Dining at Zizzi Restaurant in St. Andrews

March 10, 2010March 10, 2010 Mhairi

Whenever I am staying in St. Andrews, I always make a point of visiting the Zizzi Restaurant for either lunch or dinner.

It is a casual setting serving excellent Italian food in four distinct sections of antipasti, salads, the mains (including pizza, pasta and risotto) and a selection of desserts, all within reasonable pricing. Having not been to any of the other outlets, I can only comment on the warm ambience and bustling atmosphere of St. Andrews’ own Zizzi Restaurant situated on South Street.

Last summer, while staying in the Fairmont Hotel just outside of St. Andrews town, my partner and I decided to dine there of an evening…and we were not disappointed. The Bruschetta with tomatoes and basil served on toasted garlic ciabatta was so good I could of eaten another serving…but I managed to hold off for my main of Pollo Prosciutto – chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto ham and sage and cooked in white wine – amazing! Not often opting for a dessert, I changed my mind on this occasion and decided to order the Chocolate Melt and only stopped eating when I realised I couldn’t possibly make room for anything else. All of this was offered with the accompaniment of a great wine list. I should mention that there really is a great choice of food and drink on the menu and I’m sure that there is something for everyone there.

Killarney Town

March 8, 2010February 16, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

The South West of Ireland has some spectacular golf courses and when scheduling a golf vacation that includes Ballybunion, Tralee and Waterville, the schedule must include a stay in Killarney. It is a great location and a fantastic base to play the well-known courses while the town itself is full of charm, excellent food and traditional Irish pubs.

The accommodation is not a disappointment with the 5 star Killarney Park Hotel and other great hotels…you can’t go wrong. There are over 40 bars in Killarney, which offer live traditional Irish music throughout the season. Killarney is also the starting point of the drive around the Iveragh Peninsula; a dramatically scenic route commonly known as the Ring of Kerry. The complete route is about 100 miles long, definitely an unmissable experience. There are also many excellent restaurants in the area and seafood is a big influence; I recommend Gaby’s Seafood Restaurant in the main street while staying in Killarney…here seafood is served at its best. If steak is your preferred option then Foley’s Seafood & Steak Restaurant is ideal.

Killarney is quaint and colourful with a vibrant town centre – a great place to relax during your golf vacation!

By Denise McKee. Denise has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is a member of the admin team.

Albert Roux brings Two New Restaurants to Scotland

March 6, 2010February 16, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

In the next few months, the famous French Chef, Albert Roux, will be opening 2 new restaurants in Scotland. This is in addition to his already successful restaurant at the Rocpool Reserve in Inverness.

The first restaurant is due to open in April and will be set in a remote town in the North West of Scotland, (click here for more details). This isolated location means that many of our clients may not get the opportunity to dine there as the closest area which clients regularly utilize is Dornoch which is 1 hour and 30 minutes away. The second restaurant, which will open at the famous Greywalls Hotel (on the edge of Muirfield Golf Course), is set to open in May. Greywalls is set on the outskirts of Gullane and is in a great location for many championship courses which are within 5 miles of the hotel. Having the latest Albert Roux restaurant in the hotel is sure to make Greywalls an even more appealing place to stay.

The 3 restaurants which Albert Roux will have in Scotland come under the Chez Roux banner which prides itself on fresh Scottish ingredients with a French twist.

Click here for a link with details on both of the new restaurants.

By Gary Sheppard. Gary has been with PerryGolf for over 3 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

Golf & Cycling in the South of France

March 5, 2010February 16, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

The best way to spend an afternoon and get some exercise…cycling from Gallician to Aigues-Mortes! While onboard Le Phenicien on a trip to the South of France, I discovered that the 18-passenger luxury barge has a selection of bikes on board; whenever the barge is docked, you can take a bike and tour round the various towns and, of course, stop for a rose wine en route! During the trip I was able to cycle ahead of the barge, leaving from Gallician and arriving in front of the Le Phenicien at Aigues-Mortes. The cycle – with a stop for lunch – took me just around 1 hour and 45 minutes; such a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. I travelled along the canal path, which was very easy to follow and the scenery was so picturesque. On arrival at Aigues-Mortes, I could watch the arrival of Le Phenicien as I had left earlier than the barge and arrived in advance of its mooring.

One late afternoon on the trip I also cycled and explored the town of Arles; a fantastic small town with many exciting places to visit and delicious food to sample. Arles has some impressive Roman monuments, of which the earliest – the arena, the Roman theatre and the cryptoporticus (subterranean galleries) – date back to the 1st century B.C. I visited The Thermae of Constantine, the remains are part of a vast group of buildings dating from the 4th century. Simply spectacular to visit and using the bikes onboard is the easiest way to see everything in these small historic towns – and allows you to burn off some of the calories consumed during your trip!

By Denise McKee. Denise has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is one of our team members who handles our South Pacific programs.

O’Callaghan Hotels, Dublin

March 3, 2010February 1, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

Dublin City Centre is the perfect place to be based for a few nights as you can play some of the great courses in the surrounding area – Portmarnock, European Club, The Island, K-Club and County Louth to name but a few.

It’s also a city blessed with five star properties; however, as is the case with all major cities, these can prove to be on the expensive side for the average traveller. There are however excellent, yet relatively inexpensive options in the city centre courtesy of the O’Callaghan Group; a privately owned Irish group of hotels. They own four properties, all in ideal locations within the city centre; either overlooking Merrion Square or Stephen’s Green; making them perfect for exploring the city’s fantastic shops, sights, restaurants and bars.

The 4 star properties include the traditional Davenport, the contemporary Alexander, the boutique style Stephen’s Green and the charming Mont Clare.

With something for every type of traveller, and at great prices, one of the hotels is bound to suit.

By Keith Baird. Keith has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

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