Page 146 - WDT MAGAZINE IRELAND ISSUE WINTER 2018

Merrow chef Ligo Jarovoja, (left)
serves a warming fish chowder rich
with flavor but light on calories.

steaming bowls set before us typify the approach of
Ligo Jarovoja, the Latvian-born chef who left Galway’s
favorite Mediterranean café Ard Bia to put her stamp
on Merrow.
In addition to foraged and local ingredients, Ligo
aims for healthy fare with no sacrifice in flavor on men-
us that range from bar snacks to three-course meals.
The chowder’s seafood is tender and flavorful, stirred
into the soup pot only after the order comes into the
kitchen. The broth is silky and satisfying, garnished
with a small splash of herb-flecked oil. “Sure I like but-
ter and cream,” Ligo confesses with a smile, “but with
a light hand. I want to serve dishes that are hearty and
healthy, seasonal and simple, and show respect for the
planet.”
If this were a market day, the tour would include
additional stops at vendors there, including Boychick
made-on-the-spot Doughnuts that draw swoons
from fans. Galway Food Tours also offers a Sweet
Tooth and a Whiskey Tour, an evening option on the
city’s trendy, restaurant-packed Westend and tastings
reached by bike. (That’s one way to work off those
calories!). Details are at galwayfoodtours.com.

146 WDT MAGAZINE WINTER 2018