Sometimes, you stumble across something quite extraordinary, culinarily speaking, practically on your doorstep. And that was the case with Frae, an unassuming little wine bar & dining room in the heart of Holywood. But looks can be deceptive.
The menu, ambiance and overall vibe are all wonderfully unique and delightfully different to the “run of the mill”. Frae serves locally sourced seasonal plates alongside an ever-changing natural wine list.
Link to Frae website HERE
The fluffy Bara Bakehouse ciabatta was served with umami-rich, salty marmite butter. We then had a lightly crispy Potato Rosti with cultured cream & smoked eel, and Celeriac with pickled walnut & smoked Drumlin. Both utterly delicious.
Next, the Chicken Liver Parfait with prunes was silky smooth, and there were some fantastic vegetarian dishes on the menu; both the Jerusalem Artichokes with cauliflower & chestnuts, and the Spelt and Pumpkin with dates, kale & Young Buck were seasonal winter dishes, perfect for a Christmas sharing feast.
We also loved the fresh & zingy Cured Cod with watermelon, radish & clementine, and the hearty Beef and Guinness bun with horseradish.
The fish dish of Roast Coley was more than enough to share, and was sprinkled with brown shrimps in a leek vinaigrette.
Even our accompaniment of Fried Potatoes with caramelised garlic was a cut above the ubiquitous “garlic fries” served up with monotonous regularity in lesser establishments.
All washed down with a stunning Domaine Muret Syrah, this was a simply outstanding food adventure.
