We had a gorgeous evening at Mapas Restaurant in Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney this week. The dining room is beautifully decorated and lit giving an intimate atmosphere and it was great to see the restaurant so buzzy. There was a warm welcome as we were shown to our table and the staff are friendly yet unobtrusive.

There’s a fantastic selection on their new Spring menu to cater for all tastes. There’s a lot of fish – gambas, haddock, monkfish, salmon – which is unsurprising with such a great location close to the sea. There is also mouth watering Angus too for steak lovers like myself but the star on the night was the lamb shank which literally slid off the bone and was incredible.

Five stars too for the duck parfait, beautifully presented and enough for two with perfectly prepared brioche bread. To finish, crème brûlée cheesecake with berry compote tastes as good as it sounds!

There’s a good wine list and many interesting wines offered by the glass. Would also recommend the beautiful Library Bar for a pre or post dinner cocktail. It’s worth mentioning too that they serve a fantastic Afternoon Tea in Fitzpatrick’s Castle 1-4pm daily. All highly recommended!

About Paul Hickey:

Paul Hickey, Culinary Director at the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, brings over 35 years of experience to the role. Originally from Dublin and now based in Newbridge, he has worked across some of Ireland’s leading hotels, including senior roles at The Westin, Hilton Kilmainham and The Heritage in Portlaoise. Cooking has always been part of his life, with both his uncle and grandfather working as chefs, and his own career starting with a part-time role in Bewley’s. What stands out is his mix of hard work and creativity, and the fact that he still sees the job as something you grow into overtime rather than something you ever fully master.

In his current role, Hickey oversees the full food offering across the hotel, from restaurants and bars to events and outdoor dining. It’s a busy setup with a lot going on, and his focus is on keeping everything running smoothly day to day, from managing the team of 20 and the suppliers to ensuring consistency across the board. Dining is built around quality ingredients and simple execution, with Mapas as the main evening offering and a more relaxed daytime menu available upstairs in the lobby. There’s also a strong emphasis on flexibility, tailoring menus to suit different guests and events rather than taking a one size fits all approach.

Paul’s approach to food at home reflects his cooking style, simple, seasonal and done well. In summer, he leans towards lighter options like Sourdough, Gambas, heirloom tomatoes with a hint of garlic and a simple salad. In winter, it’s more about comfort, a classic beef bourguignon with whipped potato purée and crispy onions. One staple he always has to hand is garlic, which he uses across everything from roasting to garnishing, adding depth and flavour to even the simplest dishes.

About Mapas Restaurant:

A very warm welcome to Mapas Restaurant, which pays tribute to the strong Fitzpatrick family tradition and Killiney Castle’s illustrious heritage over centuries. Mapas is one of the finest Dalkey Restaurants.

The Castle was originally a country manor, “Mount Mapas” & was built by Colonel Mapas in 1740. Over the next century, owners of the house included Captain Maunsell, Colonel Loftus, and Lord Clonmel.

Mapas Restaurant brings you a menu prepared by our executive chef & his culinary team using the very best of Irish, locally sourced seasonal produce.

Mapas Restaurant is open from 5:30pm-9:30pm Monday – Sunday

For reservations please call 01 230 5400

RECIPES:

Classic Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

1.5kg Beef Feather blade, cut into 180gram Steaks

200g Thick-cut bacon, sliced into strips (lardons)

1 bottle (750ml) Dry red wine (Pinot Noir or Cab Sauv)

2 cups Beef stock (shop bought will be fine)

2 tbsp Tomato paste

500g Fresh mushrooms, quartered

500g Pearl onions (frozen is fine and saves time!)

3 Large carrots, sliced into chunks

4 cloves Garlic, smashed

Herb Bundle: Thyme, bay leaf, and parsley

Method

Crisp the Bacon: In a large casserole pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.

Sear the Beef: Pat the beef dry with paper towels (important!) and season with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in the bacon fat until deeply caramelized on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Add the Aromatics: Toss the carrots and sliced onions (not the pearl onions yet) into the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.

Start The Braise: Pour in the wine and beef stock. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release the brown bits. Add the beef, bacon, and herbs back in.

The Long Nap: Cover and place in a preheated oven at 160°C for about 2.5 to 3 hours. The meat should be fork-tender.

To Finish: While the beef cooks, sauté your mushrooms and pearl onions in a separate pan with butter. Stir them into the stew for the last 15 minutes of cooking.

To Serve: With Rich Creamy Mash Potato, topped with Fresh Parsley and Spring Onions

Classic Tomato Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 Organic carrots
  • 2 Organic sticks of celery
  • 2 Organic medium onions
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • olive oil
  • 2 organic reduced-salt vegetable stock cubes
  • 2 x 400 g tins of quality plum tomatoes
  • 40g of Tomato Puree
  • 6 large ripe Organic plum tomatoes
  • ½ a bunch of fresh basil (15g)
  • 5g Sugar
  • Salt/Pepper

Method

  • Peel and roughly slice the carrots, slice the celery, and peel and roughly chop the onions. Peel and slice the garlic.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add all the prepped ingredients, then cook with lid ajar for 10 to 15 minutes, or until softened.
  • Crumble the stock cubes into a jug, cover with 1.5 litres of boiling water, and stir until dissolved.
  • Add the stock to the veg pan with tinned and fresh whole tomatoes, including the green stalks that may still be attached to some of them (these give an amazing flavour – trust me!).
  • Give it a good stir and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on. Meanwhile, pick your basil leaves.
  • Remove the pan from the heat. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, check the acidity, if required add sugar to balance the flavour, then stir through the basil leaves.
  • Using a stick blender or liquidizer, pulse the soup until smooth. Taste and check the seasoning, then serve.
  • Garnish with some basil leaves.

For a twist

Add some roast red pepper for a different flavor profile,

Crumble in some goat’s cheese Fivemiletown works well as it’s so creamy

Mozzarella and basil croutons- toast some focaccia bread, top with Mozzarella and pesto, heat in the oven then place on top of the soup

Add chili or cumin at the sweating stage for a little bit of heat

Slow roast some baby heirloom tomatoes and add at the end for texture and sweetness