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Ranelagh's favourite neighbourhood restaurant serving sharing plates with a mostly Italian influence. Vibrant, modern food and a sleek, minimalist restaurant design. Book well in advance. Host Website hostrestaurant.ie Address 13 Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Ranelagh's favourite neighbourhood restaurant serving sharing plates with a mostly Italian influence. Vibrant, modern food and a sleek, minimalist restaurant design. Book well in advance. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Jean-Georges at The Leinster The celebrity chef adds Dublin to his empire with big flavours, €48 snacks and spectacular rooftop views Posted: 2 Apr 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What do we need to know about Jean-Georges at The Leinster? The globally renowned chef, and self-confessed rule breaker Jean-Georges Vongerichten has been lured to Dublin by Paddy McKillen Junior ( Press Up Entertainment ), whose family he's known through the biz for 15 years. The Leinster Hotel now falls under ownership of The Dean Group, which Press Up set up to separate their hotels from the rest of the business. They sold a majority stake to a London based investment group in 2023, so it's kinda Press Up, and kinda not. JGV is one of the world's most successful chefs, with an empire stretching across 46 locations in North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Europe and The Middle East. His flagship New York restaurant Jean-Georges has two Michelin stars (downgraded from three in 2018), and the work involved in keeping this many restaurants operating at such a high level makes our heads hurt, but he and his team are amongst the world's best restaurant operators. (Jean-Georges @ The Leinster) As good as Press Up are at interiors and cocktails, they've yet to produce anything above mediocre when it comes to dining. Jean-Georges is a "partnership" with the main man, who is not going to put his name over the door lightly, so although he only visits his restaurants once a year, we expect other members of his team will be all over every detail. Executive head chef Ross Bryans has worked for Press Up for a couple of years, but don't let that put you off - he was head chef at Jason Atherton's Pollen Street Social for almost 10 years, and worked at restaurant Gordon Ramsay under Clare Smyth, as well as Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. Is there somewhere for a pre-dinner drink? There sure is. Slot in an appetite sharpener at The Collins Club , the hotel's ground floor cocktail bar, named after Irish designer David Collins who designed restaurants for Pierre Koffman and Marco-Pierre White. He passed away in 2013, with British Vogue called him " London's great interior designer ", and the naming here is a lovely nod to one of Dublin's best design talents. The menu is unique for the city, with Collins Club versions of drinks you may already know, and brand new ones you won't, like the 'Chocolate & Yuzu' with chocolate tequila, sake and yuzu marmalade. The Abv is handily noted for each drink, so you can decide between a 9% Bellini or a 22% Martini depending on your tolerance/mood/stomach contents. The 'Kumquat' is their answer to the Martini, with gin, vodka, vermouth and pickled kumquat brine. What looks like two olives are actually brined grapes, plump and ready to pop - they make the drink. The first one that arrived wasn't cold enough, and when we asked for a couple of ice cubes to stir through and dump out they arrived back with a second one, freshly made and ice cold. We would have liked to see more appealing brands than Beefeater and Absolut, but others drinks feature more interesting spirits producers. The 'Palo Santo Paloma' was a very good version of a paloma, with Tequila, grapefruit, lime and grapefruit soda. Where should we sit? Into the lift and up to the rooftop, and despite the slight movement away from the Press Up brand, the room is in the same style we've seen in their other restaurants. We were particularly offended by the trees, but probably because they brought back bad memories . It's a long room with booths on either side and round tables in the middle. We will always pick a booth over a table in the centre of the room, and try to get one at either end for the best views. The most in-demand seats are going to be on the terrace at either end of the restaurant (not currently open), with views across the city as far as the Dublin mountains. What's on the menu? Dishes you could be eating anywhere in the world, with no obvious links to the city its found itself in. JG likes a raw bar/crudo/sushi, "light and bright" appetisers ( think Beverly Hills Housewives when they're forced to eat something carb-free on camera), and he loves big flavours, so there's plenty of truffle, chipotle mayonnaise and Champagne sauces. Asian flavours like fermented black bean ginger and green curry are also a running theme. Two of his signature dishes are caviar topped snacks, and both have landed on The Leinster's rooftop, but you'll have to empty your piggy bank to try them. The egg toast with herbs and caviar is on the menu at JG's flagship New York restaurant, two-Michelin-starred Jean Georges , among many others - see how its made here - while the crackling hash brown with caviar, smoked salmon and cucumber yoghurt can be eaten in his restaurants from Los Cabos , Mexico to São Paulo , Brazil to Nashville , Tennessee. Egg toast We tried the hash brown, and our thoughts went like this: "this hash brown could be a lot crispier; where is this salmon from?; mmmmm caviar; I wish there was more caviar; oh God, we've just eaten €42 in two bites..." Is this a must eat dish in Dublin? If you're earning anything close to the average salary, absolutely not. If you have money pouring out of your ears (or the person paying does) then kick back and enjoy this snack as status symbol. Onto appetisers and a plate of baby artichokes with rose saffron aioli and lemon showed what this group does best - simple ingredients supercharged with big, bold, flavours. The warm shrimp salad with avocado, tomato and Champagne vinegar dressing looked like something for diners on a diet, with a ratio of 9:1 leaves to everything else. The "shrimp" themselves came in a tangy sauce that was more beurre blanc than vinaigrette, and the whole thing was pleasant to eat, but once the shrimp are gone there's not a whole lot to keep you interested. The raw enoki mushrooms thrown on top were puzzling. Mains range from €24 for whole roasted cauliflower to €48 for beef tenderloin, and you'll need sides on top for €6 a piece. Wild turbot (€38) with crushed nuts and seeds came in a sweet and sour jus with lightly poached baby onions and tomatoes floating in it, and we've re-eaten it in our heads more times than the hash brown. Perfect, pristine white fish, which flaked away beautifully when hit with a fork, and not a drop of the broth it was sitting in went back to the kitchen - this is a killer fish dish. Charred, marinated duck breast (€40) comes with caraflex cabbage, herb salad and a coconut lime infusion (just like in Kyoto ). Caraflex is related to hispi, and to the best of our knowledge isn't available here -either it's imported or they're using its more common cousin. The breast was substantial, but a bit tough in parts - full marks for the crispy skin though. Oh but that sauce... Like a red curry paste ground by hand on a Thai beach met a juicy lime and throupled it up with a dash of cream from a just-picked coconut. The cabbage had char and bite and swirled around in that sauce was just perfect. An obligatory side of mash potato had a reassuring amount of butter, and easily slots into the "Michelin-level-mash" category. Desserts (all €12) are designed to be familiar and comforting as opposed to dazzling and intricate. A rhubarb trifle with lychee gelée and lime meringue came with plenty of the tart pink stuff to offset the sweetness, and delving deep brought up something new each time. A moussey butterscotch pudding comes with a layer of liquid salted caramel on top and a scoop of whippe d crème fraîche floating in it. There's a couple of shortbread biscuits on the side for dipping and scooping onto, and while we thought we'd find this Angel Delight throwback too sweet, if you like salted caramel there's nothing not to like. What about drinks? The wine list is pricey, not overly interesting, and is laid out in an order that makes no sense - not by price, nor country, nor style, so it's not an easy read. The by the glass list is their biggest downfall, with only three options each for white and red, and two whites and one red from Paddy McKillen's winery Château La Coste. Another red is almost €30 a glass, so for the average wine lover there's an embarrassingly bad selection. Plan on getting a bottle, which start at €45. We drank the Heinz W grüner veltliner (€45) which was crisp, fruity and an easy drinker that worked with everything. If drinking red we would have gone for Holzer's juicy Zweigelt (€55), which will also work well with this kind of food. How was the service? Not overly welcome on arrival, but our server was overflowing with smiles. She did however sound like she was reading from a document she'd been forced to practice for hours before being allowed onto the floor. We got the feeling that any question there wasn't a pre-prepared answer for might send her into a spin, afraid of accidentally veering off script. We were told in overtly enunciated words that all of the produce on the menu was "LOCAL and SEASONAL", and that's where the sourcing story ends. It's also worth pointing out that the dinky, dainty cutlery feels like it was made for diners with tiny hands. It takes a bit of getting used to. What's the verdict on Jean-Georges at The Leinster? Jean-Georges Vongerichten leads an impressive global empire, and it feels like we should be grateful he's added little ol' Dublin to his restaurant map , but despite some stellar flavours, we left feeling it's missing some magic right now - an Irish welcome, a wine experience worthy of the setting and the name over the door, and information about the ingredients on the plate. In a country where provenance is our biggest play, to completely ignore it feels like a huge oversight, especially at these prices. We wonder who's going to fill this restaurant seven nights a week (we visited on a Monday and were one of only three tables the whole night, and saw later on Instagram that one was a hosted journalist). Maybe the same set that fills up The Ivy day after day, who want to feel less ick about themselves. Dublin lacks great food in glam surroundings, it tends to be one or the other, with a lot of the city's best chefs and operators unable to conceive of spending this much money on upholstery and Costa Nova cutlery. It would be nice for someone to finally get it right, but celebrity chef led restaurants have notoriously bombed here - talk to the teams behind Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsay and even our own Richard Corrigan. We'd love to see Jean-Georges break the curse, because we'd very much like to sip another kumquat Martini on the terrace, while they pick a coconut for that duck sauce. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The next generation of Dunne & Crescenzi have taken the former Sandymount site and given it a serious upgrade, with dishes like crispy arancini, scampi risotto and an unmissable dark chocolate tart with mandarin olive oil. Big portions, warm hospitality, and very welcoming to families, who pack the place out after school and at the weekends. Locals know how lucky they are to have it, so bookings are recommended. Crudo Website crudosandymount.com Address 11 Seafort Avenue, Dublin 4 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The next generation of Dunne & Crescenzi have taken the former Sandymount site and given it a serious upgrade, with dishes like crispy arancini, scampi risotto and an unmissable dark chocolate tart with mandarin olive oil. Big portions, warm hospitality, and very welcoming to families, who pack the place out after school and at the weekends. Locals know how lucky they are to have it, so bookings are recommended. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

