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High end Italian seafood and pasta with an extensive Champagne and wine list that's become a focal point for some of the city's big spenders. Gregarious owner Luca likes opening the top end bottles and teaching customers how to sabre Champagne. Rosa Madre Website rosamadre.ie Address 7 Crow St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story High end Italian seafood and pasta with an extensive Champagne and wine list that's become a focal point for some of the city's big spenders. Gregarious owner Luca likes opening the top end bottles and teaching customers how to sabre Champagne. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

The Seafood Bar The perfect little restaurant to gorge on the best of Irish seafood Posted: 25 Jul 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's should we know about The Seafood Bar? It's the second restaurant from the team behind neighbourhood favourite Wood Fire Café just off Dorset Street. Owner Joe Oualadi is half Italian, half Moroccan, and says he's "mad about seafood" and loves to cook it. He couldn't understand why an island surrounded by fish doesn't have more places to eat great seafood (Amen Joe), and with a loyal clientele already on Blessington Street, he decided to take the site left vacant by Veginity (and briefly vegan deli Pretend) and get to work. Despite Wood Fire Café 's many D7 fans, we've visited in the past and didn't leave with a need to return - maybe we caught them on a bad day - so we weren't expecting to be first in the queue for this one, but between strikingly good reviews on Google and the total lack of a website/social channels for information, we thought it needed a once over stat. Can I book? Nope, and this is the one real drawback. With only 10 indoor seats we get it, but it's not very conducive to travelling across town or booking a babysitter. If it's dry and/or sunny you might be able to pull up at a barrel outside with some olives and a glass of cold white wine while you wait, which wouldn't be the worst way to pass the time. Where should we sit? There are three low tables of two, which can be put together for a four or a six (but you'd be lucky to find all three free at the same time, especially once the good word travels about this place). There are also two high tables at the counter, seating two at each. This is where we'd pick if we had the choice, to see all that seafood being prepped and cooked in front of you. Outside has another four tables of two (which again could be made into a four, possibly a six with some pushing and pulling), and a couple of barrels you could stand at. It feels very Spanish, and if we ever get sunshine again we can see this having a cracking atmosphere on a summer evening, those waiting for a table standing around with some olives, almonds and a glass of Loxarel Cava. What should we order? The menu has a strong Spanish slant to it, but with other cuisines like Italian and even Hawaiian (poke) thrown in. There's a cold section to start featuring peel and eat gambas with cocktail sauce, oysters, tuna salad and more, but our hearts fractured a little to hear that Ensalada Rusa with Cantabrian anchovies wasn't available, and that they're taking it off the menu. The rest of the menu features 12 starters and six mains, and expect to agonise over what to order, because this is a hell of a menu, with Porupine langoustines, Irish native shrimps, and a whole lobster with fries for €34 among the dishes you might feel the need to try. Getting over our Ensalada Rusa disappointment, we started with crab on toast - three pieces of thick, chewy, very lightly toasted bread covered with a mildly curried, lemon-scented, sparklingly fresh white crab meat mixture, topped with finely sliced radish. Adding unadvertised curry in here is a (possibly risky) curveball, but we loved the fresh, mildy spiced flavours, the contrast between the sweet flaky crab and the chewy bread, and the generous hand in plating this up. You can't come to a Spanish seafood restaurant without ordering fried fish, so deep-fried calamari and Native Irish Shrimps with tartar sauce were up next. According to the Irish Times , only 200 tonnes of these prawns are landed each year, and all (until now) are shipped to top restaurants in Spain and Portugal where they're sold at very high prices. That might explain this dish's €18 price tag, and why you only get two of the shrimp, but we loved it all the same, and it's a novelty to try something so rarely seen here. The batter was perfectly light and crisp, the tartar clearly homemade, and while a couple of calamari rings were chewier than we would have liked, there was no debating the freshness yet again. If you order one thing in here, make it the clams with garlic and salsa verde (€14), which has dive-bombed onto our "best things we ate this year" list. A sizzling cast iron dish arrives with bubbling olive oil (the good stuff) filled with caramelised, chewy, sweet garlic slices, clams floating above dressed with a generous spoons of zesty salsa verde. If sharing, expect to lose the run of yourself trying to dig out each little piece of fish, dunking it in the garlicky oil and smearing some salsa on top for one of the most perfect mouthfuls you could imagine. We had to ask for bread to mop up the sauce, and you should do the same. The paella (€26) was another knock me down dish, the saffron-scented rice with a perfect bite, seafood lavishly dispersed across it. Prawns, monkfish, mussels, and clams were not in short supply, and the roasted peppers and dollops of aioli pushing the perfection level even higher. It was missing the slightly crispy base, but from other reviews online we can see some people's did have this, and with or without it, it's as good a paella as we've tasted (here or in Spain). The portion is also huge - you could easily share one between two. Seafood linguine is yet another knockout, again with the generosity of seafood feeling almost shocking in comparison to other restaurants. Simplicity is often the hardest thing to get right, but this simple sauce of garlic, white wine and cherry tomatoes let the flavours of the gambas, clams, squid and mussels gleam, and it almost felt like more seafood than pasta. How often can you say that? At €26, you could not complain about value for your euro. Sides were a low point and we'd skip them next time and just focus on the fish. Hand-cut chips didn't look or taste like they were done in-house, and weren't crispy enough, while patatas bravas came with that delicious aioli and a roasted red pepper sauce, but the potatoes tasted more confited than deep-fried, and weren't remotely crispy. Desserts are a total mismatch with everything that's come before: 'Classic Tiramisu'; Crema Catalana; and a chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream and caramel sauce - is there anyone in the country who wants a chocolate brownie after a seafood feast? Please raise your hand so we can see you. The only acceptable choice was the Crema Catalana, but our hearts broke once again to be told they didn't have it, but had a cheesecake with red berry sauce in its place. They told us all desserts were made in the Wood Fire Café, and it did taste homemade, but it was a dull, heavy ending to a dazzling meal. A silky-smooth, flan-like Basque cheesecake would have been a far better fit. What about drinks? Wines are a