Chef de Partie < Back Chef de Partie La Vespa Apply Now Location Dublin 2 Employment Full-time Date Posted 23 June 2026 Website lavespa.ie Love fresh pasta, busy services and great vibes? La Vespa is seeking to hire a Chef de Partie to join our passionate Italian kitchen team in our restaurant in Dublin city centre. Authentic Italian cuisine Fast-paced, professional kitchen Career growth opportunities Supportive team environment Competitive pay If you can handle the heat and bring the passion, we want to hear from you! Please send CV and/or cover letter to info@lavespa.ie

Chongqing Hotpot Dinner and a show (of yourself) for €20 a head Posted: 21 Apr 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What’s the story with Chongqing Hotpot? Restaurateurs Ryon Wen and Ian Keegan’s well-established knack for landing Chinese concepts on the Dublin dining scene is best summed up as plugging gaps in the market—ing. They may not be the first to do it, but you can bet they’ll be the sleekest. So where pastel pink Hakkahan gave Sichuan spice a Stoneybatter lease of life, and an impending rebrand of the genuinely novel Nan ’s Huaiyang cuisine in Hong Kong café-style looks set to poach poky Hong Kong Wonton ’s customers from down the road, now here’s Chongqing Hotpot ’s bubbling broth to fill your feed – and no doubt their seats too. The cutesy panda mascot and “ how to eat like a local ” branding speak to the drive, key to this group’s ongoing success, to broaden the appeal from a nostalgic diaspora market to a wider public with minds and wallets equally open. Hotpot is nothing new here - as ever with Chinese cuisine in the city, Parnell Street’s been at it for years - but this bright, branded take is a clear effort to free it from IYKYK turf. Should we order anything other than hotpot? That’d be like stopping by a steakhouse for the salad. There’s really no need, especially knowing most appetisers are transplants from the group’s other outlets, including new arrival Chuna Hunan next door. Not having been yet we were tempted by the century egg but let down to hear it wasn’t on that night (a few years still to go maybe). Typhoon shelter squid (€12) was no consolation, with none of the distinctive dish’s garlic or crunch present half as much as the sodden sensation of under-drained oil. Just get straight into the action. Alright, how do we do this? Start with the broth (€11.90 - €14.90). Sichuan-style spice with beef tallow is traditional, and it’s hard to beat the sights, scents and eventual savour of a chunk of fat dissolving amongst dried chillies and peppercorns. Most will be okay going straight down the middle on medium spicy - level up and lean hard on the cooling sesame oil side bowls if you’re feeling braver. The traditional nine-grid shape grew out of a culture of communal hotpots and individual items zealously guarded – there’s no faux pas fouler than nicking a nugget of someone else's good stuff. If you’re not here to share they can do it for you, but then what are you doing here at all? Another advantage is less chance for ingredients to go AWOL, but then you forfeit the fun of dragging each other’s dire chopstick skillz. As well as an S-shape that leaves more room for fishing fun, double- and triple-pot options give the chance to try pork bone, mushroom, or tomato broths alongside the classic. We’re all for the inclusivity on half-veggie crowds, but we reccomend pork if you’re doubling down on seafood or more delicate vegetables – the mild, rich, sweetness is a welcome balm to benumbed lips. Be warned - the handy menu card you might have studied in advance only partly matches the bilingual listings on the tabletop tablet you order from. Friendly staff are on hand to aid navigation, and to send the order through (oddly you’re asked for a table number when none are in sight). https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_63433c21f1a54f8d989c08fca6d888bd/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Versus this group’s usual focus on provenance (next door they proudly tout Buckley’s meat, Silverhill Duck and Andarl Farm pork), the “premium” and “organic” labels here go unattested (and our questions about them unanswered). In terms of meat, it’s more cut than provider they mean - premium beef slices (€8.90) are wafer-thin rolls, only needing the barest broth-blanching to bring out their best. The quick-cook effect is a great first intro to the alchemy ahead. Ultimately, the shared joy of hotpot is in the sense of a communal cooking lesson – trial and error as much as anything else. Wouldn’t spicy beef (€8.90) flavours get lost in an already-spicy broth, you might rightly wonder. On the surface, sure, less so the marinated depths of these thicker cuts. In the back-and-forth fishing for every possible permutation, in the wide-eyed and full-mouthed signs of a winning combination, there is the contagious fun of shared discovery. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_f75e61093952457897e4098ba152db60/720p/mp4/file.mp4 That’s truer and truer the more adventurous you are – ample offal is where you can really take the plunge. Hotpot has its roots in cash-strapped fishermen looking for flavourful ways to spice up cheap cuts. Cast yourself in their boat and go all-in on iron-rich pork liver (€6.90), or slices of duck blood (€6.90), amplified or overrode to taste by the endless combinations you can make up at the dipping sauce station (€1.98pp, go big on black vinegar). Queasier customers can dip their toes with a thousand-layer tripe (€6.90). Free of the metallic tang, its crunchy layers come alive with a short swim in the tallow. There wasn’t a plate we finished faster. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_ff9b3172fa8c461baeabfab057adbc93/720p/mp4/file.mp4 The mushroom averse may erupt in hives at the sight of black fungus (€3.50), but they're a non-negotiable where hotpot’s concerned. Also known as wood ear, they plump up in the furious heat of the broth and yield to the bite with an elastic snap so satisfying it might tempt some braver fungiphobes to give it a go. Save such spongier stuff for the final stretch, when the broth has bubbled down to a concentrated sauce. That’s where the likes of Chongqing dry potato (€3.50) step to the fore, sun-dried slices that survive a simmering with delicious bite. Few options better showcase the tableside theatre than sweet potato noodles (€5.80), whose pale palor on the way into the broth couldn’t be further from the glassy glory that emerges after – expect oohing and aahing all round. Tofu puffs (€3.50) are marvels of spongy structure ripe for lapping it all up as greedily as we’d like to – just let them cool a little before spraying it all out again. Stodgier still are glutinous rice noodles (€4.90), very much the final boss of the meal with an elusive form to put even the most chopstick-cocky among us right back in our place. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_ec1e36f6afc64bc6b81989f0c5d36d02/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Should we save room for dessert? Everyone but curious completists and nostalgists need not. Appealing as the price point of the classic ice jelly (€2) is, its simple soft and subtle sweet sensations are solely there to soothe tongues numbed by all that málà mouthfeel – if you’re not suffering, no need. Only the chalky candy consistency of haw flakes sprinkled over gives this anything of note. It’s a similar story for the glutinous cake (€6.90), little fingers of rice flour that cool to a gentle chew. Roasted pear (€6.90), another Chinese classic, lacks any hint of either word in its insistently aquatic flavour – this is one sad spoonful, and one only. The efforts of floating goji berries and red dates to add a hint of intrigue are valiant but in vain, leaving this sorry syrup akin to the dregs of a tin can, and not half as tasty. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_17b001b684474a1494c4226787e3cad8/720p/mp4/file.mp4 What’s good to drink? Cocktails, like appetisers, are available from next door, and in the same vein they aren’t quite the right fit. On any other day, the sour-sweet sharpness of a passionfruit saketini (€14.50) is something we’d sip with just about anything, but when you’re talking hotpot it’s beer or bust. Stick to a Tsingtao (€5.50) to cool the taste buds. How was the service? By definition you’re on your own here. Save a helping hand on the initial order and intermittent offers of a hot drop (say no unless you’re running low; concentrating the flavour is part of the fun), staff stay out of your way unless you flag one down to add to the order. Given the size of the place, that rarely proves a challenge. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_8e1c60fccacf44c88087bf47ef1c6782/720p/mp4/file.mp4 What should we budget? True to hotpot’s humble roots, you’re in for a cheap night out. Our underwhelming appetiser and desserts still landed us at less than €30 a head before drinks - cut that faff and keep to fewer rice or noodle items and you’d easily come in at €20. Ribeye, scallops, prawns and the likes will swing things the other way if you’re so inclined. What’s the verdict on Chongqing Hotpot? Some restaurants rely on the prowess of kitchen craft to offer a two in one deal - dinner and a show. At Chonqing Hotpot , the only show is the one you'll make of yourself, fishing stray chunks from bubbling broth like a blind angler. Bring some friends and be brave with what you order – it’s a lot of fun. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Clanbrassil House 2018 Dynamic, charcoal cooking in Dublin 8 Posted: 15 Mar 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? The second, more-casual opening from Bastible chef-owner Barry Fitzgerald and his partner Claremarie Thomas, with rapidly rising chef Gráinne O’Keeffe in the kitchen. Part of a contingent of young restaurateurs behind some of the most dynamic food in Dublin right now, Bastible's been showing up on every ‘best places to eat in Dublin’ list since opening, and along with their contemporaries like Etto and Forest & Marcy , have injected a new streak of energy into the Dublin dining scene. Clanbrassil House opened in Autumn 2017 and was supposed to be a more casual wine and small plates type of place, but we reckon most people are coming here for a full, multi-course meal. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? We liked 57 The Headline which has a brilliant Gin & Tonic menu, huge beer selection and comfy seats. If you want a more traditional pub you’ve got Leonard’s Corner , and if you’re after wine you’d probably be best to go straight to Clanbrassil House and see if they can seat you early for an aperitif. What’s the room like? Narrow and cosy. Very much ‘Parisian wine bar’, as opposed to ‘inner-city Dublin’. There are high tables and stools at the front, which is a lovely space with bare brick and deep blue walls, wine bottles lined up along one side and fairy lights in the window. It feels very grown up, and like you could be in any number of cool European cities. In the back are the normal tables where you can look into the kitchen, but we could see it from our high table too. What's good to eat? If you’re like us you’ll want it all, and the menu is small enough that if there were four of you (or two who were very hungry) you could just tell them to bring everything. They do a family style sharing menu for €40 a head where the chefs pick food from every section once the order goes in, and it works out as good value, but they’re not keen on telling you what’s going to come out in advance so it feels a bit like Russian roulette. We did tell our server there was one dish we weren’t keen on, and she managed to get it changed to the one we really wanted, but we would have liked full disclosure before deciding whether to go family style (which we did) or á la carte. From the snacks, Verdial olives were exceptional - the type you find in most good bars in Spain but rarely here. Iberico ham croquettes were good, but the knockout dish was grilled sourdough and hot smoked trout. The flavours of smoke from the grill were vivid, and it's come up in conversations a lot since. From the smaller plates, roast leeks, chopped egg and chicken skin was enjoyable whilst not particularly memorable (and maybe a touch under seasoned), but the chicken liver parfait with caramelised apple and brioche was rich, luxurious and perfect. When it came to the charcoal grill (larger plates) our expectations were completely flipped on their heads. We’d been eager to try the Picana steak with roasted bone marrow, parmesan and anchovy, and while it looked great and the flavours were good, the meat was tough and sinewy, and we didn’t enjoy it. The BBQ cauliflower however, with vadouvan butter, lentils and yoghurt (which we probably wouldn’t have picked) turned out to be one of the most memorable dishes of the night (and the year), culminating in a tussle over the last few scrapes of the plate. The cauliflower was almost meat-like, and the flavours were an another level. It takes a skilful kitchen to make a relatively flavourless vegetable taste this good (although the fact it was swimming in butter helped). The infamous hash brown fries were in fact just hash browns in the shape of chips (we're not sure what we were expecting after the mass hysteria on Instagram), and we couldn’t ascertain much pickled onion from the mayo, which it really could have done with to cut through the fat in the fries. Desserts were chocolate mousse, honeycomb and marmalade ice-cream - all very nicely done - and blood orange doughnuts with buttermilk custard, which had a nice texture but only the teeniest splodge of blood orange. The buttermilk custard was beautiful and delicately flavoured. What about the drinks? The wine list is very short. One sparkling, five whites and five reds – three of each are available by the glass). Personally we don’t think this is enough, and although we did have some lovely wines, if you’re only going to have a list this short, every wine has to knock it out of the park. The Mas Candi Cava is a a brilliant example of Spanish sparkling wine, and it’s refreshing to see something other than prosecco by the glass. For whites we had a Riesling from German producer Geil , which is perfectly good but not going to change your life, and the Spanish Louro from Rafael Palacios , which is stunning. For reds we had a natural Côtes du Rhône from Eric Texier , and an Austrian Blaufrankisch from Murh van der Niepoort . The Blaufrankisch had more to it. We had tasters of a few others but none were hitting the spot. If we were going for a single bottle it would have been Australian producer Jamsheed ’s Syrah, which is a brilliant, vibrant example of new-wave natural wine. And the service? Lovely – informative and accommodating. There when you needed them and not there when you didn’t. Our only issue was the speed the food came out at the start (although this isn’t the fault of the front of house staff). We had two snacks and three starters on the table within 15 minutes of the order going in and had to ask them to slow down. If the courses had been more well-paced and we we were told what was on the family style menu (again probably coming from the kitchen) it would have been a perfect 10. The verdict? This is exciting, innovative cooking from a kitchen that’s not standing still, and whilst it might not have been 100% perfect we love what they’re doing. When they get it right, they really take the food to a different level, and we're planning a return soon. On the night we were there Darina Allen flew in for a few plates before an early morning flight to San Francisco. Clearly the woman has her priorities right. Clanbrassil House 6 Clanbrassil Street Upper, Dublin 8 clanbrassilhouse.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Masa Drury street gets a Mexican tacqueria Posted: 16 Aug 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Masa is a new Mexican taqueria from the guys behind Bunsen , in the old SMS site on the corner of Drury Street . We were excited when we heard this was coming because we were told they'd be making the tacos fresh (the only place in Dublin doing so as far as we know) and had imported special machinery from Mexico to make the masa - the dough made from nixtamalizing corn to break it down and then grinding it into a dough (you can read more about the lengthy process here ). It opened very quietly last month with no big announcement other than a post on their Instagram page telling people the doors were open. We tried to visit a week in on a Saturday and found it closed with no explanation - this has been a recurring theme over the past few weeks with numerous people on Instagram complaining that they've also visited to find it closed. Seems they've been having teething problems with the Mexican machinery and difficulties in finding anyone here to fix it. A week later we tried again midweek and this time it was mobbed. There was a 45 minute wait for a table but you can go for a drink and they'll call you when they have space. Where should we go for a drink? You've got the city's best selection of natural, organic and biodynamic wines at Loose Canon just down the street. For cocktails try Drury Buildings or the upstairs cocktail bar in Fade Street Social , and for pints P. Macs is good fun and just across the road. What’s the room like? Bright, airy and minimalistic, with loads of people talking about the "miami vibes" from trees, cacti and bright blue counter tops. There's table seating by the window looking out onto Stephen Street, and counter seating both facing the window and facing the other way. It feels fast casual in a really modern-European-city way, and there's a lit-up cactus outside the bathroom that's coming to an instagram feed near you soon. What's good to eat? As we visited early on we wanted to go again a few weeks later, so over two visits we had most of the menu. Food comes when it's ready, and is divided into small plates, quesadillas and tacos. There's also a very interesting sounding dessert of churros with goat's milk caramel but they told us it won't be available for another few months. We thought the tortilla chips were good but would have liked more guacamole (there is never enough guacamole), and the bowl was hard to retrieve it from. We weren't as keen on the elotes (corn on the cob with cheese and chilli) - ours were overcooked and we found the sauce sickly, but we've seen other people on Insta saying they loved them. A cheese quesadilla with chipotle mayo was good if not ground-breaking, but again there was a bit too much of that sauce. Of the tacos we thought the best were the El Pastor (pork, red chilli, pineapple, onion, coriander achitoe - a pepper-like spice), the chicken (fried chicken, salsa macha, chipotle) and the fish (fried cod, cabbage, chipotle, lime), although the fish was better with crisper batter on the first visit. We imagine most people will think these are very good, but we felt the fillings could be a bit more vibrant. We also don't think the tacos are quite there yet. 10 points for freshness and for making them authentically from masa, but they were slightly too thick and the consistency was crumbly. It's early days so we would imagine they are still ironing out kinks, and we would be confident that the quiet opening was to give them time to improve. It is also verging on ridiculously cheap. The first time our bill came to €9 a head, the second €11 a head (with no alcohol), so this is a great option when you want something quick and cheap. What about the drinks? Very basic. Pacifico and Sierra Nevada for beer, and house red and white wines, which the staff told us were vinho verde (presumably Portugese) and tempranillo (presumably Spanish). We didn't drink anything on either occasion because there wasn't anything we wanted. We were really hoping for a margherita and mezcal list. Maybe by Christmas... *crosses fingers* And the service? A bit all over the place on the first visit. Some food never arrived, only to be told that they'd sold out when we queried where it was, and the team seemed stretched. Things were much smoother on the second visit, and all of the staff were very pleasant. The verdict? Dublin has always suffered from a lack of places that fall under the "Quick. Cheap. Good." heading, and Masa fills a gap for both that and for fresh tacos in the city. While we might not have been knocked over by the food, we'd be pretty confident it will get better over the coming months (Bunsen have never been one to do things by halves), and we think it's a great addition to the Dublin dining scene. Especially when you only want to spend a tenner on dinner. Masa 43 Stephen Street Lower, Dublin masadublin.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Opened by owner Shona McCabe after years of working in restaurants across Australia and New Zealand, Kerb draws on several different cuisines. They originally focused on Middle Eastern food a modern twist - this is definitely not the greasy late night kebab that we all know and love, but the evening menu has more of a Mexican spin with tacos, totopos and tostadas. Plenty of options for both veggies and vegans, and a great place to stop for coffee. Kerb Website kerb.ie Address 1B Brighton Road, Foxrock, Dublin 18 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Opened by owner Shona McCabe after years of working in restaurants across Australia and New Zealand, Kerb draws on several different cuisines. They originally focused on Middle Eastern food a modern twist - this is definitely not the greasy late night kebab that we all know and love, but the evening menu has more of a Mexican spin with tacos, totopos and tostadas. Plenty of options for both veggies and vegans, and a great place to stop for coffee. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Well-executed, carefully sourced Italian food from Ross Lewis (chef and owner of Michelin-starred Chapter One) and his friend, chef Luciano Tona, whose restaurant in Italy also held a Michelin star for a decade. Since stepping back from Chapter One Lewis himself has been cooking in the kitchen, and looks to be having fun with it. An interesting cocktail list makes for a perfect after work aperitivo. Osteria Lucio Website osterialucio.com Address The Malting Tower, Grand Canal Quay, Clanwilliam Terrace, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Well-executed, carefully sourced Italian food from Ross Lewis (chef and owner of Michelin-starred Chapter One) and his friend, chef Luciano Tona, whose restaurant in Italy also held a Michelin star for a decade. Since stepping back from Chapter One Lewis himself has been cooking in the kitchen, and looks to be having fun with it. An interesting cocktail list makes for a perfect after work aperitivo. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Not just bolstering Smithfield's thriving food scene, but taking it to new heights, Matsukawa is Dublin's only omakase style dining experience, and what many (including us) are calling the Japanese restaurant the capital's been waiting for. Helmed by chef Takuma Tamaoki (formerly of Wa Sushi), there are only eight seats around the counter and they're booked out months in advance, so this is one you'll need to plan ahead for, or get lucky with a cancellation. The 18-course menu is worth the wait. Matsukawa Website matsukawa.simplybook.it Address 8 Queen Street, Smithfield, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Not just bolstering Smithfield's thriving food scene, but taking it to new heights, Matsukawa is Dublin's only omakase style dining experience, and what many (including us) are calling the Japanese restaurant the capital's been waiting for. Helmed by chef Takuma Tamaoki (formerly of Wa Sushi), there are only eight seats around the counter and they're booked out months in advance, so this is one you'll need to plan ahead for, or get lucky with a cancellation. The 18-course menu is worth the wait. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Allta Niall Davidson's wild wine bar comes to Setanta Place Posted: 10 Dec 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Oh we do love when a chef who's been a hit elsewhere prodigiously returns home, bringing bits of other cities in their armour and implanting them in our own. One thing is guaranteed, it's not going to be boring, and it's most likely going to be something brand new for the city - especially if they're coming home from London, scene of some of the most exciting cooking in the world right now, where unexciting/average/samey just doesn't cut it. So colour us fit to burst when the news broke last summer that ex- Nuala chef/owner Niall Davidson was coming back to Ireland to open a restaurant in the capital. Nuala was pegged as a 'modern Irish' restaurant using the best produce from the British Isles, and Allta (Irish for 'wild') was pitched much the same (with Irish substituted for British), but from early on they referred to it as a wine bar, and much of the talk was about small plates and handmade pasta (both of which we like a lot). Davidson brought ex-Luna head chef Hugh Higgins in as head chef and partner, along with Christine Walsh (ex-Loam) as sous chef, and the trio spent months leading up to the opening travelling around the country meeting producers, and testing recipes in a Terenure test kitchen. When they finally opened last month our readers got first access to the soft launch , and they had so much interest their system crashed. When reservations were released until the end of the year they had over 1,000 bookings in 24 hours. Safe to say people were excited about this one. Where should we go for a drink first? You're definitely not short of options around here. 9 Below (pictured), Peruke & Periwig and The Sidecar (our fav) are all a few minutes walk away if you're after a pre-dinner Martini/Mezcal Smash/Manhattan. For a proper pub head for Kehoe's or Davy Byrne's, and for a good glass of wine head for Isabelle's on South Anne Street, basement wine bar La Cave or La Ruelle. Where should we sit? The long table down the centre of the room is half kept for walk ins, with the other half used for groups. On the side nearest the kitchen the tables are all for two with extremely Instagram-friendly lights above, but there's one light-free 'date table' in the corner if you like things a little dimmer. The tables nearest the window are all for four, so plenty of options. There's also a private dining room downstairs (due to open any day) so if you did want to have your birthday/anniversary/leaving meal there it's a possibility. What's good to eat? The menu is a food sharer's dream, starting with snacks and moving onto a variety of plates, most of which include pasta. They've also just introduced a chef's menu for €48 per person where you get practically everything, but you will have to choose between the spider crab bigoli and the BBQ lamb pappardelle - a choice no one should ever have to make. Cromane oysters come with rhubarb vinegar and are of the dissolve in your mouth variety, with added zip from the vinegar, and the subject of the mural on the wall is the oyster fisherman in Kerry that they buy them from. Anyone who grew up in Dublin was probably raised on ray (or skate as all the cool kids are calling it now), and they've done a very clever take on it with their crispy skate wing and seaweed cream. The bone is used to pick it up (a fish first for us) and it was perfectly crisp, tender and seasoned. A small plate of grilled broccoli, pickled green tomato and goat's curd had immense flavour, and had us kicking ourselves for stripping the leaves off broccoli all of these years. Here they topped the dish like smoky crisps, with the broccoli stems beautifully chargrilled and tender, the goat's curd creamy like the inside of a ball of burrata, and the pickled green tomatoes the perfect foil to lift it all up. Then come the pastas. If you've heard about anything it's probably been the chicken scarpinocc, a stuffed pasta filled with chicken liver mousse in a foamed sauce topped with crispy shallots. It's rich, it's luscious, it's perfect. You will groan - unless you really don't like chicken liver pate, or butter (in which case we can't be friends). The spider crab bigoli is the dish with theatre attached, and another must order. The bigoli pasta is topped with spider crab and an egg yolk when it comes out, before a chef holding a spider crab shell filled with bisque pours it over the top. It's every bit as good as it sounds, with the flavour of the crab coming through on so many levels. The pasta here is faultless, with the perfect amount of chew, and everything combined makes this a very special dish. Speaking of special dishes, say hello to the BBQ lamb with seaweed pappardelle, Cáis na Tíre cheese and wild marjoram. Mayo lamb is salted, confit then smoked over birch and glazed with their own Irish BBQ sauce, black apple purée, brown butter and salted cherry blossom vinegar. If you need to take a minute to process that go right ahead. You'll need another one after you've eaten it. Sticky, smoky, crunchy lamb, wafer thin strips of pasta, that cheese sauce... Swoon... They also sent out an extra dish that's not on the menu yet but will be soon, and form an orderly queue. Hand-dived scallops are flash fried on the pan, then put back in their shells, topped with gooseberry beurre blanc and hazelnuts and placed on top of some smoking juniper wood to finish cooking at the table. Will any scallop ever taste this good again? How did we not know that scallops and hazelnuts were meant to be together? Where has gooseberry beurre blanc been all our lives? So many questions. For dessert they're keeping it simple, with ice-cream or cheese, but obviously not just any ice-cream, 'nitro' (nitrogen) ice-cream, with smoked honey, sea buckthorn and white chocolate chunks. As you do. It's a pleasingly nostalgic end to a stellar meal, and one that won't have you leaving thinking you overdid it. Cheeses when we visited were Coolea or Young Buck, but they had run out of bread due to an issue with their flour supplier, so maybe check beforehand if you feel cheese without bread is like a weekend without wine. What about the drinks? The wine list is full of interesting bottles to drink but the prices are very punchy, so there's not much in the way of value. If that doesn't bother you or someone else is paying you'll have fun exploring it. We found the glass list offered more bang for your buck and lots of interesting wines are open so we'd stick to that. There's also a selection of wines on tap that are slightly more pocket friendly. The by the glass list is not separated into sparkling, white and red, but instead by genre, which those who don't have much wine knowledge might be uncomfortable with (especially considering there's a lot of unusual grapes), but just ask sommelier Ian Fitzpatrick or any of the other staff to point you in the right direction. The chardonnay based sparkling Tuffeau is a great meal opener at €8.50, and we also loved the Czech Krasna Hora rosé (€10.50) with the crab bigoli. And the service? Manager Gráinne Bates is well known in the industry having managed Etto, Forest & Marcy and Piglet amongst others, and her hospitable, bubbly nature is infectious, with other staff equally lovely. The chefs bring the dishes to the tables themselves and explain what's in them, and everyone seemed very chilled and on top of things, making for a very relaxing experience. The verdict? Despite only being open a couple of weeks, Allta is already one of the best restaurants in the city, and we look forward to seeing what the team get up to next, both with the menu and with the second more upscale site that's in the plans down the line. With what feels like a weekly increasing awareness of the importance of eating what's around us, and the sheer amount of world-class produce coming from our small island, places pushing as hard as Allta are going to be instrumental in taking Irish food and restaurants to the next level, and finally shaking off the global image that there's nothing to eat here but potatoes. Allta Setanta Place, Dublin 2 allta.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Full-Time Front of House Staff < Back Full-Time Front of House Staff Volpe Nera Apply Now Location Blackrock, Co. Dublin Employment Full-time Date Posted 27 June 2026 Website volpenera.ie Volpe Nera in Blackrock are looking for a friendly, enthusiastic waiter/waitress to join our front of house team. You'll bring genuine passion for food, wine and great service, along with a team-first attitude and the energy to thrive in a busy environment. Previous experience in a similar setting would be an advantage, with fine dining experience considered a strong plus. Full wine training will be provided, so a willingness to learn is just as important as experience. Competitive package on offer for the right candidate. Start date: Immediate Full job description is available on application. To apply please send your CV and a short cover letter outlining your background to: info@volpenera.ie .

