Gursha was many a Dubliner's first experience of Ethiopian food, and their original pop up in Cloud Café in the North Strand was harder to get a seat in than a Harry Styles concert. Since moving to Poolbeg Street they operate a supper club system where you buy tickets in advance for their set menu of injera with a multitude of Ethiopian dishes, from Doro Wat (chicken stew in berbere sauce) to Yebeg Alicha (lamb with garlic, onions and tumeric). Meals end with a chocolate fudge brownie and a traditional coffee ceremony, and it's phenomenal value for a completely pure experience. Gursha Website gursha.ie Address 7A Poolbeg Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Gursha was many a Dubliner's first experience of Ethiopian food, and their original pop up in Cloud Café in the North Strand was harder to get a seat in than a Harry Styles concert. Since moving to Poolbeg Street they operate a supper club system where you buy tickets in advance for their set menu of injera with a multitude of Ethiopian dishes, from Doro Wat (chicken stew in berbere sauce) to Yebeg Alicha (lamb with garlic, onions and tumeric). Meals end with a chocolate fudge brownie and a traditional coffee ceremony, and it's phenomenal value for a completely pure experience. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Low-lit, narrow-roomed Aperitivo, with its waistcoat-clad Italian waiters and limoncello spritz on repeat, is like something lifted from Venice and dropped onto Nassau Street. The tiny room is made for intimate meals, where feet and forks are sure to touch, and the menu full of small plates, snacks and pasta is meant to be shared. For our money the fritti are the best things on the menu, and the cocktail and wine list are worth a deep-dive. Aperitivo Website aperitivo.ie Address 47 Nassau Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Low-lit, narrow-roomed Aperitivo, with its waistcoat-clad Italian waiters and limoncello spritz on repeat, is like something lifted from Venice and dropped onto Nassau Street. The tiny room is made for intimate meals, where feet and forks are sure to touch, and the menu full of small plates, snacks and pasta is meant to be shared. For our money the fritti are the best things on the menu, and the cocktail and wine list are worth a deep-dive. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Suertudo Jalisco and Oaxaca small plates set Dublin's newest Mexican apart Posted: 7 Jan 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Suertudo? While Ranelagh stalwart Dillinger’s surprise closure back in November was leapt on by some with a point to belabour as yet more evidence of the sky falling in on the hospitality market, it’s actually more indicative of the industry’s invention than of a VAT-based doomsday staring it in the face. John Farrell’s flagship brand kicked off his now-sprawling empire ( 777 , Amy Austin and The Butcher Grill among others) back in 2009, so its shuttering might have seemed like the writing on the wall for one of Dublin’s most serially successful restaurateurs, but a quick pivot showed yet another trick tucked up his sleeve. A more cynical critique might see Suertudo as cashing in on a Mexican wave that’s swept across the city in the last 12-ish months, culminating in Parrilla popping up just around the corner. Given that Farrell got in on the ground floor with 777 back in 2012, and that wine bar Amy Austin 's small plates have been given the Mexico city treatment by Executive Chef Victor Lara, that's not the case here. Lara is also over the food at Suertudo, joined by Mexico City-trained Celina Altamirano, to make up a menu inspired by their respective homesteads of Jalisco and Oaxaca. Where should we sit? The left wall as you enter is flanked by four high and then six low two-tops, set to be cobbled together for any config of parties that may wander their way in - groups will be most at home here. A little nook inside the right window hosts a cosy high-top for five and a three-seater window ledge - if your idea of a dry January is hiding from the rain with a drink, this is the place to be. The wraparound bar’s dozen-ish places would make a fine pick for an evening perch, with spillover kitchen space meaning you’ll have plenty of action to watch as the place fills up. The only spot we’d avoid is a tiny table tucked right in the back corner, far too compact for comfort. What’s on the menu? We slipped in for Suertudo’s new(er) brunch-lunch offering available Thursdays to Sundays, which mixes and matches several of its evening plates with a few lighter bites catering to earlier-in-the-day appetites. Guacamole is a typical first port of call for any new Mexican arrival, and an early indication of how it stacks up to the ever-growing competition, but if you're only having one dip with chips, make it the camotito. This gorgeous plate of sweet potato purée has a smoothness and sweetness we couldn't get enough of, complicated in taste and texture by the smoky-spicy salsa macha, a flavour feast that plays like a Mexican chilli crisp. It comes in at top-tier value of €6 for the plate, better for your pocket as well as your palate than the €10 guac - avocados are pricier than sweet potatoes in fairness. That’s a match for the price point at Parrilla , and while the serving there seemed slightly more generous to us (and they add two house salsas to the mix), the quality here swings it even before the tortilla chips are taken into account. Unlike the local competition, Suertudo’s are made in-house from Altamirano’s own masa, a difference you can taste every step of the way. A delicate dusting of punchy spiced salt seals the deal. It's just as well the chips are top class, because we faced more in the form of chilaquiles - it really is a wise move to only get one of the sharing starters. The Mexican breakfast dish is a classic for good cause, intense savoury flavour coursing through every drop of the simmered salsa roja and chicken broth - expect to beg for a spoon to scoop up the last of it. The variously crispy and soggy textures of the chips play well off the piled-high shredded chicken, but this dish is all about that sauce. Its stark saltiness is tempered by crumbled queso fresco and drizzled sour cream, cut through by raw rings of onion. The citrus-spice smack of adobo rojo is the star of the pescado zarandeado, a thick fillet of seabream smothered in sauce and cooked to a just-blackening coat over the charcoal grill. Fresh fish and full flavours are always a winning combination and this is a textbook example, as well as a welcome lighter bite after all the heaving heaviness that came before. Plantain cream on the side does a solid tempering job, while the pickled pink onions have much more than just colour to bring to the feast. We're not known for our ability to pass up lamb birria tacos, with shoulder slow-cooked to a fall-apart texture, served alongside a consommé made of its juices. This Jalisco specialty is wanton to its core, the kind of plate best left ‘til last - you'll be in need of washing your hands, never mind in no state to manage any more food for a while. Beware the great gush of meat juice that’s liable to come spilling from these, lest the meaty goodness go wasted - at €19 per plate, you will not be wanting to miss a drop. Lamb lovers will, and should, devour these, but the consommé can’t compare to the one we tried at Tacos Lupillo (a dish in its own right rather than dip as here, to be fair). Once you’ve had some time to recover, the arroz con leche is a welcome ending to say adios on, though skipping it is a safer bet than anything else we tried. This Mexican take on rice pudding has the concentrated caramel tang of a dulce de leche foam that froths up over the dish if you don’t dig in quick enough. Regular ol’ popcorn propped on top struck us as a shame - a caramelised kind might have better fitted the vibe. What are the drinks like? Cocktails aside, the drinks listings are strangely nondescript with nothing more than the likes of “Rioja Crianza” or “Mexican beer” to clue you in to what’s in store. The tequila and mezcal options claim “brands you can’t find anywhere in Ireland and most of Europe”, though people who know more than us have cast a sceptical eye on that claim. Margaritas are another must-compare item, and Suertudo’s ticked the box just-so with nothing much to lift it above average - we expected more oomph. The smoke-scented Swashbuckler found better favour, with top marks for a mix where Frangelico really works - Tia Maria and mezcal were not what we’d have banked on as the best bedfellows. Te Quila Mockingbird makes hay with the syrup sweetness of grilled pineapple to balance out a bitter mix of Campari and lime - this is exactly the kind of sip-it-and-sigh-with-satisfaction sensation we felt missing in the marg. Lollapalooza comes out in a glass so tall and thin we were terrified of toppling it, but the spicy-sharp mix of tequila, grapefruit and jalapeño goes a long way to steeling those nerves. How was the service? The first week of the year is not a good time to gauge how any new venue is likely to act under pressure, but we were struck by the skill with which our server sailed through the menu, describing