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The Big Romance describe themselves as an "audiophile bar", with a custom sound system, one of the best craft beer lists in the city, and pizza from neighbours One Society down the road. Cocktails and wines are good too, and the moody, dimly-lit space is perfect for first dates and nights that go on till late. The Big Romance Website thebigromance.ie Address 98 Parnell Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The Big Romance describe themselves as an "audiophile bar", with a custom sound system, one of the best craft beer lists in the city, and pizza from neighbours One Society down the road. Cocktails and wines are good too, and the moody, dimly-lit space is perfect for first dates and nights that go on till late. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Dún Laoghaire's food options have improved vastly over the past few years, and more options can be found further south along the coast in Sandycove, Glasthule and Dalkey. Dún Laoghaire - Sandycove - Glasthule - Dalkey Our Take Dún Laoghaire's food options have improved vastly over the past few years, and more options can be found further south along the coast in Sandycove, Glasthule and Dalkey. Where to Eat !

Niall Sabongi's seafood café opens from lunch till late seven days a week, serving sustainable, Irish seafood served in simple, delicious ways. Catch their oyster happy hour between 4pm and 5pm every day, where oysters are around €1 cheaper than normal. The Seafood Cafe Website klaw.ie Address Unit 11, Sprangers Yard, Fownes Street Upper, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Niall Sabongi's seafood café opens from lunch till late seven days a week, serving sustainable, Irish seafood served in simple, delicious ways. Catch their oyster happy hour between 4pm and 5pm every day, where oysters are around €1 cheaper than normal. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Crudo A neighbourhood Italian getting it all right Posted: 20 Mar 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Crudo? In what was formerly Dunne & Crescenzi in Sandymount, the next generation of the family, Sean Crescenzi, opened Crudo with friend Jamie McCarthy in mid-2019. They were finding their feet and figuring things out when Covid shut them down in early 2020, so it's been a stop-start few years, but they've now settled nicely into their groove. Feedback seems to have been getting progressively better about their neighbourhood Italian offering, aimed at locals, without cutting corners to satisfy blander taste buds, and they've been quietly going about their business with a limited social media presence - clearly it's not needed to drum up customers. Where should we sit? It's a homely room with simple furniture and someone's much loved (and long held) cookery book collection dotted around the walls. We do love a bit of people watching and you never know who you'll see in Sandymount so we'd go for the window if it's free. Andrew Scott was who we saw in Sandymount - he walked right past the window on his phone - and we're told Andy Farrell (the Irish Rugby Head Coach) is a regular. Those tables at the front are also perfect for familes. They seat six so there's plenty of space, and are right near the door in case anyone using their outdoor voice needs to be swiftly removed. Otherwise there's four tops along the wall and twos in the middle, but there's the ability for maneuvering depending on bookings. What's on the menu? They open for lunch and dinner with a lot of the same dishes, but lunch has a slightly reduced menu, and the addition of paninis which come with soup or parmesan fries. A lovely suppliers list (including first names) is up front so it can't be missed, and there's a €10 (frozen food free) kids menu that will excite parents used to paying €4 for just a juice. There were a lot of specials on the day we visited, but we try to stick to the dishes you'll be able to order too. Bear in mind though that even if you've picked your food in advance based on what's online, expect a whole new realm of greedy confusion to reign down when you're presented with chalkboards of new options, each one sounding better than the last. One of the best tests of any Italian is bruschetta, especially in a country where tomatoes are more often mealy, insipid balls of disappointment, than juicy, round pops of sunshine. Here a fluffy wedge of Oaksmoke sourdough comes just grilled, rubbed in garlic, and topped with marinated datterini tomatoes, basil and EVOO (€13) and you can add half a creamy, springy burrata ball for an extra €5.50. €18.50 might be on the pricier side for a starter, but it's big enough to share, and it's worth it when the Italian-imported ingredients are this superior. Arancini (€15) are always on the menu, and ours came with 'crispy fried risotto', crayfish and lobster bisque, and a preserved lemon and basil crema underneath. These were as big as baseballs, and another starter easily shared between two. The risotto itself was a bit dry (maybe because of the crispy frying), but had proper chunks of crayfish, and the crema was one of the best things we've tasted this year. So vividly lemony, there wasn't a creamy basil-streaked smear left on the plate - it made the whole dish (and possibly our whole day). We feel like we've been hearing about Crudo's scampi risotto since day one. Just cooked arborio rice comes with a lavish amount of fresh prawns, Dublin Bay prawn and sambuca bisque, prawn oil and crème fraiche (€24). It's one of those dishes you won't be able to make much conversation while eating, other than ummmms and errrmmaagaawwddss, and the elevation of all the flavours here shows up so many other risottos around town. Even the most committed meat eater should try the hand-rolled ravioli filled with cavolo nero and brie, served with deep-fried wild mushrooms, hazelnuts, and black truffle and parmesan fonduta (€25). It's one flavour bomb after another, the chewy mushrooms and and crunchy hazelnuts the perfect foil to those big pasta pillows and all that cheese. The pasta was a little underdone in the centre, but we couldn't dream of parting with the plate, and there was so much to love here that we didn't really care. Desserts contain your traditionalist options like tiramisu, affogato and cantucci biscuits with Vin Santo wine, and as you might expect by now are no slow coaches in the taste stakes. Tiramisu (€9) comes in individual portions with hazelnuts and Frangelico, and a chocolate biscuit on top. We loved the crunch of the whole nuts in there and all the flavours in the glass jar, but it was a little heavy on the cream and a little light on the sponge. A doorstop of a dark chocolate tart (€9) came with a bitter chocolate base, an unrestrained chocolate filling, sprinkle of sea salt and the genius addition of mandarin oil. Staff told us people regularly take some of the monster portion home and offered to wrap up any we didn't finish - what a lovely takeaway. Excellent espresso sent us on our way. What about drinks? The wine list is 90% Italian (as it should be) with the odd bottle from Spain, France or Portugal. There's a noble 13 wines by the glass, and it's the kind of place where they'll be happy to give you a taste of anything open before you commit. We went on their recommendations and had a fleshy, structured Sicilian Grillo, and a light, bright Marzemino (all herbal notes and sour cherries) from Alto-Adige. Both felt like something you'd be poured in that local trattoria on your holidays - wines made to work with the food you're eating. How was the service? Danny Meyer talks in his brilliant book Setting the Table about gatekeepers and agents, and we think about this walking into every single restaurant. A gatekeeper sets up barriers to keep people out - the staff member who blocked your path asking if you had a booking, the server who didn't acknowledge you and eventually shrugs saying there's an hour wait for a table. An agent on the other hand facilitates, makes things happen. When we walked into Crudo, we had a heroes welcome, an owner offering to seat us before knowing if we even had a booking. There were bright smiles, genuine chats, inquiries as to whether the table was okay - we think it would be just the place to be on a day when you're feeling fragile and need to be cosseted. There were only two servers for a half-full lunch service but no missteps or delays, and regular glances and check-ins to see if we needed anything. It feels like a very smooth operation. And the damage? €120 for a three course meal for two with a glass of wine each and one espresso. It felt like fantastic value considering the quality of the produce, the quality of the dishes, and the portion sizes. We could have shared a starter and dessert and left very happy. What's the verdict on Crudo? Crudo is that little Italian you find on your holidays and can't understand why food doesn't taste like this back home. None of it is over-complicated, there's nothing to scare anyone away (paging your parents), but it's all done with carefully gathered ingredients and some very skillful, generous hands in the kitchen. We could pick the most minor of holes in it, but none of them would matter, because as casual neighbourhood restaurants go, Crudo ticks every one of our boxes, and if Sandymount isn't your neighourhood, it's only a 10-minute walk from the Dart. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Big Fan Big flavours, sake cocktails and hiphop tunes on Aungier Street Posted: 7 Jul 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Big Fan was another one of 2020's mid-pandemic openings - not the way they envisioned their first year in business but plans were already in motion when the world as we knew it ended last March, so they made the best out of a bad situation. They started with take-away, then a brief spell of indoor dining in December, then some seriously delicious at home meal kits (one of the overall standout ones for us) and now they're back with outdoor dining. The owners have a background in burger restaurants and art galleries, but their head chef Tom is from Hong Kong and has been cooking Chinese food for over 30 years, and Big Fan was a chance for him to really unleash what he could do. They say they want to bring something different and genuine to the Dublin restaurant scene, the best Chinese food in town (set to a back drop of Hiphop tunes), and after what we sampled at home we were keen to try the full Big Fan experience. Where should we sit? They've done a really good job of maximising their space for outdoor dining, including taking out the window at the front and seating people technically inside the restaurant - some of you who are still unvaccinated and/or anxious about being around strangers might not be comfortable with this. If that's the case they have tables outside on the path too, which are well sheltered from the elements - on the night we were there it lashed but we didn't feel a drop. Just make sure you specify any preferences on booking. What's the food like? There's quite a large menu, with bao, jiaozi (dumplings), small plates, big plates, sides and sauces. Our eyes were popping at all the inventive dishes, each sounding more appealing than the last, and we were pretty pleased that so many were in the €6.50 - €10 bracket so we could justify ordering too much food. First up were crispy wontons filled with Toonsbridge scarmorza and squash, and a plum sauce for dipping. Often this kind of 'Asian fusion' is a complete car crash, but not at Big Fan. This kitchen has a a bit of magic when it comes to flavour and texture, and if they're not careful they might give Asian fusion a good name again. Next up were duck wings (which must have been legs unless there are mutant ducks walking around St. Stephen's Green that we don't know about), deep-fried and tossed in Big Fan seasoning. We'd initially asked for a sauce to come with them thinking they might be dry, but we were very wrong. These bad boys are so good you won't want to dilute the flavour with anything. The juiciness, the spice mix, the crispy bits - we haven't seen or eaten anything like this in the city before, and that goes for a lot of the menu here. We'd surprised ourselves by falling hard for the cheeseburger spring rolls at Hawker, so when we saw that Big Fan had put cheeseburger jiaozi on the menu it was only going to end one way - in our mouths. Once again a restaurant has managed to take a processed, corporate (albeit delicious) piece of fast food and morph it into something we feel much better about eating, complete with burger sauce and gherkins. It might sound easy but it's so hard to get right, and again here they've nailed it. A few more of these inventions and we'll be able to write a piece on "where to eat a cheeseburger when you don't want to eat a cheeseburger". Cheeseburger salad? Cheeseburger sushi? The options are endless. Last for the ones we loved was the 'Legend of the Ox' - a juicy beef shin ball wrapped in kataifi pastry on a bed of sweet soy mushrooms. The meat was juicy, the pastry crispy, and the soy mushrooms were the umami bed it was all wrapped up in. Another really excellent, different plate of food. We'd ordered the 'Black Dragon' bao - who could resist the promise of Irish lobster tail and Wagyu beef on a squid ink bun - but it wasn't what we were expecting, and we initially thought they'd brought the wrong dish. The bao came as a flat rectangle which had been deep-fried (leaving it greasy), as was the lobster tail, and everything combined just felt too rich and unbalanced. Big talk, unfortunately didn't deliver for us. Prawn toast was perfectly good but no better than most other good Chinese restaurants, and after the plates that had come before we were expecting something more exciting. The pineapple salsa was a bit underwhelming, and serving it on the plate with the toast caused them to get soggy bottoms - not a good look, or texture. The most disappointing was the Taiwanese fried chicken with Big Fan chilli sauce. The outside wasn't crunchy, the chicken tasted wooly (no mention of provenance or free-range, which was strange considering the other Irish producers name-checked), and the sauce was all heat and not much else. Our mouths were burning uncomfortably for about 5 minutes afterwards, at which point we realised we'd never been brought any water - that was a speedy run to the desk. There were so many more dishes we wanted to try (the pork kou rou, cucumber jelly fish salad, what will their chicken balls and rice be like!?), but we were defeated, except for the obligatory part of the stomach that saves itself for dessert. There are two non vegan options - deep-fried mantou (dough) with coconut condensed milk, and a coconut and mango parfait. We went for the latter, thinking that anything else deep-fried might push us over the edge, and the parfait was perfect. Light, cooling, creamy and fruity, it was like a delicious digestif in dessert form. What about the drinks? It's a simple list but well thought out. There's a small selection of wine on tap (we liked the Lo Pateret orange, also in Sprezzatura up the road), a sake, a few cocktails (some with sake, Sichuan pepper and pandan leaf) and a nice selection of beers. This isn't somewhere you're going to be drinking vintage champagne or top shelf cognac and it's all the better for it. There's also kefir and kombucha for the non-drinkers/drivers. What about the service? Staff were lovely and very welcoming, but service was quite loose. We had to get out of our seats several times to ask for water, napkins, drinks, and they're weren't at full capacity. They've clearly hired (successfully) for personality, but the ship could be run a bit tighter (which to be fair is a far easier fix than if you had unlovely, unwelcoming staff). And the damage? €104.08 for eight plates of food and four drinks, which felt like very good value. We would have been full with less. The verdict? When Big Fan hits its mark it's startlingly good. For a good portion of the meal we sat there shaking our heads at the creativity, flavour and sheer originality of what we were eating. There are bags of potential here, despite every dish not being a home run (yet). We'd like to go back and put another eight dishes through their paces, and the taste memories of the knockout ones ensures it's on the return list. There's nowhere in the city quite like Big Fan, it really does feel different and innovative, and you get the sense they're not going to be sitting back and phoning it in any time soon. We'd hedge our bets that there's a lot more to come from these guys. Big Fan 16 Aungier Street, Dublin 2 bigfan.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Aobaba Obsession-worthy banh cuon on Capel Street Posted: 12 Dec 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? A few weeks ago we asked on Instagram what people's favourite cheap eats in Dublin were, and Vietnamese Aobaba on Capel Street came up quite a few times, with much enthusiasm from the recommenders. More than once we heard "this is my favourite place to eat in Dublin", and we were given various tips on what to order when we went. After a bit of investigation we found out that it opened in 2012, and is connected to four other Aobaba's in London. It's had nothing but positive reviews since then on various Dublin-based websites and blogs, but funnily enough, it doesn't seem to have come to the attention of any of the national restaurant critics, something we'd like to see rectified. Where should we go for a drink first? We're big fans of McNeill's pub, just down the road, with their consistently warm welcome and nightly trad music. It feels a bit like stepping back in time, and we've heard the Guinness is very good (the gin is too). There are plenty of other pubs on Capel Street like Slattery's and The Boar's Head, and Panti Bar is a bit of fun if you fancy a 90's style, super-sweet cocktail served by flamboyant bartenders. Where should we sit? It's pretty cosy in here. There a few four top tables, which you will definitely be sharing if there aren't four of you, a counter at the wall to the right and another facing out onto Capel Street. That would be our preference for the people watching, but it was so packed when we visited that we just had to take whatever we could find. What's good to eat? Since eating here we developed a complete obsession with Banh Cuon - Vietnamese steamed rice rolls filled with pork, mushrooms and shallots, with a fish sauce based dip. They have the strangest, gelatinous texture, but are one of the best things we've eaten this year. What we could have done without was the sheets of plasticy, ultra-processed pork that came with them, but next time we'd ask them to leave them off and save the food waste. If that's your thing, go nuts. We're big fans of Bun Cha, the cold noodle dish, with vegetables, herbs and peanuts, topped with meat, prawns or spring rolls, and served with a sauce to either dip in or pour over (we prefer the latter). Aobaba's is the best we've had in Dublin. Perfectly crispy spring rolls packed with flavour, on a really well balanced base of noodles, vegetables and herbs, and the accompanying sauce brought it all together incredibly well. A 'happy pancake', or Banh Xeo was also good, but we think Pho Viet 's on Parnell Street is better. The rice flour and coconut milk batter pancake was crispy with good flavour, but was a bit lacking in the filling of pork, prawns, beansprouts and other vegetables. It was also missing the traditional lettuce leaves and mass of herbs are usually used to wrap up pieces of pancake before dipping it into sauce. We asked for herbs, and at first they said no, then they brought some. That was the only surprising (and disappointing) thing about Aobaba. The norm in Vietnamese restaurants is to provide an abundance of fresh herbs to mix into or eat with your food. We were recommended to try the special Pho with beef, pork, chicken, tofu and prawn, and it was huge with a really flavoursome broth. It was a great example of Pho, but as always happens in these situations we find ourselves wondering about the provenance of the meat. Some of the beef was quite fatty, and we didn't see any descriptions denoting free-range anything, so it's probably safe to assume that it's not. Aobaba is very cheap, the bill for an enormous amount of food for two people came to €29, with a tonne of leftovers to bring home, and obviously with more ethically sourced meat the prices would rise, so unfortunately this is often the trade off for cheap food. We would have happily paid a few more euro per dish for free-range anything, but they obviously feel that cheaper prices are more important to their customers. What about the drinks? There are a tonne of drinks to choose from, like iced teas, milk teas, bubble teas and Vietnamese cofee, but no alcohol, and they don't do BYO. They probably don't want people hanging around as space is so limited. And the service? Ranged from sweet and smiling to brusque and barking with a side of eye-rolling, depending on who you got. You order and pay at the counter and then they bring the food to you when it's ready. The wait was only around 5 minutes, and they're clearly operating a tightly run ship. Take away boxes to bring home leftovers are 30c each - or save plastic and bring your own if you have a habit of over-ordering like we do. The verdict? This is currently in the lead for our favourite Vietnamese in the city. Despite a few flaws, the food is of a seriously high quality, and it's great value. Prepare to wait for a seat as it always seems to be jammed, and don't leave without trying those addictive Banh Cuon. Aobaba 46A Capel Street, Dublin 1 aobaba.