Ol for mayos first tapas bar
‘SPANISH flair, Irish ingredients’ - that’s the motto of the award-winning Flanagan’s Gastro Pub in Brickens, between Claremorris and Ballyhaunis.
Run by husband and wife team, Luke and Caroline Flanagan, just two years after adapting a tapas theme they were named as Country Pub of the Year and last year were awarded the coveted national Bar Food of the Year title as well as being named Connaught Pub of the Year. In recent days Flanagan's was named Best Gastro Pub in Mayo at the Irish Restaurant Awards, writes Tom Gillespie.
The pub has been in the Flanagan family for around 100 years. “It has always been part of the fabric of Brickens,” Caroline said. “Luke took over the pub from his late mother and father, Mary and Pat, in 1994. He ran it as a country pub but unfortunately between recession, drink driving and the smoking ban things went down and down.
“Luke had always a keen interest in food and had worked in kitchens for other people. He decided that we would do it ourselves. So we closed the pub for six weeks and renovated the whole place. We opened in October 2010 with the new Flanagan’s Gastro Pub. We have been working hard at it since, building up the trade, and it has taken nearly five years to get it going.
“We were always looking for something different. Something innovative. We did not want to be the standard run of the mill bar food pub. Luke likes experimenting and changing. We had been to a few places, especially in Dublin, where they were doing tapas and we loved it. One night we had a lightbulb moment and wondered if this would work in Brickens.
“We said we would give it a try for a summer; that was last summer. It was such a huge success we could not believe it.”
Luke took up the story: “Being out in the country we have to be that bit different. We have to try harder. We saw tapas was the big thing in Dublin and Galway so we decided we would go with it. At the start we were not sure if this was right but as the summer went on, and last year being such a good summer, it was a great success.”
He added: “We have a new menu and we are increasing our wine list. We have got three craft beers and another one coming in as well as three craft ciders. They are proving very popular with the food.
“We use Irish ingredients with a Spanish flavour. It is very important that we use our local suppliers. We have gone away from some of the bigger companies to stick with locals.
“Tapas are usually between three or four for a main meal but people can pick them as a starter as well.”
Caroline added: “If you have your food good and keep it consistent people will travel and we have the parking to cater for them all. We have tapas with an Irish twist. You can come in, never eat tapas, never been to Spain, but you will recognise all the ingredients. With tapas you can choose how little or how much you want. What groups do is order a selection of the tapas and share them.
“We run the tapas all week and on a Wednesday and Thursday evenings we have the deal to chose three and get a glass of wine or a pint free.”
Flanagan's also has an extensive a la carte menu and boasts a selection of 10 red and 10 white wines.
Flanagan’s Gastro Pub can be contacted on (094) 9380101.