every dish with ease - there’s been proper investment in training here. We were impressed too by the speedy delivery of everything, though between a blustery January day and being the last lunch cover the kitchen had to worry about, they weren't under pressure. If there's been any teething issues in opening at the busiest time of the year, word has yet to reach our ears. And the damage? €139 for two rounds of cocktails and enough of a late lunch to see dinner skipped altogether. That’s a big step up in price from the more casual new entrants in Dublin’s Mexican market, but close to bang-on the mark for what we spent at Parrilla . We’d have to hand it to Suertudo for bringing better value. What’s the verdict on Suertudo? Suertudo is Spanish for “the lucky one”, and while Farrell might have chosen that name to pay tribute to the firstborn that started it all, everyone knows it takes a lot more than luck to keep pace with the changing trends and challenges in the restaurant scene. This remaking has what’s needed in spades - a new arrival that shows even crowded markets have space for invention. Ceding prime real estate and a well-established brand to a concept that’s not short on competition is less cashing-in on a trend, than the kind of bold move we badly need more of around town. Who knows what might happen if more places trust talented chefs to go where their skills are. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Dalkey's much-loved wine shop has a restaurant in the back, and outdoor seating when the sun shines. The menu is a catch all of things like pasta, burgers and seafood, but the stars are on the shelves. Pick from an ever-interesting wine list, or pluck a bottle from the shop and pay corkage. Grapevine Website onthegrapevine.ie Address 26 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Dalkey's much-loved wine shop has a restaurant in the back, and outdoor seating when the sun shines. The menu is a catch all of things like pasta, burgers and seafood, but the stars are on the shelves. Pick from an ever-interesting wine list, or pluck a bottle from the shop and pay corkage. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Chef Victor Lara, who made waves at wine bar Amy Austin winning them a Michelin Bib Gourmand, now has Suertudo (meaning "lucky") in his stable too. What was formerly Dillinger's was reopened as a modern Ranelagh Mexican at the end of 2024, and its been the new lease of life that the property needed. Constantly travelling and researching, you won't find Lara and fellow chef Celina Altamirano (both Mexican) doling out the country's greatest international hits. Instead you might find camotito (sweet potato drip) with queso fresco, pescado zarandeado (fish blackened over charcoal grill with adobo rojo), or lamb birria tacos. Don't skip the margaritas. Suertudo Website suertudo.ie Address Suertudo, Ranelagh, Dublin 6, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Chef Victor Lara, who made waves at wine bar Amy Austin winning them a Michelin Bib Gourmand, now has Suertudo (meaning "lucky") in his stable too. What was formerly Dillinger's was reopened as a modern Ranelagh Mexican at the end of 2024, and its been the new lease of life that the property needed. Constantly travelling and researching, you won't find Lara and fellow chef Celina Altamirano (both Mexican) doling out the country's greatest international hits. Instead you might find camotito (sweet potato drip) with queso fresco, pescado zarandeado (fish blackened over charcoal grill with adobo rojo), or lamb birria tacos. Don't skip the margaritas. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Pera Top-tier tombik and Turkish coffee is some of the best value around Posted: 30 Sept 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Pera? As costs keep creeping up in every restaurant ‘round town, value is a more premium currency than ever. That’s part of why we’ve seen such interest in the new, higher-end Turkish outlets popping up all over Dublin to cater to the growing diaspora – for all they’re a little pricier than the corner kebab spots spilling sauce down drunken fronts every weekend night, places like Reyna , Chiya , Sultan’s Grill and Sofra still represent absurd value for the quality of quick casual food they’re dishing up. Pera is a name we’ve heard whispered in the same breath more than once from those in the know since their opening almost exactly a year ago, so when they expanded into the larger unit beside their prior Mary Street home with a revamped new dinner menu in the past weeks, we knew the time was right to poke our noses in. Where should we sit? You’ll likely have your pick at all but the busiest times - the new unit, previously home to Casa Brasil, has space to spare, and is much cosier than the pokey few booths packed into the previous space next door. There, they’d also allowed diners head upstairs to a spillover space shared with Pickosito – more comfortable, sure, but far from the action. In the new setting, the left of the long entryway space plays host to a lengthy kitchen counter with a street-facing charcoal grill, glistening döner spits and a shiny new wood-fired oven in prime position for loving, longing stares from the two-tops opposite. If you’re a little less obsessive than us about watching food prep in action, the four-tops a bit further back offer extra space for the more sizeable spreads you might be minded to order, albeit with wood-backed seats better suited to quick stopovers (or late night visits) than long, lingering lunches. For those, turn the bend at the back for a cosy corner kitted out with leather banquettes lining the wall and high-backed two-seaters. This is a roomier space ideal for a catchup with friends or a family outing, with plenty of high chairs at the ready. What are they cooking? Don’t skim over the menu here – among the typical döner, charcoal grill and mezzes that might at first glance seem the same as similar spots, are a few standouts rarely seen about Dublin. Chief among them is tombik (€10.90), a puffy pouch of crisp-shelled bread stuffed to bursting with lamb, chicken or mixed döner shavings and the typical kebab salads. With no disrespect to the thin lavash flatbread that’s a mainstay of most kebabs around town, this made us wish for a world where tombik is the default. The blistered bread crust and airy interior are two delicious sides of the same high-heat coin, and it's a package good enough to eat alone, regardless of filling. It’s a bonus then that the meat’s great too, with heaps of generously juicy thin-sliced chicken falling out the sides as we stuffed ourselves (but no provenance to be seen). Iskender (€17.90) is a real rarity where Dublin kebab shops are concerned (not even Talbot Street’s Iskender itself, bizarrely, serves it). Diced chunks of tirnak pide, a dimpled doughy bread, are topped with mounds of fresh-cut lamb döner and doused with a reduced tomato sauce and melted butter topping, all served beside a heap of strained yoghurt. The deep sweetness of the cooked-down sauce and cool richness of the yogurt play off the lamb’s rich flavour, though our portion’s few chewier chunks left us wondering if the döner hadn’t gone too long without being carved – the tell tale toughness of added time up against the heat had us thinking how much better this would be at busier times. If you’re adding on mezzes, don’t miss the atom (€5.90), served with a fresh disc of tirnak pide alongside. This kicked our iskender into an altogether higher gear, with breath-stinkingly strong garlic stirred through strained yogurt and topped with fiery dried chilli oil – a full-on flavour feast far more assertive than regular yogurt alone. We packed it into the tombik too - it’s hard to imagine any dish this wouldn’t improve. Three things sent us hurtling headlong into the baked flatbread section: our constant quest for value; that spanking-new wood-fired grill; and one glimpse at the size of the pide and lahmacun being pulled out of it. The latter was one of our must-tries from Sultan’s Grill and it’s both better and cheaper here at €6.90 a serving to eclipse all but the biggest of heads. Pastry so crisp it practically shatters at the touch is spread with minced lamb, diced onions and peppers, oven-rendered fat giving it all the texture of spread sausage. Pile it high with the fresh salad on the side and wrap it up tight – as budget lunches go, you can’t do much better. We’d be happily filled from that alone but if you’re properly ravenous look at the “Turkish pizza” that is pide (€12.90). We can never pass up sucuk, the fermented beef sausage with layers of mild spiced flavour, scattered here among a molten excess of cheese just-about hemmed in by the singed paper-thin crust, perfectly punctuating the gooey, stretchy indulgence. This one's for sharing. Not even arch gluttons like us could stomach the thought of dessert after all of that, as tempted as we were by the glowing fridge opposite. Baklava and rice pudding look the part, while a glimpse and whiff of a bubbling kunefe en route to another table gave us every faith it's on the level we lapped up at Sofra . How was the service? Very fast. We almost told them they’d got the wrong table when our food arrived out spread across the arms of two staff what felt like ten minutes after we’d ordered it - this is a great go-to when you need a good feed quick. Friendly but unfussy check-ins followed suit – you’re in safe hands. What did it all come to? Three of us ate to the point we kinda wished we hadn’t for just short of €20 a head – that’s just silly value for a feast like this. You would find it very difficult to spend much more than that and have any hope of leaving empty plates behind. What’s the verdict on Pera? A Turkish coffee (€3.90) to finish here is obligatory – only such strong, stark caffeine could get us up out of our seats after all that. The two-pour prep over hot sand is a whole ritual we wish they’d given us more of an angle on, but the dainty delicate cup and its deeply aromatic notes is after-dinner show enough. It’s a Turkish tradition to turn the cup over after and tell your fortune from the shapes the unfiltered grounds leave running down the sides, Our seer skills might be rusty, we’re pretty sure ours predicted we wouldn’t be needing dinner that night, and that there’s a horde of people who’ll be rushing into Pera for value and quality like this. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Fish, chips, snacks, wine. Casual, bar counter dining at its best, with lovely service from warm staff. Brilliant wine list full of interesting discoveries that the team will be more than happy to talk you through. There's nowhere better for fish, chips and a bottle of Champagne. Fish Shop Website fish-shop.ie Address 76 Benburb St, Smithfield, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Fish, chips, snacks, wine. Casual, bar counter dining at its best, with lovely service from warm staff. Brilliant wine list full of interesting discoveries that the team will be more than happy to talk you through. There's nowhere better for fish, chips and a bottle of Champagne. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

All the modern French bistro vibes from Sandy and John Wyer (Forest Avenue, Little Forest, Una Bakery). Located above M.O'Brien's pub (formerly home to The Sussex), the dark wood and deep blue room has never looked better or felt cosier, and the menu of upmarket French bistro classics features hit after hit. Try the leeks vinaigrette, the chicken liver parfait, and the headline grabbing chicken au vin jaune, and no matter how full you are, there's always room for the croissant pudding made with Una leftovers for dessert. Forêt Website foret.ie Address Forêt, Dublin 4, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story All the modern French bistro vibes from Sandy and John Wyer (Forest Avenue, Little Forest, Una Bakery). Located above M.O'Brien's pub (formerly home to The Sussex), the dark wood and deep blue room has never looked better or felt cosier, and the menu of upmarket French bistro classics features hit after hit. Try the leeks vinaigrette, the chicken liver parfait, and the headline grabbing chicken au vin jaune, and no matter how full you are, there's always room for the croissant pudding made with Una leftovers for dessert. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Chimac Korean fried chicken comes to town Posted: 11 Jun 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Has Dublin ever been more excited for chicken? It feels like we've been waiting for Chimac for an actual eternity (in reality it's been about a year), but after very long delays with the site on Aungier Street, they finally opened their doors two weeks ago. Owners Sofie Rooney and Garret Fitzgerald first discovered Korean fried chicken while living in San Francisco, in a predominantly Asian neighbourhood, and the addiction was solidified after a trip to Seoul in 2016. Back home in Dublin they couldn't find the sweet, spicy, salty chicken that they loved anywhere, and the idea for Chimac was born. Sofie had been working in branding and marketing but has a background in hospitality, while Garret is a chef and brewer, most recently working in Masa and Bunsen. The couple have spent the last two years experimenting with a commercial fryer at home, trying different brines, batters and flavour combinations, before settling on the menu for Chimac. The chicken is free-range (they wanted organic but couldn't find anyone supplying it on a commercial basis), the sauces and pickles are home made and the beers are Irish, which is a lot of boxes ticked before we've even gotten in the door. What’s the room like? Long, narrow and basic. It's probably not somewhere you'll linger, which is just the way they want it. There's bench seating at one wall and small two-seater tables at the other. We would say plump for the tables near the window for the light and the Aungier Street people watching, but you'll probably only have a choice of tables if you're first in the queue when they open. What's good to eat? The menu consists of chicken burgers (made from breast meat), wings, and XL nugs (deep-fried chunks of chicken thigh). They also have panko tofu burgers and cauli wings for any veggies or vegans in tow. They say they're not trying to be completely authentic to Korean food, and wanted to introduce aspects to make their food "uniquely Irish". There are four burgers on the menu - the classic, the kimcheese, the K-BBQ and the 4-in-1 with curry sauce and rice (there's that Irish influence). We fell hard for the kimcheese with ssamjang & cheddar cheese sauce, spring onion kimchi and gochujang mayo, with a gargantuan piece of chicken in a potato bun. All the flavours, crispy, crunchy chicken, and a cheese sauce that reminded us of McDonalds in the best possible sense - finally a way to get that taste without the need for a full body cleanse afterwards. We also tried the 4-in-1 with house curry sauce, crisped rice, pickled chilli and gochujang mayo, and if you're a fan of those multi-layered trays from the Chinese this will be right up your street. Unfortunately they brought the wrong sauce so we ended up dipping it into pickleback mayo instead of gochujang, which jarred against the curry flavour, but alone the burger did exactly what you'd think it would. One thing they do need to figure out is the differing sizes of the chicken fillets. Some are quite literally double the size of others, and while it might be a bonus to get a bigger one than you were expecting, it probably won't be welcome if you get a smaller one than those in the pictures. We can imagine there were probably unhappy customers showing up in the last week expecting to get something like the kimcheese (above), and instead getting something the size of the 4-in-1, below. The XL nugs come in three flavours - Korean hot, K-BBQ and naked with sriracha caramel pourover, and you can get three, six or nine, so the option is there to try all of the flavours in one sitting. Our favourite was the K-BBQ, followed by the sriracha caramel, a tasty combination of sweetness and heat. We were less keen on the buffalo hot, finding them a little dull in comparison. The chicken was so tender and juicy and the batter perfectly crunchy - if you're not into meat off the bone these are for you. The pickled onions on top were a refreshing touch too. The wings come with the same flavour options, and again were finger lickin' good, with the same juicy meat and crispy batter. They come in six or twelve, and are ideal for anyone who enjoys getting every last morsel of meat and batter off a chicken bone. Finger bowls or wipes would be appreciated though - napkins don't quite cut it with this type of eating. They do sides of house fries or cucumber salad. On both times we visited they had no cucumber due to delivery issues, and on one occasion they had no fries, but the time we did manage to nab them they were outrageously crispy - maybe the crispiest chips in the city. They lose this crispness as they cool so get stuck in fast, but at their peak they're special. They're supposed to have cookie ice-cream sandwiches on the menu for dessert, but as of writing they're still trying to catch their breath and find time to add them into the mix. In the meantime Scoop is a few doors down, or you could try the new nitrogen ice-cream shop, Three Twenty , on Drury Street. What about the drinks? One word. Frosé. The whole concept might be based around fried chicken and cold beer, but we think their frozen rosé slushies in enamel cups are going to be one of the drinks of 2019 - cold, limey, winey perfection. They're working on other slushies too, but this one is far too easy to drink. The majority of the craft beers are Irish and all in cans, with Whiplash, White Hag and Rascals amongst others, and there's a short wine list of prosecco, two whites, two reds and a rosé, which isn't going to have the wine nuts running, but is functional nonetheless. We'd be sticking to the beer or the frosé. And the service? Owner Sofie is running front of house and all of the staff were lovely, but it's clear they are still finding their feet and struggling to cope with initial demand (blame those amazing pictures taken by Sofie's brother Max ). The first weekend they opened saw them close several times due to running out of chicken, something that continued into the following week, and one of the lunchtimes we ate there they were full by 12:35, despite only opening at 12:30. They will take your number and let you know when your table is ready, so least you don't have to stand in a queue outside and can go for a wander or a drink, and it is a fast turnaround type of place. At times customers were struggling to get their server's attention, but this was more to do with busyness than ambivalence. The verdict? Chimac has the makings of being the next Bunsen. The menu is sleek but punchy, the low prices make it accessible for everyone, any night of the week, and they've pretty much nailed the food, which is the most important element in the equation. They're definitely having some teething issues with stock control (and probably labour), so if you want to see it at full force we'd hang back for a few weeks and let them iron out the creases, but at €12.50 for a chicken burger and chips this is somewhere you'll be likely to come back to again and again. We certainly will be. Chimac 76 Aungier Street, Dublin 2 www.chimac.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