Mark Fagan grew up in Foxrock and says there was never anywhere for him to hang out - fast forward a few decades and he's made one. Grumps is a homemade gelato and coffee shop for kids (and grown up kids) to enjoy Irish ice-cream from Scúp gelato, locally roasted coffee from Pine Cone Roasters, and treats like p de nata. They're also selling Irish pantry products, and promise that despite the unhappy bunny on their logo, customers will leave with a smile on their face. Grump's Website @grumpsfoxrock Address Brighton Cottages, Unit 3, Foxrock Village, Dublin 18 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Mark Fagan grew up in Foxrock and says there was never anywhere for him to hang out - fast forward a few decades and he's made one. Grumps is a homemade gelato and coffee shop for kids (and grown up kids) to enjoy Irish ice-cream from Scúp gelato, locally roasted coffee from Pine Cone Roasters, and treats like p de nata. They're also selling Irish pantry products, and promise that despite the unhappy bunny on their logo, customers will leave with a smile on their face. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Chef de Partie < Back Chef de Partie Glas Apply Now Location Dublin 2 Employment Full-time Date Posted 2 June 2026 Website glasrestaurant.ie GLAS IS HIRING! ROLE: Chef de Partie We are currently looking for a Chef de Partie to join our kitchen team. We are a vegetable-led, fully gluten-free restaurant focused on seasonality, sustainability and progressive plant-based cooking. Our kitchen is driven by curiosity, precision and a desire to push vegetables to the centre of the plate in new and exciting ways. What we’re looking for: - Minimum 6 years’ experience in a high-level kitchen - A strong technical foundation and attention to detail - A genuine interest in modern, forward-thinking cooking - Passion for working with vegetables, seasonality and produce-driven menus - Ability to work cleanly, efficiently and as part of a small, focused team A culinary degree is a plus, but not essential if experience and skill set are strong. What we offer: - A creative and supportive kitchen environment - Opportunity to work closely on seasonal menu development - Exposure to refined plant-based techniques and modern cooking methods - A role within a kitchen that values quality, sustainability and innovation This is an ideal role for someone who wants to be part of a kitchen that is actively shaping the future of vegetable-focused cuisine. If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you. Email cover letter and/or CV to info@glasrestaurant.ie

Soup Ramen The best Dublin ramen discovery so far Posted: 3 Sept 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Soup Ramen opened on Dun Laoghaire's main - in need of some TLC - George's Street Lower in summer 2018, adding life and a bright pink neon sign to an unloved part of town. It also gave Dubliners another place to go for ramen, in a city brutally under-served (yes first world problems but still). It's a joint venture from two friends - chef Conor Hughes and front of house Will Shannon - and their brightly coloured Instagram feed has been taunting us for months, along with flurries of online praise for the food, but apart from one pretty good review from Katy McGuinness in the Irish Independent and minimal information on their own website we didn't have a lot to go on. So off we went to Dun Laoghaire. Where should we go for a drink first? If it's a nice evening head for the terrace in Haddington House (and a deckchair if you're lucky) for a drink looking over the sea. If the weather's not with you, pop around the corner to " The Bar " for a cosy pint, or if you're looking for a cocktail head for The Lighthouse , which also has one of the most impressive non-alcoholic drinks lists we've seen - as do all of Bodytonic 's bars. Where should we sit? There's outside and inside seating, but we can't say the ones outside have the nicest views in the city - if it's warm you probably won't say no. Inside is bright and airy with three large communal tables made from Beach and Cedar trees downed in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow, and two high tables which seat two each. There's also bar seating. It's a small space but they've used it well for maximum capacity. What's good to eat? Obviously you're coming here for the ramen so that's a no brainer. We went for the tonkotsu pork - the original and the best - but there's also grilled chicken or a vegetarian one (which can be made vegan). The juicy pork came chargrilled with those delicious blackened bits, on top of an incredibly flavoursome broth containing homemade noodles (they've started making their own since Katy 's review), spring onion, fermented vegetables and a soft, seasoned egg on top. Another thing that's changed since that review is that their eggs and chicken have been upgraded to free-range, which makes us (and her we bet) very, very happy. You can choose your own seasoning but we asked them to bring it how they liked it, and there was definitely a hint of coconut in there which might not wash well with purists but makes for exceptionally tasty ramen. We're always on the hunt for three things that are notoriously hard to get excellent versions of here - freshly made tacos, sushi and ramen, and for us this is the best ramen we've found here to date. It should be noted that owner Conor was in the kitchen on the night in question so you'd expect it to be as good as it's going to get if the boss is cooking your dinner. The rest of the menu features small plates/sides and three salads with optional extras. We'd ordered some small plates of deep-fried kimchi and fried chicken thinking they would come out first, but everything ended up on the table at the same time, leading to the inevitable eating half your food cold, so if you want them as starters and mains request it when ordering. We don't know where deep-fried kimchi has been all our lives but we're just glad we got there eventually. Deep-frying something so intrinsically good for you is a smart move (let's just ignore what high heat might do to all that good bacteria), and they're kind of like more tangy, more chewy onion rings, in a crispy batter managing to avoid feeling in any way greasy. The fried chicken was the only disappointment of the meal. The brown meat and batter were surprisingly soft and bland, and the fermented chilli mayo and mango butter didn't do much to liven things up. Our other main was the umami salad, which has rocketed into the top three salads we've ever eaten in Dublin. It comes with pickled shimeji mushrooms, cannellini beans, parmesan crisps, smoked seasame, seasoned egg, cured cherry tomato and shoyu dressing. Who knew there was no such thing as too much umami? You can add chashu pork, grilled chicken, fried chicken or 'grilled' halloumi which we went for, but it was actually cubes of deep-fried halloumi - delicious but not what we were expecting. Nevertheless, this is a salad that we're going to spend hours trying (and no doubt failing) to recreate at home. We also ordered the triple-cooked fries with house BBQ sauce and spice blend, which was a gigantic portion - fine if there are three or four of you but for two it's a bit much. They're skinny fries and the BBQ sauce was good and not overly sweet, but we'd skip them next time to try the side salad with pickled veg, unless we were with a gang. For dessert we couldn't side-step the blackboard special of sweet crisp bread with yuzu curd, basil mascarpone, yoghurt and strawberries, and we're hoping it makes a comeback with each strawberry season. The fried dough, which seems to exist in most Asian cultures in some form, was light and crisp, and a perfect vehicle for getting the basil yoghurt, sorbet, yuzu curd and semi-frozen strawberries into our mouths. It's also nice to see places putting as much thought and creativity into their desserts as they do their savoury dishes. Next time we're going for the gingerbread nachos with chocolate and chilli sauce, and black chai ice-cream. What about the drinks? That creativity also runs to cocktails, like sake, strawberry, lemon and tonic, and soft drinks, with homemade kombucha flavours including honey and habanero and kumquat and star anise. We tried a yuzu spritz with yuzu liqueur, dry vermouth and prosecco which was a definite upgrade from your bog standard aperol, and an apple and honey lemonade, which was equally lovely. The wine list is small but better than we were expecting from a scout online, with two whites, two reds and a prosecco, all decent, and none likely to cause chronic hangover (not guaranteed). They also do one beer - Kirin Ichiban. And the service? Full of smiles and checks that we were okay, although we would have liked to have been asked about the pacing of dishes when we ordered. Apart from that it was hard to find fault. The verdict? Soup has been on the to-do list for a while and we only wish we hadn't waited so long to get here. The ramen is best we've found in Dublin, and if this was our local we'd be in here every week - particularly over those long, dark winter months. We live in hope that Soup Ramen 2 is on the cards, so that more people get to experience the joy of really great ramen, that spectacular umami salad and the wonder of deep-fried fermented cabbage. Soup Ramen 28 George's Street Lower, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin www.soupramen.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Mark Moriarty Studio The ATF Insiders Preview Posted: 11 Aug 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope Tell us about Mark Moriarty's new restaurant and studio? The people behind Wilton Park in Dublin 2 want to make it Dublin's newest contemporary urban neighbourhood, where the apartments are high, the people are beautiful, and Champagne flows like the canal running past it. Wilton Park, IPUT Real Estate Those clever investors knows that cool urbanites like cool places to eat and drink, and their first major coup was luring Scéal Bakery back to Dublin as one of their first commercial tenants. Their second was backing TV Chef Mark Moriarty to open his first studio, test kitchen and once a week restaurant in a two storey space which includes an art gallery, and ATF Insiders got a pre-opening preview at a special price. The studio will act as a filming space for his RTE show Cook Like a Chef , a private events space from Monday - Thursday (coming to an influencer-filled brand launch near you soon), and a public sitting each Friday night, enabling the team to take Saturday and Sunday off - the holy grail of hospitality. There are two sittings each Friday - 17:30 until 20:00 and 20:30 until late , and bookings for the month open six weeks ahead of time . Never miss an event - sign up to ATF Insiders Only 40 seats, once a week? Technically yes. Unless you want to take over the whole space for a private booking (up to 24 seated, more standing) between Monday and Thursday. It's worth getting on their mailing list though. This is a brand new business and if there's a night with no bookings, or two people want the same night but neither can fill the whole place, you might get lucky. What are the seating options? Walk down the steps and linger in the gallery en route to dinner (some of the artists have their studios in the same building). Walk to the end and down a dark corridor, and to the left you'll enter the setting for what they're calling an " upmarket, relaxed dinner party ". The counter seats 12, and is the best vantage point to watch the magic unfold in the small kitchen. The seats are comfy too with good back support, if someone in your party has this particular bugbear. There's also a single table seating four, and a "snug" seating three or four in a cosier setting. There are also a couple of tables in a bar area facing the counter, where you can sit back with a pre or post dinner drink if you want to max out your stay. What is there to drink? Charles Heidsieck is the house Champagne (€28), and there's a Crémant de Limoux too (€15) for the bubble lovers. The by the glass list is relatively small, with five choices each for white and red, plus a rosé, but when there are no dull duds present, it turns out thirteen choices is plenty. The glass pour size on the menu said 175ml so we initially thought the prices weren't bad, but it turned out to be a misprint and should have said 125ml - suddenly €19 for that glass of Au Bon Climat didn't seem as reasonable. It's much better value drinking by the bottle, but with mainly private events and only 40 public seats a week, they probably don't have to worry as much about the perception of value as a neighbourhood independent. Tell us about the food The 10-part tasting menu is €150 , which is substantially more than every one Michelin-starred restaurant in Dublin - D'Olier Street (€139), Bastible (€110), Variety Jones (€110) and Forest Avenue (€98). Could a gong from the tyre man be part of the grand plan? A big part of the experience here is watching the chefs at work, having them explain what they're doing, seeing just how much work went into that delicious snack you swallowed in one bite. The menu will change regularly, but expect some things to stay in place. Here's what we had at the preview... A very strong opening: Tartlet of wild sea trout in the thinnest of crispy shells, and Big Mac 'a la Rossini' - a juicy slider with added foie gras. We'd put a bet on this becoming a signature. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_ece41cc9693141a780be897cbbfabb7e/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Citrus cured hamachi with an intense barbecued tomato consommé (barbecued on the street outside!), pear and frozen oyster pearls, served with a mini buckwheat crumpet topped with caviar. There was more than a hint of Chapter One off this one. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_f34f9a52eab8458e91a0c9629bee0490/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Expect Mark's baked potato sourdough to become legendary. Look at that crust! Bagsy the end bit. Part bread, part cake. Full happiness. Celeriac baked in bread with Fino sherry, yeast, apple and preserved truffle. We were shown the celeriac after it came out of the oven before plating, and in all honesty we didn't know celery's cousin could taste this good. The acid levels in that sauce and the shavings of truffle were standout. Roasted Castletownbere cod with pork cheek "paella" and XO: Can't imagine anything more opposite to a boring, filler fish dish. The burnished flesh, the rich pork and rice gems hidden underneath, that sauce! Wowza. Pastry-encased, soft as butter Donegal milk fed lamb, with green olive, courgette and "Caesar" - little gem stuffed with all the flavours of Caesar salad, as well as avocado which we thought was a too heavy, unnecessary addition. The jus was an added bonus. A pre-dessert of apricot and jasmine tea, with sheep's yoghurt sorbet, salted coconut and honey vinegar. Read that again... Can you taste it? You really should. Pair with a glass of Sauternes for maximum enjoyment. Vietnamese Mekonga 70% chocolate with vanilla and tamarind ice-cream. Chocolate might feel like a safe choice to end on, but it's an appropriately lavish ending to an impressive parade of dishes. Warm madeleines fresh from the oven are the bonus that you won't need but can't say no to. Why and when should we go? This will be special occasion territory for most, and will likely entail severe pre-planning to get the Friday you want. Bookings for each month open six weeks in advance (so bookings for all five Fridays in October will be released at 10am on Friday 21st August ), but join their mailing list for updates. OR if you're the private event/entertaining a rake of clients on someone else's money type, get in touch with them about Monday - Thursday. As far as the food and drinks go, there appears to be Michelin-starred ambition here (with the talent to match), and at €150 for food they will need to consistently deliver on a par with Dublin's other stars, for food, wine and service. Based on our preview they're off to a rip-roaring start. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Kevin O’Donnell and Laura Chabal’s Comet opened just off Dawson Street in Summer 2025 with little fanfare, but within weeks the critics (us included) had proclaimed it one of the most exciting restaurants to open in Dublin in recent memory. O’Donnell’s Scandi-influenced cooking feels genuinely unique in Dublin right now, as do the small site’s paired back bistro vibes, and the wine list is an event in itself. The quail on toast is already a thing of legend – if ever dare to take it off the menu they’ll have an angry mob at the door. Comet Website cometrestaurant.com Address Comet, Joshua Lane, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Kevin O’Donnell and Laura Chabal’s Comet opened just off Dawson Street in Summer 2025 with little fanfare, but within weeks the critics (us included) had proclaimed it one of the most exciting restaurants to open in Dublin in recent memory. O’Donnell’s Scandi-influenced cooking feels genuinely unique in Dublin right now, as do the small site’s paired back bistro vibes, and the wine list is an event in itself. The quail on toast is already a thing of legend – if ever dare to take it off the menu they’ll have an angry mob at the door. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

That’s Amore looks quaint, but Monkstown locals know it as a place where you book a table of four and end up with a table of eight by the end of the night when the staff join your group - that's when you really feel the amore. Know that whatever you choose from the menu here is going to be the real deal, and trust whatever is on the specials board. If you spot the tonnarelli fresh pasta with lobster on the board, order it. That's Amore Website @Thats-Amore Address 107 Monkstown Road, Monkstown, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story That’s Amore looks quaint, but Monkstown locals know it as a place where you book a table of four and end up with a table of eight by the end of the night when the staff join your group - that's when you really feel the amore. Know that whatever you choose from the menu here is going to be the real deal, and trust whatever is on the specials board. If you spot the tonnarelli fresh pasta with lobster on the board, order it. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

City centre café and pancake house Póg opened their third location in the seaside village of Howth, and took their natural, pampas grass-filled aesthetic with them. Brunch, lunch, coffee and homemade juices draw plenty of passers by, as does their vegan afternoon tea. Póg Howth Website ifancyapog.ie Address Island View House, 1 Harbour Road, Howth, Dublin 13 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story City centre café and pancake house Póg opened their third location in the seaside village of Howth, and took their natural, pampas grass-filled aesthetic with them. Brunch, lunch, coffee and homemade juices draw plenty of passers by, as does their vegan afternoon tea. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Is it a chipper? Is it a gelato shop? Is it a bakery? Sorrento's may seem like it's suffering from multiple personality disorder, but when owner Cristian Proca can do all three so well, who are we to judge. Gelato flavours change daily, and his focaccia Pugliese have the locals queueing up. Sorrento's Website @sorrento_take_away Address 10B Arbour Hill, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Is it a chipper? Is it a gelato shop? Is it a bakery? Sorrento's may seem like it's suffering from multiple personality disorder, but when owner Cristian Proca can do all three so well, who are we to judge. Gelato flavours change daily, and his focaccia Pugliese have the locals queueing up. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Chef de Partie < Back Chef de Partie La Maison Apply Now Location Dublin 2 Employment Full-time Date Posted 23 June 2026 Website lamaisondublin.com Can you sear, sauce and plate with precision? La Maison on Castle Market are looking for a talented Chef de Partie to join our French restaurant in Dublin city centre and help create beautiful dishes inspired by classic French cuisine. French-inspired menu Professional, high-energy kitchen Work alongside experienced chefs Genuine opportunities to grow Competitive salary & staff benefits Passion, consistency and attention to detail are a must. Send cover letter and/or CV to info@lamaisondublin.com ‘Bonne cuisine starts with a great team.’

Tang (Cumberland) This is outdoor dining goals for summer 2026 Posted: 16 Jun 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Tang's Cumberland Place dinners? It's the third year of outdoor summer time dinners at Tang on Cumberland Place - a risky move in a country perennially plagued by rain you might think, but it's had little or no impact on bookings here, or how much diners have been enjoying the experience (just look at their reviews). Fundamental to that are clever, robust pergolas with the ability to stay fully covered, and pull the sides down in case of sideways rain, but we're told that's not really been an issue. Tang is one of the places Dubliners are most obsessive about when it comes to breakfast, brunch and lunch (is there a single soul in the city who doesn't love what they do?), so it makes sense to keep the Middle Eastern vibes going through to dinner, which they only host on Thursday and Friday nights during summer - no Saturdays so their staff can have a weekend off. Don't you love to see it. What's the story with seating? This secret garden is one of the loveliest outdoor options in the city, tables flanked by foliage, and large pergolas to shelter diners if an unexpected shower hits. Even if you've booked an outdoor table in advance and the forecast on the day changes, don't despair and cancel in a panic - they'll make sure you're protected from the elements. You can book inside seating too if you don't like the risky life, but we're coming here on a warm summer evening for that patio space outside. What's the menu like? A Middle-Eastern inspired mix of flavour first combos, with vegetables in most of the starring roles. There are only two meat dishes and a few featuring cheese, and it's a compilation of Ottolenghi's favourite flavours, with sumac, tah ini, toum and za'tar scattered across it. It's divided into snacks, dips, small plates, large plates and sides, and we strongly recommend coming here in a group of AT LEAST four, because you're going to want more than is physically possible for two people to eat (we did the damage to ourselves so you don't have to). Two crunchy lavash crackers (€8) came topped with creamy, tangy goat's curd and simultaneously savoury, sweet and saline fig and olive tapenade, shattering into all kinds of loveliness on first bite. We insist you order the courgette fritti (€9) - beautifully battered and adequately drained coins of hot, juicy veg bursting out from a crispy, cumin-studded coating. Lemon tartare sauce on the side is a genius addition. Dips have their own menu section, with a choice of hummus, labneh and muhammara (€10 each), all coming with an individual loaf of sage brown butter kubaneh (a traditional Jewish yeast bread). Tang's hummus is infamous, so we tried the labneh with confit garlic and za'tar, and the muhammara with pomegranate and toasted walnut. There's nothing timid about the flavours jumping out of these plates, and you're guaranteed to send them back embarrassingly