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Tables at Liath were already some of the hardest to get in Dublin, and Michelin awarding them a second star in the 2022 hasn't helped things. They got their first star as Heron & Grey in 2016, but when owner Andrew Heron departed two years later, owner/chef Damien Grey announced a name change to 'Liath' - 'grey' in Irish, and took things up a gear. Reservations open two months in advance and you’ll need to be primed and ready to get a table. Liath Website liathrestaurant.com Address Blackrock Market, 19A Main St, Blackrock, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Tables at Liath were already some of the hardest to get in Dublin, and Michelin awarding them a second star in the 2022 hasn't helped things. They got their first star as Heron & Grey in 2016, but when owner Andrew Heron departed two years later, owner/chef Damien Grey announced a name change to 'Liath' - 'grey' in Irish, and took things up a gear. Reservations open two months in advance and you’ll need to be primed and ready to get a table. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Nan Chinese A taste of East China in a great space for groups Posted: 10 Jan 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What's the story? Nan Chinese is a new opening from the team that previously brought us Stoneybatter success story Hakkahan and Double Happy takeaway in Rathfarnham. It hones in on Huaiyang cuisine - one of the “four great traditions” of Chinese gastronomy, and has a menu built around a selection of the main regional specialties. The kitchen team has been largely parachuted in directly from East China, and they say they're dedicated to serving up an authentic taste of a part of the world not currently represented in Dublin's food scene. Considering how much Hakkahan impressed us with its top-tier take on Sichuan cuisine - one of the most familiar of the Chinese culinary traditions to Irish palates - we were very curious to see what fresh new flavours Nan might bring to the city. Where should I go for a drink first? If you’re after wine, Nan is just a short stroll from Loose Canon or a slightly longer one from Frank’s : both have a great by-the-glass range to while away however long you’ve got. On the cocktail front, Drury Buildings and El Silencio are each a stone’s throw away and awash with great drinks; you could stick to the Chinese theme and start off in Hang Dai’s Gold Bar . Where should we sit? The room has been completely overhauled since the time of the last tenant, much-missed late-night café Accents, with low overhead lighting casting a welcoming glow across the tan leather seating and dusky pink walls fitted out with simple Chinese city maps. Apart from a pair of window tables up front with good people-watching potential onto Stephen Street, there’s not much difference between the two-and four-top tables spread comfortably throughout the space, flanked by soft cotton drapes and low hanging lights. There’s also a private dining space downstairs, with a grand chandelier-illuminated circular table that can seat up to twelve - perfect for your next group gettogether. What did you eat? Too much, most likely, but Nan has a broad and far-reaching menu that it’s hard not to want to get a wide selection from: bringing along a group is definitely recommended. We started off with soup dumplings because we can never say no to them, and here the paper-thin casing hides a delicately-flavoured pork broth and meat - a short and sharp umami hit and a welcome warm escape from the January cold. Next up, a minced pork meatball in broth had a surprisingly soft texture, with meltingly tender meat yielding under the lightest pressure and almost dissolving in the mouth. The sad, stray little mushroom and bok choi left swimming in the broth didn’t bring much flavour though - this isn’t the kind of leftover liquid any table is likely to come to blows over. More pork next - can you tell it's a speciality - in the form of the Shengjian bao. (We had meant to order these and forgot, but we'd been busted and then they arrived to the table FOC because we "had to try"). These plump little buns are pan-fried for a perfectly crisp bottom that complements the airy lightness of the dough, and inside, little discs of ground meat show off more of that tender pork texture. If you're opting for just one starter, this is the way to go. The Nanjing salted duck was one of the dishes the owners most keenly recommended as a particular regional delicacy, and one the servers took extra care to ensure we knew would be coming out cold - while the mostly Chinese diners in at the same time as us seemed to be going straight for this one, there’s clearly a fear that Irish tastes might not take to cold meat on the bone. It’s a uniquely-textured dish with the cooked and cooled duck notably less firm than more familiar servings after its salt treatment, but we found this a mixed bag. As the centrepiece of a salad this preparation could work really well; just served sliced in admittedly generous mounds, it can tend to taste a little one-note. Worth a shared plate among friends for a chance to give it a go, but again don’t expect arguments over who gets the last piece. “Lion’s head” meatballs are one of Huaiyang cuisine’s classic exports, and come with salted egg yolk inside, bathed in brown sauce (an oyster, soy and beef broth reduction, not your childhood Chef bottle). The yolk has a soy-cured character and almost grainy texture that plays well against the sweet softness of the meat, while the sauce is so thick it’s a race to lap it all up before it congeals. Near-raw broccoli brings a pop of colour if nothing else - the one bum note in an impressive plate. Seafood features heavily across the menu and we were disappointed to find no lobster on the night despite a dedicated section in the menu, so we made our peace with a pair of fish dishes instead. Stir-fried turbot came first, cooked with asparagus and bell peppers in a garlic chili sauce. It’s a well-presented plate framed with crispy fried noodles, which add needed crunch, even if they’re a little too tricky to get your chopsticks round. You won’t often see turbot on a Chinese menu in Dublin: we’re pleased to report this is one of the more interesting uses of the high-end fish we’ve seen in some time, although the chilli seemed to be more sweet than spicy. The deep-fried sweet and sour seabass is plainly the standout visual presentation in the place - more than one of our fellow diners almost pulled a muscle craning to get a look at the plate as it came our way. The deep-frying gives the skin a crispy kick, shattering on first bite and melting into the bright red sauce. It’s a great first mouthful, albeit a dish we couldn’t imagine anyone eating all to themselves - like a lot of the food at Nan, this is probably best shared amongst a crowd. On the side, we had a serving of claypot green beans with spicy mixed pork and a portion of Yangzhou fried rice. The egg, pea, and prawn-laden grains weren’t wildly distinct from anything you’ll get across town, and a little over-priced in our opinion at €18, but the green beans had us all clashing chopsticks for more, with the balance of fresh veg crunch, chili spice punch and a little hint of sweetness from whole roast garlic cloves. Like the rice, this is a dish you can find all over Dublin, but Nan's shows off the skill of this kitchen and this is something we would order every time. By this point we didn't have much room left for dessert, but we'd been told we had to try one of the sweet soups for dessert, and again it was brought by management FOC. The pumpkin and sweet wine soup with sesame rice balls is a light finisher after all the savoury plates, with a deep, mellow earthiness from the stewed pumpkin, with stringy flesh floating throughout just a little off-putting. The sesame balls are the star of the show, rich bursts of nutty flavour that leave you wanting more, no matter how full you might be. What about the drinks? The wine menu is serviceable and unspectacular, with a reasonable price range to suit most budgets. We started with the Le Comtesse sparkling rosé, whose strawberry notes held up well against the tender pork plates. A Vickery Watervale Riesling followed, with a crisp, off-dry acidity that handled the spicier mains nicely. Beer options are decent with some craft choices, and likely to be a popular choice. How was the service? Attentive and friendly, with no issues catching an eye whenever we needed anything, but a little trouble confirming exactly which wine we wanted - a little more training on the list might be needed. We ordered everything together and the arrival of dishes was well-paced, with welcome breathing space left between each wave, but never so much that we started looking around us. Staff are very happy to help you make the difficult call on what you want, but be sure to say you want a traditional taste, as a few (mostly chicken) dishes have been added to cater to the less adventurous Irish eaters. What was the damage? Around €75 a head with two bottles of wine between three, but as you can see we over ordered. They do have take away containers if you want to do the same and take some home. The verdict? The latest, welcome addition to the growing roster of quality Chinese restaurants in Dublin, Nan shines a spotlight on a lesser-seen cuisine with a diverse selection of dishes and simple, confident cooking. The flavours aren't as in your face as some other Chinese cuisines, but the whole concept of Huaiyang is supposed to be softly flavoured, simple and sophisticated. Its soft lighting and low-key background music make it an ideal choice for casual catchups, especially with friend groups who are happy to pass plates back and forth, but currently veggie options are thin on the ground - with two of the three dishes in the “vegetables” section not even meat-free, this might not be the best option if your group isn’t all sworn omnivores. Nan Chinese Unit 1, Drury Hall, Stephen Street Lower, Dublin 2 www.nanchinese.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Seasonal Irish deli and sandwich shop Tír takes food sourcing and supplier relationships to another level, with organic veg from Kildare, free-range pork from Carlow, and Donabate Dexter beef some of their choice ingredients. Meaning ‘country’ or ‘land’, Tír’s food is based on three core values - deliciousness, Irishness and sustainability, and they achieve the first through wood-fired cooking, fermentation, pickling, ageing, roasting and curing. The menu changes with the seasons and you can’t pick badly. Tír Website tirfood.ie Address Station Building, Unit 4, The, Hatch Street Upper, Saint Kevin's, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Seasonal Irish deli and sandwich shop Tír takes food sourcing and supplier relationships to another level, with organic veg from Kildare, free-range pork from Carlow, and Donabate Dexter beef some of their choice ingredients. Meaning ‘country’ or ‘land’, Tír’s food is based on three core values - deliciousness, Irishness and sustainability, and they achieve the first through wood-fired cooking, fermentation, pickling, ageing, roasting and curing. The menu changes with the seasons and you can’t pick badly. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