"Food with purpose" is how As One describe themselves, and it's not a meaningless mission statement. The highest levels of care and energy are given to building relationships with the farmers, food makers and producers supplying their ingredients, and in how they serve them to ensure maximum nourishment for their customers. Gut health is big in here so expect all the ferments, whole foods and minimal messing with them. As One Website asone.ie Address Unit 3, 13 - 18 City Quay, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story "Food with purpose" is how As One describe themselves, and it's not a meaningless mission statement. The highest levels of care and energy are given to building relationships with the farmers, food makers and producers supplying their ingredients, and in how they serve them to ensure maximum nourishment for their customers. Gut health is big in here so expect all the ferments, whole foods and minimal messing with them. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Roots Website rootsproject-ie.squarespace.com Address TBC Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

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Healthy, happy food, the kind you feel better after eating. Interesting salads and sandwiches and usually a couple of hot dishes. Missing out on cake would be a big mistake. Honey Truffle Website honeytruffle.ie Address 45 Pearse Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Healthy, happy food, the kind you feel better after eating. Interesting salads and sandwiches and usually a couple of hot dishes. Missing out on cake would be a big mistake. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

As One and Potager Two perfect rooms for the pandemically-anxious diner Posted: 7 Jul 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? An awful lot has changed since our last (carefree) once over of the brunch menu at Daddy's back in March. Just three days later schools were shut, and what's likely to be the defining event of our lifetime was underway. Four months later and we're still feeling hollow and unsure of what's coming next, but we'd be lying if we said that the reopening of restaurants (and creches) last week wasn't a huge relief. What's still causing a lot of unease is how many places are projecting radio silence across their websites and social media channels, and it's anyone's guess how many casualties are going to scattered across the city when this is all over, but for the ones that have reopened (with the necessary precautions), there's never been a more important time to get out and support them (presuming you feel comfortable doing so). As everyone who has reopened is still a bit shell shocked, toying with limited menus and deciding how to navigate the many, many reopening guidelines (some of which make absolutely zero sense), it didn't feel right to do a typical once over, so instead we're telling you about two dining options that are perfect if you're feeling a bit anxious about stepping out into the big, bad world again. What do I need to know about As One? As One opened on City Quay, just down from Tara Street station, a little over a year ago. Owner Mark Cashen had suffered with gut problems in the past which made him realise the importance of diet for wellbeing, so decided to leave his job in banking and open a café with gut health, mindfulness and the best of Irish produce at its core. The spacious, high-ceilinged space is minimal and supposed to be an antidote to the over stimulation that consumes most of us from one end of the day to the other, and the menu is a who's who of Irish farmers, vegetable growers and dairy producers. What's the food and drink like? Provenance of everything is front and centre, so if seeing things like Magner's Farm organic eggs, Irish shiitake mushrooms and The Village Dairy's organic milk put a smile on your face you're going to love it here. The post-Covid menu is slightly more condensed, with breakfast, brunch and lunch menus, as well as the salad and protein bar, and a couple of sharing plates. We're still thinking about the savoury, earthy mushrooms on toast with Irish shiitake, oyster and chestnut mushrooms, Jane Russell's black pudding, edamame and spinach pesto, chervil and an organic poached egg on Le Levain sourdough toast, but also loved the soft, smokey Turkish Eggs Menemen with a tomato and roasted red pepper sauce, feta yoghurt & black olives. We also tried the porridge made with oats from Merry Mill in Laois, which came topped with teff (an Ethiopian grain), caramelised banana, almond butter and strawberries. There was no denying the quality of the oats, but the dish felt slightly dry and in need of some yoghurt or compote. We'd had the pancakes on a previous occasion and wished they were back on the midweek breakfast menu, because blueberry pancakes with Velvet Cloud sheep's milk yoghurt are an excellent start to the day. Coffee is from Cloud Picker with both regular and decaf versions faultless, and the 'healthy' treats of oat bars and coconut raspberry slices tasted in no way healthy - which is a large compliment. Why is it an ideal post-lockdown eating out choice? The room is huge, high ceilinged and very spacious. They've taken out a few tables but there was already lots of space between them - all part of the mindful, minimalistic vibe. There's also outdoor seating if it's dry. Menus are gone, instead you scan a QR code on your phone and it pops up, or you can see it on a screen on the wall. There's a clearly marked queuing system both inside and outside, and lots of signage about keeping your distance. Staff weren't masked when we were there, but the room is so cavernous and airy (particularly with the wide open doors at the front) that it really didn't feel like a problem. Staff did appear scrupulous about hygiene though, gingerly handing over cutlery and carefully placing food down from as much of a distance as it's possible to maintain. The verdict? As One is the ideal place to ease yourself back into café culture or brunch with mates, and we can't imagine many places feeling safer or more well ventilated. It's the antitheses to cramped cafés where your elbows knock against your neighbour's, and you have to shout over the noise to get a server's attention. Cool, calm and comforting is where it's at after the past few months, and there's the added bonus of all of that impeccably sourced food, that your gut will hopefully thank you for. What about Potager? We reviewed Potager last year and fell hard for ex-Chapter One head chef Cathal Leonard's dynamic, singular cooking. After having four months to think about where we were most longing to eat once restrictions were lifted, it kept coming back to Potager, so yelps of delight were heard by the neighbours after bagging a Saturday night booking their first weekend back. What's the food and drink like? This is fine dining but there's nothing uptight or serious about it. The set dinner menu has increased in price from €55 to €60, but €60 feels like immense value for food this compelling. The only other changes are that there used to be a choice of mains and now that's just another course in the tasting. For us this is an improvement, as one of our only critiques last time was that the mains weren't as interesting as the smaller courses and felt like they were there to fill people up. That's not the case any more. There's also an extended menu for €80 with an extra course, both cheese and dessert (rather than choosing between them), and petit fours. A large proportion of ingredients come from the surrounding area in North County Dublin and Louth, and suppliers are proudly listed opposite that night's menu. Out of 10 courses there wasn't one dud, starting with fermented brown bread and Cuinneog butter, and onion bread with ricotta and kale pesto, and seeming to get better with every course that followed. A beer, cheese and savoury soup had us fervently scraping the tiny bowl for one more drop, the violet artichoke with crab, elderflower and sorrel had so many flavours with not one