clean. Marinated cucumber with miso tahini, chilli crisp and scallions (€13) is a dream bowl for a warm evening, all crunch, creaminess and spice, with chunks of cucumber begging to be dredged through multiple competing sauces. Another small plate of fried halloumi came on top of harissa yoghurt and sumac onions (€16), and while the flavours were once again in your face delicious, we found the halloumi dry - maybe the advance soaking trick would work. Juicy lamb kofta balls (€19) came sitting on a tangy sumac yoghurt, topped with chilli, shallot and herb salad to add zing and cleverly cut through the meatiness. Kofta can get a bad rep for being dry - this one won't be receiving any such complaints. You absolutely need to get the Middle Eastern chicken skewers too, with hot honey and tzatziki. Drag those juicy, burnished chunks of meat through sweet and spicy smears, then cooling yoghurt, relishing each fizzing flavour individually and together. You don't need sides, but when has that ever stopped us. Get the crispy potato terrine with toum and shatta (€7), delicate slices compressed into a whole new form, and cooked until crisp, livened up further by being dragged alternately through Lebanese garlic sauce and fiery hot sauce. Need some crunch? The baby gem salad with herby yoghurt, toasted hazelnuts and green chilli (€8) will tick that box, as well as the one for your daily greens. Not quite as healthy as a plate of steamed spinach, but so much more enjoyable. Of the four desserts, one is a trio of their stuffed dates, and one is an affogato (they do excellent decaf if you want the flavour without the inability to drop off once you get home). That left our two, a rhubarb and custard brioche, and a dark chocolate crémeux with orange, sesame and sumac. While we're die hard fans of rhubarb and custard, a slice of bread was not what we needed after dinner, and this sent us into the realms of discomfort and belt loosening. The chocolate crémeux was a far more suitable after dinner spoon, sweet but not overly, with lovely tang from the orange and crunch from the sesame. The sumac was drowned out by the rest, but we didn't miss it. What are the drinks like? The drinks list is simple but functions perfectly well. There's a nice selection of summery spritzes and cocktails priced from €12-€14 (be aware our spicy pineapple marg was PROPERLY spicy), and nine wines from €35-€48 - everyone complaining about restaurants where wine prices now start at €50 will be delighted. A couple of Whiplash beers and N/A options complete the line up. Wine wise we love Arndorfer's refreshing Grüner Veltliner, which comes in a 1 litre bottle - even more bang for your buck. We're also fans of Baglio's Nero D'Avola, and if you like skin contact, try the excellent value Salamandre Blanc. How was the service? Every Tang we ever enter, owner Stephen O'Dwyer is there overseeing things. If anyone out there knows how he's successfully cloned himself we'd love the details. Is it something to do with AI? Between him steering the ship front of house, and everyone else friendly, warm and relaxed, looking like they really like where they work, it would be hard not to have a good night here. What did the bill come to? €175 before tip which included three wines and a cocktail, plus leftovers to take home. Less greedy people will spend less. €45 per person on food will get you the full shebang. What's the verdict on Tang's dinners? Like strawberries, barbecues and water fights, some things are just better in summer, and so are dinners at Tang. This lovely outdoor space serving plates supercharged with flavour should shoot to the top of your summer 2026 eating list - September will be here before we know it, don't spend Autumn mourning all the outdoor eating you never got around to. If you can time a meal here with Ireland's next heatwave that would be ideal, but either way once it's not lashing out there you'll feel very continental. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Taco Libre Bar food, but make it delicious Posted: 8 Feb 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Taco Libre, a new Mexican at the bottom of Capel Street, seemed to have lots going against it. It's the latest opening from Galway Bay Brewery (their 15th in total), who also own The Black Sheep across the road, Against The Grain on Wexford Street, and recently opened The Beer Temple on Parliament Street. Why would a brewery care about food? Surely these places are just a way to sell more beer? However, in getting the story for this new openings piece , we discovered several things that made us sit up and take a closer look. 1) Their head chef Bruna is Mexican (always a good start), but also has Brazilian and Japanese heritage which she described entwining into the menu. 2) They're sourcing much of their ingredients from Picado on Richmond Street, so were clearly looking for the best. 3) They told us that everything, from the tortilla chips to the tortillas for tacos, were homemade. After the feature we threw a few options out to our ATF Insiders on where they wanted us to go for our next once over, and Taco Libre won by a considerable margin, so on a wet and murky February evening we tentatively set off for Dublin 1. Where should we sit? They've done a great job on the design in here - it's colourful, welcoming, and there are lots of seating options, from bar stools to booths, high tables to cosy little spots for two. There's a front and a back room, separated by a narrow corridor. The back is closer to the kitchen but further from the bar, so a bit better for privacy, while it fees like there's more action happening/more to look at out front. What's the food like? It's all small plates/sharing style, which suits us just fine, and if you're a table of 3 or 4 of you could easily get through the whole menu. It's split into bar bites, tacos, nachos, sides and sweet (currently just alcoholic milkshakes), and tacos are priced individually which is great because you can try more of them. There's no provenance information on the menu, but they told us that everything not sourced from Picado is sourced in Ireland, using local where possible, and beef, pork and chicken are Irish. It would be against the law not to start with their homemade tortilla chips, which come with guacamole and two salsas of your choice. There's salsa roja, hot sauce, crema, pico de gallo, and smoked roasted morija, and they all get a big fat tick from us, as do the tortillas. Homemade are just better - so fresh, so crunchy, so salty, so hard to stop jamming them into your mouth. Seen as 'moqueca' is emblazoned on the wall as you walk in, that was our next order. Bruna had said the prawn and cod cakes with dende oil (a fragrant, red Brazilian oil extracted from palm nuts) was inspired by her Brazilian heritage, and while we weren't expecting much from a regional spin on a fishcake, we were happy to be wrong. The delicately-flavoured breadcrumbed balls pack in a lot of flavour, with discernible pieces of fish and a crispy (but not oily shell), the chilli sauce on the side kicking it into an optional spicy space. We loved. Next up, their cousins in the same panko shell - elote croquettes. Again, expected little. Again, over-delivered. The menu said "toasted sweetcorn, cheese, jalapeño and coriander", and we could taste every ingredient. These have a bit of heat in them from the jalapeño, and the accompanying crema was the perfect dipping companion. 'Papas fritas' come with homemade chilli jam, crema and queso fresco (made in house and the real deal), and was a very tasty plate of potatoes, with sweetness and spice from the jam, saltiness from the cheese, creaminess from the crema, and the addition of micro coriander bringing another clever and complimentary layer of flavour. Then onto what we were really here for - the tacos. The tortillas are homemade (we presume from masa harina and that they're not nixtamalizing the corn themselves), and there's a choice of five. We tried four (side-stepping the chicken as it didn't say whether it was free range). Tortillas were nicely imperfect looking and the right thickness, and each of them had plenty of flavours going on. The tempura prawn comes with crema, white radish pickle and nori seaweed vinaigrette (another nod to the chef's Japanese hertiage). Is it Mexican, it is Japanese - when it tastes this good we really don't care. The beef taco comes with toasted sweet corn, sweet pickled red cabbage, avocado puree, diced onion, salsa roja and coriander, and was also enjoyable, if over-filled and a bit messy to eat. But our favourite was the pork, with marinated minty pineapple, crema and diced onions. Usually we'd be throwing the salsas onto tacos, but this needed nothing. It's a knockout, and the closest thing we've had to tacos al pastor for a long time. We also tried the 'tacos dourado' - a crispy pan-fried taco with mashed potato and onions, salsa roja, lettuce, tomato, queso fresco and crema. Another tasty small plate with great textures, but it needed the salsas to liven up the flavours - that is however exactly what they're there for. Currently dessert consists of two boozy milkshakes - a bourbon chocolate praline one, and a margarita one - "oh no" we hear you cry. We tried the margarita with lime whipped cream and salted lemon caramel sauce (more like lemon curd) and if we wanted 500 calories with our alcohol we'd definitely order again, but as you can imagine it's pretty heavy. A sip or two each would be plenty. What about the drinks? A brewery owned establishment could easily railroad the entire drinks menu into serving only their beers, but they're not that shortsighted here. Many other Irish breweries are named on the beer menu, with interesting choices from abroad too, making it a great spot for craft beer drinkers. It's mainly their own beers on tap, and we really liked both the Weights and Measures (a citra IPA) and the Bay Ale (a red ale). Wines are basic, and cocktails come from Irish Craft Cocktails around the corner. And the service? Very friendly and welcoming but casual. All of our food arrived at once so order in stages if that irritates you. No one checked in on whether we were enjoying it or needed anything else, but that's generally the vibe in most bars - we were probably lulled into feeling like we were in a fancier restaurant because the food was so good. You might also notice from the photos that several of the staff weren't masked, which felt sadly strange after the last two years. This will bother some of you, whereas others don't seem to care anymore now that we're edging closer to the old normal. And the damage? €70 for enough food to make three feel uncomfortably full, with two drinks. Can't argue with that kind of value for this quality of food. The verdict? We're struggling to stay focused on the fact that Taco Libre is a bar first and foremost, because so few bars have food this good, food that ends up becoming the main attraction over and above the drinks. When we were there an English couple had wandered in after watching the rugby, clearly not able to believe their luck in the level of soakage they'd stumbled upon, and ever since our visit we've been dreaming of a world where the bars you want to meet your mates in put the food on the same level as the decor/cocktails/toilets and we never have to round everyone up to go and get food somewhere decent. Taco Libre are the exception right now - a menu with a genuine Mexican feel, and a kitchen with a talent for flavour, in a bar that you could just as easily drop in for a pint. We'll be back, and next time we're bringing a gang and settling in. Book it before word gets out. Taco Libre 199 King Street North, Dublin 7 galwaybaybrewery.com/tacolibre New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Xi'an Street Food Website xianstreetfood.ie Address 21 Suffolk St, Dublin, D02 WA48, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Rush lucked out with 2023 opening Noisette, serving pastries and sourdough loaves from Vaarsha Baugreet (previously head baker at Bread Naturally in Raheny), and partner Jérémy Pastor (formerly at Tartine and Bread 41). You can expect long morning lines for their hand-kneaded and rolled croissants, danishes and ciabattas, but the staff make it all worthwhile when they hand over the good stuff with a smile. They serve Imbibe coffee and Belgian hot chocolate, and have free plant milk on offer - a major plus for the normally-penalised dairy-free drinkers. Noisette Website @noisetteartisanbakery Address 3 Upper Main Street, Rush, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Rush lucked out with 2023 opening Noisette, serving pastries and sourdough loaves from Vaarsha Baugreet (previously head baker at Bread Naturally in Raheny), and partner Jérémy Pastor (formerly at Tartine and Bread 41). You can expect long morning lines for their hand-kneaded and rolled croissants, danishes and ciabattas, but the staff make it all worthwhile when they hand over the good stuff with a smile. They serve Imbibe coffee and Belgian hot chocolate, and have free plant milk on offer - a major plus for the normally-penalised dairy-free drinkers. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