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 >>

Bar Italia God-tier Carbonana, Roman-style pizza, and very special specials Posted: 7 Feb 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Bar Italia? Bar Italia opened in 2000, and has always been known as a reliable Italian around town, somewhere to lay down the shopping bags and refuel with a plate of pasta and a glass of wine, but it wasn't setting food messaging groups alight with chatter. This is a kitchen that must have seen many personnel changes over the years, but before Covid changed everything for all of us, owner David Izzo (formerly of the Dunne & Cresenzi group who also had a stake in the restaurant until a few years ago) convinced a childhood chef friend from Rome to move to Dublin and take over operations. He brought a predominantly Roman crew with him, and Bar Italia changed from a general Italian, to one focused on Roman cooking above all else, and we love a niche. While the timing of Covid couldn't have been worse, they used the time to practice and perfect a new menu, and o ne of the biggest changes has been to their pizza, or as they're called in Rome, 'Pinsa'. They claim to be the first in Ireland to make a 72-hour fermented dough from a blend of wheat, soya, and rice flour, and the result is thin, light and perfectly chewy. Pasta is handmade too, and word started getting around that their Carbonara could rival any in the Centro Storico. When we've talked to people about it post visit we often heard, "I wouldn't have thought of going there", so we're here to tell you why you should. Where's good for a drink first? The Clarence Hotel 's recently opened cocktail bar The Curious Mister is just a four minute walk away if that's what you're after. For a pint we love J McNeill's on Capel Street (hopefully you'll stumble on a trad session), and for wine they do a decent by the glass list in Wallace's across the way. (c) The Curious Mister Where should we sit? The dining room has had a big revamp over the past few years, and what was formerly a bit fusty and old-fashioned, is now all clean lines and contemporary design. Dark wood, yellow walls and antique chandeliers are out. Black walls, gold light fittings and tan banquettes are in. We'd rate this as one of the nicest dining rooms in the city right now, and we're using their pics instead of our covert ones, because it actually is this impressive in real life. (c) Bar Italia There are four counter seats up front if you're dining solo and don't want a table to yourself, otherwise we'd ask for a banquette. The views of Milennium Bridge and Temple Bar out of the large windows spanning one side of the room are quite lovely, but there are no seats to avoid. (c) Bar Italia There's also a lower level (the Graham Knuttel room) that can be booked for groups of up to 37. No surprise that the Irish artist's paintings cover the walls, and it's definitely got a cosy, hidden away vibe. What did you eat? We went once, were hit by a thunderbolt, and had to go back a second time before telling you about it. On the basis of two visits, we've come to the conclusion that you can't pick badly in here. The daily specials are as integral to Bar Italia as the à la carte, with at least eight additional options (many pop up again and again). Each sounds better than the last so it's likely you'll just want to order from these, but we tried to do a bit of both, and here's a brief(ish) summary. Starters mainly involve bruschetta and antipasti, or you can order a basket of bread and grissini and make the most of the top quality olive oil and balsamic on offer. Bruschetta with fresh Irish calamari was a piece of chargrilled La Levain sourdough, topped with tender pieces of squid in a tangy San Marzano tomato sauce, and if fresh fish ain't your dish you can choose from tomato and basil, burrata or proscuitto. A special of fresh, wild Atlantic scallops came on mini pinsas with a puttanesca sauce on top and basil oil dotted around, and the flavour of the mini pizza, the scallop and the sauce were so individually striking, without any overtaking the other. If you see this, order it. For antipasti you can have a whole, oozing, creamy burrata wrapped in 24-month cured parma ham (sourdough on the side), or an antipasti mixto with capocollo, truffle salami, culatello ham, caprese lollipos, house grilled veg, and more sourdough bread (a great order "for the table"). We wondered where they were going to get tomatoes with flavour in the middle of winter, but they're using a sun-blushed version which are low on water, big on taste. Handmade pasta is one of the main reasons to come here, and if you order one thing, please make it the Carbonara. Does a better one exist in the country? We'll need convincing. Despressingly staff told us that when diners order it they have to ask if they've had it before, and tee them up for the pepper, pecorino and guanciale explosion that's coming, as opposed to the sloppy, creamy, flavourless mound they might be used to. This is God tier food, and our Italian waitress told us that even in Rome, finding one this good can be tricky. If you see a truffle special in Bar Italia, you should order that too, because they don't skimp on the truffle. We tried a special of egg fettucine with parmesan cream and freshly grated black truffle, and it was just as extra as the carbonara - this isn't somewhere to take anyone who's always counting calories. On another visit we tried the strozzapreti with seafood (Roaring Water Bay mussels, tiger prawns, fresh squid, sea-bass ragout and Sicilian cherry tomatoes), and while the flavour of the sauce was everything you would want in a seafood pasta, we were disappointed to only find one prawn in the dish. Maybe an oversight. The rest was glisteningly fresh. For pinsa there are eight options including all the usuals like 'Margherita', 'Marinara' and 'Norcina' with housemade pork sausage, but a special of 'Ariccia' with house-roasted porchetta, scazmorza cheese and cacio e pepe cream was jumping off the page shouting "pick me!" And oh were we glad we did. It was a mountain of meat and cheese, ideal for sharing amongst a group - if eating alone you'll probably need to go straight to bed off the back of it - and the flavours were of the level that everyone just shuts up and says nothing while eating it, save for the occasional groan of pleasure. Another dish that doesn't appear on the à la carte but regularly does on the specials, is their gigantic, flat bowl of risotto - heads turn when this is brought to table. When we visited it was Delica pumpkin cream, Gorgonzola fondue, culatello lardons (these should be more of a thing), and finished with truffle gouda. It could have been warmer, but Caligula would have approved. Desserts are limited to a few options, and our top pick is the Limoncello baba, soaked to optimum levels in the Italian liquer, and filled with Limoncello cream and whipped cream, with a Marashino cherry on top. Stick a fork in us, we're done. Panna cotta is very good too, and comes with a choice of a berry or coffee topping, and a chocolate cake with salted caramel inside and vanilla ice-cream on top is the chocolate lover's end to a meal, but it's heavy and we didn't find it too interesting. There's tiramisu too which we didn't try but would expect to be good based on everything else, and coffee is very good. What about the drinks? They know how to do aperitivo in here, and both a limoncello spritz and a basilico spritz (with housemade basil liquor) were as good as you'd find on any Italian terrace. The wine list is wide and deep, with all the big Italian hitters, and several having different vintage options. Bottles start at €25 but you can go as high as your wallet allows. Despite the breadth of the bottle list we found the by the glass list dull on both occasions, with too many commercial brands, and several wines that weren't at their best. Service however was great, with staff bringing us tasters and even opening a different vintage of one wine in the hope that it would have a bit more life to it (it did). On our second visit they had a 2009 Ciro Rosso from Librandi on as a pairing for the porchetta pizza for €12 a glass, which was delicious and a relative steal, so we think the wines on the specials menu are probably the way to go. How was the service? Very charming. Almost everyone who served us was Italian and delighted to talk about the dishes, the kitchen, and how they operate. Owner David works the room too, checking in on regulars and new faces, asking what people think of the food and stopping to chat with anyone wanting to know more about their pinsa/pasta/panzerotti. Staff went out of their way for us several times, and we saw them doing the same for other tables. You'll be well looked after here. And the damage? Our two meals were a mish mash of starters, mains and desserts, and we didn't get into the wine list properly, but we reckon you're looking at €65-€70 a head to go all in with three courses and a decent bottle of wine, but you can just stop in for a pizza and a glass to for around €30. It's not a cheap dining option, but it's somewhere you get what you pay for. What's the verdict? After visiting we were torn between wishing we'd gone sooner, and being happy we held back, because Bar Italia is probably the most exciting it's been right now. They don't need this write up, they're packed at lunch and dinner, and after visiting you'll see why. Bar Italia 26 lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 baritalia.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Tucked away at the back of casual sushi stop, Kokoro Sushi Bento on South William Street, The Ramen Bar is always reliable, and always busy. Hot, steaming bowls of broth and noodles with a good selection of ingredients and options to customise, and there's 19 different bowls to choose from. The Ramen Bar Website theramenbar.ie Address 51 William Street South, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Tucked away at the back of casual sushi stop, Kokoro Sushi Bento on South William Street, The Ramen Bar is always reliable, and always busy. Hot, steaming bowls of broth and noodles with a good selection of ingredients and options to customise, and there's 19 different bowls to choose from. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