redundant, and the kai broccoli with confit garlic, deep-fried breaded anchovies, mustard and crispy violetta potato skins from Ballymakenny farm was a plate of total joy, that almost made up for the hell of the past few months. The staff had all told us that the beetroot pasta with smoked duck, truffle and ricotta was their favourite dish, and with an ingredient line up like that it wasn't hard to see why. We love a pasta course on a tasting menu, and we loved this one more. Usually the mere sight of chicken on a menu emits a bored groan, but not when it's Sean Ring's organic chickens from Kilkenny, and not when it's served in three different ways with two different types of swede, a garlic scape and a chicken jus that tasted as like at least 100 chickens had gone into it. The cheese course was a Knocklara cheese mousse sitting over a cranberry jelly with three different types of port in there, pistachios on top and seeded crackers. Think about how good that sounds, then multiply it by 10. This man is a maestro when it comes to whipped cheese, and we had the same sentiments last time about a similar dish with Cashel Blue, apple and celery jelly and walnuts. The ending was sweet, with chocolate, Velvet Cloud sheep's milk yoghurt and cherries, followed by petit fours of rose geranium filled choux buns (we scraped the plate for the last of the cream), and chocolate, white chocolate and beetroot macarons. Both the wines and the service have taken a leap forward since the last time we were there, and every recommendation by the glass did what all great wine pairings should do - enhanced the food even more. Service was so smooth with dishes perfectly paced, while the staff remained relaxed and chatty - there can't be that many places in the country to eat food of this level in such a laid back, informal atmosphere. Why is it perfect for post-lockdown dining? The room has always felt spacious, and now with a couple more tables removed you're metres from anyone else, and in no danger of eavesdropping on their conversations. There's hand sanitizer at the door, you hold onto your menu for the night to minimise contact with staff, and they've even removed one of the lobby doors into the bathrooms to eliminate one possible area of cross-contamination between guests. The verdict? A second visit to Potager has confirmed for us that it's one of the best restaurants in Dublin, with its own unique take on fine dining, and us post/mid-pandemic diners are very lucky to have it. No one knows what's going to happen with Michelin this year under the current circumstances, but if they are doling out stars for 2021 we hope they get a chance to come to Skerries before decisions are made. As One Unit 3, 13-18 City Quay, Dublin 2 asone.ie Potager 7 Church Street, Skerries, Co. Dublin potager.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Tucked away at the back of casual sushi stop, Kokoro Sushi Bento on South William Street, The Ramen Bar is always reliable, and always busy. Hot, steaming bowls of broth and noodles with a good selection of ingredients and options to customise, and there's 19 different bowls to choose from. The Ramen Bar Website theramenbar.ie Address 51 William Street South, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Tucked away at the back of casual sushi stop, Kokoro Sushi Bento on South William Street, The Ramen Bar is always reliable, and always busy. Hot, steaming bowls of broth and noodles with a good selection of ingredients and options to customise, and there's 19 different bowls to choose from. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Located right along the canal, Grove Road has an understated and easy-going vibe, great music, and is a serious contender for the best avocado toast in town, thanks to the addition of feta and the crispiest bacon known to man. They also serve brunch all day, seven days a week. Grove Road Website groveroadcafe.ie Address 1 Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Located right along the canal, Grove Road has an understated and easy-going vibe, great music, and is a serious contender for the best avocado toast in town, thanks to the addition of feta and the crispiest bacon known to man. They also serve brunch all day, seven days a week. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

The only rooftop bar in the city centre with wraparound views of Dublin, in five-star surroundings. Open seven days a week in summer (weather permitting), with Asian-inspired small plates and cocktails, as well as all the classics, wine and beer. Take an outside lounger if the sun’s out, but there’s covered and indoor seating if it’s not. The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Website the-marker-dublin/the-rooftop Address Anantara The Marker Dublin, Grand Canal Quay, Docklands, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The only rooftop bar in the city centre with wraparound views of Dublin, in five-star surroundings. Open seven days a week in summer (weather permitting), with Asian-inspired small plates and cocktails, as well as all the classics, wine and beer. Take an outside lounger if the sun’s out, but there’s covered and indoor seating if it’s not. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

French pizzeria and bakery, topping pizzas with Emmental instead of Mozzarella. Couple Giles (Gaillot, French) and Emma (Gray, Irish) started off with a food truck in Greystones, which was such a success that they upgraded to permanent premises. Coffee and freshly baked pastries in the mornings, soup, sandwiches and salad at lunch, and thin based, wood-fired pizzas with traditional French toppings from 4pm. Lovely garden out back to enjoy it all in. Gaillot et Gray Website @GaillotGrayP Address 59 Clanbrassil Street Lower, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story French pizzeria and bakery, topping pizzas with Emmental instead of Mozzarella. Couple Giles (Gaillot, French) and Emma (Gray, Irish) started off with a food truck in Greystones, which was such a success that they upgraded to permanent premises. Coffee and freshly baked pastries in the mornings, soup, sandwiches and salad at lunch, and thin based, wood-fired pizzas with traditional French toppings from 4pm. Lovely garden out back to enjoy it all in. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

The third addition to Tang’s growing empire of feel good cafés, Tang say their aim is to make people happy with food, and if their pancakes, granola bowls and salad boxes exploding with colour don’t give you a lift, you might be dead inside. There’s a beautiful tree-shaded courtyard out front which is prime outdoor dining real estate, and plenty of inside seating too if the weather gods aren’t with you. Tang Cumberland Place Website tang.ie Address 2 Cumberland Street South, Fenian Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The third addition to Tang’s growing empire of feel good cafés, Tang say their aim is to make people happy with food, and if their pancakes, granola bowls and salad boxes exploding with colour don’t give you a lift, you might be dead inside. There’s a beautiful tree-shaded courtyard out front which is prime outdoor dining real estate, and plenty of inside seating too if the weather gods aren’t with you. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Seasonal Irish deli and sandwich shop Tír takes food sourcing and supplier relationships to another level, with organic veg from Kildare, free-range pork from Carlow, and Donabate Dexter beef some of their choice ingredients. Meaning ‘country’ or ‘land’, Tír’s food is based on three core values - deliciousness, Irishness and sustainability, and they achieve the first through wood-fired cooking, fermentation, pickling, ageing, roasting and curing. The menu changes with the seasons and you can’t pick badly. Tír Website tirfood.ie Address Station Building, Unit 4, The, Hatch Street Upper, Saint Kevin's, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Seasonal Irish deli and sandwich shop Tír takes food sourcing and supplier relationships to another level, with organic veg from Kildare, free-range pork from Carlow, and Donabate Dexter beef some of their choice ingredients. Meaning ‘country’ or ‘land’, Tír’s food is based on three core values - deliciousness, Irishness and sustainability, and they achieve the first through wood-fired cooking, fermentation, pickling, ageing, roasting and curing. The menu changes with the seasons and you can’t pick badly. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

There's more to Dublin's tourist-thronged mecca than sad stews and over-priced pints. Look around corners and you'll find fresh seafood, bangkok-level Thai food, and one of the city's best wine bars. Temple Bar Our Take There's more to Dublin's tourist-thronged mecca than sad stews and over-priced pints. Look around corners and you'll find fresh seafood, bangkok-level Thai food, and one of the city's best wine bars. Where to Eat Achara Daruma Eatokyo Temple Bar FX Buckley Crow Street Full Moon Lucky Tortoise Temple Bar Monty's of Kathmandu Pho Ta Piglet Rosa Madre Sano Temple Bar Saucy Cow Sweet Churro The Seafood Cafe Toca Tapioca

