It’s the simplest plate of food imaginable: a piece of hake, a little salsa with tomato, red onion and parsley, some sautéed potatoes, and a green salad with pomegranate seed.
And it is perfect, in every detail.
Think of the details. The fish is superbly fresh, and cooked perfectly, served skin-side up, with the skin crisp, the flesh yielding. You can’t cook fish better than this. And the sautéed potatoes are of the same calibre: crisp exterior, delicate interior, the way a sautéed potato should be but rarely is. The two off-setting details – the salsa and the salad – provide acidity to the sweetness of the fish.
The dish was a lunch special on the blackboard menu at Café Rua, in Castlebar, where Coleen McMahon continues the vital legacy begun by her Mum, Ann. Superficially, Café Rua seems like pretty much any neighborhood place. But look closely and you will see that there isn’t a casual thing about any aspect of this amazing destination. Café Rua is a place with perfect pitch: the food sings, the room comforts, the vibe is delightful. But all the effort is concealed: you could walk in here casually and not pay much attention to anything.
But, once you do open your eyes, you notice the feng shui of the room, the adroitness of the staff, the calmness that comes from utter professionalism.
But what is most winning of all is the modesty of Café Rua. There is nothing preening or posing about this place. It’s just someplace where people do their very best, every time, with every plate of food, every drink, every element of human contact. It makes you glad to be alive.
Aran Tweets @aran_rua
www.caferua.com