What started as Dorset Street gastropub Juno has had one side reinvented as Hera (Juno is now the bar to the side). A very sleek and modern refurb is the setting for a bar food menu full of things you'll want to eat, like meatballs and focaccia, deep-fried Tallegio, and one of the best value steaks in Dublin. Drinks are at a similarly high level, with great options for beer, wine and cocktails, and there's a semi-private dining room just crying out for you to bring along five of your friends. Hera Website junobar.ie Address JUNO, Dorset Street Lower, Dublin 1, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story What started as Dorset Street gastropub Juno has had one side reinvented as Hera (Juno is now the bar to the side). A very sleek and modern refurb is the setting for a bar food menu full of things you'll want to eat, like meatballs and focaccia, deep-fried Tallegio, and one of the best value steaks in Dublin. Drinks are at a similarly high level, with great options for beer, wine and cocktails, and there's a semi-private dining room just crying out for you to bring along five of your friends. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Winedown at Home Long live the restaurant meal kit Posted: 25 Jan 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? With the surreal news of a near abolition of COVID restrictions last week, you may be wondering why we're using this time to highlight a dine-at-home meal box, but we've become fond of these boxes over the last couple of years, getting us through some tough lockdowns and giving us a break from the endless discussion on what to cook for dinner and/or opting for another average takeaway. This is our homage to those boxes that got us through, and maybe a plea to our favourite restaurants to keep some going. It’s clear from talking to our readers that there’s a market for them, be it people who aren’t fully comfortable returning to normal life so suddenly, parents who want the date night without the extra 50 quid for a babysitter, or anyone who wants a restaurant experience without having to move very far. Winedown opened in December 2020 (the sophisticated older sister of Meltdown ), and between lockdowns we never managed to get in there to try their menu of small plates and sharing platters. They're trying to create a relaxed atmosphere focused on seasonal Irish food and delicious wine, and we can see how this is reflected in their supplier list which proudly supports mainly local Irish producers. It’s clear that they're not skimping on quality with Sheridan’s Cheesemongers for their cheese selection, Carraignamuc Cottage for their fruit and veg, and Little Italy for pastas and other provisions. Their wine list is also extensive, however there are only around five options by the glass so be prepared to fork out for a bottle with prices starting at €29.50. Like many restaurants, Winedown had to pivot a number of times since opening, and their most recent launch was an at-home box showcasing some of their signature dishes. We gave it a spin a couple of weeks ago when we couldn’t bear another 6pm dinner reservation. How do I get it? Place your order on their website , choosing between a regular box with meat or the vegetarian box, and you can add a wine pairing to your order (more on that later). The box is available on Friday and Saturday this weekend, but from February they're reducing this to just Fridays. As it’s all made fresh on the day it will keep in the fridge for up to three days, so you could always stow it away until you’re ready for it. You can opt to pick-up between 12:00 - 19:00, or they’ll deliver it within 6km of the restaurant for an extra €5. What's in the box? Everything you need! We ordered the regular box which was 6-courses and the box contained all components, helpfully numbered by course to make the whole process very simple. The instruction sheet tells you everything you need to do to pull the meal off seamlessly, and they time things perfectly to mimic the rhythm of a normal restaurant meal, leaving a bit of time between courses to digest. Another nice touch was the very funky Spotify playlist, curated by DJ Tara Stewart, to set the scene for the evening. The tunes were so good that we downloaded the playlist to recycle for future dinner parties. The meal started off with a focaccia with cep butter and Guinness Bread with black olive tapenade. The only part of this course that we didn’t love was the focaccia which quite dense and not oily enough, but everything else was delish, and we could have done with an extra helping of the cep butter to keep in the fridge. Next up was the smoked fungi croquettes on a spicy tomato sauce. We adore a good croquette, and we could have eaten these ones all day. Generally we think a decent croquette needs to be freshly fried and served immediately, but even though these were just reheated in the oven they didn’t feel as though they had been pre-prepared. They were crispy on the outside with the most luscious, creamy filling once you bit into them. We would go to Winedown just to try these again (and a glance on their website shows us that they have two other flavours to try!) From there we moved onto the grilled halloumi and grilled courgette in a sherry vinegar reduction, served with romesco. The star for us was the romesco sauce which was deliciously creamy and went really well with the other components. The nutty topping gave a lovely crunch which brought the dish together, and overall we thought it was excellent. We moved on to the first meat dish of the evening – after a quick heat up in the oven and some light assembly it was time for slow-braised pork belly with celeriac puree, parsnip crisp and pickled apples. Full disclosure, pork belly is not our favourite cut, and this did the genre no favours with far too much unrendered fat and not enough meat, but everything else in the dish delivered. The puree was silky smooth and went wonderfully with the tartness of the pickled apples, and the textures were all there, it's just a shame about the meat. The next dish was bavette steak skewers with pickled ginger and their homemade rayu. We were worried that after some time in the oven the steak would come out totally overdone but they got it spot on with the timing and the result was a perfect blush centre. The Asian style soy marinade tied in nicely with the rayu and ginger, and we really enjoyed tearing the meat off this one. Finally we moved onto dessert. The chocolate Marquis had a rich, smooth mousse with a biscuit base which was a bit thicker than we expected, but it did lighten up the dessert and the biscuit itself was gorgeous. They touted chocolate budino on the side which we thought was going to be more like a traditional custardy budino, but in reality it was more of a thick caramel sauce. It may sound like we had a few gripes with this course but we're nitpicking, and will shamelessly admit that we scraped up every last morsel. The box feeds two, with enough food to feel comfortably full, but they’ve gone with quality over quantity so you’re not going to be ending up with any leftovers for the next day. The spaced-out timing of each course also lended to us not having to roll ourselves away onto the couch once we’d eaten. What should we drink with it? When we placed our order there was only one wine pairing option and it wasn't very exciting, so we drank our own, but they've expanded their offering since with some more interesting options. If you're looking for white you can't beat Ciello Bianco, a natural wine verging on orange which we think would go really well with all the flavours here. If you're after red, Gran Cerdo is a natural, juicy Rioja, without too much tannin, so again a good all round pairing. And the damage? €55 for the kit, plus €5 if you choose to get it delivered. Given the quality and variety of the food we thought it was excellent value for money. The verdict? Winedown clearly put a lot of thought into which dishes would translate well at home and made sure that each dish was nicely flavoured and texturally balanced to keep the experience interesting. We think they’ve done a great job and are glad to see that they’re taking orders for this weekend, but it does looks like they’ll reduce this to Friday pickups only in February. At €55 you really can’t go wrong with this for a relaxed night in, and if they do decide to discontinue it down the line, we’re excited to get into their Montague Street restaurant to try a few more things and get the full experience. Winedown 15 Montague Street, Dublin 2 www.meltdown.ie/winedown New Openings & Discoveries More >>

