Aniar celebrates ten years of innovation

Health, Beauty and Lifestyle with Denise McNamara

Sea urchins, abalone, sea buckthorn. Yeah, I too was unaware you could eat sea urchins, only that they are bloody sore if you happen to stand on them in the sea. Going to dinner in Galway’s first Michelin-starred restaurant is like going back to school. You are a student in a culinary paradise which you must approach with a childlike wonder and an open mind.

Your mind will be blown and your tastebuds challenged like rarely before at Aniar.

To celebrate its ten-year anniversary this month, chef JP McMahon unveiled a new beautifully refreshed dining room, the product of a long, long lockdown, and a truly mind-boggling 18-course tasting menu.

Aniar was born in a small bistro on Dominick Street with no intentions or aspirations to win Michelin Star kudos, reveals JP.

Rather it was set up to showcase Irish food in a way that was novel for the west of Ireland. That and the fact they were having trouble with their landlord in their sister tapas restaurant Cava, reveals co-owner Drigin Gaffey.

“We said let’s try and open up something in case it all falls apart. And it didn’t. We are much happier on Middle Street.”

She congratulated JP on everything he had achieved at Aniar.

“He genuinely wants to transform Irish food and put Ireland on the world food map. That wasn’t my aspiration. I wanted to make sure everyone would have an amazing experience.”

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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