Top country house a winner for local food

A dedication to locally sourced food and drink has helped the Georgian Newforge House, the award winning luxury country house in Magheralin, Co Armagh, to a rankng as among the very best hotel restaurants here.

The five-star rated country house, owned and run by talented chef John Mathers and wife Lou, was named the best in Co Armagh in the prestigious Irish Restaurant Awards, which is organised by the Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI).

There were awards too for Michael Deane’s Eipic restaurant in Belfast; Saul McConnell of Noble in Holywood; Seafood and Scran in Portstewart; Ox Cave Belfast; and Charlie’s Bar in Enniskillen.

Famed in particular for his hot breakfasts at Newforge House, John says: “We are delighted to have won this important endorsements after what has been a challenging couple of years due to the coronavirus pandemic. Encouragingly, we have enjoyed a very busy summer and look forward to the months ahead. We share the anxieties here from the spiralling energy costs of other hospitality businesses. It’s going to be a difficult winter for everyone.”

He continues that the family business benefits from “a really strong cadre of fantastic local food producers who supply really excellent food and drink”.

“Our guests regularly comment on the quality of our food and are keen to hear about the small companies that supply us and really appreciate our knowledge of each and every product on our menus,” continues John.

Regular suppliers include Hannan Meats in Moira, Madden’s sausages, Lurgan, Dromara’s Abernethy Butter, Moyallon bacon from Portadown and gins from

Shortcross in Crossgar and Kircubbin’s Jawbox. Newforge has been acclaimed ias ‘Country House of the Year 2014’, ‘Best Country House Breakfast 2014’ and ‘Irish Breakfast Awards National Winner 2014’. Good Food Ireland named it ‘Culinary Haven of the Year 2014’. RAI said it had the ‘Best Hotel Restaurant in Ulster 2014’ and the local Licensed and Catering News said it was the ‘Best Guesthouse in Northern Ireland 2014’.

“Local food is central to the Newforge House experience. As well as our small and select network of local suppliers, we source seasonal produce from our own gardens and orchard for our daily changing dinner menu…and our friendly hens provide wonderful eggs for our breakfast. The orchard provides fruit for our homemade desserts, chutneys and preserves.

“Provenance is immensely important to us and so we depend on sourcing products that we can count on to be tasty, wholesome and nutritious,” he adds.

The country house, he continues, has just created a novel business sideline – a private hire dog field called The Dog Meadow - that’s run by Lou, who explains: “The idea was influenced by our own crazy dogs who love running free. What we’ve done is to use two acres near the house for owners of dogs who love running free and getting lots of exercise without interactions with other dogs. Spread over two acres of lovely, lush grass enclosed by a 6-foot-tall fence, it contains dog play equipment and a cosy hut for making tea or coffee (and getting out of the rain).”

Set in trees on the edge of Magheralin, less than 10 minutes from Lurgan and Moira, the meadow can be hired by owners, Newforge was originally John’s family home. It took two years to transform the distinctive Georgian house into a luxury establishment that maintained its distinctive exterior.

The establishment opened in May 2005 and has fulfilled John and Lou’s aspiration to create a luxurious country house in tranquil and relaxing surroundings, a home from home based on superb hospitality and excellent food.

Newforge was among restaurant and hospitality businesses which entered the RAI awards, the most important in Irish hospitality. The awards are an

opportunity to celebrate the existing and up and coming talent in the sector and are a reminder that hospitality is nothing without the dedicated and passionate staff in the industry.

Other local winners at the awards included: Best Restaurant Heroes -Ulster Native Seafood, Stevie And Rebecca McCarry in Portstewart; Olde Post Inn

Killinchy for Best Sustainable Practices; The Hive for Best Free From; Clenaghan’s Restaurant, Moira, for Best Emerging Irish Cuisine; Saul McConnell of Noble in Holywood as Best Restaurant Manager; Ox Cave, Belfast for Best Wine Experience; Bron Café Bar, Londonderry for Best Café; Ulster Frae, Holywood for Best Newcomer; Charlie’s Bar, Enniskillen for Pub of the Year; Best Hotel and Guesthouse McNean House, Blacklion; Oak Room, Best Customer Service; The Rusty Mackerel, Best Gastro Pub; Deane’s Eipic Belfast, Best Restaurant.