One of the buzziest openings of 2016. Wood-fired duck, family style feasts and great music in a makeshift subway carriage on Camden St. Hang Dai Chinese Website hangdaichinese.com Address 20 Camden St Lower, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story One of the buzziest openings of 2016. Wood-fired duck, family style feasts and great music in a makeshift subway carriage on Camden St. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

The Rooftop at Anantara The Marker A new food and drink menu, but it's all about those 360 views Posted: 27 May 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What do we need to know about the Rooftop at Anantara The Marker? Open since 2013, The Marker Hotel was bought by and rebranded as Anantara The Marker in 2023. This saw a multi-million euro renovation to the already five-star hotel, with all rooms refurbished, a fresh update to the lobby and bars, and bespoke cabinetry and custom furniture across the hotel. It's always been a place to see and be seen, with Influencers and Tiktokers frequently spotted draped across the rails, while their Insta-boyfriends wear out their fingers taking photos, but this year was the Rooftop's turn for a refresh, with the hard, white geometric furniture gone , and softer, neutral sofas and loungers brought in to replace them. On a clear day you can see the Poolbeg chimneys, the Aviva Stadium, and as far as Dún Laoghaire and the Wicklow Mountains, so you won't get many better places for a 360 view of the capital. Indoor and sheltered zones are mixed with outdoor terraces, with the addition of a new fire-pit. There's a new menu for summer 2025 too from Executive Chef Gareth Mullins, which they say is " fusing bold Thai and Asian flavours with fine Irish ingredients ", a nod to their Thai-born parent company. A new cocktail list with similar Asian flavour inspiration completes the refresh. What happens if it rains? When you book online it doesn't specify seating areas, but you can request in the notes if you want to be in a particular spot. We had initially booked during the short-lived summer of 2025 and requested an outdoor table, but when the day (and the rain) came we called to ask what happens if the weather is particularly inclement. They said they can generally seat bookings inside or under cover, and only if conditions get extremely bad would they close the whole space and move people to the downstairs bar instead. There's room for around 20 in the fully enclosed bit, and three couch-based seating areas under a permanent structure, so a bit of drizzle won't ruin your plans. So if it's sunny where should we sit? First you need to get up there - arrive early for your booking as we were waiting at least five minutes in a queue to see the host. The days of taking yourself to the lift and pressing the button are over. There's lots of radio-ing back and forth from reception to bar to tell them that you're here, that you're en route, and you'll either get all the VIP feels or find it a bit OTT. This rooftop has wraparound views across the city so there aren't really any bad seats, but we prefer to face out over the Liffey and Grand Canal Dock, as the views the other way aren't as expansive. Your seating preference here might also come down to the type of chair you want to sit in - options range from single rattan chairs, to couches, to soft fabric loungers with little back support, so if this is an issue for your party, request the appropriate seating before you get there. What if we just want drinks? No problemo. They've made a big deal about their new cocktail list, " weaving exotic ingredients and imaginative storytelling into every glass ". Drinks have names like " Elephants: Love and Bananas" , and " Storm in Bangkok" , using ingredients like Szechuan peppercorns, pandan leaf and Kaffir lime leaves (whose name is a debate for another day ). If that all sounds too adventurous they cover the bases too with Margaritas, Old Fashioneds, and the lesser-seen-these-days Cosmopolitan. There's a compact, not very exciting, list of wine and Champagne with all the popular grape boxes ticked - including Whispering Angel rosé for the Insta huns just back from their hols in the South of France. A glass of cava will set you back €16, Ayala Champagne €28, and wines by the glass range from €10.40 for Pinot Grigio to €17.40 for Chablis. There's no added value in buying a bottle - it's the same price to buy four 175ml glasses, so you can mix it up without penalty. We tried the " Elephants: Love and Bananas" (based on the natural diet of elephants), and the " Storm in Bangkok" , and while on first sip we thought they weren't half bad, a few more sips revealed far more sugar than we want in our drinks on a night out, and everything else fighting to be tasted over the inert sweetness. At €18-€21 a cocktail we were hoping for more balance and refinement. As tempted as we were to try the "Celtic Sea" with it's "salmon-washed Method and Madness gin", we needed a mouth cleanse, and a glass of 3 Rios Vinho Verde and an Espresso Martini did the job. This cocktail was much better, with IStill vodka, Poitin coffee liqueur, espresso and Japanese buckwheat syrup. Next time we'll stick to the classics. What's on offer for food? The small plates are out in full force, at not so small prices. It's the kind of menu you'd expect to leave hungry after, and you could very easily drop €100 per person on food and a couple of drinks in a very short time, so keep an eye on your spending or prepare to get a shock. Hand-dived scallops (sliced so it was hard to tell how many there were but we guessed two-three) came layered with an aged oxtail soy broth, pops of trout roe, bursts of citrussy yuzu, and crispy potato straws on (€21). It would have been a knockout if not for the woolly texture of the scallops. We guessed they were over-cured, with too long an exposure to salt/acid causing the scallop slices to lose any bite they once had. The salt and chilli "spice bag" potatoes (€8) came next, with a spiced mayonnaise tasting mainly of Five Spice. With good flavour and just cooked veg this is one of the better dishes here, but those potatoes would have been so much better deep-fried instead of baked - maybe the crowd here are counting their calories. "Muu Grop Warn", is described as Caramelised pork and Dublin Bay Prawn, with Little Gem, pineapple and orange (€18). This was an absurdly sweet, chewy, crunchy mound of what could have been a multitude of things. Nuts? Sure. Fried chicken? Perhaps. Deep-fried noodles? Could be...? No Dublin Bay Prawn should have to suffer this fate. There may well have been none in here though - it would be impossible to tell without a kitchen inspection. Don't order this unless you've got a toothbrush in your pocket to get the sugar off your teeth afterwards. Handpicked crab sesame toast (€20) comes with "pickled cumcumber" (unfortunate typo) and sweetened Japanese mayo. If this had seen more time on the pan and been adequately drained of oil we would have had no complaints about this fancy spin on prawn toast. Crisp Gochugang chicken with Thai "nam jim" dipping sauce (€18) had one major problem - it was about as crisp as an over ripe banana (also if you want to taste nam jim in Dublin go to Achara, cos this overly sweet mixture isn't it). It was so soggy we flagged down a server and asked had it been sitting under a heat lamp since we asked them to slow down the food. What followed was an explanation of what panko breadcrumbs are, and how they absorb sauce, before they must have taken pity on our weary faces and offered to bring the prawn wontons instead. Thank God for happy endings because these were the best things we ate. The dumpling-like filling had proper chunks of fluffy Dublin Bay Prawns (€20 but they left them off the bill by way of apology), were juicy, crispy and just cooked, and only the non-existent Prik Nam Pla (a fish sauce and chilli dipping sauce) let it down. Was it supposed to be the soy dipping sauce? Prik Nam Pla has no soy. Thailand's ultimate, sour and spicy condiment would have taken this dish from "wow" to "holy cow". Dessert consists of three different combinations of soft serve ice-cream (€9), but as the meal ended up being more drawn out than we'd planned for we ended up having to leave before we'd had time to try one. How was the service? At times we felt like we were stand ins for a training session. Our lovely waiter seemed very new and didn't have the answers to most of our questions, having to go and fetch other team members each time. Eventually answers on portion sizes and ingredients were answered, but it was all a bit protracted. Food and drinks were also slow in arriving, which was surprisingly given it was early on a rainy evening and there were only a few tables occupied. Is there anything worse than watching your cocktail slowly warm up on the counter with no one to rescue it. After a decent wait for food, three of five dishes landed on the small table at one time causing anxiety to hit, so we asked them to hold the other two until we'd finished what we had. This request seemed to throw them, and much was made about whether or not the kitchen was already making the food and if they could halt the order. We dream of a day where we no longer have to have the conversation about wanting to eat food while its still warm. Also, where were we supposed to put the extra dishes? On our laps? What about the prices? Sky high, which is no surprise. Cocktails are at five-star hotel prices, coming in at less than The Sidecar in The Westbury, but well above almost everywhere else like The Mint Bar (€16.50), Peruke & Periwig (€15) and Bar 1661 (€5-€16). For those prices we would have expected more polish in those special cocktails. Food wise you're averaging €20 a small plate - pricey by anywhere's standards, but we did feel full after sharing five plates between two. Two cocktails each and five sharing plates and you could easily be down €200 after adding a tip. What's the verdict on The Rooftop at The Marker? Let's be real. The Rooftop at Anantara The Marker is all about the views, and you'll pay for them on your bill. While it would be a dream come true for Dublin to have a rooftop restaurant with food to match the 360 skyline, there's plenty here to keep a mixed crowd (with deep pockets) happy on a glam night out. If you're on a budget you can pop in for a pre-dinner glass of wine and some complimentary pretzels, and if you've got money burning a hole in your pocket on the next sunny evening in Dublin, you could spend a dream-like few hours here on a lounger floating above the city with a glass of rosé in hand, nibbling on tuna sashimi. There are far worse ways to spend an evening. When's it open? Wednesday to Thursday from 5pm, Friday and Saturday from 3pm, and Sunday from 1pm. There are plans to open daily from June, weather permitting. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