B Skewers Make a beeline for Brazilian BBQ on Bolton Street Posted: 12 Jul 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? Brazilian couple Bruno Amado and Thaís Eloá started B Skewers in 2019 to "democratize barbecue", by setting up stall at various food markets. Having worked in hospitality in Dublin running restaurants for other people (Bruno for places including The Intercontinental and Pacino's) they decided they wanted to be their own bosses, and after dipping a toe in the BBQ market and getting the reception they were looking for, they felt confident enough to look for a permanent site. B Skewers opened on Bolton Street in early 2021, and rather than pitch themselves as a Brazilian BBQ shop initially, they said they wanted to showcase BBQ street food techniques from around the world (this now seems to have flipped back to Brazilian BBQ). That kind of catch all approach, as well as the strong focus they had on delivery apps, didn't initially get us fired up, but over the last year we've seen more and more chefs and laymen (whose opinions we take seriously) descend on B Skewers for steak on sticks, charcoal-grilled chicken hearts, and what several were calling the best burger in Dublin. We were in. Where should I sit? This place is teeny, with three high tables, five counter seats and some tables outside. We didn't realise that you can book online , and when we arrived there was nothing free, but the resourceful staff just lifted a table in from outside and sat us beside the till, then moved us to a high table when one became available. You've got to love a can do attitude. The counter seats are perfect for a quick pitstop, allowing you to peer into the kitchen as you eat, and the outdoor tables will do the job if you want to sit in the fresh air, even if it's not the most glamorous set up in town. Our pick would be the high tables looking out onto Bolton Street. What's the food like? The menu consists of skewers, burgers and sides, and the prices make it feel very accessible (and easy to over order, but you can always take extras home). Also be sure to check out the combo deals where you can mix and match it all, even if a substantial amount of brain power is required to decipher the best way to order what you want. We asked the owner Bruno what he recommended, which was a good decision because he loves to talk about food as much as we do. Basically, "everything is amazing", but he really wanted us to try the pork belly, the steak, the chicken legs, and the cheese and onion sausage. We wanted to try the burger after seeing it all over the 'gram, and the chicken hearts for offal novelty. He also gave us a substantial amount of interesting information about their sides and sauces, and where the dishes and recipes come from, including cassava/yuca prepared three different ways. They suggested we start with the burger and "fried yuca snacks", and if this dish hasn't been created with the 'gram in mind it was a very happy accident. Cutting it in half and flashing each side back on the grill for those all important grill marks manages to make it look that much more appetising. The burgers (fresh from FX Buckley each morning) are dripping with meat juices and cheddar cheese, have a slick of herby mayo, and are served medium-medium/rare - brave in today's health and safety obsessed society but they feel their sourcing is good enough to go for it. Once you've had a non-overcooked burger it's hard to go back, and it's very difficult to find one outside your own home these days, so we just hope this one manages to stick around. Yucca (or cassava) is a carbohydrate filled root vegetable, from the same family as potatoes, sweet potatoes and taro. It's native to south American and consumed daily in Brazil in numerous forms, including flour. Here it's on the menu in three different ways, including these deep-fried balls of silky smooth, starchy yuca snacks, with small chunks of smoked sausage mixed throughout, and a crunchy shell keeping it all in tact. Beer snacks don't get better. There are nine skewers to choose from and you could forego the burger and try them all between two, but with limited stomach space we picked four. The best were the beef (tender, marinated Angus) and the pork belly (melting and sweet), both tasting like something straight from a São Paulo Churrascaria. The cheese and onion sausage is made especially for them by a Brazilian sausage maker in Dublin, and has chunks of melting cheese amongst the salty pork, but as sausages go it didn't leave a lasting impression. The chicken hearts are for offal aficionados only, and we didn't love them, but you might. Bruno also recommended we try the boneless free-range chicken legs, and we meant to order the halloumi but forgot in all the excited discussion about the menu. Two of many reasons to go back. While the steak was filled with flavour on its own, it was taken to a new stratosphere by the addition of some "vinaigrette" and farofa. The vinaigrette is a tangy, mouth-puckering mix of tomato, onion, spring onion, olive oil and lime juice, and does the same job (probably better) as a spoonful of chimichurri with a nice slab of Bife de Chorizo. In Brazil they often sprinkle farofa (another form of cassava with a texture similar to polenta) over barbecued meats, and while you might wonder whether its necessary to fling additional carbs onto some perfectly good meat, we have now discovered that it is. A chunk of steak sprinkled with farofa and topped with a spoon of vinaigrette made for a massively memorable mouthful of food, and really highlighted how little additions can take a meal from good to great. For cassava #3 , it was a mashed version, similar to very smooth potatoes, but also creamy and cheesy. It had more depth of flavour than potato, and tasted more savoury, and it would be very easy to just eat this by the spoon (which we did). We also tried the buttered sweetcorn which was a bit sweet and a bit spicy, although we felt it could have had a bit more of a bite. There are five sauces to choose from and we ordered the salsa verde (tangy and full of fresh herbs) and the garlic pâté (like a very good garlic mayo made with roasted bulbs). They also brought us an African pepper sauce to try, saying they had been working on the recipe for ages, and this is one for the chilli chasers, but despite its heat it's fruity and rounded. Just don't eat too much in one go. There's only one option for dessert - a dulce de leche stuffed toasted brioche bun, and while no one needs a dessert like this, sometimes a bit of indulgence is required. It's excellent dulce de leche in an excellent toasted bun, and while at first we thought it needed some ice-cream, there was something OTT in a good way about carb on carb. If you can eat a whole one of these you've got a higher sugar tolerance than we do, so we recommend one to share, between four. What about drinks? It's no surprise that the drinks list is basic, but they do a mean Aperol Spritz, as well as Campari spritz, a Spanish beer called Madri, and some unexciting but drinkable wines. When we arrived we liked the look of the Aperol Spritz but they had no ice so we ordered prosecco instead. About 20 minutes later we saw some ice arrive, and before we even had a chance to ask, two ice-cold glasses were delivered to our table FOC. This kind of generous hospitality feels very rare these days, and seems to sum up what the place and its owners are about. How was the service? From the first smiles on walking in, to the generosity of time and spirit in explaining the food and menu, to the warm farewell on departure, it felt like being a very welcome guest in someone's home, and a genuine opportunity to learn about new foods you may not be overly familiar with - something that's not possible in the same way without the right, wholly impassioned people serving it. And the damage? Around €65 for two with one drink each on the bill and leftovers to take home. In a world of rising prices, we think places like this which can deliver such sincere, delicious food at such great prices are going to ride high for the foreseeable future. The verdict? You know when you leave somewhere you liked so much that you can barely wait to tell someone about it? That was us with B Skewers, phone in hand before the door shut had behind us. We were completely endeared by the whole, heartwarmingly honest operation, the people behind it, and the new flavours and ingredients they're serving up to infatuated customers, sick of the same old dishes citywide, although we'd love to see a stronger focus on provenance and quality ingredients - they've told us it's on their agenda. We've never found a Brazilian BBQ worth shouting about, and although there's another currently on our to try list, right now we've got all the love for Bruno, Thaís and their little Brazilian BBQ on Bolton Street. B Skewers 47 Bolton Street, Dublin 1 www.bskewers.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

All The Food is an independent guide to eating and drinking in Dublin. About Us Behind the Food All The Food is an independent guide to eating and drinking in Dublin. ATF was started in 2018, to help readers experience the best food Dublin has to offer, and not waste time or money on mediocre meals. Eating in Dublin has never been more exciting than it is at this very moment, especially when you know which places you should run to (and which you should sidestep). Every meal written about here has been paid for us. We don’t accept invites or free meals in exchange for content. We think that the only way to judge a meal involves handing over money at the end and seeing if it stings. Editor - Lisa Cope What We're About 01 We're Indie We visit cafés, restaurants, and bars on our own terms. We don't do invites, publicity events, or sponsored visits. All the meals and featured content have been paid for by us - that means we can be as thoughtful, honest, and real as we need to be. 02 We're Ad-free We are ad-free on all of our platforms, and fully reader-funded through our ATF Insiders service. This means we are the only people influencing our content. Well, us and our readers. 03 We're Hungry We think about nothing but food and are capable of talking about little else. It consumes every minute of our days, and we’re putting it to use digging out the best places you’ve never heard of, giving you the honest lowdown on headline hoggers, and telling you where your money is best spent. What's New News and recommendations. More >>

