A new brush sweeps clean, as they say. That certainly seems to have been the case for two of our prestigious Approved Providers,  as 2014 arrived. In Howth Co. Dublin, Aqua Seafood Restaurant occupies a prime spot at the end of the pier , situated in the former yacht-club. Needless to say, views over water are stunning from every window of this stylish restaurant. Aqua was always a slick, contemporary dining space. This year though, that ideal has been taken to the max with a revamped interior to form the perfect platform for fresh fish and shellfish, homegrown herbs and vegetables and the best beef from Lambay Island nearby. The new dining room was launched on 17th January. Speaking at the event, Managing Director Charles Smith said he was  ‘ delighted in the current climate to have been in a position to upgrade the restaurant and our brand,  to compound our commitment to the trade and to Howth as a tourist destination.’ See the full news release on Aqua’s new look dining room here.Meanwhile, further up the country in the wilds of beautiful Donegal, another gorgeous waterside location has given its restaurant a brand new look this new year. Harvey’s Point Hotel, on the banks of peaceful Lough Eske, took time off in January to give it’s Lakeside Restaurant a fabulous new make over. The open plan design of the dining room combines elegant dark wood furniture,  minimal table settings  and warm colours, to form a sophisticated platform for eating which embraces the magnificent views of Lough Eske from conservatory style windows. The Lakeside is the right place to be if you’re into your wine as well your food. The owners and Head Waiter have a great enthusiasm for matching food and wine – to this end wines are always recommended on menus. This is the place to find some suprise bottles you wont find elsewhere – at prices you won’t find elsewhere either. An eye is always kept to affordability in wines,  so customers can splash out to enjoy something really special if they wish. Unveiled only a few days ago, the new look  Lakeside at Harvey’s Point is set to compound it’s already enviable reputation among visitors and regulars to this specatcular spot. We would like to wish both Aqua and Harvey’s Point the best of luck in their new surroundings and congratulate them on shining their culinary lights bighter than ever in 2014.