Frae

1. A real hidden gem, just 10 mins on the train out of Belfast. The service was brilliant, really knowledgeable without being intimidating or pushy, and instead helped us order without overdoing it. The wine selection by the glass was great, and good value too, again, great recommendations.
   The food is the real star of the show, we went for the lightly grilled oysters, the jambons (which really feel like one of those dishes you’ll be craving every few days after), the moreish artichokes, steak tartare Caesar salad which was great fun, skate wing and their signature crispy potatoes. The food comes out when it’s ready in a really clever order, no rushing.
   The Veda treacle tart was a standout for dessert, and ask for a ‘Belfast coffee’ – like an espresso martini but nicer.
   By no means cheap, but quality of ingredients and the vibes were brilliant. We’ll be back again!

2. Frae is a firm favourite for us. It offers a creative tapas-style menu with main dish options and daily specials. The wine list is interesting, and the service is great. We absolutely love the freshly baked ciabatta served with lashings of Marmite butter and sea salt. The staff are knowledgeable and passionate about the food they serve, which is refreshing.

3. Located on the main street of Holywood, Frae is both easy to find and easy to access by all types of transport. The venue itself is compact seating only about 40 people but is bright, light and very modern. It’s a fixed menu tasting style experience in which one of everything is brought out in preset waves.
   Starting with the rosti, soured cream and trout caviar it was perfectly crunchy, with a sour twist and a sweet pop from the caviar this 2 bite treat was well balanced and light.
   Next there was the cheese and ham Jambon, presented almost like a profiterole it was rich and decadent with the wonderful familiar flavours you’d expect from a classic jambon.
   The celeriac fritter was incredibly crunchy with a pleasant piquant from the pickled walnut, with the smoked gubben offering up a silky creaminess with subtle smokey undertone.
   The artichoke and smoked haddock chowder was wonderfully unctuous and velvety, perfectly balanced and deeply flavourful, served with bread that was somehow both the fluffiest and crispiest I’ve experienced.
   Round 3 was the braised shin, radicchio salad and the garlic potatoes.
   The shin was melt in the mouth tender whilst the split pea and carrots were very crisp and perfectly cooked. The shin bone with marrow was an added bonus of richness and punchy flavour. The salad was so fresh the parsley giving a fragrant lift. As for the potatoes, delicious crunchy packages of butterey garlicky goodness, I would truly buy these by the bucket.
   The dessert was profiteroles, aside from being utterly massive these are deep, and rich the richness is wonderfully offset by the silkiness of the cream.
   The service was exactly what you’d hope for, friendly and attentive without being overbearing and intrusive, the timings seemed well choreographed as if to not ask you how you’re doing whilst you have a mouthful.
   I enjoyed everything about this experience, and I’d be surprised if Frae doesn’t have a star in their future. I 100% hope to visit again soon.

4. Hidden gem, really worth the ride from Belfast.
   Cosy place , friendly service good wine variety and AMAZING food.
   Our favorites were the beef tartare and the chicken Marbella.

5. Seen this on ‘Food Featured’ with Ryan and Matt on YouTube and knew immediately I had to try it. So glad I did. The special ‘mussel dip’ was a mussel sandwich.. well, so they said… The greatest ciabatta I have ever tasted (credit to Bara bakehouse in comber) filled with mussels, and the buttery mussel cooking broth in which to dip it was spectacular. The oxtail stew, another special, and no offence to my mum and gran, was on a different level to any ‘stew’ I ever tasted, and the comber potatoes, complete with fancy name, as a side, were crispy and tasty. At 2.30pm you don’t think you need Veda treacle tart for dessert… But you do… You definitely do. Every bite I had was fully worth the trip from Belfast to Holywood, and with regular changes to the menu I’m sure the next visit will be too. Also worth mentioning the staff, superb all round.

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