Stoneybatter's go-to spot for brunch, cake, coffee and the rest. A menu championing local and Irish produce, with inventive dishes like hash brownies with maple cured bacon, and carrot and walnut pancakes with banana and citrus curd. Slice Website asliceofcake.ie Address 56 Manor Place, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Stoneybatter's go-to spot for brunch, cake, coffee and the rest. A menu championing local and Irish produce, with inventive dishes like hash brownies with maple cured bacon, and carrot and walnut pancakes with banana and citrus curd. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Ka Shing A dim sum den off Grafton Street Posted: 28 May 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? We're not a city (or a country) known for having all the dim sum options, but every so often a conversation strikes up online about where to get the best dim sum in Dublin and our ears prick up. We've had Ka Shing earmarked since Ernie Whalley reviewed it in The Sunday Times last year and said it was the best dim sum he'd had in 30 years in Ireland, and a reignited conversation amongst those in the know on Twitter recently confirmed it was still up there for the Asian community as one of the best. The site it's in on Wicklow Street has been a Chinese restaurant for decades, but only became Ka Shing six or seven years ago. It couldn't be any more convenient for a mid-shopping refuel, as it's just off Grafton Street, and there's loads of seating on two floors, so it's a great option when you need food but haven't booked anywhere. Plus, dim sum. Loads of small bites of super tasty (hopefully), super cheap food. What more could we possibly need to be convinced it was worth a visit. There is a more standard menu of starters and mains, but we had the laminated picture menu in mind. Where should we go for a drink first? You're spoilt for choice for drinking dens around here. For a cocktail with complimentary prosecco while you wait, you can't beat The Sidecar in The Westbury, or there are some interesting concoctions being made at Dylan McGrath's Bonsai Bar . For wine there's Loose Canon , Piglet or La Cave , and for a pint try Neary's for its bar men in bow ties, or Grogan's which is the place to be on a sunny evening. Where should we sit? There's a front and a back room, but we preferred the back finding it a bit more atmospheric. That might have been because there were more people in the restaurant the time we sat there though. The front room does however have the bonus of a fish tank, so toss a coin. There's loads of space so if you're coming with baggage like a buggy or a suitcase you won't have a problem. They have highchairs too so the whole family can dig into the dim sum. What's good to eat? There are 48 different dim sum on offer, and while we're not usually fans of the food pictures on menus format it was actually quite helpful here. We managed to try 17 or 18 dishes over a couple of visits, and there are some we would definitely not recommend, like the braised chicken feet and the sweet vinegar and ginger pork feet - both about 99% bone. Taro croquettes were interesting but quite greasy, and the pork wrapped in a beancurd sheet with oyster sauce was fine but wouldn't have us running back. Everything below we really liked and want to eat again Chiu Chow Fan Gor - Minced Pork Crystal Dumpling Fried Radish Cake with Shrimp, Pork and Chinese Sausage Vietnamese Style Spring Rolls Stir-Fried Mooli Cake in XO Sauce BBQ Pork Buns Steamed Bun Shanghai Style Deep-fried Mince Cuttlefish Cake BBQ Pork Rice Noodle Roll Sesame Balls We also had a lot of dumplings, which started to meld into each other after a while, but they were all good, particularly the shrimp and the siu mai. What about the drinks? Drinks are not Ka Shing's strong point, and the wine list in particular reads like a shelf in the wine aisle in Tesco. They did say they would do corkage though, at around €15 per bottle. There's a basic beer selection with Tiger, Heineken and Tsingtao, and Irish, Calypso and Russian coffees if you're braver than us. And the service? Perfunctory but pleasant. There were a few instances on the first occasion where our waitress kept dropping plates on the table without telling us what they were, leaving us to call after her, pleading with her to come back and tell us what we were about to eat, but maybe she thought the picture menu took care of that. The verdict? We really liked Ka Shing, and our second visit came to €15 per person (with no drinks), which seems like some of the best value in the city right now, especially for food this tasty. We're definitely going back to work our way through the rest of the menu, and at €5-6 per dish mistakes aren't badly felt. If you're new to dim sum this is a great place to get started. Just go for a drink before or after, or stick to the beer. Ka Shing 12A Wicklow Street, Dublin 2 www.kashing.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Go to McNally Family Farm in North County Dublin for the organic vegetables, stay for the darling café next door, where focaccias, baps, salads and cakes are made with whatever’s seasonal that week. It opens from Wednesday - Saturday, 09:00 until sell out, and the piled high cake stands are too hard to resist, so don’t even bother trying. You’ll spend too much money in the farm shop next door on everything from veg and herbs to jams and chutneys, and you won’t regret a cent. McNally Family Farm Café Website mcnallyfamilyfarm.ie Address Balrickard, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Go to McNally Family Farm in North County Dublin for the organic vegetables, stay for the darling café next door, where focaccias, baps, salads and cakes are made with whatever’s seasonal that week. It opens from Wednesday - Saturday, 09:00 until sell out, and the piled high cake stands are too hard to resist, so don’t even bother trying. You’ll spend too much money in the farm shop next door on everything from veg and herbs to jams and chutneys, and you won’t regret a cent. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Contemporary Irish dining from chef/owner Barry Fitzgerald and wife Claire-Marie Thomas. Bastible focused on the best seasonal produce from day one, and has been one of Dublin's most in demand restaurants since opening in 2015. Diners have been screaming that they've deserved a star for years, so there was much jubilation when Michelin finally awarded them one in the 2022 guide. Bastible Website bastible.com Address 111 South Circular Road, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Contemporary Irish dining from chef/owner Barry Fitzgerald and wife Claire-Marie Thomas. Bastible focused on the best seasonal produce from day one, and has been one of Dublin's most in demand restaurants since opening in 2015. Diners have been screaming that they've deserved a star for years, so there was much jubilation when Michelin finally awarded them one in the 2022 guide. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Dakoi Hand-pulled noodles above the Italian Quarter Posted: 24 May 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Dakoi Oriental Café quietly popped up on Millennium walkway two months ago, in Dublin’s somewhat under-utilised Italian Quarter. They specialise in Chinese hand-pulled noodles (which are exactly what they sound like), which the chef makes behind a glass window looking onto the street. They also serve Filipino and Korean dishes and sushi, and while the amalgamation of so many cuisines would usually be a turn off, the lure of hand-pulled as opposed to machine made noodles was too hard to resist. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? For wine, Enoteca della Langhe and Wallace’s Taverna (both owned by TD Mick Wallace but thankfully not run by him) are just up the walkway towards the liffey. Their wine lists are solely Italian and great value thanks to the fact that they import all of their wines directly without going through a wholesaler. This is the place to go when you want to splash out on a bottle of Barolo. Asian restaurant Koh , next door to Dakoi, has an award-winning cocktail bar, and for a pint we’d recommend TP Smiths around the corner. We'd probably eat first as you'll be done quite quickly, then get on the booze after. What’s the room like? You order and pay downstairs, then go up a floor to the seating area where they bring your food once it’s ready. The floor to ceiling glass walls provide great views of the streets below, and it feels like being in a very mini skyscraper in some cool Asian city. Until you see the sign for the Jervis Centre. What's good to eat? The hand-pulled noodles obviously, which come in a broth infused with 15 Chinese herbs, beef, spring onions, coriander and what looked like radish. The noodles are the wonderfully chewy kind that no machine can master, the thinly sliced beef was meltingly soft and the broth had layers of flavour. We also tried the Filipino Bulabo beef stew on the recommendation of the owner, which again came in a really flavoursome broth, with bone marrow (and chunks of bone), sweetcorn, pak choi, raw onion and spring onion, with a side of rice and fresh chillis. Both dishes came in small and large but we thought the small was more than sufficient. Sides of fried pork gyoza and edamame were also good, and the gyoza comes with a side of pickled carrot and cabbage - like a Chinese version of coleslaw. Go easy with the chilli oil on the table, unless you enjoy losing your taste buds every now and then. What about the drinks? Better than the average casual Asian eatery. Three white wines, three red and two proseccos, all commercial but drinkable, and five different Chinese beers – Asahi, Chang, Tsingtao, Tiger and Cobra. They also do tea and coffee. And the service? Owner Fang was manning the till when we were there, helping people navigate the menu and making recommendations. Our food and drinks came quickly and all were delivered by smiley staff. The verdict? Undiluted Asian food (like the type they eat in Asia) is notoriously hard to find in Dublin, and while we’d prefer a place to focus on one thing and do it brilliantly, having somewhere that does genuine hand-pulled noodles really well is a great addition to the city. We’ve got our eye on the oil spilled noodles for next time, and they told us they’re hoping to start trialling an Asian breakfast soon, with dishes like Thai omelette, wonton soup and steamed buns. We'd take that over a full Irish any day. Dakoi Oriental Café 10 Millennium Walkway, Dublin 1 facebook.com/Dakoi2018/ New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Middle Eastern, pocket-friendly food that consistently delivers. Hummus, falafel and vine leaves are some of Umi's standouts, but it's all flavour-packed and feel good. Umi Falafel Rathmines Website umifalafel.ie Address 180 Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Middle Eastern, pocket-friendly food that consistently delivers. Hummus, falafel and vine leaves are some of Umi's standouts, but it's all flavour-packed and feel good. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Northside Dublin's loveliest fishing village is bustling with tourists 12 months of the year, and should be laden down with the city's best seafood, but you need to know where to eat here if you want the really good stuff. Howth Our Take Northside Dublin's loveliest fishing village is bustling with tourists 12 months of the year, and should be laden down with the city's best seafood, but you need to know where to eat here if you want the really good stuff. Where to Eat Baily Bites @ Kish King Sitric Mamo Octopussy's Póg Howth The Pier House

