Bulben, and still quite high up, I arrived at the Monsoon Tavern.
Surrounded by just a couple of farmhouses I arrived in the middle of a fierce wind and driving rain, so the name seemed appropriate. It turned out I was their only customer. Greeted by a smiling Indian lady I was seated and relaxed browsing their 9.95c lunch menu to the ambiance of Dionne Warwick's "Walk On By". She immediately presented me with a basket of popadoms and prawn crackers .... yummie
I quickly decided to be served with an onion bahji starter followed by a vegetarian main course with a name that I could not read or pronounce or even understand when the smiling lady repeated it to me several times.
After entering the kitchen for what must be two seconds, and first bite on a popadum, she appears with my onion bahji served with a wonderful coleslaw in a yoghurt base. Was this a psychic plan that anticipated my choice? "Walk On By" then played again as I enjoyed one of the best onion bahjis I have ever tasted.
Alas, before the ceremony of my last delicious mouthful the plate disappeared back into the kitchen along with the plate of popadums and prawn crackers despite my pleas and begging for their return.
Still smiling, she returns to inform me that the main course will take a little while and asks if I like a cold beer while I was waiting. As I was driving I said no but would have the tea that is part of the lunch package.
While sipping delightful darjeeling tea and listening to "Walk On By", for probably the 5th time by now, a Heineken truck pulled up and delivered an enormous load of kegs, what seemed like 4 or 5 times what we take at Glendalough for St. Patrick's Day. Just in case you are not familiar with Ireland today, Heineken is Ireland's most popular beer amongst Irish people with Guinness taking 2nd place. I wanted to ask the smiling lady if they have evening binge drinking here. Who on earth is going to buy all that beer?
On, probably, the 10th replay of "Walk On By" my main course arrived. A bed of a delightful mixture of basmati and pilau rice along with a bowl of assorted vegetables that looked as if they were cooked in curried ketchup, and that's what it tasted of. I enjoyed it though ...... but, I was hot, hot, hot !!!!!!
I yelped "Yes, I'll have that cold beer now!"
Beer is said to be the best liquid to dilute the effects of hut curry much better than water or wine.
"What beers do you have?", to which the smiling lady replied
"We only have Heineken!"
Here in the wilds of the base of Ben Bulben within the Monsoon Tavern we have two of the wonderful successful business "secrets" of the Indian nation.
First, buy a single item in bulk to get the best discount and because you do not have other options people will still buy due to their need.
Second, charge a nominal fee for something, such as the 9.95c lunch and then create a instant demand that causes the customer to spend more, such as a hot curry that might create an extra 12 euros in sales of cold beer.
As I finished my meal to the 20th encore of "Walk On By" I was full of visualization of a bunch of curried drunks walking down the hill, as they would be too drunk to drive, singing "Walk On By" perfectly and with gusto. But then I noticed a sign on the narrow roadside beside the tavern that read "This Is A Community Alert Area".
Despite my satirical comments here, this is a place I would return to for lunch and recommend you do the same should you be wandering around the wonders of Ben Bulben. At least you'll probably not have to wait for a seat for lunch.
More on what I explored around Ben Bulben and the people I met, soon.
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