Star from the sea

A GREAT meal out often has one best dish, a mouth-watering triumph whose memory outlasts all others.

At the Cliff Town House, my best dish was also my first — six succulent and squishy Carlingford oysters (€12.50) served on a glistening mound of ice.

Presented with hunks of lemon and a tiny pot of shallots slow-cooked in red-wine vinegar, chomping the first oyster felt like a slithery electric shock. My eyes pinged open. The mix of salty water, creamy mollusc and tart dressing was plunge-pool invigorating.