Liath Damien Grey raises the game to a different level Posted: 19 Mar 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Heron & Grey opened in Blackrock Market in 2016, and after winning a Michelin star within their first 10 months, the 22-seater restaurant, only open three nights a week (with one sitting per night, so 66 people per week), was soon the most sought after reservation in the city. It only became more difficult as time went on and word got out, and each month when the seats for the following month were released they sold out in minutes, leaving tranches of disappointed Dubliners virtually sobbing on social media. When owners Andrew Heron and Damien Grey announced in December that they were going their separate ways, it came as a shock - why would anyone give up on such a good thing? - but Andrew wanted a more balanced family lifestyle, and Damien wanted to change the feel of the restaurant, so they decided the time was right for them to part, and Damien to morph Heron & Grey into Liath (meaning grey in Irish - a name his daughters came up with), alongside kitchen team Róisín Gillen and Josef Radacovsky. They closed at the end of January for a two month refurb, and rumours of white tablecloths and an ambition for a second Michelin star started to abound (Grey has technically lost his star with the change, so needs to win it back with the new format). When the first block of tables for the March reopening were released on the 1st of February, 3,500 people tried to book a table simultaneously at 10am, leading the website to crash, and once again leaving lots of disappointed wannabe diners in their wake, but we were lucky enough to bag a table for night two, purely so we can tell you all about it. Where should we go for a drink first? We'd be tempted to say just don't, as why muddy your palate with anything else before sitting down in here, but if you insist, the best boozer on the main street in Blackrock is probably old-man style Jack O'Rourke's , there since 1897. Where should we sit? The new restaurant configuration has one table for six, three tables for four, and two tables for two, and lets face it, you'll be doing well to nab any of them, but we always like being closer to where the action (i.e. the kitchen) is, so you could request it when you book. Otherwise the two-seater at the far end looks very cosy and as private as you'll get in such a small space. What's good to eat? The menu consists of a ten-course tasting menu for €78 (they will cater for allergies but not dietary choices), and despite the fact you will leave with a hefty bill when drinks are included, it really does feel like excellent value - there are non-Michelin starred restaurants in the city with more expensive tasting menus whose food isn't at this level. This is boundary-pushing, sometimes head-exploding stuff, and often while eating here we've found ourselves shaking our heads in amazement at how someone's brain even begins coming up with ideas like these. Our 10 courses were a rollercoaster of tastes, textures and striking visual compositions, and there wasn't so much of an instant of boredom or a dish that didn't work, just a succession of wows from beginning to end. If absolutely forced to pick favourites, we'd single out the celeriac, the smoked eel cone, the pork and pineapple and the kaffir lime meringue, but you can see everything we had below in all its glory. Chicken broth with wild peas, cabbage and mushrooms Celeriac cooked on the yakatori grill with sheep's yoghurt, pesto and rosemary powder Pigeon with fermented beetroot and liver Textures of lemon with rapeseed oil Mackerel, sprouting broccoli, kimchi, lardo Feuille de brick with smoked eel, shallot, aged parmesan and fennel pollen Pork, allium, pennywort, pineapple - a riff on Grey's favourite dish from his Chinese take away, pork yuk sung An idea of a mango Rhubarb, kaffir lime, meringue Dark chocolate, preserves, raspberries What about the drinks? Most people at Heron & Grey used to go for the wine pairing, of either six or nine courses, with Andrew Heron showing up at the table throughout the meal with another white or red option once your glass had run dry. Liath is starting off with a six wine pairing for the time being, and there's been no major changes as of yet to the killer wine list, featuring tonnes of interesting wines (lots of them from the minimal intervention canon). We went for the pairing on this occasion and unfortunately a few of them didn't work (despite them all being very good wines in their own right), but we're putting it down to the fact that they'd only gotten into the space 24 hours earlier and didn't have the usual amount of time to painstakingly try each dish with a variety of wines. We're confident that this will sort itself out over the next few weeks once they have time to bed in and get back into their regular routine, but the á la carte list is full of great bottles at non-gouging prices if you want to fly solo. And the service? As poised and professional as always, without the formality that can often hang around Michelin-starred restaurants making everyone a bit uptight. Long-standing floor team member Ailish had slotted into Andrew's old place on the floor when we were there and was typically warm, welcoming and generous of time. The chefs also delivered a couple of plates to the tables, which we love because we get to quiz them on exactly how some of these mind-boggling dishes were born. The verdict? When we heard Grey wanted to make changes to his restaurant, like adding tablecloths, we didn't really get it. We thought it was pretty perfect as it was. But on walking in we realised that by doing what he's done, he's raised the game to a whole new level. This doesn't feel like a sparsely decorated corridor in Blackrock market any more. With the etched glass on the windows, the wooden slats, the black banquettes and the wall of wine, it feels more like Copenhagen or Stockholm than SoCoDub, the type of place that culinary tourists get on a plane for. The food scene in Dublin has never been as vibrant and fast-moving as it is right now, from street food trucks to fine dining, but we've never really had a restaurant to put us on the global culinary map. We only have one two-starred Michelin ( Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud ), haven't had a contender in the World's 50 Best Restaurants since Thornton's was included in 2003, and the main Michelin Instagram account doesn't follow any Irish restaurants and just one Irish chef (Martijn Kajuiter at Michelin-starred House at The Cliff House Hotel ), but things are moving fast, and we can't shake the feeling that Liath could be the one to change the game. We have no doubt that Grey's going to reclaim his star when the 2020 Michelin guide is released in October this year, but it's the very real prospect of a second that's just made things a whole lot more interesting. Liath Blackrock Market, 19a Main Street, Blackrock, Co. Dublin liathrestaurant.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Lock's Grown-up, canal side dining that's worth a trip for the butter alone Posted: 3 May 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Locks has been around since the 1980’s but has had more incarnations than Madonna. At one point it gained and lost a Michelin star within a year (as Locks Brasserie), which led to the restaurant closing in the summer of 2015. That Autumn, it was taken over by Conor O’Dowd (ex-head chef at Dax) and Keelan Higgs, who’d been a chef in Locks Brasserie for the past few years, along with Paul McNamara (ex-head chef at Etto). Since then it’s been gaining a steady buzz with one great review after another. Higgs has since moved on, and in February this year Locks announced that they had hired a new head chef , Chris Maguire, formerly of The Ledbury and Trinity in London (both Michelin starred). We thought it was time we went to check it out. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? If it’s a sunny day most of Dublin will be at The Barge , so you may as well join them. Otherwise The Bernard Shaw is slightly closer and has a good range of beers as well as cocktails and an impressive selection of no and low-alcohol drinks, in case you’re saving yourself for the wine list at Locks. What’s the room like? Really beautifully laid out, like being in a very plush house. The killer tables are the ones by the window, where you can gaze out at the canal all night, but the whole room is ultra comfortable. The private dining room upstairs has serious wow factor, and if we were organising a group night out or a little celebration it would be right at the top of our list. What's good to eat? The smart money’s in the chef’s tasting menu on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which includes five courses (different each week) for €45. There’s also a very good value market menu available from 5:30pm – 6:30pm Tuesday to Saturday, with two courses for €25 or three for €30. We went á la carte. Whatever other choices you make, do not neglect to order the sea trout and dulse butter, which no description can do justice to. It comes with homemade sourdough and brown bread, and honestly if we’d had three courses of that it would have been worth the trip. Another snack that’s difficult to fault was the whipped chicken liver with brioche, grapes and apple - beautifully light and perfectly balanced between richness and freshness. For starters, we loved the roast cauliflower risotto with morels and truffle, which was an umami bomb. The violet artichoke, duck hearts and padron pepper (which came as a sauce) was more understated and didn't wow in the same way, but a nice dish nonetheless and the duck hearts were perfectly cooked. From the mains their signature dish seems to have become the Delmonico salt aged rib-eye for two, with braised short rib, duck fat chips, salt and pepper onion rings and king oyster mushroom, for €65, so we felt we had to try it. The rib-eye meat had extraordinary flavour, so much so that we wanted to eek out every bite, and the short rib and mushroom, which came on two separate plates, felt like more of a distraction. They would have been highly enjoyable by themselves but the steak was the star of the show and hard to compete with, and by the end we were getting close to the meat sweats. Saying that, if you go hungry, or don’t order snacks and starters, you will probably be very happy. The salt and vinegar onion rings were a genius move and highly addictive, but the duck fat chips were more bendy than crispy, and we couldn’t understand the reasoning behind making chips curved and taking off their lovely crispy edges. Dessert was a struggle after so much meat, but we wanted to try the peanut butter tart with banana milk ice-cream after seeing it all over Instagram. It was very well done, the milky banana perfectly offsetting the dense peanut butter tart. What about the drinks? We recognised barely any winemakers on the list which usually sets off alarm bells, but we had nothing to worry about. This is a list which has been put together with care and attention, and there’s a big focus on wines from Portugal, as GM Andressa is Portugese. Everything we tried by the glass was a good step above most restaurants in the city, including an Italian Vermentino, a Spanish blend of Treixadura and Godello, a red blend from the Douro in Portugal and an Italian Barbera. And the service? Our waitress couldn’t have been any more welcoming or lovelier, a rare find for restaurants at the moment, and another member of staff was happy to make wine recommendations and let us taste before deciding. It seems like a place where the staff are happy to be there. The verdict? This is grown up dining in a gorgeous canal-side location, close enough to town that you could walk, far enough away that it feels totally peaceful. Attempt to bag a window table, don’t miss the butter, and if you order the rib eye try not to gorge yourself on multiple courses beforehand. Next time we're going Tuesday or Wednesday for the chef’s tasting menu. Locks 1 Windsor Terrace, Portobello, Dublin 8 locksrestaurant.