From the same stable as Dillinger’s and 777, The Butcher Grill in Ranelagh does exactly what it says on the tin. Steak is the headliner in here, but you'll find seafood and small plates too, and the Sunday roast is worth booking in for. Choose between beef, chicken or pork, all served with Yorkshire puddings, duck fat roasties, gravy, stuffing, peas and carrots. The Butcher Grill Website thebutchergrill.ie Address 92 Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story From the same stable as Dillinger’s and 777, The Butcher Grill in Ranelagh does exactly what it says on the tin. Steak is the headliner in here, but you'll find seafood and small plates too, and the Sunday roast is worth booking in for. Choose between beef, chicken or pork, all served with Yorkshire puddings, duck fat roasties, gravy, stuffing, peas and carrots. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Neighbourhood pizza as it should be: equal parts authentic and eccentric. Named after the nondescript little Smithfield alley out behind Frank Ryan’s pub where it originally set up stall in 2017, Coke Lane has steadily progressed to bigger and better things since opening in 2017, now serving up its wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas in two D8 sites: The Circular in Rialto and Lucky’s in the Liberties. Founder Dave Holmes brings vocational zeal to his work with irresistibly airy sourdough crusts, delicious home-made chilli honey and sophisticatedly simple flavour pairings designed to appeal to all palates. It's a particular hit with vegetarians, with half the menu meat-free. Coke Lane at Lucky's Website cokelanepizza.ie Address Lucky's, 78 Meath Street, The Liberties, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Neighbourhood pizza as it should be: equal parts authentic and eccentric. Named after the nondescript little Smithfield alley out behind Frank Ryan’s pub where it originally set up stall in 2017, Coke Lane has steadily progressed to bigger and better things since opening in 2017, now serving up its wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas in two D8 sites: The Circular in Rialto and Lucky’s in the Liberties. Founder Dave Holmes brings vocational zeal to his work with irresistibly airy sourdough crusts, delicious home-made chilli honey and sophisticatedly simple flavour pairings designed to appeal to all palates. It's a particular hit with vegetarians, with half the menu meat-free. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

A steak house for the Tiktok generation, with an industrial fit out and casual dining prices. Neon slogans invite diners to "gather the herd" for sharing steaks, double smash burgers, and sides like truffle and parmesan fries, onion strings and mac n'cheese. Bovinity Website bovinity.ie Address 123 Capel Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story A steak house for the Tiktok generation, with an industrial fit out and casual dining prices. Neon slogans invite diners to "gather the herd" for sharing steaks, double smash burgers, and sides like truffle and parmesan fries, onion strings and mac n'cheese. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Walk through the door of this Lebanese restaurant in The Liberties and it feels like you could have walked in off a Beirut side street. Stone arches, a mosaic ceiling, and Arabic lighting set the Middle Eastern scene, while the three mixed ‘mezzas’ are the perfect way to get a taste of their hummus, arayes, falafel and more. Prices are in the bargain category and they offer free corkage (yes free), so meals out of this quality don’t get much cheaper. Don’t miss the fattoush salad with crispy bread and pomegranate molasses. Fayrouz Website fayrouzrestaurant.com Address 117 Cork Street, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Walk through the door of this Lebanese restaurant in The Liberties and it feels like you could have walked in off a Beirut side street. Stone arches, a mosaic ceiling, and Arabic lighting set the Middle Eastern scene, while the three mixed ‘mezzas’ are the perfect way to get a taste of their hummus, arayes, falafel and more. Prices are in the bargain category and they offer free corkage (yes free), so meals out of this quality don’t get much cheaper. Don’t miss the fattoush salad with crispy bread and pomegranate molasses. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Named after the famous government-run canteen in Delhi, Andhra Bhavan has been struggling to keep up with demand since bringing their dosas, idli and uttapams to Marlborough Street. The restaurant focuses on Southern Indian cuisine with no shortcuts, but the extensive menu occasionally dipping into other areas too. The tables are crammed together, the noise levels are high, and the flavours are next level. The value for money here is among the best in the city too. Andhra Bhavan Website andhrabhavan.ie Address Andhra Bhavan, Marlborough Place, North City, Dublin 1, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Named after the famous government-run canteen in Delhi, Andhra Bhavan has been struggling to keep up with demand since bringing their dosas, idli and uttapams to Marlborough Street. The restaurant focuses on Southern Indian cuisine with no shortcuts, but the extensive menu occasionally dipping into other areas too. The tables are crammed together, the noise levels are high, and the flavours are next level. The value for money here is among the best in the city too. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Chapter One By Mickael Viljanen - The Tasting Menu Chapter One's tasting menu - Is it worth €170? Posted: 4 May 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope Why are you reviewing Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen again? Deftly spotted. We came here back in September shortly after they opened to try the €65 lunch menu (which we said you DESERVE to treat yourself to), but this time we went full steam ahead with the dinner tasting menu. This review wasn't planned, but as the plates started coming out, we realised you also deserved to hear about this one. We're not going to run through the background on everything again as you can read that here - this is purely about the tasting menu and whether it's worth the serious splurge. €170 a head on food is mad money to most people, and there are probably members of your family who would think you'd lost the plot handing that over for dinner, but if you're reading this you're probably of a different disposition, and while it's still a considerable chunk of change, most of us would probably spend it if it was going to be worth it. So is it? What's the story with the tasting menu? You can do it at lunch or at dinner. Lunch is a "surprise" tasting menu for €135. At dinner you actually see what you're getting for €170, and we always like to know what's coming - half the fun is in the anticipation. There's a wine pairing for €105 a head, or a "sommelier's selection" for €280 a head. More on those later. We recommend a cocktail or a glass of Champagne in the lovely bar area while you pour over what's going to come over the next 3-4 hours. Can we get down to the good stuff already? Sure. You'll start with canapés, four or five depending on the day and what the chef has dreamt up the night before when he should have been sleeping. The iconic (zero exaggeration) first bite of borscht has morphed into a pea soup in that cocoa butter shell, with jamon iberico on top. You know that really annoying critic phrase when they say something tasted "intensely of itself"? That. These were peas on overload. Then a Flaggy Shore oyster tart, in the crispest shell, with all of the oyster flavour, none of the slime. Next the chef brought out a bowl with a blow-torched piece of red mullet sitting in it, and a teapot of 'Aigo Sau', which is like a clarified bouillabaisse. In it went on top, with instructions to leave it for approximately eight seconds and it would be perfectly cooked - cue the longest eight seconds of your life, with an outrageously good payoff. There was also a crunchy, punchy celeriac and preserved lemon 'taco', a variation of which has been on from the start. "Siri, show me hedonism in food form." "How about this fried brioche stuffed with crème fraîche and pike roe, with caviar and edible gold leaf on top?" You could get up and leave after this indecent doughnut and not regret a cent spent. The first 'proper' course of six was a new spin on the chef's famous Foie Gras Royale. A base of custardy foie came with a fragrant, soft camomile jelly, a sharp verjus sorbet, cubes of eel, raisins, edible flowers and other lovely things with clearly alchemical properties. Spoons were dipped, and the conversation went something like: "Oh my God. OH my God. Oh my GOD." "I'm sorry, I can't even hear what you're saying." It's quite possible there was divine intervention on this one. This came with the first bread course (of three) - laminated treacle and Guinness brioche, which is also on the lunch menu and which we've rhapsodized about before . You think you've peaked with the foie, then the hand-dived scallop ceviche comes out, with crème fraîche, horseradish, elderflower vinegar and jalapeño. It's difficult to comprehend how someone can use so many assertive flavours so beautifully balanced, and keep the flavour of every element so vivid, so prepare to spend much of this dish just staring down at your plate and back at your dining partner, with your nose and mouth on sensory overload, and your head hurting from trying to take it all in. Another bread course? If you insist. This time a Japanese milk bread so fluffy you can just pull it apart with your fingers. It doesn't need the perfect butter, but when on Parnell Square... At this stage you'll probably be somewhere between total euphoria and adrenaline surging anticipation for what's to come next. For us it was BBQ Donegal lobster with kari gosse (a curry spice mix), carrot, finger lime, lobster rice and lobster sauce. There are more elements than even this, and when the chef brought the plates he muttered something about cocoa beans/shells, and the caviar and red currants weren't mentioned in the description either. We're guessing that if you put every single part of each dish on the menu it would run to several pages. There's something so joyful about a locally caught lobster and chips, but this is the diametric - lobster the way Kings and Queens might eat it, if they had a mastermind like this in the kitchen (they don't). It's peak lobster, with flavours and textures coming at you from every angle, and you might never have better. And we haven't even mentioned the lobster rice - rich, creamy, fragrant with saffron, and stuffed full of lobster pieces, each dip of your spoon uncovering more treasure. After that it was the other 'main', milk-fed Lozère lamb 'Provençal', with anchovy, ewe's milk and jus gras (like a light gravy). To 'whet your appetite' a tiny lamb-filled doughnut is brought over with a splodge of foie gras to scoop up onto it. After doing what you're told and feeling the flavour of lamb from your head right down