‘Tis the season to be jolly and all that, and there’s nothing that says Christmas 2022 just like a huge plate of turkey, ham and stuffing on top of a load of chips.
With the rising popularity of so-called ‘festive fries’ this year, we asked some of our readers in Co Tyrone where to pick up some of the best versions of the dish around the county.
One of the most popular answers we got was for the Cheeky Spoon in Cookstown, which was previously known as Brown Sugar.
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After a quick browse on the William Street spot’s social media - I was soon salivating and decided I needed to get stuck into one of their festive offerings.
Taking a dander up the main street in Cookstown a few days before Christmas was a great experience in itself.
After a couple of years of very muted footfall on the high street due to the pandemic, it was brilliant to just see the place hiving with people and activity
That was despite the familiar grind of trying to find a space at the Burn Road car park…
That activity was matched and then some by how busy it was as I headed into the Cheeky Spoon, where families and friends were meeting for their Christmas catch ups.
I needn’t have bothered with the menu as I knew what I was coming in for - a Christmas dinner on top of a chip.
What I wasn’t prepared for was the size of the thing.
Now we in Co Tyrone would be well-known for liking what we call a ‘good feed’ and that often means barely being fit to waddle out of whatever eatery you’re in.
These festive fries could have fed a small family, and there I was on my lonesome staring and wondering how I would tackle it.
The answer was that it was too good not to finish. Thick slices of juicy turkey, sweet ham and the obligatory cocktail sausages would have been a great meal in itself.
Then add in piping hot gravy with stuffing, all on top of crispy fries - I was in heaven.
The only minor criticism I would have was that the stuffing wasn’t cooked, but it didn’t take away from the meal at all really.
At £8.50 I thought it was good value as well considering the festive feast on offer.
Off I went then afterwards, feeling that I could be the size of Santa Claus himself as I made the waddle back to the car.
Bring on Christmas Day!
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