Sika by Niall in Omagh is flawed but likeable - Eating Out

Sika by Niall,

1 McConnell Place,

Omagh,

Co Tyrone,

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BT78 1BY,

028 8144 0353

The sign above the door said Sika@Omagh. Going through Sion Mills on the way there for Sunday lunch, we passed a sign for Sika by Niall, still on the building where the restaurant used to be. The Facebook page is named Sika by Niall. The receipt said Stables, Sion Mills.

It hardly adds up to an identity crisis, of course; it’s just the kind of thing that happens when a business changes location. The restaurant hasn’t been in its new place – on the first floor above the Copper Tap, overlooking the Strule – for very long, and it sort of feels like it.

As I say, the restaurant is above the Copper Tap, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find it was, until recently, the pub’s function room. It was perfectly fine, with pale tiles on the floor and walls of mustard yellow and maroon, but it just didn’t feel like the restaurant’s own place quite yet. Not that that’s a bad thing, necessarily: although you might want to redecorate the moment you move into a new home, it’s best to live in it a while first, find out the kind of place you want it to be.

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I had a look at a sample menu before we came, and was looking forward to trying the basil ice cream mentioned as one of the starters. Turned out it wasn’t on this menu, which was either a shame or a lucky escape. As it was, we decided to have the main course and pudding, excellent value at £20 for the two courses.

There were a couple of Sunday staples on the menu. My wife chose one – the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding – while my brother had the other, the turkey and ham.

The beef could have been better, to be honest. There was a lovely depth of flavour to the meat, but it was verging on the dry, and the Yorkshire pudding was a bit on the soft side, too. There were no such issues with my brother’s main, however. The turkey was moist and tender, while the ham was succulent and nicely salty.

I was very impressed with my venison. The meat had been pulled before being reassembled. It was beautifully rich, melting, and delicious. The hint of game about the meat was carefully balanced by a blackcurrant sauce that had a kind of tempered sharpness about it. The whole dish was pleasantly mellow and decidedly autumnal. I was pleased, also, with my daughter’s sausages – they were of a generous size, meaty and flavoursome, with a hint of pepperiness about them.

I had a look at a sample menu before we came, and was looking forward to trying the basil ice cream mentioned as one of the starters. Turned out it wasn’t on this menu, which was either a shame or a lucky escape

The roast potatoes were good and crisp on the outside, but not as soft or sweet on the inside as they might have been. Mind you, the mashed potato was absolutely gorgeous – beautifully soft and buttery, not a lump in sight – and the gravy was fantastically rich and deep. Any flaws in the dishes were more than compensated for by these elements.

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The desserts were something of a mixed bag. My wife drew the short straw with her crème brulée. The crust was crunchy enough, but, beneath that, while the flavours were good, the creamy filling hadn’t set, which was a disappointment. I loved my fig and frangipane tart. Great taste and textures, especially the pastry casing. My problem was what came with it. The menu just mentioned ice cream, which I was fine with, but the tart was sitting in a pool of crème anglaise, and there was cream, too. I don’t like custard much, so wouldn’t have had it had I known.

My daughter loves custard, however, and, because her cheesecake was too creamy, with a soft base, she was more than happy to bring her spoon to my side of the table, stopping to try my brother’s rice pudding, which was absolutely delicious.

So, flaws, then, but no more than you might expect from a new-ish restaurant, and plenty to like, too. Which, judging by the full car park, has already been discovered by plenty of customers.

The bill

Roast rib of beef, Yorkshire pudding - £15.00

Roast turkey and ham, stuffing - £15.00

Braised venison, blackberry sauce - £15.00

Child’s sausage and mash - £6.95

Side of garlic chips - £4.00

Biscoff cheesecake (with child’s meal)

Fig and frangipane tart - £5.00

Vanilla crème brulée - £5.00

Rice pudding, cherries - £5.00

Coca-Cola x 2 - £6.50

Total: £77.45