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The country's best example of Xian food from China's Shanxi region, with hand-pulled 'biang biang' noodles, rou jia mo (also called Chinese hamburgers), and 'Liang Pi' cold skin noodles - your must order. The space is small and you might have to share a table, but once the food arrives you won't care. Feel free to customise your noodles to your preferred thickness, and ask about specials and new menu additions - they always seem to be working on something. Biang Biang Website instagram.com/biangbiang_dublin Address 21 Mary Street Little, Smithfield, Dublin 7, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The country's best example of Xian food from China's Shanxi region, with hand-pulled 'biang biang' noodles, rou jia mo (also called Chinese hamburgers), and 'Liang Pi' cold skin noodles - your must order. The space is small and you might have to share a table, but once the food arrives you won't care. Feel free to customise your noodles to your preferred thickness, and ask about specials and new menu additions - they always seem to be working on something. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Un'Altra Pasta Bar A new fresh pasta bar for Blackrock, but we left deflated Posted: 4 Feb 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Un'Altra Pasta Bar? We're always banging on about restaurants not using their windows to full effect, so when we discovered a new opening in Blackrock (via the medium of OpenTable ), making fresh pasta right in the window (via the medium of Instagram ), we were in there like designer Italian swimwear. We could find scant background on Un'Altra (which means 'another') through the usual online stalking channels, but their takeaway pasta bar opened in Sallynoggin in 2021 to good reviews. This is their first sit down restaurant, and once we were sitting down, managed to prize out of our server that the owners are Romanian, with the chef of the two obsessed by pasta. He's worked in various restaurants here and in Italy, and owns a few cafés in Dublin, but this is the dream becoming real. The website (which looks more like a takeaway's, as does the signage outside) hypes up their Neapolitan pizza recipes, developed by " esteemed partner Antonio Carlos Garcia, a two-time Neapolitan pizza world champion ", delivering " mastery in every slice ". We met the champ himself, a Spaniard now living in the UK , and he told us he was just over to help out for the few couple of weeks, and was heading home to his own pizza business in Lincolnshire a few days later. Where are we sitting? As good as an idea it was to use that window for pasta making instead of tables, they didn't really think about the customers in the restaurant getting a view of the action. The best vantage points are at the counter overlooking the pizza oven and across to the pasta making, but it won't work for more than two, or three at a push, to sit side by side. Larger tables are lower, set further back, and blocked by the counter, so sit there and you're missing the chance to see any pasta or pizza making. You can get up and walk over for a look, but the restaurant could have been laid out so much more cleverly to maximise the live action experience. What's the menu like? Extensive, with some pretty out there flavour combinations. We did raise our authentically-inclined eyebrows at the inclusion of pasta with chicken, garlic bread, and Nutella-fried gnocchi on the menu of a restaurant pitching themselves as authentically Italian, but we wanted to give the benefit of the doubt to anyone putting that much effort into the pasta. Some of the flavours however feel very misguided, like the special pasta with steak, red peppers, carrots and garlic, lightly tossed in soy sauce (!?) and finished with Parmesan and mozzarella for a " fusion of flavours ". Or the carbonara finished with truffle oil, which will have one of our national food critics fulminating if she crosses the threshold. There aren't many starters, and we skipped doughballs, bruschetta (no tomatoes in January please), and an €11 rosemary and sea salt focaccia (no explanation for the price), for the Crocchette di Riso (€12), crispy rice croquettes stuffed with nduja and Provolone cheese. They arrived more anaemic than they should have been, with a dry, claggy filling, and barely a hint of what they were supposed to be stuffed with. They were inexplicably covered in what tasted like a marie-rose sauce - we still don't understand why anyone would do this to a croquette. A simple aioli or marinara would have been so much better. Nonna's Polpette (Grandma's meatballs, €12) were fine, like something you'd make at home in a hurry. They didn't taste of long and slow cooking, and we weren't going to be banging on the kitchen door begging for the recipe (like we were tempted to at Hera a couple of weeks ago). The blackened leaf of basil on top was unnecessary. There are 24 pastas to choose from, including all the staples like amatriciana, fettucine al Ragù , and lasagne, but we only had eyes for the flambéed tagliatelle with fresh black truffle and a crispy Grana Padano crust, finished tableside on a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano (€24.50). " A luxurious dining experience " apparently - consider us sold. We waited for the Parmesan wheel to be pushed over to our table and the show to begin, but then realised the action had already started over at the window, and we'd missed the flambéeing - we're still no wiser as to why you would flambée pasta, or what it was set on fire with. We asked what had happened to the tableside show, and they said there wasn't enough space to push the wheel over. They might want to rewrite the menu.... The pasta, cooked in the kitchen and tossed in sauce, is swirled around the wheel, then twirled up onto tongs and (for reasons unknown) placed into a heart-shaped casserole dish. It was then brought back into the kitchen, where we presume the truffle was grated on, and delivered to the table under a heart-shaped lid. By the time the palaver was over it was barely lukewarm, one note creamy, and had no sign of any " crispy Grano Padano crust ". A textbook example of over-promising and under-delivering, when the best restaurants do the opposite. From the stuffed pastas, capellacci with ricotta and spinach (€19.50) were a strange, over-sized shape, not the little hats we were expecting, and had little discernible flavour. We thought the Ragù Toscano might lift things, but it was over-salted and under-whelming. Good ragu takes time (see Marcella Hazan's recipe for the only one you'll ever want to make), and this didn't taste like an appropriate amount of time had been allotted. Maybe we'd do better with those award-adjacent pizzas. We went for the Un'Altra special with fior di latte, olive oil, stracciatella, mortadella, rocket and aubergine chips (€19.50). These are cold toppings on a warm pizza base, with the oily aubergine the dominant flavour, and while the dough was good, there was barely any sign of leoparding on the crust. They'll need to do better to poach customers from Little Forest , which is just a few doors down. You cut it with a scissors, for another TikTok touch . We wanted to give it a final spin with Tiramisu but it hadn't set, so we settled for an affogato. The coffee was good, but the ice-cream had none of the overt creaminess that makes this dessert so loved. It also had hard iced bits in it, like it had slightly defrosted and been refrozen. What about drinks? There is no information on the wine list about producers and vintages - just grapes and regions, which will cause frustration to anyone who likes to know what they're drinking. What is welcome though is the alcohol levels (on most). Watch out for those reds by the glass, two of which are 14% and 15% - too much of that is a recipe for a hard headache the next day. We tried the Corvina by the glass (€9, 12.5%) and it was passable, but seemed to get less so the longer it sat there, and a decent Aperol Spritz. We wouldn't have taken a chance on a bottle without knowing what we were buying, and you can ask them to bring you the bottles if you want to know more, but it's an unnecessary tension point during what should be a relaxing meal out. How was the service? Very friendly and pleasant, but there were a lot of questions about whether we liked the food, and how much we liked it, and isn't it all just amazing? When that hasn't been your experience you can either lie and get out of there, or watch their hearts break as you point out everything that wasn't amazing. We reluctantly got pulled into the latter, and they took any criticisms well, saying they were new and working to be better. What was the damage? €108 before tip for two starters, three mains, and two drinks (we took some food home and they left the dessert off the bill). Not a bad price for dinner, but we were in for lunch - they desperately need a lunch deal or daytimes will remain empty. We were one of only two tables over a full sitting. What's the verdict on Un'Altra Pasta Bar? Is this a bad restaurant? No. Is it Blackrock's answer to Grano / Bar Italia / Amuri ? Also no. Un'Altra seem to be angling to deliver "what people want" instead of "what people need but don't realise it yet", evidenced by the Irish crowd-pleasing additions that any Italian would go to war rather than cook (see the note on Bar Italia's menu stating " please DO NOT ask for chicken in your pasta! ") We have a lot of admiration for anyone putting in this kind of effort and making all of their pasta from scratch, we just wish that same effort had travelled through the ingredients, flavours and time spent perfecting dishes in the kitchen that any Italian Nonna would be proud of. While you don't need to be Italian to run a truly excellent Italian restaurant (see Trullo and Padella in London, and the late Russell Norman's empire ), you do need to have the soul of the boot shaped country running through your veins, and we couldn't feel it here. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Chef Dylan McGrath's Fade Street Social remains ever popular amongst visitors and locals, with two separate food options. The main restaurant downstairs serves a bistro type menu of Irish produce that's "uncomplicated", like oysters, steak and Kilkenny's Goatsbridge trout. Outdoor tables at the front and on their rooftop order from a "wood-fired menu" of pizzas, small plates and meats, all cooked using natural wood and embers. Good selection of vegan and vegetarian food too so plenty to satisfy a mixed crowd. Fade Street Social Website fadestreetsocial.com Address 6 Fade Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Chef Dylan McGrath's Fade Street Social remains ever popular amongst visitors and locals, with two separate food options. The main restaurant downstairs serves a bistro type menu of Irish produce that's "uncomplicated", like oysters, steak and Kilkenny's Goatsbridge trout. Outdoor tables at the front and on their rooftop order from a "wood-fired menu" of pizzas, small plates and meats, all cooked using natural wood and embers. Good selection of vegan and vegetarian food too so plenty to satisfy a mixed crowd. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

