The Pullman review: Is this restaurant on a train carriage travelling towards a Michelin star?
The Pullman
Address
:
Galway
Telephone
:
091-519600
Cuisine
:
International
Website
:
Cost
:
€€€€
There are, in theory, many ways to spend €130 on dinner in the west of Ireland. You could eat bog butter from a scallop shell or endure a 12-course 'textures of hedgerow' menu. Or you could board a train.
The Pullman reopened in March after a restoration, overseen with the kind of obsessive commitment usually reserved for vintage watches or papal funerals. Leona (1927) and Linda (1954) – two Orient Express carriages at Glenlo Abbey Hotel outside
Galway
– have been restored to brass lights, marquetry panels, 1960s crockery and pressed linen.
The chef in the kitchen is Greek-born Angelo Vagiotis, whose CV includes
Noma
, Manresa and
Terre in Castlemartyr
, where he helped the team land two
Michelin
stars in 2024. Joined by Terre pastry chef Linda Sergidou and
Shauna Murphy, Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year
2023, he's not playing it safe. He has made no secret of his Michelin aspirations.
A bill of €130 for seven courses puts it firmly into tasting-menu territory – you expect technique, precision and at least a nod to theatre. What you do not necessarily expect is a lone, suspiciously cheerful diner with a French accent, who chats with waiters, orders the full menu, and finishes with pour-over coffee. Vagiotis does a walk-by. Sergidou personally delivers dessert. Is he a Michelin Guide inspector? Who knows. But the kitchen isn't taking any chances.
READ MORE
The meal opens with bitter leaves, herbs and edible flowers from Bullaun Ark, tied like a posy over a sharp foam of cider vinegar. A smart, seasonal opener. Enrico Crippa does something similar at Piazza Duomo in Italy's Alba.
Then a Rockfield cream puff – a gougère: light, delicate, filled with assertive cheese mousse. Goatsbridge trout follows – three thin slices alternated with golden beetroot beside horseradish cream and trout's roe.
The first hard test comes with Jerusalem artichoke and monkfish liver – a course with nowhere to hide. Ankimo, the foie gras of the sea, demands precision, and Vagiotis meets it. Two agnolotti filled with artichoke mousse are flanked by cubes of liver. A clear broth – poured from a teapot – carries roasted artichoke flavour, lifted by a shimmer of lemon verbena oil. A separate artichoke fritter adds textural sharpness. It is an intelligent, tightly composed course of serious confidence.
Tension rises with the turbot – cooked in brioche butter, resting in a glorious Champagne sauce. Connemara mussels bring salinity, and steamed spinach provides ballast. The dish could close with authority – but does not. A purée of what might be black garlic or olive paste muddies the line, and a lone morel distracts.
General manager Rónán ÓHalloran and chef Angelo Vagiotis in The Pullman. Photograph: Joe O'Shaughnessy
Rainbow trout from Kilkenny, beetroot and horseradish
Turbot with Champagne, Trompette mushroom and mussels from Connemara
Then the duck – Skeaghanore breast, probably cooked sous vide and finished in the oven. The skin lacks crispness, but the meat is pink, rested and tastes right. A leg-and-offal sausage is gently gamey, slightly salty. Red radicchio sits over preserved berries, with a quenelle of puréed celeriac to finish.
Dessert steadies the course. The Colonel, a sharp rhubarb sorbet, is served with a dimple in the centre, into which a neat pour of Redbreast 12 Year Old is delivered at the table. Two ingredients, instant classic.
The parsnip and apple finishes the meal with its nerve intact – a light mousse over a sweet purée, topped with a crisp Arlette and Velvet Cloud sheep's milk ice cream. It resists the temptation to overcomplicate and lands with clarity.
The wine list is where the Pullman's ambition dips. One page of white, one of red, and a page of wines by the glass. Smart picks – some Burgundies, a few Bordeaux – but too narrow for a kitchen pitching for Michelin. An €80 wine pairing is offered – serviceable, though it needs the bold curation shown on the plate. We go for a bottle of Château Haute Carizière at €42.
