Review: The Co Down restaurant that served up one of the best meals of the year so far

The Buck’s Head,

77-79 Main Street,

Dundrum,

Co Down,

BT33 0LU

028 4375 1868

thebucksheaddundrum.co.uk

They say never meet your heroes, but what if you’ve booked in for lunch at their restaurant?

That was the question I faced recently when I visited The Bucks Head in Dundrum.

I’ll openly admit I’ve been a fan of Alex Greene since watching him on Great British Menu in 2020 when both his starter, The Potato, the Onion, the Cheese and the Wardrobe, and his Incredible Edible Book dessert made it to the final banquet.

In 2022 my parents took me to Deanes Eipic in Belfast, where Alex was then head chef, for my 21st birthday and, until this particular lunch, it had been the meal against which I measured all others.

Review: The Co Down restaurant that served up one of the best meals of the year so far

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So when the Michelin-starred restaurant closed its doors at the end of 2023 and Alex announced his next venture with Bronagh McCormick, previously general manager of the Deanes Restaurant Group, it went straight to the top of my TBT (to be tried) list.

The pair reopened The Bucks Head in 2024 following a refurbishment, creating a cosy bar for a proper pub lunch and, beyond it, a dining room worth dressing up for.

With its high, pitched ceiling, upholstered chairs and enormous window overlooking the garden, the dining room was bathed in autumn sunshine when I visited.

The 18th-century building also has guest bedrooms, which were receiving their finishing touches when Bronagh greeted me. She offered a quick look around before showing me to my table.

For a little while I had the dining room to myself, watching the chefs prepare for service in the open kitchen.

Then came the business of choosing lunch.

Bronagh’s advice was simple: pick things I “wouldn’t normally go for”. Given the credentials involved, I decided to surrender myself to the process.

First came a tartlet of local tomatoes with cheddar custard, spiced courgette, lovage and basil.

Now, I appreciate tomatoes may not sound like the stuff of culinary revelation but these warranted a moment.

Red and golden, piled into a delicate pastry shell beneath a tangle of herbs, they were almost too pretty to disturb. Almost.

Some were sweet, others peppery, with a fruity relish underneath and smooth cheddar custard bringing everything together. The pastry gave a fragile little crunch against all that softness.

Alex’s farming background and use of homegrown produce made perfect sense here. Light, fragrant and full of flavour, this was a dish built around the pleasure of eating a really good tomato, then giving it some exceptionally good company.

Next came BBQ blackened rump of Mourne lamb with rogan josh, couscous, pomegranate, lime, cucumber and mint.

Lamb rarely wins my attention on a menu but I was committed to Bronagh’s instructions and when Alex brought it out and told me it was his current favourite I suspected I’d chosen well.

The first mouthful confirmed it. There are advantages to stepping outside your usual order, particularly when the person encouraging you knows the menu this well.

Beneath its dark, barbecued exterior, the meat was pink and yielding, the sort of tenderness that briefly makes conversation seem an unnecessary distraction.

Beside it a deeply browned half of aubergine was a beautifully seasoned accompaniment.

The rogan josh supplied warmth, while pomegranate punctuated the couscous with little sweet bursts. Lime, cucumber and mint kept the richness in check making the next forkful every bit as appealing as the first.

Lamb and mint might be familiar territory but this had considerably more to say for itself.

Now dessert hadn’t been part of the plan. It was lunchtime and I already felt suitably indulged but then my waitress described the 70% cocoa chocolate mousse as a dark chocolate Bounty on steroids and, obviously, that warranted some investigating.

An immaculate chocolate slice arrived with a glossy lid, coconut base and ice cream alongside.

Each spoonful delivered contrasting textures of properly dark decadent chocolate, softened by the coconut and ice cream, with little dots of citrus gel adding a welcome acidic flicker.

Until this visit nothing had really come close to that birthday dinner at Eipic. This meal, however, gave me just as much to get excited about, with every flavour and texture carefully considered and service that made the whole experience feel effortless.

Bronagh’s advice, Alex’s enthusiasm and a waitress with a persuasive way of describing dessert all played their part.

The food gave me plenty to remember; the people made me want to return.

If a Michelin star follows I would hardly be surprised.

Perhaps meeting your heroes is worth the risk after all, especially when lunch is involved.

The bill

Tartlet of Local Tomatoes £12.50

BBQ Blackened Rump of Mourne Lamb £32.00

70% Coco Chocolate Mousse £9.00

Total £53.50