Review: Italee, Cork City

Italee - Caffe Italiano

Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork City

It's a dark, damp evening in Cork City and I find myself looking for somewhere interesting to eat. Nothing too formal, I'm in jeans and a scraggy fleece, on my way to mix a gig in Coughlans (apparently pronounced 'Caullings' in Cork!). At the top of Oliver Plunkett Street I happen upon a small Italian cafe that (as luck would have it) stays open late on a Friday night and is still serving. I always feel a little awkward about eating out on my own but of the five tables at the back of this little spot there's three of us flying solo. Nothing to be afraid of after all!

The service is laid back and friendly, exactly what you would expect in a cafe. I go for baked rigatoni with porchetta and mozzarella in a tomato sauce with a glass of the house red. The food is good, really good when you consider the price. The dish is well balanced and although it lacks a little seasoning, it's still very tasty. The wine is excellent too. The cafe has a selection of house wines and I went with the waitress' recommendation of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. The espresso to finish is excellent. I sometimes get frustrated with coffee in Ireland; not here though!

When in Italy, the rule is to go where the locals are and although I see few locals in here, I soon realize I'm one of only two Irish people. The rest are happy Italians surrounding my little table. I could be in Rome on a sunny afternoon or Florence on a mild night but alas I'm not, I'm in Cork, on a dark and damp June evening.

Cafe Ratings:

Food: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Ambience: 8/10
Selection: 8/10
Value for Money: 9/10

Overall: 8/10 Highly Recommended