Across seven courses, the menu shows its hand – quietly confident, technically sharp and largely well-paced. The best dishes show real intent. The pastry is particularly strong. Even when the kitchen falters, the missteps are slight rather than structural. Service keeps a cool head: precise without theatre, unfussy without drift. It makes for a dinner that feels earned rather than staged.
[
Sea Shanty review: Quietly rewriting the rules of seafood in south Dublin
Opens in new window
]
If the cheerful stranger was an inspector – and the suspicion holds – they will have found a kitchen cooking with purpose and ambition. They will have seen the cracks too. A wine list this cautious does not match the kitchen's reach. A handful of the dishes would benefit from a stricter edit. None of it fatal. But if the Pullman means to join the sharper end of the guidebooks, the margin for small lapses is narrow.
Dinner for two with a bottle of wine was €302.
The verdict:
Sharp, confident cooking on track for its Michelin goal.
Food provenance:
Achill Lamb, Glenmar Seafood, Goatsbridge Trout, and vegetables from The Bullaun Ark, Burke's Farm, Galway, and Bia Oisín, Claregalway.
Vegetarian options:
Vegetarian tasting menu, €130; no vegan option.
Wheelchair access:
No accessible room or toilet.
Music:
Atmospheric vintage hits.
Pullman Restaurant, Galway.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
7 hours ago
- Irish Times
Iron Maiden at Dublin's Malahide Castle: Stage times, set list, ticket information, how to get there and more
After 50 years in the business, there is no sign of Iron Maiden slowing down any time soon as their European Run For Your Lives tour kicked off last month in Budapest. The heavy metal band will take to the stage at Malahide Castle this Wednesday for an unforgettable night as part of the band's 27 stadium, festival and arena shows around Europe. This tour will mark 50 years since bassist Steve Harris formed Iron Maiden in 1975. The band have promised fans the 'most spectacular and elaborate show ever' with the set list spanning their nine studio albums. Iron Maiden, made up of Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, Nicko McBrain and Janick Gers, will give a 'once in a lifetime experience' to their concert-bound fans. READ MORE When and where is it? Iron Maiden play Malahide Castle in Dublin on Wednesday, June 25th. What time should I arrive? Gates are at 5pm, meaning the show is expected to start at 6pm. Stage times are not yet available, so keep an eye on Iron Maiden's social media for updates. The concert should be finished by 10.45pm. Who is playing? Support on the night comes from Halestorm and The Raven Age. Iron Maiden will headline. What songs will Iron Maiden play? Below is a recent set list from their gig in Helsinki. Murders in the Rue Morgue Wrathchild Killers Phantom of the Opera The Number of the Beast The Clairvoyant Powerslave 2 Minutes to Midnight Rime of the Ancient Mariner Run to the Hills Seventh Son of a Seventh Son The Trooper Hallowed Be Thy Name Iron Maiden Encore Churchill's Speech Aces High Fear of the Dark Wasted Years Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python song) How do I get to and from the gig? Though it is possible to drive, you are encouraged to use public transport to get to and from Malahide Castle. Allow yourself plenty of extra travel time, as traffic delays and congestion are inevitable. Bus: Dublin Bus operates services to Malahide village from the city centre. The H2 and 42 routes connect with Malahide, while the 102 provides a direct route from Dublin Airport. Marathon Coaches are offering private, direct return buses to the concert from Northwall Quay Bus Stop 7623. JJ Kavanagh Event Coaches are also offering private coach services from locations including Limerick, Portlaoise, Kilkenny and Carlow. Irish Concert Travel offer a similar service from the likes of Donegal Town, Sligo, Longford and Galway. Train/Dart: Malahide train station is about a 15-minute walk from the concert venue and connects to city centre dart locations including Grand Canal Dock, Pearse, Tara Street and Connolly. The Dart usually runs extra services for concerts in Malahide, with the last train leaving the station sometime between 11.30pm and midnight. Car: There is limited parking at Malahide Castle, but it is possible to drive to and from gigs. You are recommended to book parking by downloading the Evntz app and clicking 'parking' on the page for Iron Maiden. Recommended car routes are: Via the M50: From Dublin city centre, west and south of Ireland, exit the M50 at Junction 3 (signposted M1 Belfast/Airport), continuing on to the