M and L Chinese Sichuan spice and a seriously good deal on corkage Posted: 11 Feb 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? As diverse as Dublin’s dining scene is right now, we’ve always suffered from a lack of the type of Chinese food they actually eat in China (trying to avoid the ‘A’ word). There are spice bags and 3-in-1’s on every corner, but try to get a plate of Xi’an Biang Biang noodles or braised, fermented fish belly and you’ll have a job on your hands. M&L on Cathedral Street is well known as one of the few places to get real Sichuan food, but it’s having a bit of an industry boom of late, as word has gotten out about their €6 corkage charge. Cue half the restaurants in Dublin booking it for their post-Christmas Christmas party (no restaurant has their Christmas party in December) so they can BYO some serious wine. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? Let's be honest, it’s not exactly Soho around here. Madigan’s on O’Connell Street is decent for a pint. Apart from that their sister site The Vintage Teapot just across the road is a cute (if ethnically muddled – Chinese dumplings, Italian antipasti and Russian blinis) place for a glass of wine, or post-dinner tea or coffee – they have a particularly good Chinese tea selection. What’s the room like? Like a Chinese restaurant. Cosy with some nice artwork on the walls and minimal table settings. The main room is nicer than the narrower section leading to the kitchen, but this tends to be quieter so better if you want some privacy. What's good to eat? Sichuan cooking centres around Sichuan peppercorns, chillies and garlic, so expect lots of each. There are non-Sichuan dishes here too (black bean, sweet and sour, peking) but we’d steer clear and stick to the ‘chef’s recommendations’ on the menu if you want the real experience. The specials on the board are a great place to start. From there we had beef and pork dumplings, and steamed buns with pork mince. All were excellent, especially drowned in chilli oil. We tried the chicken and sweetcorn soup (more out of curiosity than anything else) which was definitely of the more ‘European Chinese’ variety - gloopy and tasteless. Thankfully things picked up with the French beans with dry chilli, which seem to be everyone’s favourite. You might balk at €11 for a plate of green beans but you won’t once you’ve tried them. They’re M&L’s version of class A drugs - highly addictive. From a previous visit we can highly recommend the deep-fried seabass Sichuan style (on the bone), but this time we tried Seabass in hot and spicy sauce (off the bone), which was like a really good sweet and sour with extra depth of flavour. The fish was perfectly cooked and the skin crunchy, but it wasn't as good as the Sichuan version. We meant to order deep fried chicken with chilli and crispy peanuts (again had it on a previous occasion and again loved it) but in a miscommunication ended up with Kung Pao chicken, which is also a Sichuan dish and was very good, but a bit pedestrian. If you do order the deep fried chicken be warned that the portion is huge, but you can always take the leftovers home (you'll find images of it on Instagram). The deep-fried aubergine with soy sauce was also enjoyable if not overly memorable, but didn’t look remotely deep fried. No crispy edges. We wanted to try the whelks which are an M&L favourite but they weren’t available. The soft-shell crab is also mentioned constantly in reviews but seems to be a table divider. Some love it, some don't. We didn't have enough space to take the chance. In synopsis, you need to know what to order in M&L, and make sure you communicate it clearly to the staff. What about the wine? €6 corkage. That’s all you need to know. We took a cursory glance at the wine list and are sure none of it will kill you, but it would seem a wasted opportunity not to bring something special when the corkage charge is this low. To put it into perspective, a wine that you pay €20 for will cost you €26 to drink at M&L. Standard restaurant margins would make it in or around €50. We took an organic, biodynamic white from a Portugese producer called Aphros (annoyingly not currently available in Ireland, sorry) which was zesty and full of flavour (lime, orange, white flowers), with lovely minerality. A perfect pre-dinner drink while we waited for food to arrive. The chilli sauce with the dumplings eviscerated our palates so we couldn’t taste it after that, but luckily it was almost finished. We also took a Greek red from producer Gaia's 2009 vintage; an obscure Greek grape variety called Agiorgitiko. It’s currently on sale in O’Briens for €18.45 down from €28.95 (for no reason other than most Irish people don’t buy Greek wine), and was a hauntingly beautiful bottle, full of perfume, flowers and blackberries. (It's worth noting that we went back for a second bottle which wasn’t as good, but that’s wine, it’s a living thing so can be unpredictable). Neither were a perfect match for Sichuan food but not much is. And the service? Basic but friendly. No-one will fall over you and you might need to wave a few times but staff are very accommodating. The verdict? There is great food at M&L but you could easily fall into the trap of the Western diner and end up with a pretty standard Chinese, which would be a great shame. Do your research, stick to the chef's specials and bring your own wine and you'll be fine. M & L Chinese 13/14 Cathedral Street, Dublin 2 mlchineserestaurant.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The newest addition to the Mamó Howth empire is this lovely wine bar hidden behind St Stephen's Green, with possibly the best value evening tasting menu in town. The Cantabrian anchovy toast with preserved lemon aioli became an instant hit, and the olive oil aged in sherry barrels is one of the best things you'll taste there, or anywhere. The wine list is in the upper echelons of delight, and staff are as charming as in every other site from talented partners Jess D'Arcy and Killian Durkin. Lunch is a simpler affair of sandwiches and salads. Margadh RHA Website margadh-rha.ie Address RHA Gallery, 15 Ely Place, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The newest addition to the Mamó Howth empire is this lovely wine bar hidden behind St Stephen's Green, with possibly the best value evening tasting menu in town. The Cantabrian anchovy toast with preserved lemon aioli became an instant hit, and the olive oil aged in sherry barrels is one of the best things you'll taste there, or anywhere. The wine list is in the upper echelons of delight, and staff are as charming as in every other site from talented partners Jess D'Arcy and Killian Durkin. Lunch is a simpler affair of sandwiches and salads. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

You would be forgiven in thinking the must-order at Yoi Ramen is ramen, but for us it's sushi, with the Spider Roll (with spider crab) an ATF favourite. All the Japanese restaurant boxes are ticked here with gyoza, donburi and katsu curry, and there's hot and cold sake to wash it all down. Yoi Ramen Website yoiramen.ie Address 9 Barrow Street, Dublin 4 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story You would be forgiven in thinking the must-order at Yoi Ramen is ramen, but for us it's sushi, with the Spider Roll (with spider crab) an ATF favourite. All the Japanese restaurant boxes are ticked here with gyoza, donburi and katsu curry, and there's hot and cold sake to wash it all down. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Mexican taqueria (formerly in Temple Bar) with a cult following. Tacos, tortillas and tortas are cheap and tasty, and it's more authentic than most. El Grito Website facebook.com/elgritodublin Address 20 Mountjoy Square East, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Mexican taqueria (formerly in Temple Bar) with a cult following. Tacos, tortillas and tortas are cheap and tasty, and it's more authentic than most. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Out of gallery

The latest bakery feather in the cap for Tartine's Thibauld Peigne, and his second retail outlet joining Russell Street Bakery a kilometre away. French patisserie at its finest, with Paris-Brests, eclairs and opera cakes offering one temptation after another from the glass windows. Pastries, focaccia and gelato are also on the menu, along with coffee from one of our favourites, Imbibe. Parnell Street Bakery Website instagram.com/parnellst.bakery Address Parnell Street Bakery, Parnell Street, Rotunda, Dublin 1, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The latest bakery feather in the cap for Tartine's Thibauld Peigne, and his second retail outlet joining Russell Street Bakery a kilometre away. French patisserie at its finest, with Paris-Brests, eclairs and opera cakes offering one temptation after another from the glass windows. Pastries, focaccia and gelato are also on the menu, along with coffee from one of our favourites, Imbibe. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Breakfast and lunch are served Monday - Friday in this modern, paired back café near Connolly Station. Homemade cakes, huge sandwiches and daily lunch specials have local office workers queuing up. Laine My Love Website @lainemylove Address 38 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Breakfast and lunch are served Monday - Friday in this modern, paired back café near Connolly Station. Homemade cakes, huge sandwiches and daily lunch specials have local office workers queuing up. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Georgian bakery specialising in cheese breads, pastries stuffed with mince, chicken or potato, and fruit and nut filled sweets. There's Turkish coffee and hot food too, like Georgian dumplings and lamb stew. Don't miss the cheese piroshki, similar to Hungarian langos, and the Khachapuri breads topped with a raw egg yolk to swirl around into the mix. Ella's Heaven Website ellasheaven.ie Address 95A Talbot Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Georgian bakery specialising in cheese breads, pastries stuffed with mince, chicken or potato, and fruit and nut filled sweets. There's Turkish coffee and hot food too, like Georgian dumplings and lamb stew. Don't miss the cheese piroshki, similar to Hungarian langos, and the Khachapuri breads topped with a raw egg yolk to swirl around into the mix. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

One of Dublin’s best places to buy and drink wine, with a small kitchen serving up cheese, charcuterie and tinned fish to go with it. Choose from their shelves of brilliant wines to drink in house with a set corkage fee (€15 at the time of writing), so the better you drink, the better the value. Green Man Wines Website greenmanwines.ie Address 3 Terenure Road North, Terenure, Dublin 6W Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story One of Dublin’s best places to buy and drink wine, with a small kitchen serving up cheese, charcuterie and tinned fish to go with it. Choose from their shelves of brilliant wines to drink in house with a set corkage fee (€15 at the time of writing), so the better you drink, the better the value. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Precise, original Sichuan cooking that draws diners from across the city and beyond, for the ‘Man and Wife’ beef slices, ‘waltip’ pork and chicken dumplings, and whole fresh Irish lobster with egg noodles. It's not cheap, but it's one of the best Chinese restaurants in the country. China Sichuan Website china-sichuan.ie Address The Forum, Ballymoss Rd, Sandyford Business Park, Sandyford, Dublin 18 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Precise, original Sichuan cooking that draws diners from across the city and beyond, for the ‘Man and Wife’ beef slices, ‘waltip’ pork and chicken dumplings, and whole fresh Irish lobster with egg noodles. It's not cheap, but it's one of the best Chinese restaurants in the country. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Full Moon Thai Same same? Nope. Different? Definitely. Posted: 4 Aug 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Full Moon Thai appeared with very little trumpet blowing at the end of July 2020, promising "authentic Thai street food and classic Thai favourites". We tend to take promises like this with a pinch of salt, especially when they come from the vicinity of Temple Bar, but over the next few months we started to get messages talking about how "legit" it was, and how it was "the best Thai food in Dublin". Big claims. Like a lot of places in the city they've had a rocky year, and during lockdowns predominantly stuck to takeaway, but now that they're back open fully with indoor and limited outdoor dining, we thought now was a good time to see what it's all about - this picture on Instagram may also have increased the urgency of our visit. Full Moon Thai is owned by chef Ju McCarthy (from Isaan in North Eastern Thailand) and her husband Derek. She's been in Ireland for almost 20 years and previously cooked in Camile and Pink Elephant in Swords, before the couple decided it was time to walk their own path. Ju's other chefs are also from Isaan, famous for hot and soup sour, som tum thai (green papaya salad) and laab (minced pork salad) amongst others, and there's an effortless assurance about the place that seems to say "we're not diluting anything for you Westerners - buckle up". At the same time their tagline of "same, same but different" suggests they're not taking themselves too seriously either - it's just food. Where should we sit? They only have two tables outside and don't take booings for them in advance because they're not fully sheltered, but you can call on the day to reserve one if it's looking dry. Otherwise if you're fully vaccinated you can head inside for either a window seat, a high table near the bar or some of the booth seating in the back. They have wood and perspex dividers separating each table, the ceilings are high, and when we were there the front door was open so it felt decently ventilated. They also do takeaway. What's the food like? The menu is fairly extensive and choosing is going to be your biggest problem - we recommend trying to round up the maximum six bodies so you can try more. Centre stage are the papaya salads (seven different types), wok dishes, and whole sea bass dishes, but you'll also find the curries you know and love, pad thai, spring rolls, and of course tom yum soup. After reading previous diners' reviews we were enticed by the crispy curried rice balls (a Laos street food snack) with a lip-smacking tamarind dipping sauce. It's the first time we've come across them here and hopefully not the last. As a measure up against the dishes we have had, we ordered a portion of Thai fish cakes which were beautifully fragrant with lemongrass, chillies and herbs, and came with an above average sweet chilli dipping sauce topped with peanuts and cucumber. We struggled to choose one of the seven papaya salads (Sophie's Choice), but with our server's help eventually decided on the 'Tam Thai' with tamarind juice, tomato and crushed peanuts. It was sweet, sour, spicy and difficult to stop eating. If you want to up the stakes you could go for the 'Tam Plu Pla Raa' with fermented fish and softshell crab. We didn't order the 'Laab Moo', a spicy minced pork salad, and have regretted it every minute since, so maybe don't make the same mistake. Next was a plate of prawn Pad Thai, another dish we felt we could use as a yardstick to measure Full Moon against. It was smoky and nicely sour with a generous amount of prawns and a good kick of chilli, along with additional chilli flakes on the side - they like 'em hot in here. It wasn't a dish we'd necessarily be running back for, there are more interesting, unusual things to try, but judging by their online reviews we might be alone on that one. Next was the dish that unashamedly lured us to the door of 8 Parliament Street that day - deep fried sea bass with a spicy herb salad, or 'Pla Kapong Luy Suan' (fish in the garden). It came out looking like the centrepiece of a Thai banquet, and we almost didn't want to touch it and ruin the effect. This one needs a warning, as its spice levels are at 'tears running down face/stick my mouth under a cold tap' levels, but if you can take it and have plenty of water on hand, you'll be transported to a remote Thai island, sand under your feet, watching someone from a neighbouring restaurant cut a coconut from a tree for someone's curry - no? Just us? This is a dish that takes everything fizzingly delicious about Thai flavours and herbs and smacks you around the head with them - just go slowly, lots of rice, and don't forget to peel all the crispy bits of fish off the spine and head. From the wok dishes we went for the beef 'Pad Kra Pao' - a spicy Thai basil stir-fry. The spicy, liquoricey herb isn't easy for the average home cook to find in Dublin so we love seeing it when we're out, and this dish was a case of few ingredients fused to perfection. The meat was tender, the vegetables crunchy, and the flavour - there was a lot of flavour. Rice comes in a big jasmine bowl and there was plenty of it. You might be tempted to side-step dessert seeing items like 'chocolate fudge cake' and 'berry cheesecake', but there's only one you should have eyes for - the mango and sticky rice. We've had this dish before, we've never had a version this good. Sweet, warm, sticky rice; cool, achingly ripe mango slices; a creamy coconut sauce. You know when you're totally stuffed but you can't stop lifting the spoon to your mouth? That. What about the drinks? The wine list is predictably banal, but we did spot Kung Fu Girl Riesling, which is as good as it gets with this type of food. There's a couple of commercial Thai beers and a couple of Irish ones, and Thai iced teas as well as soft drinks. It would be nice to see a similar amount of effort put into the drinks as is obviously going into the food. How was the service? Lovely - very accommodating to our needs and happy to make recommendations, but obviously thought we wouldn't be able for the spice and/or fermented fish levels of some of the dishes and tried to veer us towards others. It might be worth saying up front if you want the real Thai deal - unless you're spice averse, and they'll be happy to point you away from the dishes potentially requiring a fire extinguisher for your mouth. And the damage? We had enough food for three with copious amounts of leftovers for lunch the next day, as well as one beer, and the bill came to €99. We could have ordered less - but where's the fun in that. The verdict? We always think the mark of a really good restaurant is when we want to go back immediately, and we already have meal number two mapped out here. We'll be righting the wrong of not ordering that laab moo, trying the mixed seafood salad with glass noodles (a recommendation from our server that we just couldn't squeeze in), and ordering a different whole deep-fried sea bass for comparison (probably in hot and sour soup). Full Moon Thai is one of the most interesting, credible Asian restaurants that's opened here in a long time. "Different"? - yes. "Same same"? Not in our book. Full Moon Thai 8 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 fullmoon.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Mad Egg are now up to five sites across Dublin, but have sadly dropped their commitment to free-range birds. They still tea brine them for 48 hours, dredge them in spiked buttmilk and cover them in their special seasoned coating before being fried. Good beer selection too. Their DIY desserts mean you might need a nap afterwards. Mad Egg Dundrum Website madegg.ie Address Unit G5 Pembroke District, Dundrum Town Centre, Dundrum, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Mad Egg are now up to five sites across Dublin, but have sadly dropped their commitment to free-range birds. They still tea brine them for 48 hours, dredge them in spiked buttmilk and cover them in their special seasoned coating before being fried. Good beer selection too. Their DIY desserts mean you might need a nap afterwards. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield