{"id":1638,"date":"2015-06-09T14:23:51","date_gmt":"2015-06-09T14:23:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.licensedandcateringnews.com\/?p=1638"},"modified":"2015-06-09T14:23:51","modified_gmt":"2015-06-09T14:23:51","slug":"the-natural-thing-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lcnonline.co.uk\/the-natural-thing-to-do\/","title":{"rendered":"The natural thing to do"},"content":{"rendered":"
With the advent of Pier 59, diners and tourists in Derry no longer have to trek to neighbouring Donegal for their seafood fix. LCN has been talking to one of its proprietors, Una Kincaid\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n Pier 59 is Derry\u2019s only dedicated seafood restaurant \u2013 and it opened its doors just six months ago.<\/p>\n To many, it may seem odd that the province\u2019s second city \u2013 and the former holder of a City of Culture title \u2013 has had to wait so long for someone to spot what many would say was a glaring gap in the region\u2019s offering to diners.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an oversight perhaps all the more difficult to fathom when you consider that a river rich in fish stocks, particularly salmon, flows right through the very centre of the city.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, it\u2019s an omission that has now been corrected and such has been the success of this distinctive Strand Road eatery that the dining public in Londonderry are unlikely to be faced with such deprivation for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n Owner, Una Kincaid and her husband, Joseph, might be better known to trade readers as the long-time proprietors of the Derry-based Sandwich Co. Manufacturing Co, which they set up in 1990. The business now consists of a manufacturing unit which supplies nine Sandwich Co. bars, seven of which are franchised and independently run. Joe continues to manage the Sandwich Co. \u00a0while Una has taken responsibility for Pier 59.<\/p>\n The new seafood restaurant began serving in December and according to Una Kincaid, business has been brisk:<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going very well for us,\u201d she confirmed recently. \u201cThe public has responded strongly to what we\u2019re offering here and we\u2019re very happy to have made the decision to go ahead with Pier 59.\u201d<\/p>\n Una said that the idea of a seafood restaurant was something that she and her husband had always talked about and when the premises next door to The Sandwich Co. became available \u2013 at no. 59 Strand Road \u2013 the decision was taken to make their dream a reality.<\/p>\n In fact, this isn\u2019t their first foray into the restaurant trade, in the 1990s, they transformed their Strand Road sandwich bar into a Mexican eatery called Jalapenos, which operated successfully for three years, managed by Una\u2019s sister, Jeanette.<\/p>\n \u201cIt did well for us, but it was more of a weekend business, Thursday to Sunday. We didn\u2019t have an alcohol licence so it wasn\u2019t really paying us well enough for our effort and we felt we wanted to concentrate on our sandwich bars,\u201d said Una.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Head chef at the new seafood restaurant is Stephen Forbes. Formerly of Caf\u00e9 del Mondo in Derry and Rathmullen House in Co. Donegal.<\/p>\n Stephen spent three months travelling through the kitchens of India and it was his enthusiasm for seafood that led him to Pier 59. He\u2019s a keen forager and Una says that she is thrilled with the new tastes and flavours that Stephen has introduced to the kitchen, particularly his wild garlic cream.<\/p>\n \u201cThe team of chefs that we have is so talented and they really proved their value when we opened during the busy Christmas season,\u201d added Una. \u201cOur ethos is \u2018pier to plate\u2019 and we source as much of our fish as we can from Greencastle and Donegal. Vegetables and herbs are also locally sourced and we are delighted to be able to offer handcrafted butter made right here in Derry.\u201d<\/p>\n Una went on:<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had wonderful feedback and great comments on Trip Advisor, it\u2019s a pleasure to bring out the food,\u201d added Una, who comes originally from Letterkenny in nearby Donegal. \u201cWe had a lady in last night from the US and she told me that she\u2019d just had the best meal of her life \u2013 and she was 70 years old!\u201d<\/p>\n Described by Una herself as \u201cquite glam\u201d, Pier 59 can accommodate up to 50 diners at a time and on Friday and Saturday nights, tables in the restaurant are usually turned twice. It has a long, New York-style bar which runs the length of the premises with seating for up to 20 customers. Bright, inspirational colours and contemporary styling create a relaxing and casual ambience in the venue and a less formal approach to the dining experience. Mirrors positioned behind the bar run the length of the room, adding an airy feel to the space and creating the impression that the venue is always busy, even when things are quiet.<\/p>\n Menus at Pier 59 are changed weekly and recent improvements in the variety of fresh fish available in the north-west are being reflected in some of the newer dishes on offer.<\/p>\n