On a recent trip to county Monaghan, we stopped by a Taste of Tuscany to check out their food.
After a long day of fun activities around Monaghan, we were looking forward to seeing what this place had to offer.
A Taste of Tuscany is rated as one of Monaghan’s top restaurants for food, service, atmosphere and value.
It is a spacious venue situated right in the heart of Monaghan town, on the first floor above Dinkin’s Cafe.
Vibes
Located on the first floor of a building in the centre of Monaghan town, it is very subtle from the outside but on the inside, it is is very lovely with beautiful decor and full of people which is always a good sign.
The restaurant has quite a casual vibe and it appeared to attract many families.
The Food
The menu was extensive, with a wide range of dishes and foods to suit all tastes and diets.
Starters
For starters, we had the Garlic Mushrooms and the Tomato Bruschetta.
The Garlic Mushrooms were crispy fried Monaghan mushrooms tossed in garlic butter, served with a side salad and creamy garlic mayo.
The presentation of the mushrooms could have been better, but they were well cooked, were tasty, and the breaded batter was light and crispy.
The Tomato Bruschetta was served on Chargrilled Tuscan bread with a cherry tomato, and herb tapenade served with a side salad.
We thought the mozzarella cheese and green pesto taste was lovely, although the pesto was slightly overwhelming.
However you can taste the garlic and herbs which combine to a nice overall flavour. The bread is delicious but could have been softer.
Overall, both starters were tasty. Sweet white wine paired well with the starters.
Mains
For mains, we had Vegetable Rosti and The Ocean Basket.
Chargrilled vegetables and sweet potato rosti stack with a rich tomato and garlic sauce. The dish was both vegetarian and gluten-free.
The texture of the rosti stacks was gorgeous – very fluffy and light to bite.
The flavour was a combination of pepper and lemony tones which paired well with the creamy essence of Parmesan and earthy bed of greens.
We ordered a side with this dish, which was the creamy garlic potatoes, which made an excellent side.
In both taste and texture, this dish was full of garlic, cheesy and creamy. It was full of favour. And we loved it!
Our second main was a seafood meal, The Ocean Basket.
This dish was a seafood lovers dream as it had sea bass, prawns and mussels.
It was really lovely, an amazing blend of fishes along with herbs and spices. Overall it was well presented and tasted great, an excellent dish.
Drink Menu
The restaurant has a Bring Your Own (BYO) policy, so you can bring your own wine or beer for free. However, there is a €4 corkage per bottle of wine or 6 pack of beer.
If you don’t bring your own, Tuscany has an extensive range of beers, wines and liquors.
On the night we visited, we had Pinot Grigio wine which was recommended by the waitress. We were in the mood for a sweet wine, and this was an excellent recommendation.
Dessert
For dessert, we had Mixed Berry and Chocolate Cheesecake served with fresh ice cream. It had a kind of mousse-like top with a lovely berry compote a solid-but-crumbly biscuit base. We loved it!
In addition to this, we had Apple Crumble. It was a sweet dish with stewed fruit topped with a crumbly mixture of flour, and sugar. This dish was also delicious.
Service
From the start, the service was excellent. The waitresses were very hospitable and were very on the ball. The waitress assigned to our table was very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Everything you’d want and expect from a nice restaurant.
Prices
We felt the prices were reasonable for and fair for the quality, service and atmosphere at this restaurant.
We ordered sides and a bottle of wine, so our bill racked up a bit extra but for a starter, main and desert by themselves it is about € 60, which is reasonable.
Overall
We loved our trip here and would recommend it to anyone going to Monaghan.
We were actually going to eat at another venue in Monaghan but had to change due to dietary requirements.
Taste of Tuscany was a good option for vegetarians and those with intolerance to certain foods.
All in all, it is a restaurant with great food, excellent service and reasonable value for money.
More Info
Address: 11 Church Square, Mullaghmonaghan, Monaghan, H18 T289, Ireland