Deep dish Detroit-style pizza served out of a hatch on Dame Lane, at the back of cocktail bar Pawn Shop. A quick, inexpensive option for something tasty on the go, with the carnitas of doom, and the pancetta and pineapple taking all the headlines. You can sit at a few unstable tables outside, or take your slices into the bar. Doom Slice Website doomslice.pizza Address Doom Slice, Dame Lane, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Deep dish Detroit-style pizza served out of a hatch on Dame Lane, at the back of cocktail bar Pawn Shop. A quick, inexpensive option for something tasty on the go, with the carnitas of doom, and the pancetta and pineapple taking all the headlines. You can sit at a few unstable tables outside, or take your slices into the bar. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Opened by couple Jay and Damien in 2015, Legit Coffee Co is heavily influenced by the owners’ Brazilian and French heritages, with Brazilian coffee and French pastries, but there’s plenty going on with their savoury options too, like pulled pork Benedict, and homemade sausage rolls with Emmental cheese. Everything is made in house, and it’s a cool, calm room to hide away in over breakfast, lunch or a mid-morning coffee. Legit Coffee Co Website legitcoffeeco.com Address Meath Mart, 1 Meath Street, The Liberties, Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Opened by couple Jay and Damien in 2015, Legit Coffee Co is heavily influenced by the owners’ Brazilian and French heritages, with Brazilian coffee and French pastries, but there’s plenty going on with their savoury options too, like pulled pork Benedict, and homemade sausage rolls with Emmental cheese. Everything is made in house, and it’s a cool, calm room to hide away in over breakfast, lunch or a mid-morning coffee. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Bahay A feel-good, Filipino family affair Posted: 20 Jul 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? We all love the new, the different, the things we can't find on every corner, but when we told you that ex-Clanbrassil House chef Richie Castillo was bringing Filipino food (courtesy of his Dad's recipes) to Dublin, excitement was at fever pitch. There's never been a Filipino restaurant here that's had the foodie crowd clambering at the door, and everything was telling us that this one was worth getting excited about. After considering a few locations for Bahay's (meaning 'home' in Filipino) first outing, Richie and girlfriend Alex O'Neill decided on Roe & Co's D-8te pop up at their Dublin 8 Distillery (quite the coup for them), and tickets disappeared as soon as they went on sale, with legions of you hanging on their feed waiting for cancellations or no-shows. Not ones to let a new food experience go undiscovered, we were ready and waiting for tickets to go on sale and exhaled a sigh of relief when we got a table, ready for all the Inihaw na Manok (grilled chicken), lumpia (pork spring rolls) and sinangag (garlic rice) we could get our hands on. This is a slight teaser of a review as the Bahay Roe & Co pop up ended two days ago, but they'll be back in Camden Yard Market in two weeks with a lot of the same food, and Roe & Co's cocktail village continues until the end of August, with residencies from Nightmarket, Matsu Ramen and Lil' Portie, so here's what to expect from both. Where should we sit? It's assigned seating, and if you've already tried you book you might know that tables for two are few and far between (there might only be one), so you've a better chance of getting a booking for four or six. There are two main seating areas (all covered), and the airsteam is in the middle of both, so everywhere has a decent view. There's also just a lovely, holiday-like vibe in there (helped by plenty of string lighting), and it's a really atmospheric place to spend a few hours with friends. What's the food like? Each residency is a set menu costing €40, with an optional cocktail pairing for €30. This makes it a pretty stress-free experience (unless you're with a picky eater) and you can get straight to chatting and waiting for the food to start coming out. We had to try a cocktail pairing after their big talk about how much work had gone into it, but you can also order other cocktails, spirits or beer. There's no wine. While we were waiting for our first drink to arrive they brought an aperitif of Roe & Co whiskey, Tokaji (Hungarian dessert wine) and aloe - a lovely touch and a very user-friendly (and original) introduction to their whiskey. First up for food was a snack platter containing Lumpia (pork spring rolls) with a rice wine vinegar dipping sauce, Inihaw na Manok (grilled chicken thighs marinated in banana ketchup, garlic, 7up & soy), and Pandesal (a yeasty bread roll) served with whipped chicken fat annato butter (annato is a spice that's frequently used as a yellow food dye). This is the type of legit street food the city needs more of, and hopefully they'll be cornerstones of Bahay's menu. Dipping the pork-packed spring rolls into the zippy dip and pulling the smoky, juicy chicken from their skewers, we could have been in a Manilla market instead of just off James' Street (the hot, humid weather helped too). This is the first time we've seen banana ketchup on a menu in Ireland (you can read more about it as an ingredient here ) and hopefully it won't be the last, and the bread roll from the Gold Ribbon Filipino bakery on Dorset Street was fluffy and made for tearing apart with your hands. The only mild disappointment was the chicken fat butter which we were expecting more of a chickeny flavour from. Next was a small bowl of 'sisig', which our lovely server told us was the dish Anthony Bourdain thought would make the world fall in love with Filipino cooking. If you have a fatty meat phobia this might not be for you, but the diced, grilled pork (usually from the head) with soy, vinegar, calamansi and onion was a savoury, lively bowl rocking with flavour, and it disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived. It's cocktail pairing had an appley profile, with Calvados, amontillado, and barley and orange champagne cordial, and it really did compliment the dish - pork, apples and sweetness, what's not to like. The main was beef short rib kare kare (braised short rib in a peanut sauce), with green beans, bok choy, bagoon (a condiment made from fermented fish), atchara (pickled carrot, daikon, pepper and green papaya) and sinangag (garlic rice). At first taste you might think the kare kare is lacking something, but you use the bagoon almost like salt and pepper to season it to your taste. We started off slow and ending up using so much we had to ask for more. If you're a fan of the flavour profile of kimchi, fish sauce, shrimp paste etc, you'll be hooked on bagoon. If they'd been selling it to go we would have grabbed a few jars. We loved everything about this plate, and how harmonious all the flavours were together - the creaminess of the curry, the pungency of the bagoon, the zing of the pickled veg, and the soft, mildly garlic rice. It felt so pure, like you'd been invited to a Filipino friend's house for dinner (whose family could really cook), and something totally original for Dublin. We also spotted Richie's Dad cooking with him in the kitchen - could Bahay get any more wholesome? The cocktail pairing was knockout too. They could have played it safe (who has time for that?) but they really went for it with a Liberty Belle Gimlet - bell pepper infused whiskey, suze, elderflower, grapefruit, olive bitters and chilli oil. A really unusual drink that you're not going to see on every cocktail menu, and it did what every good pairing does, it elevated the dish. Claps for whoever came up with this one. Dessert was tibok-tibok with latik - calamansi coconut custard with caramelised coconut milk curds. The smooth, creamy custard came topped with what looked and tasted like dulce de leche and a cross between fudge and honeycomb, but managed to keep a certain lightness, helped by the citrus calamansi. The cocktail pairing was a Pina Punch, with whiskey, coconut, pineapple, lime, mint and jasmine tea, and together they were a lovely, refreshing ending to a meal that didn't dip in enjoyment at at any point. What about the other drinks? Between four of us we tried all five of the other cocktails on the list, the winner of which was the 'Verdi Grey' - a lemon sherbet style whiskey sour. We also loved the 'Weights & Measures', a low abv drink with Roe & Co's 0.1% whiskey, amontillado sherry, sweet vermouth and cordial, and their take on an Old Fashioned ('Brass Tax') was good too. The most unfortunate thing to happen all night was choosing to end on an 'Espresso Marini', which someone had inexplicably added dillisk liquer to. Seaweed has no business getting into the espresso martini game, and it's a taste that will haunt us for some time. How was the service? When we sat down we were greeted by Roe & Co's Billie, who must be one of the loveliest, bubbliest servers in the whole city. She was full of information, recommendations and seemed genuinely enthused about every drink she brought us. When she disappeared towards the end of the night (presumably a break or end of shift) she was really missed, with other servers just bringing the drinks and placing them down, with none of the Billie flair. On Bahay's side, Alex (co-owner) and her sister were front of house, and their obvious passion for what they were serving burst through, with loads of useful tidbits of information about dishes and ingredients, which really helps to enhance your experience and give you more of an understanding about what you're eating. And the damage? €80 a head - €40 for food and €40 for drinks, which felt pricey enough for something so casual, but also sadly feels pretty standard these days, especially when cocktails are involved. The verdict? We're so happy Bahay is here and can't wait to try more from them. This is something legitimately different for Dublin, and it's first outing has been a major success by the looks of the feedback they've had (ours included). All going to plan you'll find them serving a lot of this food in Camden Yard Market from two weeks time (keep an eye on their Instagram for an announcement), but we're really hoping they can find a permanent home in the next year. We deserve more bagoon, more banana ketchup, and a place for these guys to call 'Bahay' permanently. Bahay Next venue: Camden Yard Market @ Camden Court Hotel Opening days/times: TBC www.instagram.com/bahay_dub www.roeandcowhiskey.com/outdoor-dining New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Mae Gráinne O'Keeffe goes solo in Ballsbridge Posted: 17 Aug 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Gráinne O'Keeffe is a human powerhouse. Not content with being head chef at Clanbrassil House for the past few years (where she and the team won a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2018), she also took on the job of Culinary Director at Bujo , who make some of our favourite (and most feel-good) burgers, fried chicken sandwiches and deep-fried pickles. Bujo went on to achieve a three-star rating from the Sustainable Restaurants Association , while Clanbrassil House continued to climb the cool charts year after year, leading us back to the old adage - if you want something done, ask a busy person. When she teasingly told Instagram followers in May that her first solo restaurant was imminent, people got a bit hyper. New openings on this level have been sparse since the start of Covid, so this was kinda a big deal. We knew it was going to be in Dublin 4, and soon people were sniffing around every empty venue, shuttered restaurant and residential dwelling with the builders in wondering if this could be it. Eventually we were all put out of our misery at the end of July when she announced it was going to be above The French Paradox wine bar in Ballsbridge, as a sort of partnership. A surprising decision to some, but presumably the only way to open her own place in such a prime location without the need for outside investors. Bookings opened two weeks prior to opening and tables for the first three months went almost immediately, so we were glad we'd been ready and waiting to pounce. Where should we sit? It's a long, narrow room, and you won't be able to see the kitchen from the tables at the front near the window, but you will have good ventilation, so choose your poison. It's a mix of low tables and high, so again if that's something you have strong feelings on you might want to specify it before you arrive. Tables are well spaced and it felt comfortable, even in times of Covid. What's the food like? It's a tasting menu only round these parts, but there's a meat and a vegetarian option. It's €60 a head which includes, bread, three snacks, a starter, main and dessert, and you can add on a cheese course for a reasonable €5 supplement. You have a choice of mains, but everything else is decided for you. If you have a strong/strange food aversion we're pretty sure they would do their best to adjust a dish and replace the offending item with something else, but we wouldn't expect a complete overhaul, so a no choice restaurant is probably not somewhere to bring that fussy with food friend/partner/parent. Saying that, it's not an overly edgy menu, for now anyway, so should please most people. Bread comes first. It's currently a dense brown soda bread, which we found too heavy for the start of a meal, and purposely chose not to finish for fear of needing to be helped up at the end. Next came the snacks, which were a finger of brioche with chicken liver and fig, a basque ham and gruyere croquette, and a beetroot, goats cheese and pickled walnut tart. They all had a nice mix of flavours and textures, but the beetroot tart was probably the most memorable. Next was a bowl of Cáis na Tíre (one of our favourite cheeses) agnolotti with artichoke and leek. We love a bit of handmade pasta but would have preferred to do the smearing, scraping and dissecting on a plate. Regardless pasta plus cheese plus artichokes was a winner for us, and we could have eaten this as a main. For mains we had a choice of cod or ribeye steak. While we never fully get the point of cod, unless deep-fried in batter and submerged in salt and vinegar, Mae's black garlic, beurre blanc and seaweed did a good job of taking the flavours from bland to brilliant, although we would have preferred them on a less watery fish, like hake or haddock. The ribeye, from Higgins in Sutton, was topped with morels, celeriac and tarragon sauce, and was one of the most uniquely delicious takes on a steak we've had in a long time. Such an abundance of flavour on top of juicy, ultra savoury meat, but one steak had far too much fat on it (whilst being thick, plump and perfectly medium), and the second they brought in its place was very thin, and by virtue of this arrived well done. If you have a cooking preference outside of "chef knows best" it might be best to state it when ordering. A side of layered potatoes with a cheesy crust was perfectly tender and chewy, and we liked the simplicity of a single side dish - is there anything worse than feeling too stuffed for dessert? And then throwing it in anyway? And then lying awake with heartburn/a sore stomach/diner's regret all night? Somewhat unusually, dessert was the dish of the night. An apple tart tatin with salted caramel, Calvados and creme fraiche could not be faulted, managing to be both lavish and light, thanks to a graceful hand with the pastry making. We'd go back for this alone. Is an optional cheese course ever really optional? No. Especially not when it's Co. Down's Young Buck, one of the country's favourite blues. It came with a pear chutney and seeded crackers, and Young Buck is always a good time. What about the drinks? The French Paradox has the kind of wine list that makes wine fanatics squirm in their seats. There are no en trend names, no iconic wines, pretty much nothing you've ever heard of. If you know your stuff this might make you uncomfortable, if your knowledge is hovering around entry level it won't bother you. We thought that both the cava (we didn't note the producer but there was only one) and the Champagne from Lacourte Godbillon were very good, but the (more expensive, €50 for four glasses) wine pairing missed a few tricks. A red Burgundy did nothing to elevate the agnolotti, and all that was achieved by pairing a Condrieu (a dry white Viognier from the Rhone) with a very sweet tart tatin was ruining a very nice wine. The most interesting pairing was a white Bergerac with the cod, and the Pomerol with the ribeye also worked, but we didn't enjoy an overtly oaky white Rully from Burgundy, which was paired with the snacks. How was the service? The manager (ex-French Paradox) is hospitality personified, and was practically bouncing around the room with positive, welcoming energy, but all of the staff were warm and friendly. We had a few service issues, but it was only their first week and everything was handled with grace and profuse apologies. One of the service highlights is getting to choose your steak knife, which are all made from different artisanal knife makers, each with its own story. It's something unique to Mae and was a clever addition, and probably the thing you're going to see most shared on social media. And the damage? Just over €102 a head for a tasting menu, a shared cheese course, a glass of sparkling wine each and one shared top tier wine pairing. The verdict? Mae is off to a solid start and will no doubt be thronged with the monied Ballsbridge brigade and those from further afield for the foreseeable future. We'd like to see the menu take a few more chances, and O'Keeffe develop a stronger signature style, as well as an opening up of the wine list, but it's early days. We just hope that tart tatin sticks around. Mae 53 Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 www.maerestaurant.