The Ard Bia Cookbook [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

The word lovely comes up over and over again in the Ard Bia cookbook. Lovely extras to serve with cheese or lovely extra to serve with the perfect steak. Perfect poached egg and lovely extras, it s got a comforting homely ring to it which I love in fact I really loved a lot about the new Ard Bia cookbook. The zany photos, the clean layout and design, the line drawings, and the eclectic collection of Ard Bia classics that so many of Aoibheann Mac Namara s loyal fans will love to have. Yet, I doubt it will keep them at home, they ll still want to go to Ard Bia one of Galway s most enduring and best loved restaurants. The cookbook represents a day in the life of Ard Bia, favourite breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon snacks, supper and dinner dishes. The book also includes some thoughts on a cheese course the secret of some of Ard Bia s much hankered after juices and finally the Pantry section. I particularly loved these chapters (there are 4) with herb sugars, pickles, vinaigrettes, a variety of hummus, chutneys, relishes, pickles, cordials, jellies and some thoughts on foraging. I only ate once at Nimmos but I have never forgotten the beautifully simple but truly lovely food, a celebration of fresh local produce, spiced up with imagination and a sure hand. --Darina Allen, Irish Examiner

I had heard a while back there was an Ard Bia cookbook in the pipeline. I had even debated it with a restaurateur friend of mine. It s too expensive, I think it s mad. You can get cookbooks from big names for half that price, I said. You can get a lot of rubbish cookbooks for half that price, he replied. If it s a lovely book as well as a good cookbook, it s well worth the extra money. Now, here are the most painful words I may ever have to write Aran McMahon, you were right and I was wrong. It is not too expensive, it is worth every penny and more. The book takes you on a culinary journey through the day from morning to lunchtime, afternoon, and evening, and then on to a set of useful pantry notes. If you eat in Ard Bia now and again, you will recognise some of these recipes the full fry and the Berlin platter, the lunchtime salads, soups, and stews, the bakes from the table inside the little front door. A thick section which waltzes you through the starters and mezze, fish, meat, and vegetarian and something for afterwards to keep you at the table a little longer than you really meant to stay - it is what they are really good at. Aoibheann MacNamara has teamed up with food writer Aoife Carrigy to capture the essence of Ard Bia of Nimmo s. In my opinion Ard Bia really only got soul when it moved into Nimmo s, but when it did it really found its spiritual home. It is food with inspiration from around the world but is ultimately grounded in Irish produce and seasonal ingredients. It is never a chore to eat here either, no-one will ever smother your food in a mist or a foam or a nonsense you will only ever be in danger of being smothered with love. For the cookbook lovers out there this one is a keeper. I will be filing it in my collection alongside the Drimcong Food Affair under the bit of Galway food history section. The paper is the yummy un-coated kind, the little drawings are quirky, and the photos with the vintage props will cause terrible crockery envy. Even the typeface is one of my favourites. This is more than a collection of recipes, it is a memento and a keepsake, something precious and special. A snapshot of a time and a place in Galway that captures the energy and spirit of the place that is Ard Bia. --Galway Advertiser

I want to talk about a completely charming cookbook named Ard Bia. The name means high food' and is the name of a quirky, eclectic restaurant in Galway which mixes the best of local Irish produce with influences from much further afield, such as Turkey and the Middle East. The book is organised in an unusual way, taking the reader through a day in the restaurant, from breakfast, brunches and breads' to after-dinner treats. The final chapter is devoted to the pantry' which turns out to be an important element of the book. More than just a collection of basic techniques it's an overflow of information from the previous chapters which ties the whole book together nicely. Unlike many cookery books linked with a particular restaurant, Ard Bia isn't intimidating. The recipes are interesting but approachable, with lots of tips and alternative suggestions. They range from the sophisticated Poached Langoustines with Samphire to the homely Niamh's Mam's Chicken, Carrot and Sweet Potato Stew. The book has a calm, uncluttered style, with plenty of white space on the page. The illustrations are a mix of photographs (several being of the people behind the book) and charming line drawings. Even the photographs of the authors offer a modesty and charm that leave the reader intrigued. I think the beauty of this book is it leaves the reader with a desire to travel to the restaurant and connect with its authors, experiencing Ard Bia for yourself. And perhaps if you're organised, you might remember to take along your copy of the book for them to autograph, giving you a lasting keepsake of your trip to Galway. --Kevin Ashton, WannabeTVChef

Aoibheann Mac Namara, propietor of Ard Bia: restaurateur and entrepreneur and Aoife Carrigy, former deputy editor of Food & Wine Magazine and freelance food writer.