Whisk her away from the daily grind with some great trips, treats and events, selected by Pól Ó Conghaile

I’LL never forget the first time I saw Coumshingaun.

Ananda, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin; tel: 01-2960099; anandarestaurant.ie

Food for thought at West Waterford festival

Foodie Quiz poses right challenge

Joe McNamee looks at some recently-released cookery books

West really is the best

One could manufacture an exceedingly fine frazzle seeking out suitable Irish-produced gifts for nearest and dearest, or one could join a smug Menu in the snug sipping a hot port, as he has the Christmas shopping thing down to a fine art. In those brief moments between Christmas eating and drinking, The Menu likes to take a spot of exercise, ahem, playing board games but at this stage of his life is rather Cluedo-ed out and the Monopoly is pretty much useless ever since The Menu spent all the toy money at the K-Club during the height of The Boom. But a new board game has arrived — a beautifully designed and cleverly constructed Irish board game based entirely around food, Smorgasboard. But while it will hold obvious appeal for the extreme epicure it will equally enchant the class of player who eats only every other month. (www.smorgasboard.ie)

Martijn Kajuiter will showcase some of his new book's dishes ‘Let’s Go Disco’ at The Cliff Townhouse, Dublin (Nov 19 & Dec 3).

The Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Co Waterford; tel: 024-87 800; web: thecliffhousehotel.com

Michelin star chef in your own home

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

SIMPLICITY must be a complicated thing.

1. Ashford Castle, Co Mayo

THERE are no new Michelins stars being awarded to Irish restaurants this year — but no Irish restaurants lost their stars either.

ARDMORE has very much moved with the times. The new Cliff House Hotel and its Michelin-starred chef, Dutchman Martijn Kajuiter, has put it on a far more sweeping radar for visitors than heretofore.