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

While from the outside it looks like just another bubble tea shop, those in the know come to Only Oriental for their Taiwanese fried chicken sandwiches, egg tarts and coconut buns. Only Oriental Bakery & Tea Website @onlybakeryandtea Address 66 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story While from the outside it looks like just another bubble tea shop, those in the know come to Only Oriental for their Taiwanese fried chicken sandwiches, egg tarts and coconut buns. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Lip-tingling, totally legitimate Thai food, without compromises for Irish palates. Don't miss the Laab Moo (spicy pork salad), Pad Kra Pao (spicy Thai basil stiry fry) and the whole deep-fried fish. Spice levels can be high but staff will advise based on your threshold for heat. Full Moon Website fullmoon.ie Address 8 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Lip-tingling, totally legitimate Thai food, without compromises for Irish palates. Don't miss the Laab Moo (spicy pork salad), Pad Kra Pao (spicy Thai basil stiry fry) and the whole deep-fried fish. Spice levels can be high but staff will advise based on your threshold for heat. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Space Jaru Casual Korean food that's spicing up The Liberties Posted: 7 Mar 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Space Jaru? Korean street food vendors Jaru have spent a long seven years building their brand on the food market and festival scenes, together with a growing retail presence. As well as stockists like Supervalu and Fresh carrying their kimchi and rayu, they operate their Jaru Mart direct delivery service online, sending Korean storecupboard essentials, meal kits and ready to hit dinners across the capital. Founder Gunmoo Kim was just about to sign the lease on the business’s first sit-in space elsewhere in March 2020 when, well, we all know what happened next. Three years, a few pandemic pivots and plenty of recipe experimentation later, Space Jaru has finally settled down in Dublin 8, in the Meath Street site that was formerly home to Tasty8 café. Where should we sit? Both wide, floor-to-ceiling shopfront windows have benches running the full length of them, so they're ideal for solo diners or those who want to watch the world go by - and few Dublin streets are as good for entertaining outside watching as Meath Street. Otherwise, the left side of the space has a smattering of two and four-top setups spaced throughout, while the right plays host to a bigger ten-seater table, calling out for a group outing. It’s also got by far the best view of the open kitchen. What's on the menu? They’ve kept things clear and concise with four sections representing a good spread of Korean cuisine: small plates, banchan and sides, BBQ bowls and KFC (Korean fried chicken) burgers. The chicken is free-range too which we love to see. If you’re just in for a bowl it’s worth getting the full spread of banchan for maximum mix-and-matching pleasure - they're perfect for adding into rice. For our part we got stuck straight in to the small plates. First out was the Yangnyum chicken, an impressive mini-mound of twice-fried thighs drizzled in a spicy gochujang-based sauce. That intense, fermented chili paste is a staple of Korean cooking - the country’s mountainous terrain made preserved foods a requirement for more inland regions - and here it brings real flavour complexity to the tender chicken strips, nicely offset by cubes of pickled daikon. Crispy, flaky batter is delicately seasoned and a light scattering of seeds brings added crunch to the plate. This is a good one for sharing among those with different palates - spice lovers will lap up the Yangnyum sauce, while the more mild-mouthed can grab an uncoated strip if their chopsticks are quick enough. A plate of mandu came next - Korean dumplings not too far removed from the more familiar gyoza. These beef galbi (rib) ones arrived deep-fried with a cracklingly crisp finish, scattered with pickled onions. The duelling textures of skins and filling is really effective, a satisfying crunch yielding to the soft meat, but the flavour can feel a little one-note beyond the first bite and there’s only so much the little side bowl of soy sauce can do. Worth trying shared with a larger crowd, but this isn’t a plate we’d want all to ourselves. Our server cheerily called out the tteokbokki as her favourite plate as she set it down, and it’s one we'd been keen to try. In Korea you’ll find endless variations on this popular street food dish, centred on log-shaped rice cakes usually tossed in a spicy sauce and topped with sliced spring onions, sesame seeds and a soft-boiled egg. Space Jaru ’s interpretation centres on gochujang pork and it’s a resounding success in our book, rendered fat and fiery sauce happily lapped up by the squidgy cylinders and lightly tempered by the unset egg. There’s hearty, heavy eating in this, but we couldn’t keep our chopsticks from flying back for more. Edamame felt like coming up for air after all that, and we salute the unfussy treatment here that gets out of the way and lets the light, fresh, firm soybeans speak for themselves. A tell-tale blistered skin on the pods speaks to a short pan-fry finish before the sprinkling of cashews, sesame seeds and coarse salt that adds a very pleasant crunch. BBQ bowls are one of the centrepieces of the Space Jaru menu, and a mainstay of their market trade. After much wrangling we went for pork jeyuk - thin cuts of fatty meat marinated in apple and gochujang and stir-fried into submission. The bowls come with a choice of purple or kimchi rice and one of six sauces served on the side for drizzling or dipping - choose your own adventure. We usually like our kimchi with a little more tang than this but it plays well against the sweeter notes of the meat. Tired-looking limp leaves of rocket took away from an otherwise bright bowl, well-balanced with textures and flavours, though after trying the bulk of the small plates before it there wasn’t much new to note here. If you’re going in for a bowl alone, you’ll likely come out satisfied. The only reason we didn’t go for the beef bulgogi bowl was wanting to try the appa burger instead, which comes with two generous layers of the soy-marinated meat, slopped over two slices of cheese, sandwiching a fried free-range chicken breast. 'Appa' is an affectionate term for 'Father' in Korean, and this does feel like something yer Da might mangle together over a summer barbecue - and we mean that in the best way possible. The bulgogi is beautiful - the cheaper cuts of meat usually used mostly reflect a history of commoner cooking, but it also yields muscly mounds of meat with maximum surface area to soak up the intensely-flavoured sauce. The chicken is just as good as in the yangnyum to start, and doesn't skimp on size. If there’s a drawback it’s the cheddar which dissolves into a largely flavour-free ooze. The bun itself doesn’t stand out much either, but there’s no pretence here to being anything other than a vessel for everything in between. What are the drinks like? The wine list stands out as seriously considered - a lot more thought has gone into these picks than most comparable casual eateries around town. We went with the Judith Beck Ink - always a nice natural one to see by the glass— and the fresh red fruits and minimal tannins make for a perfect pairing with the lightly-spiced pork and bulgogi. For spicier dishes you might want to stick with white - we can vouch for the Von Winning Deidesheimmer Riesling as a good way to balance out the bolder dishes. For a traditional Korean flavour there’s sool and soju going - fermented rice beer and spirits, respectively - while non-alcoholic options include Irish-produced kefir and kombucha. How was the service? Fast and friendly - we had our first plates inside 15 minutes of arrival and the whole lot came in quick succession from there. It’s worth asking for dishes to be divided out into starters and mains if you don’t want to be overwhelmed. Staff were very happy to help with recommendations and couldn’t have been more apologetic when one side we were really keen to try (padron peppers with baby anchovy) wasn’t available that day. The place got busy quickly when we visited on a Sunday evening, and while servers largely left us alone once everything was on the table, it was easy to catch an attentive eye if there was anything else we needed. And the damage? €80 before tip for two, with wine and kombucha and frankly far too much food. You could easily fill up for under €25 a head before factoring in drinks. At lunch, it’s a very reasonable €13 across the board for a slimmed-down menu of BBQ bowls and KFC burgers with chips. What's the verdict on Space Jaru? A welcome new space for casual catchups, Korean style, in the heart of the Liberties. With its well-honed menu, excellent drink options and fair pricing, we can see Space Jaru becoming a popular spot for quick bites on the go, kicking off a night out (it's right around the corner from Vicar Street), or just somewhere to spend a few hours in good company over unfussy food. Grab a group, order a bit of everything, and share a bottle of soju - you’re in safe hands here. Space Jaru 67-68 Meath Street, The Liberties, Dublin 8 jaru.ie/spacejaru New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Natural wine bar Frank's (a sibling to Delahunt down the street) brought back food post-covid, with the one-man kitchen staffed by David Bradshaw (ex-Clanbrassil House and Potager). A single long table runs the length of the room, while diners enjoy seasonal small plates with some cheffy flair, and well-priced wines. They don't take bookings so it's ideal for a last minute rock up. Frank's Website franksdublin.com Address 22 Camden Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Natural wine bar Frank's (a sibling to Delahunt down the street) brought back food post-covid, with the one-man kitchen staffed by David Bradshaw (ex-Clanbrassil House and Potager). A single long table runs the length of the room, while diners enjoy seasonal small plates with some cheffy flair, and well-priced wines. They don't take bookings so it's ideal for a last minute rock up. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

New York style sandwich shop in premium co-working space Grafter House on St. Stephen's Green. Little Geno's is all about deli classics, with the Reuben, the Cuban, and the Chicken Parmigiana getting all the glory, but the coffee's great too. Sit at one of the couches up front or take your sandwich to the park - just watch those seagulls don't swipe it from your hand. Little Geno's Website littlegenos.ie Address Little Geno’s, Grafter Smyth House, Saint Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story New York style sandwich shop in premium co-working space Grafter House on St. Stephen's Green. Little Geno's is all about deli classics, with the Reuben, the Cuban, and the Chicken Parmigiana getting all the glory, but the coffee's great too. Sit at one of the couches up front or take your sandwich to the park - just watch those seagulls don't swipe it from your hand. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra