The Brewer's House
Castlecaulfield Road, Donaghmore
028 8776 1932
thebrewershouse.com
Donaghmore is not your typical Irish village.
There's the obligatory Spar and Centra, true. The traditional butcher's, a pharmacy, and the blue and yellow of a GAA club.
But there's also a theatre, an art gallery, a cafe and, high above them all, the 'Convent' grammar school, which for generations welcomed bottle-green boarders from across the north.
Bang in the centre of Ulster, you're only a couple of miles from Dungannon but the stone walls, period properties and flowers cascading from every corner feel a world apart.
Listen closely, and you can even hear the difference: in Donaghmore you don't go to 'the town' for your messages, but to 'the village'.
There's pride in this well-to-do parish, which was visited by St Patrick and owes its good looks to profits from soap-making and brewing businesses.
Today, east Tyrone is Europe's Silicon Valley for engineering and that helps explain the existence of The Brewer's House, surely a rival for any restaurant experience in Ireland.
The handsome stone building neighbours the Catholic church but pre-dates it to the late 18th century when brewery owner Alexander Mackenzie first opened a bar.
A sister pub down the street, the recently-renovated Lower House, completes the hospitality package with seven smart new self-catering apartments.
Ciaran McCausland was reared upstairs but left a career in finance in London to open the restaurant with wife Vicki and raise their family in Donaghmore.
The idea was to take the gastropub concept from England and introduce it west of the Bann, offering honest, well-cooked food using the best local produce, in a place where everyone can relax and feel welcome.
It's been a huge hit, winning multiple awards since opening in 2011, yet somehow remains Tyrone's best kept secret.
Step inside the traditional porch and dark woods and tiled floors are complemented by copper and brass fittings. It's old and new and the hubbub drifting across two open floors immediately signals you're with friends.
The food is like the decor – reassuringly traditional, but with some classy twists.
Head chef Tommy Mangan, a Clare man who trained in Shu in Belfast, was lured to Tyrone by his Pomeroy-born wife and for that we can only thank her.
Menus change with the seasons but the promise is that every element – from fries to fillet steaks – gets equal attention and there is something for every taste.
For starters we couldn't resist the call of Tommy's speciality hot wings, along with a seriously scrumptious bowl of goats cheese risotto balls.
Unlike many restaurants, there's a full children's menu here, from chowder through to mini-steaks. We took a tip and surprised the boys with crispy squid with ginger and spring onions – a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Adults choose from a more than a dozen inviting dishes, from delicate seabass to beer-battered cod, and slow-cooked beef to big bacon chops.
As the only lamb-eater in the house, it's always a treat when eating out but these tender cuts, married with basil gnocchi and dark cavalo nero, were a thing of absolute joy. The flavours still lingered days later.
The roast chicken was sensational too, with chorizo croquettes taking turns to tantalise with white onion puree and madeira jus. All the comfort of Sunday dinner but with the taste dial turned to 10.
For dessert, the choice was easy: the sticky toffee baked Alaska is second only in popularity locally to primary school teacher Peter Harte, and it lived up to its reputation in every luxurious mouthful. Kudos to the entire kitchen team.
We're not drinkers but looking round, the gin bramble cocktails seemed to go down a treat and with all that brewing history, the bar prides itself on its craft beers – Eight Degrees from Co Cork is particularly recommended.
What's left to say? The staff are young, smart, attentive and great with kids.
The prices? Not cheap, but still really great value – this is seriously good food in a venue that just wants to wrap you in a big, warm hug. Arrive early and there's three-course menu for £26.
Tyrone doesn't really do posh, thank God, but this is certainly posh nosh, Tyrone-style.
Come on down to 'the village' before the secret is out.
Starters
Fried chicken wings £8.50
Goats cheese risotto balls £7.50
Crispy squid £8.50
Mains
Rump of lamb £23.50
Roast supreme of chicken £19.50
Kids' homemade goujons £6
Kids' breast of chicken £6
Desserts
Sticky toffee baked Alaska £7
Strawberry parfait £7
2 x little people's ice cream £5
Total: £98.50