R139. At the roundabout, take the second exit, continuing on the R139 for 2.6km. Turn left on to Malahide Road/R107. Continue straight for 4.2km, then take a right on to Back Road. Follow signs for car parks on your left. Via the M1: From the north of the country, exit the M1 at Junction 4 (signposted R132 Swords/Malahide/Donabate). Keep right, merging on to the R132. At the roundabout, take the second exit, keeping on the R132. At the next roundabout, take the second exit, again staying on R132. Take a slight left, merging on to Swords Rd/R106, and continue for 2.9km. Turn right on to the Dublin Road/R107, continue straight for 700m and then turn left on to Back Road. Follow signs for car parks on your left. Are there any tickets left? A very small number of tickets are left so act quickly if you want to bag them. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster and cost €91.30 each. Download your tickets to your phone in advance, in case there are internet or connectivity issues at the site. Screenshots may not work on the day, as Ticketmaster often use live or dynamic barcodes that update regularly. What's the story with security? Attendees under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult to be permitted entry. You should bring an official form of identification – a passport, Garda age card or driving licence. Bags will be searched on arrival, and you are advised not to bring a large bag to avoid the possibility of a lengthy delay or even refusal of entry. It is prohibited to bring alcohol, umbrellas, garden furniture, flares or professional recording equipment in with you. What does the weather look like? Weather is forecast to be largely settled next week, with less rain than usual and above average temperatures according to Met Éireann .
Irish Times
7 hours ago
- Irish Times
‘Amsterdam is a whole lot easier to get around than Dublin ... You get a much better quality of life here'
When Covid-19 lockdowns cut short his Erasmus experience, Eoin Blunnie was left with a wanderlust that has since led the Bray native to his new life in Amsterdam . The Trinity College Dublin music and English graduate has converted a passion for video gaming into a career in e-sports marketing but says it was 'fate that made me leave Ireland. I felt like a victim of circumstance.' 'I went on a six-month Erasmus to the UK in early 2020. It was one of the best parts of my life. Genuinely, it was such a thrill to be living by myself in a foreign country for the first time, but then, five weeks later – as you might remember – Covid happened and I had to go home.' Blunnie says his last year and a half in 'Covid College' was a 'horrific experience'. The lack of in-person interaction led him to look for a change of scene when he graduated. READ MORE Graduating from Trinity with a 'famously employable degree', he began to apply for jobs while working in retail and continuing to work part-time as a freelance orchestral music composer as he had done during college. 'I was freelancing online for the best part of four years,' he says, leading to the 'really exciting experience' of composing the theme for Entre Fronteras, a Mexican series about emigration. Just months later, he was on the move himself, moving to Brussels to take up a job as a communications intern at the European Parliament for five months. 'It was my first real office job, so it was a baptism of fire for sure.' Blunnie had built up experience managing social media accounts for student societies and e-sports competitions while at Trinity. [ A Wicklow woman in Venice: 'It really feeds the soul to have all that beauty around you' Opens in new window ] An avid gamer, he had got involved in Ireland's competitive gaming scene with the Irish Collegiate E-sports series – an amateur competition for third-level students which, he says, has been a platform for many Irish e-sports careers. Managing the social media and digital marketing for the competition led to him getting work for a US-based team, the Pittsburgh Knights, which he continued alongside his internship. 'There were some days where I would go into the office, do my nine-to-five and then come home and work from 11pm to 4am for [the Pittsburgh Knights], as their events were on US time. I don't know how I did it, in hindsight.' Eventually he had to give up the e-sports work 'because that was not a sustainable schedule'. Reaching the end of the internship, he was again on the lookout for work, hoping to find full-time employment in e-sports, his passion. South Korean company Krafton, the publisher of one of the biggest brands in e-sports, PUBG: Battlegrounds, offered him a role in Amsterdam. He has now been working for three years as an e-sports marketing co-ordinator, and says the 'vibes are great' in the company. 'It's a dream come true. To be working with the company responsible for a game you have spent a lot of time playing, that all of your friends have heard of, is really cool.' Blunnie, now 26, says there are 'only a handful of e-sports jobs in Dublin' with far more opportunities in Amsterdam. 'The publishers tend to be in the Nordics, Germany or the Netherlands.' [ 'We're an Irish-Canadian-French household. I'm finally getting some return on my Leaving Cert French' Opens in new window ] Another big benefit of the job is the city he lives in, which, he says, is 'ideal' for a nondriver. 'Compared to Dublin, it is a whole lot easier to get around. It has a similar population size to Dublin but it is half the size and you can cycle everywhere.' He describes Dutch public transport as 'exponentially better than Dublin's' and notes that Amsterdam has 'so many more things to do than just going to the pub for a few pints'. Blunnie has recently started a subscription that allows him to visit any of the arthouse cinemas in Amsterdam as often as he would like. He has recently got into bouldering – climbing a rock wall. 'You can count on your hands the number of bouldering gyms in Dublin but here there are nearly endless possibilities right at your fingertips.' It isn't all rosy, however. Amsterdam, he acknowledged, 'has one of the worst housing crises in Europe but by the same token, Dublin does as well'. 'It doesn't feel any more expensive than Dublin. If anything the rent is possibly a little bit cheaper here, but they are similar. But, for the same value, you get a much better quality of life here.' For young people, he says the 'big difference' between the two cities is 'that you can stay out late in most pubs in the city centre' before getting readily available public transport home. Blunnie can see himself moving back to Ireland at some point. He misses his family and many of his friends in Ireland. 'But I have been here for a while and have built a network here. Whatever I decide, I am going to be missing out on seeing some people.'
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Irish Times
Between the sheets glamour: Helen McAlinden on how to make your bed summer ready
Belfast native Helen McAlinden is a fan of natural fabrics, particularly in the bedroom. As a designer of the home range for Irish heritage brand Foxford for almost 20 years, she uses its new linen bedding in her own home, a sea-facing terrace in Blackrock. It comes in three stonewashed colours: a soft sunrise pink; an aqua green that is the colour of the Irish Sea; and a gentle glare-free white. It gives a look of casual ease, she says. 'It's not trying too hard but yet it looks really sophisticated. It's light to sleep under, cool in summer and warm in winter, and you don't need to iron it. I don't want to iron or pay someone to iron for me.' It uses Irish flax that is woven in Guimarães, northeast of Porto in Portugal – a region known for its weaving – and dries faster than cotton. Its long fibres make it smooth to the touch and give it tensile strength, she says. 'It's also low maintenance. You just wash it and hang it out on the line.' READ MORE Foxford's new shop in Dundrum Town Centre Now you can see and touch this bedding range in the new Foxford shop in Dundrum Town Centre, as well as other outlets such as Arnotts, where Mags Fitzgibbon is the brand manager. 'One thing Foxford has always had is distribution in the tourist industry, but it is more than that, it is a lifestyle brand,' says McAlinden. Indeed, its throws drape beds in ultra-luxe hotels such as Ballynahinch Castle and Ashford Castle and have found their way on to overseas hotel beds, including the Cornwall-based Hotel Tresanton, part of the Polizzi Collection. In addition to bed linen and throws, Foxford can supply almost all bedding needs, except the mattress, she says. For that she opts for a King Koil design, made in Ireland. Pure linen blush pink duvet set; double €289, king €319 and super king €355 She then layers her bed, starting with a mattress cover, made in Co Mayo for Foxford. A fitted bottom sheet is her foundation garment. Foxford's new linen range has a generous depth of 40cm so it will fit any mattress height and stops you having to wrestle with the base to try to get the bedding over the mattress corners. She also insists on luxuriating under a top sheet, a touch that works in summer, on hot nights. Then it's a featherlight duvet. Her main bedroom is bedecked in the aqua colourway, for it works with the warm grey of the walls, painted in Athena 858 by Benjamin Moore, and the seascapes of Dublin Bay that she can see from her home in Blackrock. The colours work with the animated greys and greens of the water breaking below. Her down duvet is Danish band Danica. 'I spent €300 on it when I didn't have €300, bought it in Copenhagen airport and carried it home as hand luggage. It's the only thing I can sleep under.' On the nights when there's a chill in the air, she adds a honeycomb waffle 100 per cent cotton throw, €139, also Foxford. Helen McAlinden's guest bedroom with linen white Lumi print, waffle bedspread and Foxford cushions. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw The feather and down pillows are part of Foxford's bedding range, made in Mayo. She opts for the empire-size, two of which will fit across her super-king bed. 'It is an Irish-designed bed.' The new collection, launching in the autumn, will feature additional colours, including a denim blue, a deep inky green, a mauve and nacre, a pearlescent colour. There will also be stripes, fresh takes on toile de jouy, and contemporary checks for the Christmas market. The brand also offers a 400-thread count boxed cotton bedding set that can be customised with monogrammed embroidery or another such message, a great wedding gift to give. A well dressed bed Easy ways to ensure your bed is well dressed, according to Mags Fitzgibbon, brand manager for Foxford at Arnotts Pillows should fit the width of the bed. If you sleep on a king-size bed buy king size pillows, which measure 50cm by 90cm instead of the standard 50cm by 75cm. This will fill in the gap in the centre of the bed. Continental pillows, 65cm squares, can be used to dress the bed. They also prop you up if you like to read or watch TV in bed. Mattress depths vary. There are about 10 different depths available. Before buying new fitted sheets, measure the depth of your mattress, to include any other layers; toppers, covers or electric blankets that will add to its height. Sales staff can then direct you to the brands that do those sizes. A flat sheet or top sheet has two purposes. It cuts down on how often you have to launder your duvet cover, and it adds a layer that feels silky to sleep under. When choosing a duvet, pick a size up from the size of the bed it will cover. Lay a king-size duvet on a double bed, for example, and so on. It gives a better look to the bed and hides part or all of the divan sides. It also gives enough cover to accommodate two people. The standard pillowcase with an inside flap, also known as the housewife, is so-called as it was developed in the 1880s by the Housewives Co-operative in Bolton to keep the pillowcase in place. Before that pillowcases were simple sleeves. Oxford pillowcases have the same internal dimensions as the housewife, but have an external edging. Bedding trends Vesteroy mattress, Ikea The pocket-springs in the Vesteroy mattress have been designed to respond independently to each other, meaning you can have a great night's sleep regardless of whether your partner tosses and turns. The springs also allow air to circulate whilst you sleep. From €318 at . Curve appeal Rimel bedside table, La Redoute Rimel is a lacquered metal bedside table that comes in two colour options, the teal, pictured and a bone white. It stands 61.5cm high and has a circumference of 48cm, with a rattan top covered with tempered glass and a secret storage. €234.99 from . Baby pink Joules Thornton bed, DFS Joules Thornton king-size bedframe, €1,625, exclusive to DFS, comes in a blue stripe, floral or pink, to order. Tropical taste Fia rectangular cushion, Harvey Norman This velvet feather filled cushion, Fia, 40cm by 60cm, €58, also comes in 58cm squares, €75. The print will add a taste of the tropics to summer nights. Frill seeking Birdie striped duvet cover set The French Bedroom Company This Birdie pistachio and petal coloured, frill-edged duvet cover and matching pillowcases set is a frivolous way to bring the trend for stripes into the boudoir. About €84 excluding delivery and charges from . Mood lighting Rechargeable wireless lamp, This white gold confetti-effect glass lamp, €59, from , looks good and is wireless and rechargeable. Secret storage Bedside table, JYSK This bedside table in natural oak has tambour doors to hide all your bits, €100, Statement lamp Favour lamp, Pieces This Favour lamp has a powdercoated steel frame and an acrylic shade, €105, from . Barefoot luxury Maze rug by Kukoon, at EZ Living A rug underfoot softens the feel of timber floors. This Maze design by Irish company Kukoon is available at EZ Living Interiors, €120 for a 120cm by 170cm size.
