On To Belfast

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Another early day, up at 5 to get ready to catch the train at 7:35. We were going to walk, but decided we just have to much luggage to make the easy. A very quick taxi to the train station. We had the first train out for the day, so it was already in the station. We boarded on time and first class on the Enterprise was 100 times more comfortable the on the train to Holyhead. They had just recently started food service again, and while it was not inclusive of the ticket price it was prices fairly. Seats are reserved and include your name above your seat so there is no confusion.

The train of course left on schedule. It was a very beautiful journey; my pictures do not do it justice. Some of the trip was along the sea. There was four very annoying California’s also on the train. Let’s just say they probably voted for the orange man. They were entitled and pretentious and that is all that I will say.

We both ordered a cheese omelet with toast and coffee. It was very good and a nice portion, totally spaced on the picture. The coffee was actually served in small French Press Pots. I spent most of the time looking out the window, did check work e-mails, but nothing pressing so it didn’t stress me out.

Jerry spent much of the time rearranging our full day in Belfast, so that we could sleep in and get some much-needed rest. When we arrived, it was raining but it was a short walk to the hotel. I could have been shorter if we would have realized there was a bridge that took us almost directly from the station to the hotel.

The plan for our half day in Belfast was the HoHo and Grumlin Road Gaol (jail). Unfortunately, I miss read the stop schedules and we could not get on where we wanted (right next to the hotel). That stop is only open on weekends with the St. George market is open. The next stop was near City Hall, but we just missed the bus, so took a cab instead.

A note on taxis. Belfast has a very strange law. You cannot hail a cab, you either go to a Tax Rank (which only certain type of cabs can even use) or you book them in advance. If a driver picks you up with out being pre-booked the driver can be fined 300 GBP. Three such fines and they lose their license. They actually have government officials that try to get drivers to just pull over and pick them up. So, if you’re going to be taking a taxi, you need to have your hotel call for one. There are very few taxi ranks in the center of city. One by City Hall, one by the Europa Hotel.

We did not know about this rule of no hailing of a taxi, until we spent 20 minutes trying to do it. We may have never known but for a very sweet little old lady. She walked up to Jerry and said, “they are never going to stop for you, this isn’t New York.” She then pointed us to the nearest taxi rank. On the way there a second, person asked if we needed help and again pointed us in the right direction of the taxi rank. I have to say, I was a bit skeptical and immediately went for my wallet. Living in New York for seven and half years, makes you very untrusting. Anyone walking up to you in New York, is either going to mug you, or try to sell you drugs. It turns out that people in Belfast are just that friendly. We did finally get our taxi. When he pulled over, he was letting people out and they were laughing and just having a great time, one of the women said she just wanted to ride around with him all day. As he helped me in the cab, I asked the driver, if he was serving cocktails, that is how happy they were.

Drivers in both Dublin and Belfast love to talk. Talk about the city, the country, the refugee situation. Every time we get in a cab, we learn something. Yes, we are taking more cabs then normal. With Covid, our backs, we are just taking some extra steps to be safe.

Grumlin Road Gaol has a long history and not a positive one. If you read the description in Fodor’s travel guide it makes it sounds like it was just another Alcatraz. Fodor’s also tends to make it sound as if everyone there deserved to be there. Well, that is pretty far from the truth. The goal has been a prison since 1846. The jail held women, children, as young as 10, and men, all in the same facility. They also used corporal punishment to keep them in line. Up to 36 lashes if you were over 18 with a cat of nine tales, and up to 18 if you were under 18 with a wooden rod. There was a long tunnel that led from the jail under the street to the court house. During the “Troubles” between 1969 and 1996 hundreds of political prisoners from both sides were held in the prison. The tour can be as quick or long as you would like. Due to covid all tours are self-guided, unless you have a special tour through a travel agent. If you stop to listen to all of the video’s the tour could take a few hours.

If you didn’t know much about the “Troubles” before your visit here, you certainly will after the visit. Briefly, the “Troubles” is a nice way of description the decades long war between the loyalist (protestants, loyal to the crown) and republican’s (Catholics wanting to be part of Ireland.) It is a long and dark part of Northern Ireland’s history especially in Belfast where for three decades there was constant bombings. You couldn’t even get into the center of the town without out going through a checkpoint. It wasn’t until the late 90’s, when the peace agreement was signed, that there were visitors other than British troops in the city.

We had lunch in the prison and Cuff’s Bar and Grill. It is located where the prison kitchen use to sit. The food was pretty good. I had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a Belfast Bap (grilled steak and onions on a hearty seeded bun, with pepper sauce). Served with a side of garlic fries. Jerry had Pork & Leek Sausages over Champ Mashed (mashed potatoes) served with an incredible Guinness gravy.

After lunch we waited for the HoHo for about 30 minutes to take us back into the city center. The last thing on the itinerary was a trip to Victoria Square and the Dome. This is a modern shopping center in the hear of the city, but it has a 5 story Dome that give you a very nice view of the city. No stairs a lift, so didn’t have to hike up for the view this time.

We walked back to the hotel along the river, which turned out to be the long way home. We did finally arrive, finishing the walking portion of the day, 11,659 steps.

The Great Room at the Merchant Hotel

Dinner was at the Merchant Hotel and it was an unexpected surprise. Finding places to have a nice dinner was pretty difficult in Belfast and this was our best shot. It turned out to be the best meal so far, in fact the entire dinner is Dish of the Day. We opted for the 7-course tasting menu, featuring the highlights from the main menu. We also added the wine pairing.

We started with a cocktail, finally a decent Tanqueray 10 Martini for me, while Jerry had a Stone Fence: Bourbon, Calvados, maple syrup, Angostura Bitters, and a green cardamon tincture. Jerry liked it, bet to on the bourbon side for me.

During our cocktail the Amuse was served; pork rillettes on fennel crackers. It was a perfect bite.

I will do the rest of this as it was presented on the menu:

First Course – New Season Asparagus, Scotch egg, truffle, pea espuma (foam), paired with a dry Riesling from Alsace. The Scotch egg was the star but the entire dish blended perfectly.

Second Course – Irish Lam Fillet, St Toia goats’ cheese, black garlic, pared with a Spanish Rioja. Jerry skipped the goat cheese but it really matched the perfectly cook lamb and the fried capers just added the perfect amount of saltiness. The black garlic totally set the dish apart from any lamb I have had before.

Third Course – Local Scallop, glazed cauliflower, curried aioli, almonds, paired with an Austrian Gruner Veltliner. The bay scallops were perfect seared and cleaned appropriately, when combined with the curried aioli it was a flavor bomb.

Fourth Course – Irish Beef Fillet, Asparagus, beef shin croquette, café de Paris hollandaise, paired with an Australian Cabernet. This dish was amazing, the hollandaise was possibly the best we have had in a restaurant. What made it so special was the Café de Pairs butter used to make the hollandaise. We have never had this before, and it is a very well-kept secret, but key ingredients other than real butter, are capers, herbs, mustard. I will be trying to recreate this at home.

Fifth Course (palate cleanser) Raspberry and Lychee. A raspberry compote with Lychee sorbet. It did cleanse your palate.

Final Course – Choux au Craquelin, Yuzu cremeux, alphonso mango. Not to sweet but a nice dessert. Jerry does not like any of those ingredients, so was allowed to substitute a ginger sticky toffey pudding.

The restaurant was very eloquently set in the original lobby of the hotel and sat up a few steps from the main floor. It was truly a very good ending to the first day in Belfast. After dinner we took a cab home, and passed out.

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