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Mister S Everything tastes better with fire Posted: 17 Sept 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Mister S is the much anticipated second opening from Featherblade owners Jamie O'Toole and Paul McVeigh, who had a goal of bringing real, live-fire barbecue to Dublin - something the city has never had many options for. They brought Daniel Hannigan on board as head chef (formerly of Richmond and the driving force behind the Food For Thought charity dinners), and Tim Geeves, previously at London's famous and much loved barbecue restaurant Smokestak , as sous chef, and after some back and forth on the name, colour scheme, and a lot of work to turn what had been a blind and curtain shop into an upmarket but casual restaurant, they finally opened their doors at the start of September. (If you want to see exactly how much work has gone into this build, and be put off opening a restaurant forever, click on the " Our Journey " highlight on their Instagram page.) As you might have guessed, everything here is cooked over fire, even dessert, with the kitchen experimenting with different types of wood for fish, meat and vegetables, and there's something very raw and caveman-like about knowing your food has been licked by smoke and fire. These guys are also intent on delivering serious value for money, so 'nibbles' range from €6 - €8, and 'smoked and grilled' plates from €12 for carrots, freekah and salsa verde to €17 for smoked Angus shortrib. Considering their impeccable sourcing, with free-range pork from Andarl Farm in Galway, Waygu beef from Ridgeway Farm in Wicklow, and free-range organic chicken from Ring Farm in Kilkenny, these prices are pretty unbeatable in the city right now. Where should we go for a drink first? You won't be short of options around Camden Street, but we'd suggest Ryan's for a pint away from the madness, or Against The Grain if delving into craft beer is your idea of a good time. For a cocktail head to The Sitting Room , the bar with a "mid-century feel" above Delahunt (below), or for wine you could hover outside Frank's for a quick one. Where should we sit? There are plenty of seating options, all made from beautiful repurposed wood, that they've painstakingly burnt, oiled and brought back to life. There are booth type seats for four, single tables for two, and a counter with three seats facing out onto Camden Street that have 'solo diner' written all over them. There's also a long communal table hidden down the stairs at the back of the room that's perfect for larger groups. Mister S don't take bookings, but we were relieved to hear that they're using the Qudini app, so if they're full they'll take your name and text you when your table's ready. There are a lot of seats so we can't see this getting to ridiculous wait times (but may stand corrected). What's good to eat? Everything. We tried most of the menu over two visits and want to eat it all again, and again. The gambas served on flatbread drowned in bisque butter are haunting us on the daily. This isn't a dish to go for if you're butter-averse, but this is the land of butter, so why would you be (dairy allergies aside). The shells are used to make the intensely fishy, rich bisque, the gambas are fresh and fluffy, and at €8 this is just the dish to showcase the incredible value to be found here. Another dish you shouldn't miss is the organic smoked chicken with romesco, and if you don't get how rare it is to see organic chicken in a casual dining setting just take our word for it - it's going above and beyond, and only the teeniest amount of chicken produced in Ireland is organic. The thigh served in Mister S is smoky and juicy with crispy skin, sitting on a smoky, fruity, nutty romesco sauce, topped with almonds and olive oil, and will put paid to any notion that chicken is the inferior meat. Another dish of just charred mackerel with fennel and herb oil shows what you can get out of a cheap fish when you treat it right. Light, lukewarm and lovely. Unsurprisingly they really come into their own with the meats. The Andarl pork tomahawk is a very generous portion for €15, particularly considering the quality of the sweet, smoky meat. The meat from Andarl Farm is called 'velvet pork', a description that makes complete sense when you taste it. As for the smoked Angus shortrib, if anyone in the city is doing a better version we need to know about it. Getting a cheap cut of meat to taste this good takes time, skill and slow cooking, but it's a masterclass in why tougher cuts of meat and barbecue cooking are a match made in meat heaven. Don't miss all the crispy good stuff on the bone, and it's also served with smoked bearnaise, in case you needed any more reasons to plan a trip here. Sides include hispi cabbage with spicy sobrasada sausage and feta - what vegetable dreams are made of - and miso roasties with homemade smoked harissa (and loads of crispy bits at the bottom of the bowl), which will ensure that going back to regular roasties is a struggle forever more. Next time we'll be trying the sharing fish or steak, which was brill with langoustines, and côte de boeuf on the day we we were there. For dessert the bubble pudding is the one you're going to see everyone posting about. It's cooked on the grill in a cast iron pan, drowned in salted caramel sauce (which is still bubbling when it comes to the table) and finished off with a scoop of banana ice-cream. It's very good, but very large, so one to share is plenty. The other dessert on the menu right now is a strawberry and elderflower (picked by owner Paul's Mum) pudding, and while it's equally huge (and delicious), it feels slightly lighter on the stomach. What about the drinks? They've created a very smart, concise drinks list, with wine on tap and in bottle, cocktails, four beers and a cider. Everything's been carefully chosen to work with the food, and there are some serious wines on there, like Tenerife producer Envinate's garnacha, which we imagine would be a stellar pairing for loads of the dishes. We weren't expecting to drink white wine with barbecue but the surprise hit was a South African roussane/chenin blanc blend called Adi's House, which had the complexity, texture and acid to pair beautifully with dishes like the gambas and the pork. There are 8 wines by the glass and 18 by bottle, and we would love to see carafes introduced like in sister restaurant Featherblade. And the service? Great. Even though they've just opened it feels like a family operation, with everyone getting stuck in. Staff were warm and chatty and if they can keep up that level of hospitality under pressure and with a queue outside we don't think they'll have many unsatisfied customers. The verdict? We love Mister S, and don't think we've been this excited about a new opening since Variety Jones stormed onto the scene last Christmas. In Dublin's rapidly evolving food scene, it feels like a stake in the road, an important chapter in the growth of fast casual restaurants that could hold their own in any major city. Along with places like Lucky Tortoise, Chimac and Pi, Mister S are proving that exciting food of the highest quality can be delivered at every price point and in every setting, and are helping to reconnect all of us with what it means to eat Irish food. Mister S 32 Camden Street Lower, Dublin 2 misters.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

One of Dublin’s best places to buy and drink wine, with a small kitchen serving up cheese, charcuterie and tinned fish to go with it. Choose from their shelves of brilliant wines to drink in house with a set corkage fee (€15 at the time of writing), so the better you drink, the better the value. Green Man Wines Website greenmanwines.ie Address 3 Terenure Road North, Terenure, Dublin 6W Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story One of Dublin’s best places to buy and drink wine, with a small kitchen serving up cheese, charcuterie and tinned fish to go with it. Choose from their shelves of brilliant wines to drink in house with a set corkage fee (€15 at the time of writing), so the better you drink, the better the value. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

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 Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Stretching from Exchequer Street to Lower Stephen's Street, and South William Street to George's Street, Dublin's 'Creative Quarter' is known for design, boutiques and studios, but is also one of the best places in the city centre to head for food and drinks. Creative Quarter Our Take Stretching from Exchequer Street to Lower Stephen's Street, and South William Street to George's Street, Dublin's 'Creative Quarter' is known for design, boutiques and studios, but is also one of the best places in the city centre to head for food and drinks. Where to Eat 777 Amy Austin Bambino Cantina Valentina Caribou Coppinger Fade Street Social/Tavern Fallon and Byrne's Wine Cellar Good World Handsome Burger Hong Kong Wonton Izakaya Japas & Sake Kicky's Little Canton Loose Canon Mani Masa Nan Chinese Pi Rei Momo Row Wines Spilt Milk Sprout Exchequer Street The Pepperpot Café The Ramen Bar

One of the buzziest openings of 2016. Wood-fired duck, family style feasts and great music in a makeshift subway carriage on Camden St. Hang Dai Chinese Website hangdaichinese.com Address 20 Camden St Lower, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story One of the buzziest openings of 2016. Wood-fired duck, family style feasts and great music in a makeshift subway carriage on Camden St. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet