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Chapter One The ideal underground escape from 2020 Posted: 1 Sept 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Chapter One is one of the real success stories of Dublin's dining scene. Open since 1992, they were awarded a Michelin star in 2007, and have hung onto it easily (from the outside looking in anyway) ever since. They've been in and out of vogue over the years, but for the past few it's fair to say they've been riding high, thanks to an impressive kitchen team, some revamped branding and a stunning dining room. Chef/proprietor Ross Lewis runs the kitchen along with head chef Eric Matthews (he of Instagram's ' Cabin Fever Classics '), and with dessert dynamo Darren Hogarty turning out jaw-dropping cakes, tarts and petit fours day after day (and causing much sugar envy via his Instagram account ), the kitchen seems like it's never been in a better place. Chapter One is so many people's 'special restaurant', used for birthdays, anniversaries, and all manor of celebrations, so if ever there was a time to see how it's faring up, a global pandemic, general air of crippling anxiety, and impending second lockdown felt as good a time as any for a treat. Where should we sit? This is one of the most beautiful restaurants in the city - you may find yourself gasping if it's your first visit. There's a main dining room, a cave like space just off it with another five tables, and multiple private dining areas if you're out with a group (and you should really find a group just so you have an excuse to book one). There's also a lovely bar area for a pre-dinner drink - if you're going to do it, do it right. We were sat in the smaller cave-like space and loved the intimacy of it, but if you're a four or a six the main dining area is probably a better shout. (c) Chapter One What's the food like? Packed full of the best Irish growers, producers and suppliers, and entirely reflective of the seasons. For dinner you have the choice of the four-course menu for €85 or the premium for €120. When we were there the premium menu only had one extra course and no choice (but the same dishes on both menus - it seemed odd that it was termed 'premium'), so we stuck to the four-course, which had two-three choices per course. (FYI - The three-course lunch menu is only €50 and features a lot of the same dishes.) Like all good meals it started with bread, in this case a country style sourdough with creamy, salty butter, followed by snacks of a mushroom-filled cone (got to love a cone), and two savoury biscuits, one topped with ricotta and caramelised onion, the other with a Hegarty's cheddar mousse. All were utterly perfect palate teasers, and if you needed any reassurance about what was to come, snacks like these will do it. For the first course there was a choice of baby gem lettuce with Irish peas, white onion and Cáis na Tíre, or Irish sunstream tomato and cherry salad with basil, aerated yoghurt and pistachio. We had both and it would be difficult to pick a winner. This is definitely in the running for the tastiest lettuce dish in the country (although Cáis na Tíre would make an old tyre taste good), and tomatoes and cherries are the red-carpet couple we never knew existed. The basil, yoghurt and pistachios were a stunning supporting cast, and it was a clever Irish take on a Mediterranean-feeling dish. For the second course we struggled not to just order two of the crab pancake with smoked eel, yuzu, pickled seaweed dressing and cod roe cream, but it turned out that the mille feuille of Sean Ring chicken with black truffle and spruce vinegar was even better. Making what's usually a dessert pastry into something so powerfully savoury was another very clever take. The crab pancake was light, fresh, fluffy and fishy (in the best way), but we would have liked a bit more crab in the centre. Next up were the more classic main courses. Pink, tender saddle of lamb came with pickled garlic scape, smoked buttermilk potato (which could have been more smoky) and a full carrot with sweetbread stuffing, which alone would have been a knockout dish in itself. Stuffed rabbit was delivered with broad beans, Hen of the wood mushrooms, a smoked Shepherd's Store cheese sauce and parsley dumplings - a savoury, meaty, creamy, cheesey plate of perfectness. For dessert we couldn't sidestep the elderflower and gooseberry vacherin with lemon shortbread that we'd seen on Darren Hogarty's Instagram , but were slightly disappointed at how teeny it was in real life. Luckily it was a case of good things coming in small packages, but we would have liked one twice the size. The other dessert of Irish strawberries, baked honey custard, meringue, organic milk ice cream and sheep's yoghurt felt like a riff on their famous "textures of milk and honey" dessert, and had us clashing spoons to get the end of it. We ended with exceptionally good petit fours of cherry and white chocolate macarons, hazelnut and milk chocolate ganache truffles (serious swoon), ale choux buns with malt crunch and confit lemon cream, and one of the best decafs coffees we've had in a very long time. What about the drinks? The bottle list is extensive and impressive, so it was surprising to see a by the glass list playing it so safe. There was nothing we wanted to drink on it so asked if anything else was open, to which we were given the Coravin list, which was considerably better (and pricier, just FYI). Le Grappin's 2014 Saint-Aubin (€20) was drinking very well, and a delicate, floral 2017 Givry 1er Cru from Domaine Parize (€16.75) was a perfect pairing for the saddle of lamb and the rabbit. If you have money to spend and want to dive into their mainly European selection you'll have fun browsing the many bottles available. And the service? Delightful and completely charming from the minute we walked through the door, with smiles from everyone we passed - not the easiest of tasks when masked and keeping your distance. There's also a fancy iPad style temperature checker on arrival - green means go. Staff here cannot do enough to ensure your evening is everything you wanted it to be, and it's Irish hospitality at its finest. Our only gripe was the speed that the first few courses came at - we'd had bread, snacks and the first two courses within 30 minutes of sitting down - but once we asked them to slow down things came at a much nicer pace. The verdict? We can think of few better places to escape 2020 right now than Chapter One's cavernous, underground dining room. Yes the food is more classic than cutting edge, but as Michelin-starred meals go this is an experience that will leave you feeling warm and satisfied. Let someone else bear the brunt of life for a few hours and forget everything that's happening outside those doors - your only task is to sit back, relax and let yourself be wrapped up and taken care of. It might not be one for every week, but we couldn't recommend it more for your next treat, and it's very obvious why it's the special occasion go-to for so many. Chapter One 18-19 Parnell Square North, Dublin 1 www.chapteronerestaurant.com New Openings & Discoveries More >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 Where to eat in April Apr 1 The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30

Ku Raudo Website @kuraudosushidublin Address 185 Townsend Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

Oliveto at Haddington House, with its "Italian heart, Irish soul", has an extensive menu of small plates, pasta, pizza and mains of meat and fish. Enjoy handmade pasta, chargrilled octopus or Ossobuco Milanese, in their sleek atmospheric dining room with sea views. A cocktail before or after dinner in the adjoining Parlour bar is a must. Oliveto Website haddingtonhouse.ie/oliveto-22 Address Haddington House, 9-12 Haddington Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Oliveto at Haddington House, with its "Italian heart, Irish soul", has an extensive menu of small plates, pasta, pizza and mains of meat and fish. Enjoy handmade pasta, chargrilled octopus or Ossobuco Milanese, in their sleek atmospheric dining room with sea views. A cocktail before or after dinner in the adjoining Parlour bar is a must. Where It's At Nearby Locales Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

Neighbourhood Italian from the team behind Uno Mas, which looks set to hit the same heights. A pick and mix menu of snacks, small and large plates features high end Italian meats and cheeses, handmade pasta and mains that highlight wild fish and lesser seen cuts of meat. There is of course steak too - either a fillet for one or a bistecca alla fiorentina to share. Lena Website lena.ie Address 1 Windsor Terrace, Portobello, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Neighbourhood Italian from the team behind Uno Mas, which looks set to hit the same heights. A pick and mix menu of snacks, small and large plates features high end Italian meats and cheeses, handmade pasta and mains that highlight wild fish and lesser seen cuts of meat. There is of course steak too - either a fillet for one or a bistecca alla fiorentina to share. Where It's At Nearby Locales Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

Formerly Three Twenty Ice-Cream Lab, the guys behind açai bowl purveyors Roots took over and renamed it Spilt Milk. Ice Cream is made fresh on site daily in their small batch production kitchen, from organic milk sourced from one of 12 jersey herds in the country. You'll always find Dublin-centric flavours, like Harry's nutbutter, and a Jameson whiskey/stout combo. Spilt Milk Website threetwenty.ie Address 30 Drury Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Formerly Three Twenty Ice-Cream Lab, the guys behind açai bowl purveyors Roots took over and renamed it Spilt Milk. Ice Cream is made fresh on site daily in their small batch production kitchen, from organic milk sourced from one of 12 jersey herds in the country. You'll always find Dublin-centric flavours, like Harry's nutbutter, and a Jameson whiskey/stout combo. Where It's At Nearby Locales Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

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 Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

Kicky's is the solo debut of former Chapter One head chef Eric Matthews, along with friend and former Bang GM Richie Barrett. Bright colours and in your face flavours are the name of the game, and you wouldn't want to pay them a visit if you're on a diet. Prices are on the higher side of eating out in Dublin, so it's likely to be a special occasion choice rather than a regular haunt for most. Kicky's Website kickys.ie Address South Great George's Street, Dublin, D02 WK13 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Kicky's is the solo debut of former Chapter One head chef Eric Matthews, along with friend and former Bang GM Richie Barrett. Bright colours and in your face flavours are the name of the game, and you wouldn't want to pay them a visit if you're on a diet. Prices are on the higher side of eating out in Dublin, so it's likely to be a special occasion choice rather than a regular haunt for most. Where It's At Nearby Locales Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

Chapter One By Mickael Viljanen - The Tasting Menu Chapter One's tasting menu - Is it worth €170? Posted: 4 May 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope Why are you reviewing Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen again? Deftly spotted. We came here back in September shortly after they opened to try the €65 lunch menu (which we said you DESERVE to treat yourself to), but this time we went full steam ahead with the dinner tasting menu. This review wasn't planned, but as the plates started coming out, we realised you also deserved to hear about this one. We're not going to run through the background on everything again as you can read that here - this is purely about the tasting menu and whether it's worth the serious splurge. €170 a head on food is mad money to most people, and there are probably members of your family who would think you'd lost the plot handing that over for dinner, but if you're reading this you're probably of a different disposition, and while it's still a considerable chunk of change, most of us would probably spend it if it was going to be worth it. So is it? What's the story with the tasting menu? You can do it at lunch or at dinner. Lunch is a "surprise" tasting menu for €135. At dinner you actually see what you're getting for €170, and we always like to know what's coming - half the fun is in the anticipation. There's a wine pairing for €105 a head, or a "sommelier's selection" for €280 a head. More on those later. We recommend a cocktail or a glass of Champagne in the lovely bar area while you pour over what's going to come over the next 3-4 hours. Can we get down to the good stuff already? Sure. You'll start with canapés, four or five depending on the day and what the chef has dreamt up the night before when he should have been sleeping. The iconic (zero exaggeration) first bite of borscht has morphed into a pea soup in that cocoa butter shell, with jamon iberico on top. You know that really annoying critic phrase when they say something tasted "intensely of itself"? That. These were peas on overload. Then a Flaggy Shore oyster tart, in the crispest shell, with all of the oyster flavour, none of the slime. Next the chef brought out a bowl with a blow-torched piece of red mullet sitting in it, and a teapot of 'Aigo Sau', which is like a clarified bouillabaisse. In it went on top, with instructions to leave it for approximately eight seconds and it would be perfectly cooked - cue the longest eight seconds of your life, with an outrageously good payoff. There was also a crunchy, punchy celeriac and preserved lemon 'taco', a variation of which has been on from the start. "Siri, show me hedonism in food form." "How about this fried brioche stuffed with crème fraîche and pike roe, with caviar and edible gold leaf on top?" You could get up and leave after this indecent doughnut and not regret a cent spent. The first 'proper' course of six was a new spin on the chef's famous Foie Gras Royale. A base of custardy foie came with a fragrant, soft camomile jelly, a sharp verjus sorbet, cubes of eel, raisins, edible flowers and other lovely things with clearly alchemical properties. Spoons were dipped, and the conversation went something like: "Oh my God. OH my God. Oh my GOD." "I'm sorry, I can't even hear what you're saying." It's quite possible there was divine intervention on this one. This came with the first bread course (of three) - laminated treacle and Guinness brioche, which is also on the lunch menu and which we've rhapsodized about before . You think you've peaked with the foie, then the hand-dived scallop ceviche comes out, with crème fraîche, horseradish, elderflower vinegar and jalapeño. It's difficult to comprehend how someone can use so many assertive flavours so beautifully balanced, and keep the flavour of every element so vivid, so prepare to spend much of this dish just staring down at your plate and back at your dining partner, with your nose and mouth on sensory overload, and your head hurting from trying to take it all in. Another bread course? If you insist. This time a Japanese milk bread so fluffy you can just pull it apart with your fingers. It doesn't need the perfect butter, but when on Parnell Square... At this stage you'll probably be somewhere between total euphoria and adrenaline surging anticipation for what's to come next. For us it was BBQ Donegal lobster with kari gosse (a curry spice mix), carrot, finger lime, lobster rice and lobster sauce. There are more elements than even this, and when the chef brought the plates he muttered something about cocoa beans/shells, and the caviar and red currants weren't mentioned in the description either. We're guessing that if you put every single part of each dish on the menu it would run to several pages. There's something so joyful about a locally caught lobster and chips, but this is the diametric - lobster the way Kings and Queens might eat it, if they had a mastermind like this in the kitchen (they don't). It's peak lobster, with flavours and textures coming at you from every angle, and you might never have better. And we haven't even mentioned the lobster rice - rich, creamy, fragrant with saffron, and stuffed full of lobster pieces, each dip of your spoon uncovering more treasure. After that it was the other 'main', milk-fed Lozère lamb 'Provençal', with anchovy, ewe's milk and jus gras (like a light gravy). To 'whet your appetite' a tiny lamb-filled doughnut is brought over with a splodge of foie gras to scoop up onto it. After doing what you're told and feeling the flavour of lamb from your head right down to your toes, the main attraction arrives, all sitting under a sweet, dehydrated red pepper cape. Under this lies the pale, milky lamb, asparagus and artichoke, and where previously we would have been up on rooftops shouting that Irish lamb is the best, now we're not so sure. The flavour is delicate and grassy, the meat butter-soft, and as ever in this kitchen, every element around it has a perfect part to play. Oh there's also another bread course here, the house sourdough. You won't need it, but you'll greedily eat it. You'll likely be pretty full by now, so it's definitely time for a pre-dessert. Ours was a mousse laitière (dairy mousse), filled with kombu and citrus and made to look like a clementine or mandarin. The balance between sharpness and creaminess was just right, and it was as beautiful to look at as it was to eat, as well as being an excellent palate-reviver. Then the dessert, 'Tiramisu, Cumin', but there are no trays of mascarpone topped lady fingers around here. It starts with another cocoa butter shell filled with unsweetened coffee, which bursts open in your mouth getting it ready for what's to come, then something resembling a mini-Saturn is put in front of you, and it's hard to ruin the effect, but you must or it will melt. Chocolate, coffee and cream abound, but we didn't get any cumin. It wasn't missed. Lucky for us, we had a coffee hater in the ranks, so the lovely staff offered to substitute the dessert from the four-course menu instead - wild and cultivated strawberries, violet and chartreuse. A picture perfect, bright red ring cracked open to reveal a kind of vivid-tasting strawberry mousse on top of a biscuit base, with a side of violet ice-cream on top of chartreuse jelly. The strawberries don't stop there though. Who doesn't love a dessert in two parts, and we may have gasped when a trolley holding strawberry croissant tarts with edible gold trundled towards us. Staff described it as "breakfast in bed", and it was such a fun (and utterly delicious) addition to the menu, the plump, ripe strawberries cutting through the vanilla crème fraîche and buttery pastry. Shamefully we never took a picture of the petit fours but you'll get three little bites to finish, usually a fruit and two chocolate-based ones. They go perfect with an Irish coffee from another of their famous trolleys. Should I do the wine pairing? If €170 for dinner is a scrimp and save affair, the wine pairing at €105 might push Chapter One into "no can do" territory, so here's our advice. Look at what they're pairing, get one glass for each course and share them. Six - eight glasses of wine and most people would be on their ear anyway, and you need to keep units for an Irish coffee at the end. That will half your wine spend (in or around) and make the bill marginally less painful. If you've got the dough to throw around by all means go for it, but the wine service will be just as attentive whether you're doing the pairing or going à la carte. And the damage? *Deep breaths* - Just under €500 for two, for drinks on arrival, the tasting menu and à la carte wines pairings, and a tip is not included in that. If you do the full wine pairing each it'll be closer to €600. This is a mammoth spend for dinner for most people, and undoubtedly there will be members of your family you will never admit it to, but compared to the tasting menus at Ireland's other two-star restaurants (Aimsir - €210, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud - €225), dare we say it feels like decent value? *waits for rocks to be thrown* The verdict? Is coming here for the two-starred tasting menu a lot of money? Yes. Is it more than most people would ever comprehend spending on a meal out? Also yes. Are we and the average ATF reader most people? No. This experience is not likely to be a regular one in your life (and if it is give us a call, we'd like to be friends). This is an anniversary indulgence, a birthday blowout, a yearly Odyssey through Mickael Viljanen's head, and while we've had many, many disappointing meals in Michelin-starred restaurants for way too much money, feeling sore and stung for weeks afterwards, this is not the story here. This is a tasting menu we want to throw all of our money at, that we feel hashtag blessed to have experienced, and getting a first row seat to the genius taking place within these basement walls might be the best dining experience in the country right now. Is it worth the money? Yes, a hundred times yes, and if you can't face spending it right now, try to get a table at some point this year for that €65 lunch - we guarantee you'll be back. Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen 18-19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1 chapteronerestaurant.com New Openings & Discoveries More >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 Where to eat in April Apr 1 The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30

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 Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

Assassination Custard Small, seasonal and perfectly formed Posted: 2 Aug 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Ken Doherty and Gwen McGrath's tiny restaurant on Kevin Street in Dublin 8 is probably on the radar of most self-respecting Dublin foodies, but because they only open for lunch Tuesday - Friday we know just a handful of people who've managed to get there. The limited opening hours are to allow them to have a manageable family life and see their two children, but they do occasionally do pop-up dinners, like the one at Green Man Wines a few months ago which sold out almost as quickly as it was announced, and we hear you can book the space (and the chefs) for private parties in the evening. Both Ken and Gwen had worked in places before where produce is king (Good Things Café, Café Paradiso, Dax), and it's the same in Assassination Custard. Vegetables come from McNally Family Farm, with Ken himself often cycling to collect them, and meat is locally sourced. Offal appears regularly. A fter very complimentary reviews this year in the Irish Times and the Irish Examiner (and from everyone we know who's been there) we thought it was time for a midweek pilgrimage. What’s the room like? Teeny, with a max of 12 covers we're told (if even). There's one long rectangular table that fits three, and another round table where you can expect to sit with strangers, which is all part of the fun. We would definitely advise getting here as close to opening as possible, unless you're not in a rush. By 12:30 they were full with four people outside baying for seats. Despite this there's no feeling that they're trying to turn tables at lightning speed and the whole things is very relaxed, like having been invited into someone's kitchen who's going to make you the lunch of your life. What's good to eat? The hand-written menu changes daily depending on what produce they can get their hands on, but we'd be surprised to find a dud dish, and it always reflects what's in season. The panelle (pronounced pah-nell-eh) seem to be constant - savoury, salty slices of addictiveness made from chickpea flour before being deep-fried. It would be very easy to do a portion per person. From the other dishes on the menu that day we loved the fish pickle with homemade piccalilli, the oily tuna and anchovies lifted and balanced out by the vinegary pickle, which made for a perfect palate kickstarter, the juices mopped up with their chargrilled, homemade bread. We also loved the jalapeños with labneh, the thick, creamy yoghurt a perfect accompaniment to the charred, occasional fiery hot peppers (there's a bit of Russian roulette involved with the McNally jalapeños). A steaming bowl of chickpeas with sobrasada was so simple and so comforting, particularly on a cold, wet day in July (the return of the Irish summer), and is the kind of basic but brilliant dish that makes you pledge to start making it at home. Pointed cabbage with tahini sauce, Sichuan peppercorns and a dusting of curry powder was a deliciously brilliant example of what can be done when vegetables are put centre stage. The dessert option when we were there was flan covered in a thick caramel sauce, which tasted like the filling from the richest, densest cheesecake. They're famous for their "ugly but good" meringues with coriander and hazlenuts but they weren't on that day. If you see one, grab one. We ate most of the menu and the bill came to just over €40, which was really good value for food of this quality. What about the drinks? They only serve chilled tap water and coffee, but you can BYO for free. And the service? Wonderfully warm, almost like being entertained in someone's home. It's just Gwen and Ken, and they talk diners through the menu, making suggestions when asked and delivering the dishes to the table. There's a really intimate atmosphere because of the size and you get the feeling that nothing would be too much trouble. The verdict? A really special place for lunch that's well worth a midweek detour to Dublin 8. If you like eating with the seasons and food that comes from as close to the source as possible, you'll fall in love with Assassination Custard as soon as you walk through the door. If you can round up a gang of family and friends and take over the space for an evening, even better. That's something that's just gone to the top of our food-related wish list - although unsurprisingly we hear they're quite booked up for the next few months. Assassination Custard 19A Kevin Street Lower, Wood Quay, Dublin assassinationcustard New Openings & Discoveries More >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 Where to eat in April Apr 1 The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30

Contemporary Mexican from chef Jules Mak, whose first restaurant Mak D6 is around the corner. A menu of bites, tacos and meaty mains focused on the "parrilla" or grill, in a buzzy room full of people out for a good night. There's a huge cocktail list with eight different types of margaritas, and the George Clooney-founded Casamigos tequila is heavily tied into the menu. Parrilla Website parrillaranelagh.com Address Parrilla Ranelagh, Sandford Road, Ranelagh, Dublin 6, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Contemporary Mexican from chef Jules Mak, whose first restaurant Mak D6 is around the corner. A menu of bites, tacos and meaty mains focused on the "parrilla" or grill, in a buzzy room full of people out for a good night. There's a huge cocktail list with eight different types of margaritas, and the George Clooney-founded Casamigos tequila is heavily tied into the menu. Where It's At Nearby Locales Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

Bistro One A chef to watch in Foxrock Posted: 11 Feb 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Unless you live locally you probably haven't heard of Bistro One in Foxrock. It's one of those under the radar suburban spots - loved by locals but unlikely to have anyone venturing from the other side of the city to eat there. Local love can get you far though (helped by meticulous food sourcing from both the local area and Tuscany, where they grow their own olives), and Bistro One has managed to survive for an incredible 27 years. The age profile is considerably greyer than your average city centre establishment, with plenty full of monied Foxrock residents remarking on how well the current release of Pomerol is drinking, and if this sounds like it's not your kind of thing, keep reading, because a few months ago everything changed. Bistro One owner Mark Shannon has a son, Rory Shannon, who's been making food waves in London for the past few years, in The Canton Arms and Tom Oldroyd's The Duke of Richmond amongst others. We'd eaten and adored his food there (including but definitely not limited to the best Sunday roast we've eaten out, in a Deptford wine bar, and a lot of housemade charcuterie), and he'd been named by London food guide Hot Dinners as part of their ' Murphia' list for 2019 , of Irish people making an impact in food and drink in London. At the start of last year he decided he'd had enough of London life and wanted to slow things down. He moved home, unsure of what his next move would be, but when Bistro One lost a chef last summer he found himself stepping into the kitchen to save the day. It must be somewhat painstaking for an ambitious young chef to step into a restaurant with such a loyal, local clientele and try to shake things up, so changes have been slow and considered, but we'd seen enough on his Instagram feed recently (like this and this ) to convince us it was time for a visit. Where should we go for a drink first? There's not a lot around, but you could grab a glass of wine in The Gables or Kerb across the road. Otherwise we hear that Byrne's pub on the Stillorgan Road is great for a pint, but you'll need to drive or hop in a cab. Where should we sit? The dining room is in need of an refresh, but it's bright and comfortable. You can either sit in the main room, or around the corner where there's a more secluded area - perfect for (semi) private conversations or those early dates when you spend the whole night holding hands and trying to eat with the other one. What's good to eat? We really struggled to choose as we wanted everything on the menu - usually a very good sign - and Sunday lunch is exceptional value (considering the quality of produce they're using) at two courses for €24 or three for €29. It starts with bread, as all good meals do - housemade sourdough and brown, both excellent. Then the kitchen brought a taster of a dish we hadn't ordered - Mooncoin beetroot, buttered hazelnuts and St Tola goat's curd, a beautiful combination of colour, flavour and crunch. Our first starter was one we had to have from the minute we saw the robata grill on social media - barbecued line caught mackerel with pickled cucumber and horseradish. Mackerel gets a bad (fishy) rep, and this is the spin doctor to change public opinion. Tender, fatty, smoky flesh was cut through with cucumber and pushed into flavour overload with freshly made horseradish. One of the most perfect plates of food this year and one we wish we could eat daily. Another of Kilkeel crab on chargrilled sourdough (€5 supplement) with endive, radish and apple was everything you could want from crab on toast, with the sensible mix of white and brown crab meat. Another starter of burrata, olives and focaccia was a plate of very clever assembly, with creamy burrata, warm focaccia, sun-soaked olives and a caponata like element with sweet and sour raisins and black olives that were more like prunes. The family's own grassy olive oil from Tuscany in a puddle on the plate made it a home run. For mains we'd been dreaming of the curried pheasant pie for weeks, so that was a non-negotiable. Lucky for us it was on for one that day (some weeks it's for two), and it was everything we wanted it to be. Crispy, buttery pastry, very generous amounts of game, and a savoury, mildly spicy curry sauce. It came with colcannon (great) and a pear chutney (inspired) and was the kind of wholesome Sunday lunch we'd like to make for guests at home. Our other main of slow cooked Fui Bui venison, turnip gratin & walnut salsa verde was akin to a shin of beef, cooked until you could eat it with a spoon. The turnip gratin was such a refreshing change from potato, with the turnip flavour very subtle (if you have memories of your mother over-boiling it as a child, this is like a different vegetable). The whole dish was very rich and filling, but the walnut salsa verde did a good job of lifting the deep flavours and providing a nice, sharp contrast. A side of chips were the only bum-note, not crispy or fluffy enough, and it struck us that having chips on the menu is likely to be more of a box-ticking exercise than a labour of love. Another of buttered hispi cabbage was enjoyable if not exciting. For dessert, again social media had dictated both in advance of us even arriving. We'd seen them perfect the salted caramel tart with creme fraiche over the course of a few days, and it lived up to the images in the wobbly flesh. Getting the salt/sweet balance right is key with salted caramel anything and they nailed it, the biscuity pastry and smooth, sharp crème fraîche the perfect accompaniments. The other of a buttermilk doughnut with rhubarb and custard was the stuff of our dessert dreams. Alone the doughnut would have stood up against the best, but with the sharp, stringy (seasonal) rhubarb above and the vanilla-scented custard below we were going out on a high with possibly the most fitting dessert for a cold Sunday in January. What about the drinks? The wine list here is compact but impressive, with a nice mix of classics like Burgundy and Bordeaux (at non city centre Dublin prices), and a lovely smattering of the new and the natural. Specials on the blackboard included Austrian Claus Preisinger's juicy Putza Libre and Meyer-Fonne's Riesling, and there were 17 wines available by the glass and the carafe. We had a rich, creamy Rully (chardonnay from Burgundy) from Phillipe Milan and a Mercurey (Pinor Noir from Burgundy) from the same producer, and both were excellent examples of the region. And the service? One of the loveliest things about family-run, neighbourhood restaurants tends to be the service, and Bistro One is a case in point. They obviously know a lot of their regulars, make it very clear that families are welcome (straight over with colouring pencils and paper for children, and kids even eat free on Saturdays), and nothing you might be after is too much trouble. Owner Mark is still on the floor and is warm and welcoming, but so was everyone who served us. The verdict? The return home of Rory Shannon has made Bistro One relevant for more than Foxrock locals. He's dragged it into 2020 and made it into a restaurant worth crossing the city for - not something we say lightly. They already had the produce, he's given them the panache. The type of kitchen talent and dynamism here is found only in Dublin's best restaurants, so the sight of so many other tables only eating Sunday roasts and fish and chips while we feasted on mackerel, game pie and rhubarb doughnuts was depressing to watch - we can't imagine how much more depressing it is from the kitchen's viewpoint. We don't know how long Rory's going to be in the kitchen here, or what's next for the Shannon family, but our advice is to get to Bistro One and try his food as soon as you can, and if he goes elsewhere, follow him. We'll be right behind you. Bistro One 3a Brighton Road, Foxrock, County Dublin bistro-one.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 Where to eat in April Apr 1 The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30

Cooking with fire from chef Keelan Higgs, with an emphasis on family-style dining, homemade pasta and big flavours. A wine list full of unusual options and a minimalistic room, which was immediately touted as one of the most exciting new restaurants of the year when they opened in 2018. Michelin agreed and awarded them a star just nine months later. Variety Jones Website varietyjones.ie Address Variety Jones, Thomas Street, The Liberties, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Cooking with fire from chef Keelan Higgs, with an emphasis on family-style dining, homemade pasta and big flavours. A wine list full of unusual options and a minimalistic room, which was immediately touted as one of the most exciting new restaurants of the year when they opened in 2018. Michelin agreed and awarded them a star just nine months later. Where It's At Nearby Locales Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

Agave Website agavedublin.com Address 19-22 Lord Edward Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

Precise, original Sichuan cooking that draws diners from across the city and beyond, for the ‘Man and Wife’ beef slices, ‘waltip’ pork and chicken dumplings, and whole fresh Irish lobster with egg noodles. It's not cheap, but it's one of the best Chinese restaurants in the country. China Sichuan Website china-sichuan.ie Address The Forum, Ballymoss Rd, Sandyford Business Park, Sandyford, Dublin 18 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Precise, original Sichuan cooking that draws diners from across the city and beyond, for the ‘Man and Wife’ beef slices, ‘waltip’ pork and chicken dumplings, and whole fresh Irish lobster with egg noodles. It's not cheap, but it's one of the best Chinese restaurants in the country. Where It's At Nearby Locales Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

Allta Winter House Back in the city and soaring above the rest Posted: 23 Nov 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Niall Davidson's Allta opened on South Frederick Street in November 2019 in a rush of excitement. The formerly London-based chef who'd led the kitchen in Nuala , after time spent in Chiltern Firehouse and St. John, had critics and diners almost in a frenzied state with talk of handmade pasta, home-cured charcuterie and a menu with almost everything sourced from Ireland, and it didn't let them down. It felt fresh, different, like it had been picked up in a city far cooler than Dublin and dropped in the centre, and we loved it . They blazed away for a few months, and then in early 2020 the unthinkable happened and they, like everyone else, were shut down. They never reopened the original site, even when lockdowns were lifted, saying they couldn't make enough profit with the social distancing restrictions in place, but instead focused their energies on Allta Box , which was the smash hit, at home kit of the pandemic. Most of us have memories of the brown, Allta-emblazoned box arriving on a Friday afternoon, the sourdough and shiitake miso butter, the pickled veg palate cleanser, the perfectly labelled and colour-coded pots of pasta, sauces and crunchy toppings, the cookie dough, we'll stop... We were (im)patiently awaiting news of the restaurant reopening, but instead, in June 2021, they announced they were popping up in a huge tent in the grounds of Slane Castle on the banks of the river Boyne for the summer. When the book of Irish food post the year 2000 is written, 'Allta Summer House' will probably have a chapter in itself, and we left as thunderstruck as everyone in front of and behind us. It ended in September with diners already trying to book for the following summer, but there was surprise and all round awe when the team announced that their next move would be to the top floor of Trinity Street carpark, for 'Allta Winter House'. Davidson also announced that he had split with his investors, and now he and head chef Hugh Higgins were out on their own. How do we get up there and can we have a drink first? Enter the dingy carpark entrance from Dame Lane and head for the lift - there are no signs anywhere, don't panic. Hit level 5, and when you get out all will be okay. Here you'll give your name, have your vaccination certs and ID checked, use a fancy automatic hand sanitizer, and then be brought to your table. You'll walk through Glovebox, their bar/art gallery which will be serving drinks and small plates and is due to open soon. There's going to be a DJ too - major London/New York rooftop party vibes. Once open you can have a drink here before or after, or head straight up to the main space, which is up a ramp (level 6). Where should we sit? All of the tables are the same long table set up seating four or six people, and are assigned in advance, but you might want to request being close to the kitchen if you like to see the action, or at the other end of the space if you don't want to be surrounded by other tables on all sides. Despite being in a tent it's not cold - every table has a heater above it, and we had full arms out in November. What they've done up here took real vision and we're sure a lot of painstaking toil to get it ready. It's very hard to believe you're in the same city carpark off Dame Street when sitting on a sheepskin rug under a floral installation eating off Fermoyle Pottery. What's the food like? It's a set menu for €95 which is good because you don't have to make any decisions and get to try ALL THE FOOD, but potentially bad because it's a lot of money and you might struggle to get another three or five people to go with you. We've had a lot of messages from annoyed readers wanting to go as a two, but because of the table set up it just wouldn't make sense for them financially, and they can't mix you with strangers at the moment for obvious reasons. We've been busy trying to match up some of our ATF Insiders who wanted to go but didn't have enough spenny pals to go with them, but honestly this is worth calling up old school pals, the couple who used to live upstairs, your rich uncle - anyone who might join you for what could be yours and their meal of the year. The menu is going to change often, so we're not going to spend too much time detailing every single course - also it would be a eulogising, adjective-filled overload - but you can see the menu above for the night we visited, and you can expect some dishes (or variations) to show up again and again. You'll start with a broth - our was a sweet and smoky grilled aubergine, with droplets of oil giving it a silkiness. Next you can expect the softest Cromane oysters from Kerry, which Davidson has been using since he put that mural of the fisherman on the wall at Allta. Ours came with a dressing made with sea buckthorn - a coastal berry that's in season in Ireland right now, and tastes sweet, sour and citrusey. Next came a crunchy buckwheat cracker with the freshest crab meat, tomato and sea urchin foam (leading to many questions around the table of exactly how one makes a sea urchin foam). This was followed by one of the dishes we have vivid taste memories of from Allta Summer House - the fermented flatbread with Bán goat's cheese from the Boyne Valley and black garlic. Chewy, creamy, tangy, sweet - if Carlsberg did flatbreads... And that was just the snacks. For our first larger plate we saw the resurrection of Allta's sweet and juicy scallops with gooseberry beurre blanc and hazelnuts. It was stunning then, and it's stunning now. Particularly with the added ribbon of kolhrabi for extra texture. Then came Jerusalem artichokes with Cais na Tíre (a Tipperary sheep cheese) sauce and artichoke crisps, like something fondue dreams of being when it grows up. Also, why are Jerusalem artichokes not on more menus? We're starting a petition. Also for this to be the new definition of 'comfort food'. You can keep your burgers and ribs - we're choosing cheese covered artichokes every time. Then, just as we were wondering whether we should cover each other with coats to lick the plates, they arrived with that sourdough to mop it all up, and a bowl of the shiitake miso butter. If you haven't seen someone taste it for the first time, sit back and enjoy - the ooohs, aaahs and omgs are quite entertaining. When you're feeling nicely full your sharing mains arrive. First up we tackled a striking side of ocean trout with sea herbs, mussels and goat's milk whey. You should gently peel off the crispy skin before dividing it up, scooping up the sauce and flavour bursts with a suitably large spoon. After a few bites of the fish, the attentive staff told us we shouldn't leave the Tamworth pork sitting around, and you don't have to tell us twice. We had this dish in Allta Summer House, with the pork coming from the Rock Farm pigs in the adjoining field, and we presume this has the same provenance as Tamworth pork is not easy to find here. The sweet, soft meat is topped with sweet, crispy skin, and it was sitting in a pool of tangy fermented pumpkin. If you're of the "eat better meat less" camp, it's hard to imagine it getting better than this. Unexpected sides arrived (maybe they didn't have enough space on the menu) of romanesco and cavolo nero on romesco (we wished we'd saved some sourdough), and lightly dressed potatoes with herbs, and we had to take a few leftovers home in a lunchbox because we were close to being defeated, but also can't abide food waste. A semi palate cleanser arrived as the first dessert, of apple cider jelly made with the good stuff from The Cider Mill in Slane, apple ice and apple ice-cream, before the most scandalous mini doughnuts with brittle crème brûlée toppings, like the outside of a well made toffee apple, filled with a sort of thicker c rème anglaise . We now understand why people used to queue for 90 minutes to get into the Allta Bakery . What about the drinks? The wine list is extremely well curated and has so many of the best wines on the Irish market right now, but prices are high - those high end tents and dried flowers don't pay for themselves. We love Tuffeau's champagne style sparkling wine (€50 on the list here), as well as the Spanish Ubé from Bodegas Cota 45, and the Portugese Prazo de Roriz from P + S (both €60-€65), but there was so much we would have loved to drink - especially if we had deeper pockets. Wine glasses are Riedel too - what else would you expect. And the service? So personable and friendly. Everyone seems to really enjoy being a part of this, and we can't blame them. It feels like a rocket ship on the ascent. And the damage? €168 a head for the set menu, three bottles of wine between four, four after dinner drinks and service charge. Pricey? Yes. Value for money? 100%. The verdict? What the Allta team are creating and delivering, whether in a tent on the roof of a carpark or if they move into a bigger, less edgy space next year, is undoubtedly a defining event in Irish food. Ambitious projects like this set new standards for the industry as a whole, show others up, show diners what they could be experiencing, instead of another lacklustre meal of goat's cheese salad and chicken supreme. A chef from another restaurant joked recently that restaurants and chefs lacking in creativity wouldn't bother copying Allta, because who would put that much work into each dish, and you can taste the weeks and months of curing, fermenting, aging, planning, tasting - flavours like this don't come from packets or bottles or chefs lacking in skill. There are no shortcuts here, no cost cutting measures. Their only goal is to make their ingredients taste as extraordinary as possible, and shake things up while they're doing it. There's a relatively small cohort of restaurants and chefs across the country pushing the industry to new heights, but their importance on the larger scale of defining what it means to cook and serve 'Irish food', or even just 'food cooked in Ireland', can't be underestimated, both at home and abroad. Either can their ability to turn out the next great chefs in the country. Allta Winter House is as impressive a definition of Irish food as you'll find anywhere in Ireland in 2021, served in an atmosphere crackling with talent and drive, in a space that took major vision to bring to life. If you do one nice thing for yourself in the next few months, get a booking here, and experience it for yourself. Allta Summer House Trinity Car Park, Trinity Street, Dublin 2 www.alltawinterhouse.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 Where to eat in April Apr 1 The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30

Middle Eastern, pocket-friendly food that consistently delivers. Hummus, falafel and vine leaves are some of Umi's standouts, but it's all flavour-packed and feel good. Umi Falafel Website umifalafel.ie Address 13 Dame Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Middle Eastern, pocket-friendly food that consistently delivers. Hummus, falafel and vine leaves are some of Umi's standouts, but it's all flavour-packed and feel good. Where It's At Nearby Locales Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

The modern gastropub on the Quays, shuttered since the start of the pandemic, reopened at the end of 2023 with the same flair (and most importantly homemade bar crisps) as always, bringing a welcome new player to the city's Sunday roast roster, changing small and large plates perfect for casual meals out, and a wine list that puts many of the city's high end restaurants to shame. There's a daily hot pot plus soup and sandwiches for lunch, and pastries in the morning. The Legal Eagle Website thelegaleagle.ie Address The Legal Eagle, Chancery Place, Inns Quay, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The modern gastropub on the Quays, shuttered since the start of the pandemic, reopened at the end of 2023 with the same flair (and most importantly homemade bar crisps) as always, bringing a welcome new player to the city's Sunday roast roster, changing small and large plates perfect for casual meals out, and a wine list that puts many of the city's high end restaurants to shame. There's a daily hot pot plus soup and sandwiches for lunch, and pastries in the morning. Where It's At Nearby Locales Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road Ryan's of Parkgate Street Spice Village Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera

All The Food is an independent guide to eating and drinking in Dublin. About Us Behind the Food All The Food is an independent guide to eating and drinking in Dublin. ATF was started in 2018, to help readers experience the best food Dublin has to offer, and not waste time or money on mediocre meals. Eating in Dublin has never been more exciting than it is at this very moment, especially when you know which places you should run to (and which you should sidestep). Every meal written about here has been paid for us. We don’t accept invites or free meals in exchange for content. We think that the only way to judge a meal involves handing over money at the end and seeing if it stings. Editor - Lisa Cope What We're About 01 We're Indie We visit cafés, restaurants, and bars on our own terms. We don't do invites, publicity events, or sponsored visits. All the meals and featured content have been paid for by us - that means we can be as thoughtful, honest, and real as we need to be. 02 We're Ad-free We are ad-free on all of our platforms, and fully reader-funded through our ATF Insiders service. This means we are the only people influencing our content. Well, us and our readers. 03 We're Hungry We think about nothing but food and are capable of talking about little else. It consumes every minute of our days, and we’re putting it to use digging out the best places you’ve never heard of, giving you the honest lowdown on headline hoggers, and telling you where your money is best spent. What's New News and recommendations. More >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 3 min read 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 2 min read Where to eat in April Apr 1 3 min read The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30 3 min read

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Woodruff Ambitious appetites In Stepaside Posted: 22 Feb 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Woodruff opened in Stepaside, at the foot of the Dublin mountains, in late 2019. It's the first restaurant from Colm Maguire (owner/manager) and Simon Williams (owner/chef), and it was clear that ambitions were high from day one. In his previous position as head chef in The Gables, Foxrock, write ups of Williams' cooking praised his attention to detail when it came to the ingredients he was buying and foraging, and it felt like this was going to be the theme of Woodruff too, but turn that dial up to the max and you'll get the idea. A mission statement on their website sums up what they do: "cook with the seasons | sustainably source direct from farms | ferment | forage | cure | minimise waste". It's very easy to throw these words around, it's much more difficult to live them, but they are. You think of a food product - the chef's made an inhouse version. You think you know what can be foraged in Ireland? Labelled jars around the restaurant contain edible plants, fungi and herbs you've never heard of. You think you know Irish food? Sit back and get a lesson on the best meat, seafood, cheeses and vegetables that we as a country produce. The over and above efforts here are bound to have played a factor in their very quick addition to the Michelin Guide for 2021, who praised their menus "packed with local produce – including plenty of foraged ingredients", and their "delicious food" and "super-friendly service". Its location and Dublin's abysmal public transport options mean that it's probably difficult for a lot of you to get to, but we wanted to see if it was worth the special effort. Where should we sit? We love this room. It feels modern and slightly industrial, but at the same time warm and comforting with all the wood and velvet. It's sleek and somewhere we'd be very happy to sit back and relax for a few hours. During covid they got permission for outside seating too, so hopefully that makes a comeback when the weather gets warmer. We do love a window seat so that's always first choice, but sit close to the back and you'll be able to look into the open kitchen watching the chefs at work. What's the food like? There's just one á la carte menu for lunch and dinner, so be aware, lunch will set you back dinner prices. This is not a casual, quick stop kind of place, it's an occasion. While we think they're missing a trick not doing a set lunch menu at a more wallet friendly price, we were selfishly happy to experience the evening menu without attempting a trek home from Stepaside late at night. When a menu says homemade breads (plural) with cultured house butter, you must order it. Woodruff's sourdough will make home bakers want to weep into their starter - what child must we sell to get a crust as chewy as this!? - while the brown is on the sweet side so best just eaten with mounds of butter, and what butter. So much of the homemade stuff is weak - under-salted and lacking in flavour - this one is worth every churn. They also kindly brought us a sample of their in-house charcuterie as we'd gone back and forth about ordering it. We'd had it takeaway during lockdown and thought was some of the best in the country, and fully stand by those comments. We love a good snack, and Woodruff's plate of house-cured (obvs) Goatsbridge trout with horseradish creme fraiche, chicory and Guinness crumb was a very good snack. A beautiful slice of fish, bags of flavour all tangled up together, and a clever crumb crunch to top it off. We've never met a 63 degree egg yolk we didn't like, so the mushroom tart fine was happening. The thin, crisp dish of pastry came topped with black truffle, hazelnut and tarragon mayo, and was an elegant, beautiful to look at dish, but slightly dry. It just needed an extra slick of mayo or oil, but the flavours were all there. Our other starter was also picked because of a single listed ingredient - scarlet elf cups, a bright red mushoom that grows on decaying wood, with a firm, chewy texture, again foraged by the kitchen. They came on the side of just-seared tuna , young wild garlic (which grows next to the mushrooms), house soy (that's right, soy sauce made in the restaurant), chilli and sesame. This was more fiery than we expected with a good kick from the chilli, but the flavours were toppling over each other, in a good way. As we were sitting next to a large jar of preserved Alexander Stem, we couldn't resist the John Dory with ink fregola, Alexander stem, romanesco and a Vietnamese coriander and lime sauce, and what a plate of food (it's also enormous, and could easily be shared with some smaller plates). The fish came on the bone meaning you've got to be careful about picking out the bones, but it was perfectly cooked, and once again, so many flavours spinning around one plate. Ink fregola is officially our new favourite grain, it's chewy texture perfect for helping to scoop up that zippy, fragrant sauce, while the romanesco and Alexender stem added two more interesting elements, mainly in texture for the former, and flavour for the later.. We always think the vegetarian option is a good test of a kitchen's skills, and Woodruff's gets an A from us. You might think gnocchi is overdone, but when it's St. Tola goat's cheese gnocchi, with crown prince pumpkin, red kale, organic pear, preserved walnuts and wild capers - it's so very not. It was half carby comfort food, half peppy salad, all wiped clean from the plate. At the start we thought it was going to be a case of Chanel - take one thing off - but everything had a reason for being on there. We also tried the house fries with roast garlic and saffron aioli, which were good and clearly homemade, but could have been a little crispier. For dessert there was a white chocolate mousse with blood orange, meadowsweet meringue, pistachio and chocolate crumb, of which the star was the perfectly ripe blood oranges, sweet red juice spilling out over the plate each time they were cut into. The mousse was definitely the canvas for everything else going on, but it was a pleasant dessert that felt like a light way to end a big meal. We also had the Basque cheesecake with gooseberry sauce and Jerusalem artichoke ice-cream, which was definitely not a light way to end a heavy meal, but in for a penny. We find slabs of Basque cheesecake on their own a bit boring, but the tart gooseberry cut through the creaminess like a knife, and the Jerusalem artichoke ice-cream was a genius addition - who knew the sweet, flatulence-inducing vegetable could be used in so many ways. What about the drinks? There's as much care and attention in the wine list as there is in the food menu, and the only problem here is picking what to drink - we wanted everything. We would have liked to see a few more wines by the glass because we knew just it was ripe for discoveries, with manager Colm eager to recommend bottles and talk you through winemakers, vineyards and grapes. These are not wines picked for maximum margin or crowd-pleasing, they're picked because it's what they want to drink, and when we're in someone's restaurant, eating the food they want us to eat, that's what we love to see. And the service? Faultless, but on the midweek lunchtime we visited it was very quiet so we can only judge on that. It's hard to imagine standards slipping though. And the damage? €70 a head for bread, a snack, three courses and a glass and a half of wine each - hefty by lunch standards. We'd love to see them introduce a dynamic, good value offering during the week, a simplified set menu with little or no choice that we think would pack them in. The verdict? Woodruff is the type of restaurant Dublin (and Ireland) needs more of. In a world of "crowd-pleasing" menus aimed at maximum return and little purpose, Woodruff sits in the top tier of restaurants, doing what they love, and hoping the rest of us will do. The ambition and effort happening here is rare and remarkable, and we have no doubt that if they were in the city centre there would be a lot more talk about them because a lot more people would be paying them a visit. In the meantime we just hope Stepaside knows how lucky it is. Woodruff The Village, Unit 7, Enniskerry Road, Dublin 18 woodruff.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 Where to eat in April Apr 1 The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30

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Sprezzatura Handmade pasta with an Irish accent Posted: 14 Jan 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? The story of a new handmade pasta place coming to Dublin in October, where no plate would cost over €10, and practically all the produce was Irish, was our second most read story of 2019 , and we can't say we were surprised. There's actually quite a bit of fresh pasta to be found in Dublin (which we proved here ), but nothing in the fast, cheap, good (and exciting) category, so there was clearly a gap for a Padella-style operation here - and every Irish person who's ever set foot in London comes home talking about Padella so we were clearly primed and ready for it - see here for why. Sprezzatura say they're making Italian food with the best Irish ingredients - their suppliers list reads like a who's who of Irish food - and with their commitment to sustainability including no paper on site, compostable packaging and renewable energy, we're not sure it's possible to be any more tuned into the zeitgeist. The man with the plan was Thom Lawson, formerly of Lucky Tortoise , who split with his business partners at the end of last year to focus on new projects. He's known as someone who like a concept and is good at executing them - and we know he has a few other ideas up his sleeve so watch this space. He joined forces with the guys at Grantham's who had the space and Sprezzatura was born. They got off to a rocky start (not that you would have know by the amount of ' influencers ' and celebrities coming through the doors), and an initial visit left us disappointed, but after a change up in the kitchen and some new chef talent (one of whom was formerly at Forest Avenue), things were looking up. Reports seem to be getting better every week, particularly when it came to value for money, so we thought a few follow up visits were in order. Where should we go for a drink first? Around here your options are endless. For a pre-dinner cocktail head to the Sitting Room above Delahunt for a Cognac and orange or a pisco lemonade, and for wine the excellent First Draft is a 5 minute walk away. For a pint head to Devitt's down the street, or if you like your pubs a bit cosier try Bourke's next to Whelan's where getting a seat at the weekend feels like winning the Euromillions. Bonus: you can get through to Whelan's at the back if you fancy a quick dance before or after dinner - there will be many carbs to burn off. Where should we sit? The large communal table at the front seats up to 20 but is reserved for walk-ins (it's worth asking if you have a group though), and is a great place to sit if you're not concerned about private conversation or personal space. You can also have a drink here before moving into the main room, which has tables for two and four, as well as some booths which would fit six at a squeeze. What's good to eat? The beauty of Sprezzatura is that it's all such good value, with no plate costing over €10, so there's a strong justification to over order - and you can take any leftovers home in a planet-friendly cardboard box. The regularly changing menu is divided into plates and pastas, with the former consisting of small plates, cured meat and fish crudo. Castelvetrano olives to start are the real deal - bright green, grassy, juicy - and the potato focaccia from Bread 41 arrives in a pool of rapeseed oil. The bread is pillowy and chewy in all the right ways, but rapeseed oil is not not olive oil and never will be - we appreciate the ethos of using Irish though. The lamb shank croquette is a must, and at €3.50 it would be rude not to. The flavours are rich and deep, the meat thready and soft, and it's all wrapped up in a crunchy coating. You can taste the time that went into making them. We stupidly never asked what was in the accompanying mayonnaise dip, but it tasted mildly of mustard. A plate of Toonsbridge stracciatella was decent moppage material for the focaccia, but if your reference point for the Italian soft cheese is the original, generously topped with olive oil, this may seem a little anaemic in comparison, with a lack of the typical stretchy, stringy consistency. Another place of 'fish nduja brandade' (fish not specified) was punchier with salt and mild heat from the nduja, and a nice touch of fine, toasted breadcrumbs on top. You will definitely want bread for both this and the cheese. There's six or seven homemade pastas on at any one time, and they change regularly, but the tomato and basil, bolognese and cacio pepe with rotating pastas look to be permanent fixtures. We tried the cacio e pepe with pappardelle and spaghetti on separate occasions and thought the spaghetti won hands down. The sauce seemed to congeal to the larger sheets of pasta quicker, whereas with the spaghetti it was still possible to twist and swish the pasta around the plate towards the end. Again this is made with Irish cheese instead of Italian Pecorino so it's not by the book, but it's very good. Another highlight was the tagliatelle with wild mushrooms, which was a perfect plate of simple ingredients coming together beautifully. The pasta was al dente, the mushrooms buttery and the thyme and cheese brought it all together. We really enjoyed the gnocchi too, which came with chorizo, ricotta and pine nuts on the night we were there. It's light and fluffy as opposed to stodgy, and there was a really nice balance between the creamy cheese, spicy chorizo and crunchy pinenuts. The only dish we weren't crazy about was the ricotta and nduja tyres, which when we had it was head-blowingly spicy, and generally unbalanced, but that was on visit two so they may have tweaked the recipe by now. The only dessert option is a 'popcorn panna cotta', and while it's a very loose interpretation of a panna cotta (the lack of any gelatinous consistency made it more similar to a crème brûlée without the crispy top) it is very good, with a salty caramel layer above set cream, and fresh salty popcorn on top. Even the initially suspicious were using their spoons to scrape the last bits from the side of the cup. It's a simple, sweet, satisfying end, and at €3.50 you may as well try it. What about the drinks? Sticking with their sustainability ethos, all cocktails, wine and beer are on tap, and their beautiful tap installation has been the subject of many, many social media posts at this stage. The Aperol Spritz is very good for an opener with some olives, but we felt the espresso martini was a bit watery - saying that it is €6 so hard to complain. When it came to wine we particularly liked the lambrusco (dry, fizzy red) and the Les Tètes red from the Loire in France, which was juicy and vibrant and a perfect pairing for anything tomato based or with a hint of spice. Drinks, like the food, are very good value, with wines by the glass ranging from €6.50 to €9. They also have two beers, gin and tonic, vermouth and kefir. And the service? Over the course of three visits the young staff were friendly and helpful, and special mention to one smiling, charming staff member who served a large group of us on his first night and was the personification of hospitality, despite being petrified he would make a mistake or forget something. A case in point for hiring for personality and the ability to make your guests feel welcome above all else. The verdict? Over three visits to Sprezzatura it was better each time, which is a good sign that the only way is up. This certainly doesn't seem like a team that's sitting still, and every time we open Instagram they seem to be trying out to recipes and flavour combinations. It's not quite Padella London levels, but if they keep pushing they could get there yet. Sprezzatura 5/6 Camden Market, Dublin 8 sprezzatura.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 Where to eat in April Apr 1 The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30

Ristorante Romano Old-school Italian that's so satisfying Posted: 18 Apr 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Romano's has been on Capel Street (in its current form) since the 1980's, but you don't see much of it on social media, or hear it mentioned when people talk about the 'must-try' restaurants in Dublin. Until Tom Doorley reviewed it in the Daily Mail a few weeks ago we hadn't heard the name for a long time, but suddenly it seems to be having a revival, with people remembering how good it was. Armed with warnings that it might be more 'Irish-Italian' than nuanced Tuscan or Venetian, we went with empty stomachs, eager to taste some homemade egg pasta. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? Panti Bar is a few doors down if you feel like a Cosmopolitan and some Girls Aloud. For a pint, Slattery's , McNeill's or The Boar's Head are all good options on Capel Street. For wine your best bet is probably Bagots Hutton around the corner on Ormond Quay. What’s the room like? There's a fine line between unattractively old-fashioned and quaint, and Romano's is on the right side of it. It feels like stepping into one of those family-run Tavernas off a square in a little Italian town, when you know the room is exactly as it was 30 years ago. Paper napkins, paper tablecloths, candles dripping with wax, an electric fan on the counter - it all just screams holidays, and you forgive a lot on holidays. What's good to eat? The menu is pretty simple, which in this case made things easier. Starters of bruschetta and garlic bread (that non-Italian favourite) were both excellent, the bruschetta toppings fresh and flavoursome, and the generous, oozing garlic bread, the most comforting thing we've eaten in ages (maybe not one for first dates). Pasta is hand-made each day, and all three that we tried were hard to fault, with the fresh, perfectly chewy pasta the star of each dish. Spaghetti Bolognese was one of those rare examples that doesn't disappoint, the type you try to perfect at home by letting it simmer for 58 hours but it's still never quite as good as you wanted. This one is. Pasta Amatriciana with chilli and bacon was beautifully simple, with a really good tomato sauce, a generous amount of bacon and a perfectly balanced chilli kick. The standout dish, the one that's calling us back, was the pasta with prawns, garlic and basil. A dish of few ingredients but bags of flavour. The kind of simple perfection you might expect for dinner if you went to the house of an Italian friend who takes their food seriously. Pizza is the kind your Dad would like - thin and crispy with none of this sourdough, blistered-crust type nonsense. More Roman than Neapolitan, but there's definitely a place for thin-based pizza and the 'Romano's Special' was light, generous and highly enjoyable. There are places to go for more interesting toppings or fresh oregano rather than dried, but if you know what you're getting you won't be disappointed, because the food is just so satisfying. There's a bit of the Irish-Italian about it, but it reminded us of going to Italian restaurants as a child, being knocked out by the smell of garlic and thinking it was the best meal you'd ever had in your whole entire life and when can we go back please. Guttingly, the Tiramisu had sold out by the time we got to dessert. When we got there the place was full of people taking advantage of the ridiculously good value early-bird (€14.95 for three courses), and they'd nabbed it all - at least we know it's made fresh every morning. We tried the pavlova with fresh fruit instead, which was fine if forgettable, and another retro childhood throwback. That could be one of the reasons why we felt so warm and content all night - memories of happy times. What about the drinks? The most expensive wine on the list is €23, and you can get a 500ml carafe of house for €10, but like most things in life, you get what you pay for. Neither of the two whites we tried (both Trebbiano) were up to much (make sure they are very chilled, it helps), and the red, a Chianto Classico, was fine with food, less so without. We all had headaches the next day, which after 3 glasses of wine is not a good sign, and usually results from drinking more industrially made, mass produced wines. And the service? Very pleasant, but basic - no-one's going to offer you a taste of the wine to make sure it's not faulty. Saying that, we're pretty sure that if you did have a complaint it would be whipped away quick-smart. Romano himself was on the floor taking orders, and every other staff member we encountered had nothing but smiles and a helpful demeanour. Time ran away with us towards the end of the night, but rather than asking us to leave they just started hoovering around us, which seemed to further reinforce the feeling of being in a little Italian town rather than on Capel Street. The verdict? This is simple, incredibly comforting Italian food. Wild boar and truffles it is not, and some parts of the menu may be designed to appeal to the Irish palate (garlic bread, we're looking at you) rather than focusing on authentic Italian cooking, but the pasta is faultless and the flavours are big. We might not be picking it for a special occasion meal, but for something inexpensive that feels like a giant hug it's a very solid choice. So much focus these days goes into new openings and new, young chefs on the scene. It's nice to find someone who's been quietly doing the same things day in day out for years, and doing a great job of it. Just make sure you get a piece of that tiramisu before the early birds nab it all. Risorante Romano 12 Capel St, Dublin 1 ristoranteromano New Openings & Discoveries More >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 Where to eat in April Apr 1 The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30

Bar Italia God-tier Carbonana, Roman-style pizza, and very special specials Posted: 7 Feb 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Bar Italia? Bar Italia opened in 2000, and has always been known as a reliable Italian around town, somewhere to lay down the shopping bags and refuel with a plate of pasta and a glass of wine, but it wasn't setting food messaging groups alight with chatter. This is a kitchen that must have seen many personnel changes over the years, but before Covid changed everything for all of us, owner David Izzo (formerly of the Dunne & Cresenzi group who also had a stake in the restaurant until a few years ago) convinced a childhood chef friend from Rome to move to Dublin and take over operations. He brought a predominantly Roman crew with him, and Bar Italia changed from a general Italian, to one focused on Roman cooking above all else, and we love a niche. While the timing of Covid couldn't have been worse, they used the time to practice and perfect a new menu, and o ne of the biggest changes has been to their pizza, or as they're called in Rome, 'Pinsa'. They claim to be the first in Ireland to make a 72-hour fermented dough from a blend of wheat, soya, and rice flour, and the result is thin, light and perfectly chewy. Pasta is handmade too, and word started getting around that their Carbonara could rival any in the Centro Storico. When we've talked to people about it post visit we often heard, "I wouldn't have thought of going there", so we're here to tell you why you should. Where's good for a drink first? The Clarence Hotel 's recently opened cocktail bar The Curious Mister is just a four minute walk away if that's what you're after. For a pint we love J McNeill's on Capel Street (hopefully you'll stumble on a trad session), and for wine they do a decent by the glass list in Wallace's across the way. (c) The Curious Mister Where should we sit? The dining room has had a big revamp over the past few years, and what was formerly a bit fusty and old-fashioned, is now all clean lines and contemporary design. Dark wood, yellow walls and antique chandeliers are out. Black walls, gold light fittings and tan banquettes are in. We'd rate this as one of the nicest dining rooms in the city right now, and we're using their pics instead of our covert ones, because it actually is this impressive in real life. (c) Bar Italia There are four counter seats up front if you're dining solo and don't want a table to yourself, otherwise we'd ask for a banquette. The views of Milennium Bridge and Temple Bar out of the large windows spanning one side of the room are quite lovely, but there are no seats to avoid. (c) Bar Italia There's also a lower level (the Graham Knuttel room) that can be booked for groups of up to 37. No surprise that the Irish artist's paintings cover the walls, and it's definitely got a cosy, hidden away vibe. What did you eat? We went once, were hit by a thunderbolt, and had to go back a second time before telling you about it. On the basis of two visits, we've come to the conclusion that you can't pick badly in here. The daily specials are as integral to Bar Italia as the à la carte, with at least eight additional options (many pop up again and again). Each sounds better than the last so it's likely you'll just want to order from these, but we tried to do a bit of both, and here's a brief(ish) summary. Starters mainly involve bruschetta and antipasti, or you can order a basket of bread and grissini and make the most of the top quality olive oil and balsamic on offer. Bruschetta with fresh Irish calamari was a piece of chargrilled La Levain sourdough, topped with tender pieces of squid in a tangy San Marzano tomato sauce, and if fresh fish ain't your dish you can choose from tomato and basil, burrata or proscuitto. A special of fresh, wild Atlantic scallops came on mini pinsas with a puttanesca sauce on top and basil oil dotted around, and the flavour of the mini pizza, the scallop and the sauce were so individually striking, without any overtaking the other. If you see this, order it. For antipasti you can have a whole, oozing, creamy burrata wrapped in 24-month cured parma ham (sourdough on the side), or an antipasti mixto with capocollo, truffle salami, culatello ham, caprese lollipos, house grilled veg, and more sourdough bread (a great order "for the table"). We wondered where they were going to get tomatoes with flavour in the middle of winter, but they're using a sun-blushed version which are low on water, big on taste. Handmade pasta is one of the main reasons to come here, and if you order one thing, please make it the Carbonara. Does a better one exist in the country? We'll need convincing. Despressingly staff told us that when diners order it they have to ask if they've had it before, and tee them up for the pepper, pecorino and guanciale explosion that's coming, as opposed to the sloppy, creamy, flavourless mound they might be used to. This is God tier food, and our Italian waitress told us that even in Rome, finding one this good can be tricky. If you see a truffle special in Bar Italia, you should order that too, because they don't skimp on the truffle. We tried a special of egg fettucine with parmesan cream and freshly grated black truffle, and it was just as extra as the carbonara - this isn't somewhere to take anyone who's always counting calories. On another visit we tried the strozzapreti with seafood (Roaring Water Bay mussels, tiger prawns, fresh squid, sea-bass ragout and Sicilian cherry tomatoes), and while the flavour of the sauce was everything you would want in a seafood pasta, we were disappointed to only find one prawn in the dish. Maybe an oversight. The rest was glisteningly fresh. For pinsa there are eight options including all the usuals like 'Margherita', 'Marinara' and 'Norcina' with housemade pork sausage, but a special of 'Ariccia' with house-roasted porchetta, scazmorza cheese and cacio e pepe cream was jumping off the page shouting "pick me!" And oh were we glad we did. It was a mountain of meat and cheese, ideal for sharing amongst a group - if eating alone you'll probably need to go straight to bed off the back of it - and the flavours were of the level that everyone just shuts up and says nothing while eating it, save for the occasional groan of pleasure. Another dish that doesn't appear on the à la carte but regularly does on the specials, is their gigantic, flat bowl of risotto - heads turn when this is brought to table. When we visited it was Delica pumpkin cream, Gorgonzola fondue, culatello lardons (these should be more of a thing), and finished with truffle gouda. It could have been warmer, but Caligula would have approved. Desserts are limited to a few options, and our top pick is the Limoncello baba, soaked to optimum levels in the Italian liquer, and filled with Limoncello cream and whipped cream, with a Marashino cherry on top. Stick a fork in us, we're done. Panna cotta is very good too, and comes with a choice of a berry or coffee topping, and a chocolate cake with salted caramel inside and vanilla ice-cream on top is the chocolate lover's end to a meal, but it's heavy and we didn't find it too interesting. There's tiramisu too which we didn't try but would expect to be good based on everything else, and coffee is very good. What about the drinks? They know how to do aperitivo in here, and both a limoncello spritz and a basilico spritz (with housemade basil liquor) were as good as you'd find on any Italian terrace. The wine list is wide and deep, with all the big Italian hitters, and several having different vintage options. Bottles start at €25 but you can go as high as your wallet allows. Despite the breadth of the bottle list we found the by the glass list dull on both occasions, with too many commercial brands, and several wines that weren't at their best. Service however was great, with staff bringing us tasters and even opening a different vintage of one wine in the hope that it would have a bit more life to it (it did). On our second visit they had a 2009 Ciro Rosso from Librandi on as a pairing for the porchetta pizza for €12 a glass, which was delicious and a relative steal, so we think the wines on the specials menu are probably the way to go. How was the service? Very charming. Almost everyone who served us was Italian and delighted to talk about the dishes, the kitchen, and how they operate. Owner David works the room too, checking in on regulars and new faces, asking what people think of the food and stopping to chat with anyone wanting to know more about their pinsa/pasta/panzerotti. Staff went out of their way for us several times, and we saw them doing the same for other tables. You'll be well looked after here. And the damage? Our two meals were a mish mash of starters, mains and desserts, and we didn't get into the wine list properly, but we reckon you're looking at €65-€70 a head to go all in with three courses and a decent bottle of wine, but you can just stop in for a pizza and a glass to for around €30. It's not a cheap dining option, but it's somewhere you get what you pay for. What's the verdict? After visiting we were torn between wishing we'd gone sooner, and being happy we held back, because Bar Italia is probably the most exciting it's been right now. They don't need this write up, they're packed at lunch and dinner, and after visiting you'll see why. Bar Italia 26 lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 baritalia.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 Where to eat in April Apr 1 The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30

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 >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 Where to eat in April Apr 1 The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30

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

Note Bistro Get In Quick Before It Joins The Impossible To Book Club Posted: 28 May 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? Note's evening wine bar and daytime bureau (café to the lowly amongst us) opened at the end of October to all the adulation , with promises that the 'bistro' part of the trilogy was coming a few weeks later. Weeks and months passed and still no sign of a fully fledged menu, but their bar snacks got slowly more interesting - to the point where two national critics went in to review on the basis of those alone - bet they're raging now. Still, we waited, until a couple of weeks ago when a post appeared on their Instagram page announcing bistro bookings were now being taken, with lift off 10 days later. Note is owned by three friends - Andy Collins who owns the aesthetic Eden that is Indigo & Cloth in Temple Bar, and brothers Acky (the Creative Director of a design company) and Essa Fakhry (the chef). We first came across Essa after a stand-out meal at NY-style Mexican 777 a few years ago, finding out afterwards that he was heading up the kitchen, and when we saw him travelling off to other parts of the globe to stage in some uber-cool restaurants we knew he wasn't messing around. From the first night the bistro menu launched we were getting exclamation-laden messages from readers containing sentences like "the croquettes changed my life!", and "just had the best tuna I've ever tasted!", and we knew from a quick social stalk that they weren't Essa's sister/aunt/housemate, so we were feeling optimistic sitting down to dinner. Where should I sit? It's basically a choice between the bar or the main floor. We love the banquettes by the window so that would be first pick, but sometimes you just want to have the elevation of a bar counter, and if you're dining alone there's no better place to sit and have the chats with staff. What's the food like? This kind of menu is our all-time favourite, with snacks, small plates and larger ones, and no minimum order or demand on your time and wallet to have three courses. A few weeks ago there was also a chef's menu for €70pp where they brought you food with no decision-making involved, but that seems to be on hiatus for now. Most likely because at the time we visited it was just Essa and a commis chef in the kitchen - which became all the more impressive as the dishes started to roll out. For the first time in quite a long time we wanted every single dish on the menu, all killer, absolutely zero filler, and whittling it down to a generous amount for two was as close as we've (thankfully) come to slow, painful torture. Begrudgingly and after at least 20 minutes of torment, we settled on a snack, three small plates, a medium and a large. Coming here with a group would be a great way to get through most of the menu and leave having ticked every bistro box - but be aware, it's changing all the time so could be completely different when you visit. We skipped the sourdough with Glenilen butter because once we saw 'anchovy toast' there was no other option. At first it just tasted like really good toasted sourdough dripping with butter, but then you come across a little nugget of anchovy and an accompanying salty explosion. A great start. We go all starry-eyed emoji seeing ceviche on menus (it happens so rarely in this country of ours so full of fish), so we were right onto Note's Stonebass ceviche with lime, oregano and jalapeño, with unmentioned orange segments and slices of radish. It wasn't just a highlight of dinner, it was a highlight of the entire year so far. Staff told us Essa prepares it like an aguachile (soupier and less marinating time) and you will be fighting over the last few drops of that turbo-charged juice with the slightest hint of heat at the end. Ceviche, aguachile, whatever it was, it's difficult to imagine it could tasbetter than this, and if it doesn't stay on the menu permanently we'll be first in line with our placards. Next another ingredient so rarely seen on menus here, white asparagus, with Shepherd's Store cheese and toasted hazelnuts. The asparagus was barely cooked so still had crunch, and was generously covered in the nutty cheese sauce, with another flurry on top, and toasted hazelnuts hiding within. White asparagus has a brutally short season, and if we only get to eat it once a year we want to eat it like this. Next, another dish we've never seen on a menu here (are you sensing a theme?) - Vitello Tonnato, a Piedmontese dish of cold, sliced veal with a kind of tuna-flavoured mayonnaise on top. Super juicy, delicately flavoured meat, a dollop of subtly tuna tasting mayonnaise, and some caper berries to jolt your palate back to reality, resulted in another dish with forks clashing at the end, and not even a smear of sauce left. We'd ordered the lobster au homard (which technically means lobster au lobster) not knowing what to expect, but out came three stuffed mezzelune in a soupy bisque, with some chopped cucumber and more lobster meat on top. We love lobster in all its forms, and this had it coming at you from every angle - in the pasta, in the sauce, in the chunks on top. Everything else on the plate shone a light on the star ingredient, from the deeply flavoured bisque to the finely diced cucumber, with nothing threatening to overtake its subtle flavour - skillful and sensitive cheffing. We also tried a side of their potato mousseline, which was basically potato flavoured butter - and there ain't nothing bad about that. Desserts were on the more simple side - an affogato with hazelnuts and homemade coffee liqueur poured over the top (you won't need that post-meal espresso), and madeleines that would give St John a run for their money. If you don't end a meal here with them, you haven't really been. What about drinks? Even though Note is a wine bar first, they haven't let standards slip on cocktails, beer or cider. Bar manager Alan makes his own limoncello, the coffee liquor for the affogato, and no doubt countless other concoctions to be found within the cocktail list. For us the only way to start is with a glass of their grower champagne, a (relative) steal at €17 a glass, when many places around town are charging €25 a glass for Grand Marques muck. In a place like this we love to drink by the glass and try as much as possible, and the person you want making recommendations is the wine brains behind the operation - GM Katie Seward. We basically let her take the wheel bringing us pairings for each dish, and over the night tried Fiano from Campania, Vital (a new grape on us) from Lisbon, dry Pedro Jiminez from Catalonia, Cru Beaujolais, and Loire Valley Chardonnay. Without fail, every pairing made the dish in question taste even better, and we could count on one hand the amount of places with a hit rate this impressive. The only addendum we'd add is that the low margin wine prices we raved about at the start have taken a bit of a jump. There's still value to be had, particularly at the higher end of the price range (that Marguet Shaman grower champagne is less than €15 more than you'd pay retail to drink in), but prices at the lower end now feel more in tandem with average prices around town. How was the service? As lovely and professional as you would hope for. Food and drinks were perfectly paced, and we were never left to wave someone down or with empty glasses or plates for long. And the damage? €195 for two before tip, including champagne and cider to start, a wine for every dish, and an extra to end the night. Definitely on the higher end of dining out spends, but you could do it for considerably less if you just got one bottle of wine on the lower end of the scale. Our advice though would be to go and do it right. The verdict? Regular London or Paris goers will recognise the need for a wine bar/bistro like Note in Dublin, and we've finally got it - hopefully the first of more to come. This is somewhere that would hold its own in any buzzing European city, and we selfishly dread word getting out and it joining the "impossible to book" club of Library Street, Variety Jones and the rest. Rather than "giving the people what they want", Essa Fakhry is stirring, saucing and banging pots to his own drum. Rather than looking exhausted and stressed at serving an entire restaurant with such little backup, he seems relaxed, confident, invigorated - like he's finally cooking the food that's at his core. We've already got our next booking for Note Bistro in the bag, and suggest you do the same before everyone finds out about it. Note Bistro 26 Fenian Street, Dublin 2 notedublin.com New Openings & Discoveries More >> The news you might have missed this week 4 days ago 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Apr 1 Where to eat in April Apr 1 The News You Might Have Missed This Week Mar 30