to your toes, the main attraction arrives, all sitting under a sweet, dehydrated red pepper cape. Under this lies the pale, milky lamb, asparagus and artichoke, and where previously we would have been up on rooftops shouting that Irish lamb is the best, now we're not so sure. The flavour is delicate and grassy, the meat butter-soft, and as ever in this kitchen, every element around it has a perfect part to play. Oh there's also another bread course here, the house sourdough. You won't need it, but you'll greedily eat it. You'll likely be pretty full by now, so it's definitely time for a pre-dessert. Ours was a mousse laitière (dairy mousse), filled with kombu and citrus and made to look like a clementine or mandarin. The balance between sharpness and creaminess was just right, and it was as beautiful to look at as it was to eat, as well as being an excellent palate-reviver. Then the dessert, 'Tiramisu, Cumin', but there are no trays of mascarpone topped lady fingers around here. It starts with another cocoa butter shell filled with unsweetened coffee, which bursts open in your mouth getting it ready for what's to come, then something resembling a mini-Saturn is put in front of you, and it's hard to ruin the effect, but you must or it will melt. Chocolate, coffee and cream abound, but we didn't get any cumin. It wasn't missed. Lucky for us, we had a coffee hater in the ranks, so the lovely staff offered to substitute the dessert from the four-course menu instead - wild and cultivated strawberries, violet and chartreuse. A picture perfect, bright red ring cracked open to reveal a kind of vivid-tasting strawberry mousse on top of a biscuit base, with a side of violet ice-cream on top of chartreuse jelly. The strawberries don't stop there though. Who doesn't love a dessert in two parts, and we may have gasped when a trolley holding strawberry croissant tarts with edible gold trundled towards us. Staff described it as "breakfast in bed", and it was such a fun (and utterly delicious) addition to the menu, the plump, ripe strawberries cutting through the vanilla crème fraîche and buttery pastry. Shamefully we never took a picture of the petit fours but you'll get three little bites to finish, usually a fruit and two chocolate-based ones. They go perfect with an Irish coffee from another of their famous trolleys. Should I do the wine pairing? If €170 for dinner is a scrimp and save affair, the wine pairing at €105 might push Chapter One into "no can do" territory, so here's our advice. Look at what they're pairing, get one glass for each course and share them. Six - eight glasses of wine and most people would be on their ear anyway, and you need to keep units for an Irish coffee at the end. That will half your wine spend (in or around) and make the bill marginally less painful. If you've got the dough to throw around by all means go for it, but the wine service will be just as attentive whether you're doing the pairing or going à la carte. And the damage? *Deep breaths* - Just under €500 for two, for drinks on arrival, the tasting menu and à la carte wines pairings, and a tip is not included in that. If you do the full wine pairing each it'll be closer to €600. This is a mammoth spend for dinner for most people, and undoubtedly there will be members of your family you will never admit it to, but compared to the tasting menus at Ireland's other two-star restaurants (Aimsir - €210, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud - €225), dare we say it feels like decent value? *waits for rocks to be thrown* The verdict? Is coming here for the two-starred tasting menu a lot of money? Yes. Is it more than most people would ever comprehend spending on a meal out? Also yes. Are we and the average ATF reader most people? No. This experience is not likely to be a regular one in your life (and if it is give us a call, we'd like to be friends). This is an anniversary indulgence, a birthday blowout, a yearly Odyssey through Mickael Viljanen's head, and while we've had many, many disappointing meals in Michelin-starred restaurants for way too much money, feeling sore and stung for weeks afterwards, this is not the story here. This is a tasting menu we want to throw all of our money at, that we feel hashtag blessed to have experienced, and getting a first row seat to the genius taking place within these basement walls might be the best dining experience in the country right now. Is it worth the money? Yes, a hundred times yes, and if you can't face spending it right now, try to get a table at some point this year for that €65 lunch - we guarantee you'll be back. Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen 18-19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1 chapteronerestaurant.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

South Dublin on the sea has plenty of options to keep you happy after a swim or stroll through the character-filled villages of Blackrock and Monkstown. From market stalls to Michelin stars, fresh pasta to French fine dining. Blackrock - Monkstown - Mount Merrion Our Take South Dublin on the sea has plenty of options to keep you happy after a swim or stroll through the character-filled villages of Blackrock and Monkstown. From market stalls to Michelin stars, fresh pasta to French fine dining. Where to Eat 3 Leaves Big Mike's Bresson Camerino Bakery Fable and Stey Fellini's Hatch Coffee Blackrock Liath Little Forest Lobstar Ruchii September That's Amore Volpe Nera

Anywhere that has a note on their website pleasing "please don't ask us for chicken in your pasta" gets the seal of approval from us. Bar Italia does a lot of things really well: house-made pasta, pizza bases that have been been fermented for 72 hours, and some of the best people-watching in the city thanks to floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the Millennium Bridge. Bar Italia Website baritalia.ie Address 26 Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Anywhere that has a note on their website pleasing "please don't ask us for chicken in your pasta" gets the seal of approval from us. Bar Italia does a lot of things really well: house-made pasta, pizza bases that have been been fermented for 72 hours, and some of the best people-watching in the city thanks to floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the Millennium Bridge. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Volpe Nera Barry sun's stunner in the suburbs Posted: 21 Jul 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? When news broke last November that Etto head chef Barry Sun was departing stage left, it was met with shock and surprise from the industry and the Merrion Row restaurant's regulars, but it was short-lived once it transpired that he was opening his own place in Blackrock. We weren't sure what to expect from his first solo outing - Etto's food is somewhere between Irish and Italian, something Sun clearly excels at, but being originally from China would we see more Asian influences when he went it alone? The original menu looked very much in tune with Etto's Mediterranean sensibility, with a couple of well-placed Asian touches, like oysters with chilli oil and mushroom dumplings in an aged soya broth, and after a PR-fuelled blaze of publicity the critics descended one after the other. Reports were glowing, locals were flocking, and all was right with the restaurant world. Then 'you know what' happened (cue: Doomsday music). They were quick to launch Volpe Nera at home, which was one of our favourite lockdown food experiences , so we knew where we were heading once restaurants reopened. Where should we sit? Originally the restaurant was a 50-seater spread over two floors, with table and bar seating, but some of the tables have been taken out and the bar seating is now gone, so we'd estimate it to be more of a 28-30 seater. Both floors feel snug and intimate, and though the grey palette probably won't be to everyone's taste, we found it quite calming. There's slightly more action downstairs where you can see into the kitchen each time the door opens, but upstairs feels a bit more private if you want to have a 'D and M'. What's the food like? If you love Etto (does anyone not love Etto?) you'll love Volpe Nera, as the underlying sensibility around ingredients and how they're put together (with taste as the number one priority) is very similar. There are lots of familiar looking dishes on the menu, so much like Mamó felt like Etto by the sea, Volpe Nera feels like Etto in the suburbs - and there are few greater compliments. Our favourite menus start with snacks (any excuse to order more food) and there's five to choose from here, including bread and cep mushroom butter ( we had it , you need to), oysters, smoked almonds and olives. We went for the salted hake and preserved lemon croquettes (is there a more perfect summer snack?) and the unusual sounding Ossocollo Reale al Brulé, which is a type of cured meat made from the neck of the pig. A light hand with a little olive oil and lemon dressing took the delicate, silky meat to the next level, with the house pickles ideal for cutting through the fat. We're not sure what they did to make the chargrilled crostini with olive oil taste so much better than any other chargrilled bread we've had before, but we've made it our mission to find out. The stracciatella in Etto has always been a city benchmark for how the Italian soft, stringy cheese should taste, so we couldn't resist it on the menu here. Sun serves his with in-season tomatoes, including a slice of pineapple tomato underneath, basil (fresh and oil), balsamic pearls and crunchy discs of bread, and it's about as perfect a summer plate of food as you can imagine. There's a new stracciatella contender in town. Our other starter has become something of a Volpe Nera signature (read: take it off the menu at your peril lads), and is the main dish showing Sun's Chinese background (we're quietly hopeful there will be more from this canon over time). Handmade mushroom dumplings come in an aged soya broth with pickled fennel and lovage, and if you're a fan of umami in high doses, this needs to go on your must-try list. You'll be tasting it for days afterwards. For mains we'd been ooohing over the spinach and ricotta malfatti (dumplings, whose name means 'badly formed') in various incarnations since the opening menu, and on the night we were there it came with confit egg yolk, courgette gremolata, pine nuts and sage. It lived up to its billing, and while the dumplings are dense, the vinegary diced courgette, crunchy pine nuts and silky egg yolk made this dish worth the months of waiting and thinking about it. Our other main was sucking pig with morcilla, braised endive and romesco, and while meat and veg dishes can all too often be all too boring, this was in a league of its own. If we could cook pork like this at home - pink and perfectly tender - we might never go out again, with the vegetables just cooked, and the morcilla and smoky, nutty romesco adding welcome interest to the plate. Desserts were enjoyable but slightly less exciting than what had come before. A Granny Smith sponge came with dehydrated apple slices and Calvados ice-cream, and another of poached peach came with roast white chocolate, pistachio and PX sherry. They were both perfectly nice dishes, but you get the feeling that this chef's passion lies more in savoury than in sweet. What about the drinks? The pre-dinner drinks list is excellent, which is a good thing as you won't be going to a pub beforehand. Vermouth and soda, white port and tonic and five different types of sherry all feature, as well as Bellinis and Kir Royales. The wine list is very nicely curated with plenty we wanted to drink on there, like Blankbottle's Moment of Silence, Rijckaert's Jura Savagnin, and Raul Perez' Ultreia St Jacques Mencia, but we would have liked to see a few more interesting options by the glass - presumably they're catering for the local market. We tried the Saint-Veran Chardonnay from Domaine Simonin and the Albarino from Bodegas Alto De Torono, and both were lovely - the Saint-Veran in particular was dynamite with the cured meat and pickles at the start. They also serve Fritz-Muller's very drinkable non-alcoholic Riesling if you're driving from across the city and don't want to be left out. And the service? Staff were all masked, but it had no bearing on their warmth and hospitality, and it's amazing how quickly you forget about them. The lack of loud music probably helped too, as we had no difficulty hearing anyone or communicating back and forth. Food was perfectly paced and we never felt in a rush to move (although presumably if there had been someone waiting for our table we would have known about it). This feels like an operation that's very much together, and when a waitress mortifyingly managed to drop a load of plates on the floor, it was met with humour and sympathy as opposed to any type of scolding. The verdict? Stick Volpe Nera on your bucket list, and make it a point to get here fast. The city is in a very strange place right now, and while the suburbs may appear to be holding up better than the city centre, this is exactly the type of place we want to survive the coming months and spiral ever upwards once things (eventually) get back to normal. We are eminently envious of anyone who has this as their new neighbourhood restaurant, but it's one of those rare ones which makes driving from the other side of the city completely worth the effort. Volpe Nera 22 Newtown Park, Newtownpark, Blackrock, Co. Dublin volpenera.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Daddy's Brunch in a pub has never been this good Posted: 10 Mar 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Last December, the team behind Lucky's on Meath Street opened a new multi-purpose venue in a neighbourhood that really needed it - Rialto. The Circular is the pub part, serving craft beer and pizza from Coke Lane with a "beer yard" out the back (yet to be seen), and at the front is Daddy's - the bright, vintage style pink-toned café. Daddy's serves breakfast, lunch and 'early dinner' during the week, with brunch on weekends, and very quickly locals (and those from farther afield) were singing the praises of their Turkish Eggs, savoury tarts and the nostalgia inducing 'mashed eggs in a cup'. The suppliers list is impressive, with O'Neill's bacon, Annascaul black and white pudding, organic free-range eggs and Tartine bread and pastries, and there's a cabinet in front where you can buy many of the same ingredients to take home. If you're planning on rocking up to do a bit of work, be aware that they only allow laptops in the café part at the front, and on a separate visit, another member of the ATF team felt staff were a bit snippy when she asked if she could move into the main room with hers. Sounds like it's a bit of a sore spot. What else is around? If you're in this neck of the woods you've got to pay a visit to The Bakery by The Cupcake Bloke , to stock up on almond and honey, lemon and raspberry and oreo cupcakes, their award-winning Earl Grey, cranberry and orange tea brack, and if you're lucky a giant mikado or a jambon. You're also a 10 minute walk from Kilmainham Gaol if it's somewhere you've been meaning to tick off your bucket list (guilty), and a 20 minute walk to Teelings Distillery if you're in the mood for some whiskey tasting. Where should we sit? Although Daddy's is technically only the front part with high stools, high tables and counters, there are three seating areas in the venue, so plenty of room whatever the size or needs of your group. The front has the best light but you need to be okay with a bit of leg dangling. Then in the main pub there's "the good room", an annexed section with red booths and blue wall panelling, then into the main pub with round booths, counter seating and regular tables for two or four. If you don't want to be in the café at the front, the "good room" is definitely where it's at, feeling cosy yet bright at the same time thanks to the high windows. Because the main pub is so big, and they only fill a few tables for brunch, it's somewhat lacking in atmosphere in comparison to the other areas, but if you want peace, space, or just to have a private conversation it'll do the job. What's good to eat? This is one of those brunch menus that you immediately know is a cut above most, due to twists on some classics and the produce being used. The counter is filled with Tartine pastries, scones, bakes and tarts, and if you can avoid ordering one while waiting for your food you have more self-control than us. We opted for a pain au chocolat which was exactly how it should be, with the coveted two rows of chocolate and crispy strips on the outside for extra crunch. Clearly we couldn't come here without trying the Turkish eggs (why don't we see more Turkish eggs on menus here!?) and they were very good with a generous amount of sourdough, but we'd argue that the bowl they were served in wasn't ideal. The spiced oil had risen to the top with the garlic and herb yoghurt sitting at the bottom, and it took a lot of digging to get down and get a decent amount of it on the bread. We prefer Turkish eggs in a wider, more shallow bowl where both oil and yoghurt are easy to scoop up. Saying that the flavours were excellent and the eggs perfectly poached. Next time we'd probably just gently empty the bowl out onto the plate. Next up the impossibly perfect 'organic mashed eggs in a cup" with Annascaul black and white pudding, kale and toast. It's hard to imagine mashed eggs tasting this delicious (we're guessing lots of butter), but our parents certainly never made 'em like this. Both the black and white pudding have to be some of the best in the country, soft and spreadable, and the kale was beautifully seasoned with crispy edges. A really perfect breakfast plate, barring the single wrapped butter pats which in this day and age are pretty unforgiveable. We also couldn't resist the double baked croissant pudding with vanilla custard, O'Neill's smoked, streaky bacon and honey, and if sweet breakfasts are your thing, this is a triumph. Like the best bread and butter pudding, which could only be made better by chucking a load of salty, streaky bacon on top, from one of our favourite bacon producers. We wanted to try pretty much everything on the menu (a rare occurrence), but sadly stomach space is limited. On the list for next time are the boxty with kale, poached eggs and garlic herb yoghurt, and the fried egg sandwich with bacon and brown sauce, with a slice of seasonal fruit tart for afters. What about the drinks? Coffee is by Two-Fifty Square and is excellent - special shout out for the decaf which is among the best we've tasted. Tea is from Clement & Pekoe and they also do freshly squeezed orange juice and Bloody Marys if you're feeling delicate (or just like booze with brunch). And the service? Everyone was bright, warm and welcoming, and the food arrived in good time. The verdict? We loved Daddy's and think Rialto is very lucky to have it. There's no doubt it's going to be packed with weekend brunch crowds, and the word's probably not fully out yet so now is as good a time as any to get in there and try it for yourself. You can't go wrong with the menu, the vibe is ideal for some weekend chill time, and despite Dublin's brilliant brunch scene, Daddy's feels unique and different to the rest. Now if only they'd take over a big pub on the Northside and do the same. Daddy's 538 South Circular Road, Rialto, Dublin 8 www.instagram.com/daddysdub New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Where to eat and drink in Dublin, Ireland. Dublin restaurant reviews and reviews of Dublin pubs, cafes, wine bars, and bars. Where to Eat & Drink in Dublin Dublin Restaurant Reviews Once Overs Is a restaurant worth your time and money? Where should you go for a pre-dinner drink? When you get there, where are the best seats? What's good on the menu, and what should you drink with it? Our reviews give restaurants the full once over, from snacks to sides, seating areas to service, and all the cocktails, open kitchens and cheese selections inbetween. Looking for something specific? Filter by neighbourhood, cuisine or 'good for'. Neighborhoods Cuisine Good For Reset Filter Oh No! Looks like we don't have any results for that search. But don't worry - good food is out there! Search again to find something wonderful. Rei Momo 28th October '25 D'Lepak 14th October '25 Pera 30th September 2025 Kaldero 2 16th September '25 Borgo 2nd Sept '25 Amai by Viktor 19th August '25 Kaizen 5th August '25 Chubbys 23rd July 2025 Comet 8th July 2025 Badam 24th June 2025 Table 45 10th June 2025 The Rooftop at Anantara The Marker 27th May 2025 Square Dish 13th May 2025 Sofra 29th April 2025 Notions @ Two Pups 15th April 2025 The Pig's Ear 1st April 2025 Chob Thai 18th March '25 Lena 4th March 2025 Reggie's Pizzeria 18th February 2025 Un'Altra Pasta Bar 4th February 2025 Hera 21st January 2025 Suertudo 7th January 2025 Kaldero 10th December '24 Forêt 26th November 2014 Caribou 12th November 2024 Join ATF Insiders Make the Most of Every Meal. Join Us

Wood-fired pizza in an industrial space on the north side. Traditional Neapolitan-style bases with New York and Irish influenced toppings. Bit of a student hub with DIT Bolton street across the road. Boco Website boco.ie Address 57 Bolton Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Wood-fired pizza in an industrial space on the north side. Traditional Neapolitan-style bases with New York and Irish influenced toppings. Bit of a student hub with DIT Bolton street across the road. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

High end Italian seafood and pasta with an extensive Champagne and wine list that's become a focal point for some of the city's big spenders. Gregarious owner Luca likes opening the top end bottles and teaching customers how to sabre Champagne. Rosa Madre Website rosamadre.ie Address 7 Crow St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story High end Italian seafood and pasta with an extensive Champagne and wine list that's become a focal point for some of the city's big spenders. Gregarious owner Luca likes opening the top end bottles and teaching customers how to sabre Champagne. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Daruma Japanese drinks and small plates in Temple Bar Posted: 13 Dec 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? Daruma appeared quite suddenly in October in the old Fish Shack site on Parliament Street, with an Instagram post heralding their arrival one Sunday, and doors opening to customers two days later. After a bit of investigating we heard there was a connection to Big Fan and our ears perked up (turns out they have a backer in common), and the two owner/operators are former managers of Musashi , the Japanese sushi chain. The discussion of why Dublin has no high end, ultra exciting Japanese restaurants is an ever-ongoing one amongst food circles, and there was some hopeful whispering that this might be the one we've all been waiting for. We loved the Japanese pub with small plates vibe they were selling online, but unlike Big Fan (which has been one of the biggest restaurant successes from the past two years), it didn't seem to be built around a particular chef and their talent. We also couldn't find anyone Japanese who was associated with it - not a pre-requisite for opening a Japanese restaurant, but it tends to go in their favour when someone has a strong connection to a cuisine they're trying to showcase. Between this and the lack of a website containing a menu/opening hours/online booking (basic in 2022) The jury was out before we'd gotten in. Where should we sit? Most of the tables are at the front, with the best one at the window looking out onto Parliament Street. There's also bar seating which looked ideal for a solo pint and some small plates. What did you eat? We covered quite a lot of the menu over two visits, so let's lay out the good, from the not so good. There are four sections - raw, robatayaki, bites and sides. Daikon 'saibaizu' (which we presume is meant to be 'sanbaizu', a Japanese dressing with rice wine vinegar, sugar and soy) was refreshing and crunchy, an excellent palate cleanser, while charred edamame were pointless, the additional heat adding nothing except over-cooking. They were also criminally under-salted - we asked for more and fixed the problem ourselves. Garlic chilli cucumber was another lip-smacking refresher, smoky and spicy with plenty of sesame and crunch. Fresh oysters came with a lovely, zingy apple and mustard tosazu dressing (a fermented rice wine vinegar), but we wished we knew where they came from, and whether they were Irish. There's no provenance information on the menu. Tuna tataki with candy ginger and wasabi daikon had great flavour and some really interesting elements, but the tuna tasted soft and woolly. At €13.95 for six pieces we expected better fish Our favourite dish (and one we ordered both times) was the flamed salmon nigiri, with kewpie mayo and hazelnut furikake. The salmon is just cooked, and between the sweet, nutty dressing and the slight crunch of the hazelnuts, this is the kind of innovative sushi we want more of. We had a pain in our faces trying to find out what the daily sushi omasake roll was, and after almost having to hold our waitress's hand and lead her in the direction of the kitchen, she came back and told us it was eel. "Is there anything else?" we asked. "No, just eel". It didn't seem likely, but we were worn out so just let them bring it, and we still can't tell you what was in it. There was some fish roe and kewpie mayo on top and what we guessed powdered seaweed, but apart from that it's anyone's guess, and it was lacking flavour and texture. Crispy almond ebi with mango chilli sauce (€12.45 for three) were huge and we loved the combination of flavours, but there was a bit too much batter. The almonds did add an interesting element though. They do two types of ribs - beef short ribs with black garlic butter, and plum wine short ribs with creamy onion mochi. Both were incredibly tender, the beef sweet and pungent from the black garlic, the pork sweet and fruity from the plum wine and the onion. We would order both again tomorrow, but we'd really like to know where the meat came from. A third of their menu is given over the Robatayaki (like Japanese BBQ where food is cooked over charcoal), so we were surprised that this was the most disappointing part of the meal. It started with the waitress not knowing what was on the 'Daruma Selection', and seemingly not wanting to ask, and then when it arrived each was more lacklustre than the last. None of the headline stuff like scallops or ox tongue is on there - we got chicken thigh, minced chicken, pork belly, and two different mushrooms (which felt like a cop out) and none of it had much flavour other than a teriyaki type marinade. If charcoal ever went near this meat, we couldn't taste it. There's no dessert on the menu and when we asked if they had any our waitress didn't know, and didn't seem to want to find out. After pushing the issue she returned and told us they had mochi, but it was clear they were coming from a box in the freezer, so we passed. What about the drinks? They're serious about their sake in here, and have clearly taken time over the menu. They have seven sake cocktails, and had another two on special when we visited, and they're all low alcohol, so don't expect to feel the usual cocktail buzz. An 'Ichigo' with sake, strawberry, chilli, lime and sugar was pleasant but punchily sour, and serving it in a Champagne flute felt wrong. A lychee special with sake, lychee juice, lime juice, sugar and egg white was a world better, and so easy to knock back we almost had to place it out of reach. There's Asahi for beer and an average wine list, so we'd stick to the sake. We also tried a couple of straight sakes (a Kidosumi and a Gassan) and they were excellent - it's obvious they're not dealing with supermarket stuff or the big brands found in most Japanese restaurants in Ireland. How was the service? Friendly but lacking in actual service. We were almost turning blue waiting for answers to the questions we had about the menu, with the same waitress on both occasions saying she didn't know, and pleasantly looking back at us as if that was the end of that. We had to straight out ask someone to go down to the kitchen more times than we'd like to admit to find out what was on the robata selection, what was the sushi roll of the day, did they have any dessert - it was very tiring, and service training is badly needed. And the damage? €57 a head (to be exact) for dinner before tip, with three drinks each in that. €30 a head for lunch with no drinks. What's the verdict? Is Daruma the Japanese restaurant Dublin has been waiting for? No. Not yet anyway, but there's plenty of decent food and sake to kill a couple of hours. They're got more interesting options than a lot of Japanese restaurants in the city, many of whom stick to the same menu of gyoza, sushi and the wok/rice/noodle dishes we're all too familiar with, but it does somewhat kill us to imagine what it could be like with a culinary tour de force (like Big Fan's Alex Zhang) in the kitchen. For now enjoy it for what is it - a pocket-friendly, laid back Japanese bar, where you can order as little or as much as you like, and drink really good sake. Daruma 13 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 instagram.com/daruma_dublin New Openings & Discoveries More >>

A Brazilian-style sushi menu that's more interesting than the average around town. Fresh fish, generous fillings and plenty of cream cheese (a la Brazil). The accompanying grill menu of burgers, risotto and steak feels random, but don't let it put you off the main attraction. Wasabi Portmarnock Website wasabi.ie Address 5 Strand Centre, Strand Road, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story A Brazilian-style sushi menu that's more interesting than the average around town. Fresh fish, generous fillings and plenty of cream cheese (a la Brazil). The accompanying grill menu of burgers, risotto and steak feels random, but don't let it put you off the main attraction. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Chef de Partie < Back Chef de Partie Orwell Road Apply Now Location Rathgar, Dublin 6 Employment Full-time Date Posted 17 September 2025 Website bereenbrothers.com/orwell-road Orwell Road restaurant in Rathgar are hiring a Chef de Partie! We are looking for someone with a minimum of two years’ experience. The position offers three days off per week and a great working environment. We strongly value the balance between working hard and having quality time for life and mental health. We are looking for someone responsible, dedicated and passionate about working with the finest local Irish ingredients. If interested, please send your CV to leticiaceciliam@gmail.com .

Baker Thibault Peigne is the man behind Tartine Organic Bakery, whose breads can be found in restaurants cafés and supermarkets across the city. While that's the baking behemoth, Russell Street Bakery is his latest and littlest labour of love, producing the highest quality sourdoughs, brioche, focaccia, lavash and pastries you can imagine. Coffee is from Imbibe and lunchtime sees European-style sandwiches top the counters. Bring a very big bag and fill your freezer with anything you can't eat on the day. Russell Street Bakery Website instagram.com/russellst.bakery Address Russell Street Bakery, Russell Street, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Baker Thibault Peigne is the man behind Tartine Organic Bakery, whose breads can be found in restaurants cafés and supermarkets across the city. While that's the baking behemoth, Russell Street Bakery is his latest and littlest labour of love, producing the highest quality sourdoughs, brioche, focaccia, lavash and pastries you can imagine. Coffee is from Imbibe and lunchtime sees European-style sandwiches top the counters. Bring a very big bag and fill your freezer with anything you can't eat on the day. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

From gut-friendly food on the quays to one of the city's coolest wine bars, with all the baked goods on Pearse Street sandwiched in the middle. Pearse St - Merrion Square Our Take From gut-friendly food on the quays to one of the city's coolest wine bars, with all the baked goods on Pearse Street sandwiched in the middle. Where to Eat As One Bread 41 Cloud Picker D'Olier Street Gursha Honey Truffle Il Caffe di Napoli Jean Georges @ The Leinster Note Tang Cumberland Place Vice