mixed bag, with some decent bottles on there like Zarate's Albariño, Domaine De La Pépière's Muscadet, and the brilliant co-op Les Vignerons d'Estezargues' Southern French red blend, 'Cuvee des Galets', for €32. It's a bit muddled though with no theme or thread running through it (e.g. Mediterranean), and they're in desperate need of some sherries/Vermouths/aperitivo offerings. By the glass options are very limited, but we tried the Jurtschitsch Grüner Veltliner which was a nice easy drinker served very chilled, and a perfect match for the seafood. There are also some beers on tap, and flavoured San Pellegrino as well as the usual soft drinks. How was the service? Lovely, friendly, and the food came out at a good pace. They didn't charge for the extra bread, or a juice they poured from their own staff stash - a nice touch. And the damage? €128 for a generous feast for three (who rolled out after lunch and could barely face dinner that night), with one glass of wine. We'd throw it at them every day of the week. What's the verdict? We love The Seafood Bar. We can't stop thinking about The Seafood Bar. We want to move into The Seafood Bar and have Joe feed us all day - crab on toast for breakfat, clams for lunch, that big dish of paella and a cold glass of wine for dinner. It's not an inexpensive place to eat, but there's a big difference between cheap and value for money, and we thought that what we got for our spend was remarkable. Sometimes places open with a serious generosity of spirit (and ingredients) and then reality (and bills) hit and everything gets pared back. We really hope that doesn't happen here, because right now it's the perfect little restaurant to gorge on the very best of Irish seafood. The Seafood Bar 1 Blessington Street, Dublin 7 seafoodbardublin.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

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Eleven All the potential in this roadside restaurant with wood-fired food and great cocktails Posted: 18 Apr 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Eleven? Named in tribute to its roadside position just off the N11, the latest addition to John Farrell’s portfolio of Dublin diners (Dillinger’s. The Butcher Grill, 777, Amy Austin, and the late Luna are among the others) opened above Whelehan’s Wines in Loughlinstown late last month. Farrell’s MO is well-established by now, offering up conceptual dining experiences fronted by his own painstaking attention to interior design detail. At Eleven , it’s a smart-casual neighbourhood vibe they’ve gone for, with two distinct relaxed spaces set either side of a zinc-topped wraparound bar with counter dining. The Butcher Grill ’s Atish Bhuruth has been drafted in to design the menu in an Executive Chef capacity, and the wood-fired grill as well as a couple of other menu items clearly bear his mark. Where should we sit? The bar’s 20-or-so seats make a good choice for solo diners or duos who delight in watching the magic of cocktails in the making - more on those later - while the main open dining space is saved for four-top tables. The combination of deep red walls, warm wood tones and geometric rugs make this main area an especially welcoming first sight as you walk through the door. Down the back, there’s another area with two high tables that seat ten each, and are tailor-made for bigger groups or those who don’t mind sharing. Both areas are bright, open spaces by day and more intimate lamplit affairs by night - in the evening, there’s an ambient slide guitar soundtrack provided by a house musician tucked away in the corner. What’s on the menu? It’s a simple and streamlined menu neatly divided into small plates and mains, with standalone sections for the wood-fired grill and sharing steaks and fish dishes. The small plates mostly skew cold and cured, with seafood a recurring theme. We started with a hamachi ceviche bathed in blood orange, red onion, ginger and tapioca pearls. While the firm-fleshed fish was flavourful and well-textured, the salsa was more mush than fresh, with overly assertive ginger spoiling the balance. Between that, the fridge cold temperature of the fish, and the sad puddle on the plate, we couldn’t help but wonder if this had been assembled earlier rather than being made to order. We were surprised to see a summery dish like heirloom tomato, peach and burrata salad on offer in April, blue as the skies outside may have been. Neither the multi-coloured tomatoes nor the peach - served in both lightly-salted slices and a concentrated gel - at their very best this time of year, but the more muted flavours still played well off the mild bitterness of black and pink radish and lightly pickled lengths of fennel. Amidst all that colour we almost missed the measly mound of burrata, less the centrepiece ball we expected than a subtle spoonful. We couldn’t fault the flavour, but the serving size did seem to take the idea of a small plate a little too far, especially at €14 a plate. There were no notes needed for the sourdough on the side, with its crispy-chewy balance, and irresistible whipped smoked honey butter - a smartly sweet match for all of the small plates’ acidic overtones - keep this one on hand to balance out all the citrusy sauces. Bhuruth’s a noted fan of the flavours wood-firing brings, so be sure to order at least one of those options for the table. We found the prawns the most tempting of the bunch (there's also tuna and steaks), and our expectations of "grilled prawns with lemon and herb oil" came true on the plate. The blackened antennae speak to the high and dry heat of the grill, caramelising the meat to emphasise the natural sweetness of the shellfish, and a zippy lemon and herb dressing complemented the smoky-sweet meat for a dish that really gets across what Eleven is trying to do. We thought the same about the wolffish, definitely one of the menu’s standout attractions for us. You don’t see this ugly bottom-dwelling monster on Dublin menus all too often - more’s the pity, as its imposing size and diet of scallops and crabs make for sizeable and delicately sweet fillets. They’re given excellent treatment here, grilled to a perfect crust and bathed in a bonito butter so tasty we ate it by the spoonful. It's a great pairing of quality ingredients cooked in a simple style that let's it all sing. On the side we went with the parsley-buttered heritage carrots and smokey beans. Your choice of the six options is served with the wood-fired grill plates, while the other mains come unaccompanied - a distinction that left the wolffish especially feeling a little short-changed, especially with the €30 price tag. Both sides satisfied but neither were overly exciting - most of the choices have been brought over from The Butcher Grill’s menu and there’s a sense that these are meant more as supporting players than standout dishes in their own right. Also imported over from that menu is the Sauternes crème caramel, the only dessert option on offer (an unspecified selection of cheese for €14 is also an option). It’s a pretty and unpretentious plate, with the sweet wine-soaked golden raisins bursting with beautiful, boozy flavour, and the simple custard flan offsetting the rich intensity of the caramel sauce. What about the drinks? Wine is supplied by Whelehan’s downstairs, with bottle prices starting out reasonable and heading sharply upward from there: if there’s an occasion to celebrate, you can definitely do it here. By-the-glass options are fairly middle-of-the-road, though the earthy and fruit-forward Château Beauchene Côtes du Rhône we tried worked well with the smoked sweetness of the prawns. If you're there for a long lunch from Wednesday - Friday and the wine list doesn’t take your fancy, they also allow you to bring in anything from downstairs for €10 corkage. That got our attention. What caught our eye more were the cocktails. The bartender who’s developed them has previously been in 777 and Dillinger’s and was enthusiastically training up colleagues on his creations while we were in. He’s just as keen to walk you through what’s in them and tailor them to your tastes, right up to very considered non-alcoholic twists - an essential skill in a location likely to play host to plenty of designated drivers. The concoction he crafted for our non-drinker was a well-balanced tart-sweet blend of yuzu juice and pineapple shrub, finished with a liberal misting of orange blossom water from a perfume bottle - as much a performance as a pour. From the alcoholic options we tried a brown butter-washed bourbon, sage and celery bitters short-serve, with a delicious depth of nutty flavour. It wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world to skip dessert altogether and drink it instead. How was the service? Friendly and informal, nicely grounding the atmosphere - a room like this might easily feel stuffy if the staff weren’t as warmly welcoming and ready to chat. Bar seats are best to get the full experience if you want to explore the cocktail options, while the main area has a slightly more formal feel with suited servers mainly keeping a low profile. And the damage? Our bill came in at €138 before tip, a little on the steep side for a feast that didn’t quite fill and three drinks (one N/A) - but we feel like we're saying that about everywhere these days. You could easily go beyond €100 per person with a few more small plates and another round of drinks. There’s €2 oysters with €2 off cocktails from 17:00 - 19:00 Wednesday - Friday if you wanted to make it a little more budget friendly - or head in for the Sunday roasts, ranging from €23 to €27 and served with all the trimmings, to try it out for less. What’s the verdict on Eleven? There’s all the potential in this roadside restaurant, even if it might need a little more time to seek out and settle into its own niche. For a location like this to work, it’s going to need to become something of a destination - landing the Sunday roasts and making the most of the back terrace through the summer months might just make it that. We’d love to see the same attention and unique personality put into the small plates, but for now we're betting the cocktails, top-quality mains and those Sunday roasts will be enough of a draw for the curious to keep Eleven buzzing for the foreseeable. Eleven Bray Road, Loughlinstown elevendublin.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

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

Achara Walloping flavours, fun and prices that are hard to argue with Posted: 3 Sept 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story with Achara? Northern Thai grill-inspired Achara (pronounced ah-cara) opened at the end of June in the Aston Quay site formerly occupied by Happy's , from the same team - they also own Crudo in Sandymount and are involved with Juno on Dorset Street. Happys' global street food on a very challenging street to trade from chugged along but never took off, so the owners decided to change direction. They say they've been obsessed with Thai food since travelling across South east Asia: " The flavours, the smell of grilled meats walking around Chiang Mai, the hustle and bustle of the night markets, that first pad Kra Pao after an 12 hour night train to Surat Thani. " Hungry yet? We were. (Achara) Achara's aim is to shine a light on the grilling culture of Northern Thailand, with a menu centred around their charcoal grill, custom made by Smokin’ Soul in Co. Wexford. It's used to bring out the smoky best in top Irish produce, like Feighcullen free-range chicken, Goatsbridge trout, and custom Thai sausages made by The Village Butcher in Ranelagh. They say they want to show there's more to Thai food than traffic light curries and Pad Thai, and we like the sound of that. Where should we sit? It's the space at the front for us, particularly at the window - Aston Quay might not be the most scenic backdrop but the natural light streaming in those big windows is very pleasant to bath in while you eat. The whole place is tailor made for groups, but particularly the area at the back in front of the kitchen, which looks ideal for semi-private dining. There's also a lovely round table in the window to the left when you walk in, which fits six comfortably in your own little space. Drink while we're deciding what to order? Definitely. There aren't many Southeast-Asian restaurants around town serving BBQ rhubarb gimlets with Thai basil oil (order it, trust us), and Kaffir lime margaritas (didn't taste very different to a regular, well-made margarita). Cocktails here were not a last minute add on, they're a part of the grand plan. What's on the menu? Small and large plates designed for sharing - that means that dishes might arrive at different times, and that may or may not infuriate some diners, so if it's a one main per person sitch with no sharing forecast, you're better telling them so they can do their best to accommodate. The menu doesn't specify how many of each thing you get either, so that's another thing worth asking if you're sharing - it looks to be three large chicken wings, and three - four prawns depending on the size. The lovely small plates for sharing are illogically small for anything more than a few tablespoons, but they seem to have twigged this because larger metal ones came out with the larger plates. You might also be surprised to see a fork and spoon rather than chopsticks, but this is the Thai way - they will bring out chopsticks on request but they're the disposable type and not the nicest to eat with. First up on the do not miss list are the chicken wings in chilli fish sauce caramel (€10). There's so much crunch wrapped around these juicy, double-jointed chicken wings, and the sweet, salty heat of the caramel sauce is just right. Some fresh coriander on top before you take a bite is the final piece of the flavour puzzle. You should also get a Killary Fjord mussel skewer in a spicy lemongrass sauce (€4), the mussel texture closer to chicken than seafood, the flavours BIG. If your mouth needs waking up, this will do it. Goatsbridge trout ceviche (€12) with mint, dill, chilli and little slices of kumquat was more 'cooked' than any ceviche we've had before, so raw fish phobes needn't worry. Ours was surprisingly high on the spicy scale, but it worked well with all of those fresh herbs and the citrus - just make sure you have a full bottle of water on the table, and maybe some tissues for your nose. Kale fritters (€8) were more like a bar snack, with plenty of grease and sriracha for soakage if needed. Good if you want something to crunch on, but we wouldn't be running to reorder. Larger plates start at €14 for mushrooms and aubergine, going up to €25 for whole chargrilled sea bass with nam jim seafood (which translates as "seafood dipping sauce"). Our fish should have come off the grill earlier, the flesh a little past tender, but there wasn't much complaining while pulling off pieces of flesh and swirling them around that firecracker of a sauce laden down with chillies, fish sauce, coriander, garlic, lime juice and sugar. Aubergine fans assemble - Achara's basil chilli version is one of the best dishes using the purple plant that's passed our lips in an age. Bury us in Thai basil, stuff chillies in our ears, lay us on a bed of aubergine so juicy it squirts when you bite into it. There's a mince beef version of the same served with an egg, but this is not playing second fiddle. The charcoal grill really shows off with the glazed pork belly moo hong, slow cooked to render some of the fat away, then seared on an open flame. It's the live fire taste you can't fake, with the sweet, smoky glaze hitting every part of your palate, but the inner pieces were more tender than the outer, some of which were on the dry side. The more squeamish may be put off by the Granny Smith and anchovy salad - they're less anchovies, more tiny dried silver fish or whitebait, startled eyes staring up at you. As an accompaniment it feels like it's there more for visuals than for taste, the watery apple not adding much in the way of flavour. The lunch menu is where the real value is to be had, with selected dishes €15. One of these is the grilled chicken khao soi (€21 on the à la carte menu). Feighcullen free-range chicken is cooked on the grill, and served on top of noodles swimming in a spicy coconut curry, with some raw onions and coriander. It's very good, very spicy and extremely rich (not one for the calorie counters) - the only thing we didn't get was the deep-fried noodles on top which were so hard they felt more like a garnish to be discarded than an edible. A side of green beans with garlic and chilli could have been more blistered, but while they might not hit the heights of M&L they are probably better than what you make at home. There's one dessert of charred pineapple, whipped sheep's yoghurt, pistachio crumble and sticky rice (€8). The whipped yoghurt and crumble are added tableside for an attempt at theatre, but it feels like it a scramble for something to put at the end rather than something created out of love. If you skip it you're not missing much. What are the drinks like? Proper love has gone into this drinks list, with original cocktails, whiskey sodas (for the real Thai feel), and a wine list that has no business being this interesting when much of the food is popping off with spice. There are 12 wines by the glass, with the only one there for box ticking purposes a prosecco. Top picks would be the Von Winning Weissburgunder, the Arndorfer Zweigelt (chilled), and the Piggy Pop for happiness-inducing pink fizz, but there's little or nothing we wouldn't be happy drinking. And the service? Some of Achara's online reviews mention poor service, but on the two occasions we visited staff were welcoming, helpful, and the food came at a good pace. On both occasions the owners were present, so maybe that helped to ensure things were running smoothly. They did also put out a call for staff a couple of weeks ago, saying that their run of good reviews in the press had made them busier than they'd imagined, so perhaps they've had some teething issues with new starters, or a struggle finding them. Either way they'd be foolish if they're not tackling the issue with urgency, and we don't think these guys are that. What was the damage? €151 to feed three with four drinks on the bill. Getting in and out for circa €50 a head with a drink is hard to argue with for food this jammed with flavour, and a restaurant without much to fault. There's also a three-course pre-theatre menu served Monday - Friday from 17:00 - 18:30 which is obscene value for €25pp - more money to splash on that wine list. What's the verdict on Achara? Achara isn't trying to cook Thai dishes to the letter, but take influence from the food and culture of the North to amp up Irish food in a brand new way. They're bringing walloping flavours, fun and great prices to a strip more known for fast food, dive bars and being the wrong side of Temple Bar, and doing it without compromising on the produce coming into the kitchen - that's impressive by anyone's standards. If the kitchen keeps pushing for flavour and consistency, and initial front of house issues are resolved, there's so much potential for these tables to join the consistently booked out club. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Bone fide Italian wedged between a car garage and a pet shop in Deansgrange. Homemade pasta, pizza and antipasti draw a steady stream of Italians, which is all you need to know. Fellini's Website fellinisdublin.com Address 35 Deansgrange Road, Deansgrange, Co Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Bone fide Italian wedged between a car garage and a pet shop in Deansgrange. Homemade pasta, pizza and antipasti draw a steady stream of Italians, which is all you need to know. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

Steam Authentic northeastern chinese food in the back of a newsagents Posted: 29 Aug 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? A couple of months ago, Chinese-American journalist Mei Chin (currently living in Dublin), wrote an article for the Dublin Inquirer about a discovery she had made while walking down Westmoreland Street. Her family comes from the Dongbei province in Northeast China, and at the back of an unassuming newsagents called Temple Express, wedged between a casino and a bookies, she found the food that her family cooks – Chinese burgers, jianbing (crepes), braised eggs, brine noodles. Colour us interested. Chinese food that gets the thumbs up from Chinese people is a rarity in Dublin, so this sounded like it was worth making a beeline for. For weeks we were having conversations about ‘the Chinese in the back of the newsagents’ but on our second visit we found out that it’s called ‘Steam’, and there’s another one in Moore Street Mall . Where should we go for a drink first? This is food that comes fast and it’s not really a place to linger (tables sit above the newsagents and beside a travel company desk), so a drink afterwards might be a better shout. Or this would be a great pre-cinema spot when you need to be in and out with minimal fuss. You’re practically in Temple Bar so if you’re in the mood for telling tales to tourists you could head for any of the overpriced pubs. For good pints in a cosy space it's hard to beat The Palace . For cocktails the Vintage Cocktail Club is few minutes walk away, and for wine you’re less than a ten minute walk to La Cave off Grafton Street or Piglet on Cow’s Lane. Where should we sit? After you order you can go upstairs to find a seat and they'll bring your food up to you. There are a few small tables and two counters – one facing the wall, the other facing out onto Westmoreland Street – they’re the seats we’d be trying to wangle. Too far away from the window and you may be subjected to the sounds of tourists booking sightseeing trips, which no one wants as an accompaniment to their noodles. They do take away too. What's good to eat? We followed Mei’s recommendations and everything was very good. The standouts for us were the Chinese pork burger – a crispy bun filled with shredded pork (lu rou) that’s been stewing for days, pickles and chilli sauce – and the Brine Noodles, the base of which is the ‘lu’ gravy made from stewing meat, along with braised pork, noodles, peanuts and green beans. The soup had a depth and breath of flavour unlike any other noodle soup we've had here, but eat it on a warm day and be prepared for a case of the soup sweats. We wanted to order ‘liang pi’, cold noodles made from mung-bean starch fettucine tossed in vinegar, but they had run out (apparently they’re struggling to source enough of these particular noodles in Dublin), so instead offered us cold noodles with chicken, which we enjoyed, but they paled in comparison to some of the other dishes. Jiang Bian, a kind of Chinese crepe filled with scrambled eggs, scallions, lettuce, hoisin sauce and bits of pastry cracking, was delicious, apart from the completely random hot dogs pieces in our classic version (ethnically accurate quirk we’re presuming), but those few unwelcome additions aside, this is something we would like to eat on a regular basis. Rice with stewed pork (meltingly tender and fatty like spare rib meat) with a side of pickled green beans and cucumber was simple, perfect comfort food. Mei also mentions the braised pork rib with rice in her piece which we’re eyeing up for our next visit. What about the drinks? Newsagent softs only, and it’s not the type of place you’d rock up to with a bottle of wine or a few cans of beer asking about the BYO policy. It’s not somewhere to loiter either, as there'll be plenty of people waiting to take your seats. And the service? Lovely, smiley and very helpful when it came to navigating the menu. The verdict? We’re increasingly hearing people talk about Dublin’s dining scene getting “boring”, “samey” and taken over by soulless restaurant groups or international chains, but paying a visit to a find like this will do a lot to convince the disillusioned of how much great food is right under our noses waiting to be discovered. Steam is quick, cheap and no frills, but it’s the real deal, and that always tastes good. Steam Temple Express, 4 Westmoreland Street, Dublin asainstreerfoodsteam/ New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Octopussy's Ultra fresh fish with a sea view Posted: 12 Jun 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? For such a picturesque coastal village, Howth has always suffered from a surplus of mediocre eateries, and we feel for tourists in particular trying to navigate the deluge of similar looking restaurants along the west pier, searching for the one that's going to live up to their Irish seafood dreams. King Sitric is the place to go for a blow out, and Aqua and Deep , also in the fine dining category, seem to have a loyal (if instagram deficient) following, but when you want something a bit more casual it can be a struggle to find something that doesn't disappoint. Octopussy's has always been talked about by those in the trade as the one to head for, and we've been impressed in the past, so we thought a sunny day in June was a good time to give it another once over. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? The Bloody Stream around the corner is great for a pint and has a sizeable outdoor terrace at the front if it's warm enough to sit outside. We quite like Wrights Findlater too, especially in Winter when the fire's on and it feels like a cosy respite from the harsh Howth winds. If you're up for a ten minute walk, we'd recommend walking up to The Abbey Tavern , one of Ireland's oldest pubs, which dates in some form to the 16th century. What’s the room like? Cosy. There are high tables and a couple of snugs inside, as well as counter dining at the window, but on a sunny day, the in demand seats are at the five outside tables. Whether outside or inside you should probably prepare for a wait, but food comes fast, so even though we were initially told it would be 40 minutes to get seated, it ended up taking only 10. Wherever you are you're likely to be sharing a table with strangers, so it's not the place to go for privacy and intimate conversation, but good if you like making new friends. Mercifully there is no smoking allowed at the tables outside, so you can enjoy your seafood in the sunshine without a side of cigarettes. What's good to eat? The shellfish platter is the must-order item, and great value at €19 for one, or €30 for two. The mussels in a cream and white wine sauce are genuinely some of the best we've had in Dublin, and the crab claws and Dublin Bay prawns taste like they were caught that morning. Gambas were fried with what tasted like paprika, and it's worth sucking the shells as that's where half the flavour is. On the platter for one you get three each of the Dublin Bay Prawns and crab claws, four gambas, a bowl of mussels and brown bread, so that alone would be enough to sate a non-greedy eater. If you're into oysters, the Carlingford served with lemon and tobasco are reliably good, as is the dressed crab, which comes on brown bread, and is a perfect example of something so simple being so delicious. If you feel like something deep-fried, calamari and scampi are both excellent, coming in light, crisp batters, rather than the ones that have the batter to fish ratio way off. We haven't had the lobster but we'd put money on that being great too. Sides don't overly excite, but the focus here is on fish and we've found in the past that they end up being superflous (with the exception of chips, obvs). We also tried a special of prawn and chorizo salad, with chilli pecorino cheese which just didn't work. The chorizo overwhelmed everything else and the cheese was rubbery. If that's all we'd had we would have run for the hills of Howth, but luckily it was just a blip in an otherwise excellent meal. What about the drinks? A serviceable if unexciting wine list with a large selection by the glass, and no other alcohol is served, so prepare any beer/spirits drinkers in advance. We've had a few dud glasses in here, but you'll be safe with Italian Verdicchio for white, and we spotted an open bottle of Viña Illusion's brilliant Rioja Joven as we were leaving, which we hadn't spotted on the menu. Glassware is awful, but you'll just have to get over it. And the service? Something that again has been mixed in the past, but on this occasional couldn't be faulted. Both of our servers were completely welcoming and helpful, making recommendations and having the chats. To be as rushed off their feet as they were and still come off that relaxed and friendly is no mean feat, so credit where it's due. The verdict? The best place in Howth for ultra fresh seafood in a casual setting, and if you can bag an outside table on a sunny day you'll be beaming (and possibly sunburnt) for days. We might not choose it for a special occasion when we want all the good wine, but after a walk on Howth Head or when we just want to be reminded about why Irish seafood is so fantastic, there are few places we'd rather be. Octopussy's Seafood Tapas Bar 7-8 West Pier, Howth, Co. Dublin octopussy.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Sleek St Stephen’s Green wine bar with ex-Delahunt head chef, Chris Maguire, in charge of food. Their homemade charcuterie is one of the main draws, but there’s plenty of tartare, Southern-fried mushrooms and homepage pasta small plates too. A sizeable wine list ranging from commercial to natural, and the cosy basement room is ideal for hiding away from the world outside. Book the seats facing into the kitchen to watch the chefs prepare your dinner. Cellar 22 Website cellar22.ie Address Saint Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Sleek St Stephen’s Green wine bar with ex-Delahunt head chef, Chris Maguire, in charge of food. Their homemade charcuterie is one of the main draws, but there’s plenty of tartare, Southern-fried mushrooms and homepage pasta small plates too. A sizeable wine list ranging from commercial to natural, and the cosy basement room is ideal for hiding away from the world outside. Book the seats facing into the kitchen to watch the chefs prepare your dinner. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

Mani’s Roman-style pizza styles have been responsible for a permanent queue down Drury Street since they opened at the end of 2023. Hiring ex-Pala Pizza’s Rory Shannon as head chef was a great move from fellow pizza nerd and owner Ciaran McGonagle, and the power of these two seems to multiply by being in close proximity to each other. Crispy, twice-baked slices featuring the most moreish of toppings, and some deep-fried naughtiness for good measure. Basic but quality drinks, and loads of outside seating, as well as a few stools inside. Mani Website instagram.com/mani.pizza.panini Address Mani, Drury Street, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Mani’s Roman-style pizza styles have been responsible for a permanent queue down Drury Street since they opened at the end of 2023. Hiring ex-Pala Pizza’s Rory Shannon as head chef was a great move from fellow pizza nerd and owner Ciaran McGonagle, and the power of these two seems to multiply by being in close proximity to each other. Crispy, twice-baked slices featuring the most moreish of toppings, and some deep-fried naughtiness for good measure. Basic but quality drinks, and loads of outside seating, as well as a few stools inside. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

Vibrant, authentic Indian food packed with freshness and flavour, miles away from what most Irish people associate with the cuisine. Sunil Ghai ran the kitchens for the Jaipur group before going it alone, and dishes like tandoori guinea fowl, goat keema and wild boar vindaloo have had Pickle packed since it opened. Pickle Website picklerestaurant.com Address 43 Camden Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Vibrant, authentic Indian food packed with freshness and flavour, miles away from what most Irish people associate with the cuisine. Sunil Ghai ran the kitchens for the Jaipur group before going it alone, and dishes like tandoori guinea fowl, goat keema and wild boar vindaloo have had Pickle packed since it opened. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

From the team behind Indian Konkan on Clanbrassil Street and in Dundrum, Kari was opened to be a bit more specialised, informed by husband and wife Bala Nayak and Nidhi Joshi’s experiences and memories of home. There’s a general focus on India’s south and south-western states, with Irish produce integrated nicely, like in the kale and samphire pakoras. Don’t miss the smoky meats from the Tandoor, and the date and coconut naan has to be tried. Kari Website kari.ie Address 205A, Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story From the team behind Indian Konkan on Clanbrassil Street and in Dundrum, Kari was opened to be a bit more specialised, informed by husband and wife Bala Nayak and Nidhi Joshi’s experiences and memories of home. There’s a general focus on India’s south and south-western states, with Irish produce integrated nicely, like in the kale and samphire pakoras. Don’t miss the smoky meats from the Tandoor, and the date and coconut naan has to be tried. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

The Park Café The all day dining restaurant that Dublin badly needed Posted: 29 Nov 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about The Park Café? The prodigal chef returns home, bringing all day dining to Ballsbridge, in the site that formerly housed Dylan McGrath's Shelbourne Social . Richard Corrigan owns and runs several restaurants and bars in London, as well as the Virginia Park Lodge estate in Cavan (one of Ireland's most sought after wedding venues) and has been proudly shipping over produce from the grounds to his London locations for years. We're hoping The Park Café will see the majority now funnelled Dublin's way instead. Corrigan won Michelin stars early in his career, but over the years has successfully turned away from fine dining to just fondly feeding people. His cooking is generous, exhuberent, fun, and this idea of an accessible, easy-going, all-day canteen had all the right people talking before any opening announcements were made. Corrigan's last Dublin opening Bentley's , in 2008, barely lasted two years, but we had a feeling that The Park Café was going to have a different ending. Where should we go for a drink first? It's straight up to The Park Bar with you, their upstairs, roomy space full of large booths, high tables and shaded corners to hide away in. The vibe is cocktail bar meets laid back pub, with some of the country's best Champagnes being served alongside pints of Guiness. We recommend starting with an 'Aperitivo', which are all fairly priced at €10. We tried the 'Park Spritz' with Irish apple brandy, Aperol, Valentini vermouth and Champagne (which reminded us of a white Port and tonic, in a good way), and from the main list a 'Ramos Fizz', with gin, citrus and condensed milk. This one's heavier and next time we'd leave it until dessert. Where should we sit? There are banquette-backed tables along one wall, some tables in the middle of the floor, and counter seating too (which was all but empty when we visited so maybe they're being saved for walk ins). We generally prefer a table up against a wall than a free-wheeler, but if there's just two of you the counter looks like a great option too. It's been substantially built out from the Shelbourne Social days. What's the food like? It's been pitched as an all-day canteen (it's currently only open for dinner but extended hours to follow), and it's only when someone says it that you realise what a massive hole we've had in Dublin dining up to now for exactly this. It's the kind of place you could pop in at any time of the day or night and hop up on a bar stool for a glass of Champagne and some oysters, settle into a banquette for a Bentley's fish pie, or spend a very long afternoon there, lunch turning into dinner. They start by bringing homemade foccacia, which had great flavour but needed the accompanying olive oil (also very good). They forgot to bring it until we asked so make sure it arrives for dipping. You've probably seen the snail omelette doing the rounds on social media, and we're here to tell you that yes it is that good, and yes you need to get over your ick about escargot and order it. Prepare however, to feel like crying that the omelettes you cook at home will (probably) never taste as good as this. If there was an Olympics for eggs, Peter's omelette would run home with gold. The red wine Bordelaise sauce that accompanies it, with pancetta and those snails from a farmer in Cavan called Peter (hence the name) is a bonkers but brilliant combo, and it's topped with Parmesan and chives. We'd already picked the Frank Hederman’s Smoked Salmon with a Ballysadare Egg, Cream Cheese Ravigote and a Crumpet on the way in, and didn't even notice that on the menu we were handed it had been seriously downgraded to salmon, egg, Virginia roots, shoots and leaves. How could they take our cheesy crumpet!? After the initial disappointment we were able to reluctantly admit that it was still a lovely dish A fresh crab salad was generous, fresh and aniseedy from celeriac with mustard seeds and mimosa leaves, and burrata and beets (one of two vegetarian starters) could have been more generous with the burrata but the beets tasted like they'd been picked earlier that day, the leaves had abundantly more flavour than anything from a plastic packet in the supermarket, and pickled walnuts are always a good time. When we visited there were eight mains, with a further two for sharing (pork and steak), and each one sounded better than the last. After a lot of back and forth and horse-trading about who was going to order what, we gave the waitress our final answers. The 'La Jammet' kebab (named after one of Dublin's most famous restaurants ) is a deep dish of pumpkin dahl, raita and halloumi, on top of which sits two sizeable 'Old Castle Hill' lamb chops (we've searched and cannot find out where Old Castle Hill is), a skewer of liver and kidneys, and kofta pickles. It's a bountiful dish, with flavours coming over, under and across every bite, but there is a lot of offal so if you're not that way inclined you may leave a chunk behind. We'd be tempted to order it anyway, the lamb is that good, and it felt like stellar value for €26 (in our current times). Then came fish. A perfect fillet of black sole (€29) came with buttermilk beurre blanc, broccolini and grenobloise sauce (usually brown butter, capers, parsley and lemon), with a perfectly piped mound of mashed potato on the side. This should be the standard of fish dishes citywide, and at under €30? Practically unheard of. A yellowfin tuna schnitzel (€24) is a clever spin on the pork version more usually seen around town, and this is one for someone with a mighty appetite (even without any sides). It was another dish executed without fault, from the crispy coating, to the pink tuna inside, to the tangy gribiche. We couldn't finish it, but enjoyed trying. The only vegetarian main is a plate of hand-rolled kale and potato gnocchi, with cavolo nero and Corleggy Creeny cheese. The gnocchi were like puffed up clouds of potato, the cavolo nero adding a crisp texture on top, and the Corleggy cheese (from Cavan) rounded out its serious savouriness. They could do with at least one more vegetarian option, but in the meantime this won't leave anyone feeling short-changed. We didn't need sides, but we had to try them (for your benefit of course), and the thin-cut fries were perfection - crisp on the outside, fluffy within, perfectly salted and with immaculate aioli to seal the deal. Roasted roots had their sweetness intensified by a drizzle of honey, and added walnuts gave a pleasing crunch amongst the denseness. You won't need dessert here. Portions are so big you'll be fit to burst, but you only live once, and as much interest and inventiveness has gone into desserts as everything else. The most 'grammed is going to be the '99 soft serve with caramelised popcorn - smooth and creamy, with popcorn that keeps its crunch right until the end. 'Jellied winter fruits' came with pear and clementine, 'tipsy cake', and yoghurt, and felt light and fruity, without being an overly sweet ending. We also love that it's a brand new dish that you can only taste here (compared to Chequer Lane where we were able to predict every dull dessert before the menus landed on the table). A final steamed pudding with custard, cream and giner crumble tasted like something the Granny of our dreams would have made us (we didn't have that Granny but now we have Richard Corrigan so it's all fine). It's unsurprisingly rich though, so if you've done a proper job up to now a few mouthfuls will probably be enough to make you drop your spoon in defeat. What about the drinks? The first thing that you need to know, is that if you like to kick off a night with a bottle of bubbles, you won't be doing that here unless you plan to drop some mega bucks. We had this plan, and our faces collectively dropped when we saw that the entry level sparking wine was Prosecco for €74. The next was Piper-Heidsieck Champagne for €116. How they could find nothing that the average person would willingly spend their money on is beyond us, and we can only presume it's a case of limited wine suppliers, who don't have the catalogue of wines they desperately need. There are some very good producers and cuvées on this list, but prices feel high, and there's shockingly little under €50 (five bottles on the entire list). We drank a Sicilian Grillo, a German Riesling and a red Burgundy, and really enjoyed all of them, but we hope they're looking at adding some better value stat, as it's the only thing we can see putting some people off visiting, and/or coming back, especially if you're with a group for whom 'house wine' is the standard order. How was the service? Very pleasant, but we were expecting a bit more of the type of Irish hospitality Chapter One has become famous for. Things felt slightly more stilted, and a few times staff forgot to bring things we had asked for (including dessert wines which never arrived but were on the bill until we asked for them to be removed). There seemed to be some people there from Corrigan's London team to get things up and running, and we hope they can find some service stars in their own right on the ground here as things move forward. The damage? €96 per person before tip, including a cocktail upstairs in the bar first. It's really, really hard to argue with the value for money here considering how brilliantly put together every dish was, even taking into account the price of the wines. The verdict? Let us rejoice. After Dublin's last couple of celebrity chef restaurant disasters, finally someone has arrived who's giving the people what they want and need (even if they didn't know it). It's probably only after dining here that you'll realise the hole that existed in your dining life before now, but afterwards you'll be hoping for a Park Café in every suburb. It's not trying to be the very best food in the city, it's not striving for stars, there's no in-built attitude, they're just serving properly delicious, feel-good food, in generous portions, at fair prices. What more could you want? The Park Café 1 Ballsbridge, Shelbourne Road, Dublin 4 parkcafe.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Waterfront dining on the docklands from the Bereen brothers, also behind Coppinger Row (now closed) and Orwell Road. The menu uses Irish produce, often with a Mediterranean spin, and the pre-theatre menu is ideal if you're going to a show in the Bord Gáis Energy theatre. Charlotte Quay Website charlottequay.ie Address Charlotte Quay Dock, Millennium Tower, Ground Floor, Ringsend Road, Dublin 4 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Waterfront dining on the docklands from the Bereen brothers, also behind Coppinger Row (now closed) and Orwell Road. The menu uses Irish produce, often with a Mediterranean spin, and the pre-theatre menu is ideal if you're going to a show in the Bord Gáis Energy theatre. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

Lottie's So much to love about Lottie's, so it was a shame about the ending Posted: 27 Jun 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story with Lottie's? Lottie's opened in Rathmines at the start of March in the former site of the ill-fated Lenehan's , which went big on style but lacked the all important substance. When we heard that the site was going to be reopened by Domini Kemp (known for Itsa Bagel, museum cafés and the restaurant in BTs) and Brian Montague (of The Winding Stair group) we were expecting a another attempt at a please-all exercise, but then we heard they'd nabbed Tudorel Ostache, formerly head chef at Mister S to lead the food. Now they had our attention. Better known as Ted, we've had Ostache's food several times (most recently at our Mister S takeover ), and knew there was no way this was going to be a beef, chicken or salmon situation. Early reviews, both from critics and our readers were coming in very positive, and when we gave ATF Insiders the chance last week to pick where our next review would be, Lottie's was the runaway favourite. Where should we sit? It's a big space with loads of seating options. We always veer towards natural light so the front at the windows appeals most, but we found it strange that the blinds were fully down and shut, with mere chinks of light straining to get through - we actually panicked outside thinking it was closed and that we'd gotten the wrong night. Maybe the sun was too bright, but we'd have thought a partial closure would have done the job. Seating is either via mustard banquettes or on sleek black and rattan set ups in the middle of the room, with a longer high table set up for groups. Head for the kitchen and there's counter seating to get a good view of your dinner being cooked, or some of the cutest two-tops in town, that loudly scream date night. Head to the back and there's a smaller room, which would be perfect for a small gathering, or if you just feel like hiding away. The courtyard outside is currently (sadly) only being used for drinks, but we're told that work is in the pipeline to get a space ready for outdoor dining (either here or on the rooftop terrace which isn't open right now). How was the food? This is our favourite type of menu - no filler, all killer - and choosing is so tough that we also let ATF Insiders pick in advance what they wanted us to eat. Unfortunately the menu we were handed had quite a few changes to the one online, so we couldn't follow our orders to the letter, but we stuck within the realms of what the people wanted. The people wanted Hegarty's cheddar croquettes with fermented chilli sauce, and we've rarely met a croquette we didn't like, but we can't say the sharp, earthy flavour from the cheddar came through as much as we would have liked. It was likely muffled by the very hot chilli sauce - the tiniest drop is enough, A second snack of foie gras parfait (like meat flavoured butter) came on chargrilled sourdough with fermented walnuts (the best type of walnuts) and a sweet, fruity Port jus. A great pre-dinner bite or lighter starter. Charred prawn saganaki with Ardsallagh feta cheese and toasted sourdough came without the regulation saganaki mini frying pan, but we didn't care because the Mediterranean flavours were bright and brilliant. Four juicy, charred, plump prawns sat on a vivid looking and tasting cherry tomato sauce with basil oil and a crumbling of salty feta, all waiting to be scooped up onto the crispy bread and devoured. There's been quite a bit of chatter about the octopus at Lottie's probably because so much of it comes out resembling a rubber tyre thread, but the soft, barely charred tentacles here were meaty and tender, with a knife slipping through with little resistance. We loved the pairing of gochujang, samphire and crispy potato for some necessary crunch amongst all the softness, and the only gripe was with the cornflour-like, slightly gloopy consistency of the sauce. There were no gripes with the flavours. A third starter (one of two vegetarian options) was tagliatelle with courgette, St Tola goat's curd and pickled chilli, and we picked over this for quite a while trying to figure out how courgette and pasta could possibly be so delicious (lemon is one part of the puzzle). The generous mound of goat's curd on top made every spoonful rich and lactic, and the only misstep was that the pickled chillis weren't very pickled (but were very hot). If they'd seen a vinegar solution it was the briefest of introductions. For mains the one everyone wanted to hear about was the bavette, which came with mojo rojo (a Canarian sauce made from red peppers, chilli and garlic) and charred broccoli. They didn't ask us how we wanted it cooked which is a dicey tactic, but it came medium/rare, which was perfect, however this won't be done enough for some people so if in doubt ask for more time on the grill. The sauce had the lip-smacking acidity of red wine vinegar, heat from the chilli, and sweet smoothness from the roasted peppers, and it's as good an example as we've had. The charred broccoli makes it hard to go back to eating broccoli any other way. Something we were surprised so many of you wanted the lowdown on was the jerk chicken thigh, with charred corn, nduja and herb yoghurt (chicken usually being seen as a safe/boring bet). The chicken was nicely seasoned but we weren't getting much jerk flavour. The meat had also lost a lot of moistness and was tougher than we'd like. The other components saved the day though, the just spiced nduja wrapped up in the corn, the herb yoghurt bringing everything to life, and the pickled onions on top adding another level of freshness. A note on chicken: We usually don't order chicken somewhere like this unless it's free-range, and the menu didn't state if it was, so we asked a server about its provenance. He went to check with the kitchen before coming back and telling us it was free-range, but when pressed didn't know where it was from. He returned to the kitchen to ask again, but then went from there to the general manager to have a whispered conversation. He came back telling us it was from JJ Young (listed on the menu) and that it was free-range, but we found it odd that the kitchen, who accept food deliveries each day, didn't appear to be able to answer a basic question. A side of beef-dripping chips (which we were told are cut in house) were a mixed bag, some nicely crisp, some more akin to cardboard, but the smoked onion aioli was reminiscent of Mister S in all the right ways. Another of fennel, kumquat and pecan in an apple cider vinaigrette was glistening and crisp, but the combination felt more apt for winter than a sunny June evening. A sharp, creamy lemon posset came beautifully topped with bright pink, just cooked rhubarb, and a crunchy oat and nut crumble topping, although we thought the presentation could have been improved. If you only have one dessert, make it the îles flottantes (floating islands), the rarely seen (and ever more rarely done right) French dessert of floating soft meringue in a light, creamy custard. The one at Lottie's ups the ante with almonds and Clementine zest, and this was better than the last few we've had in France. What should we drink? The signature cocktail menu might tempt you on arrival, and a Bakewell Sour had all the tart, cherry, almondy flavours we wanted. The mocktails, featuring Lyres N/A spirits were all €9, which is more than we wanted to pay for a driver's special, so asked a member of staff if there were any other N/A options other than juice or fizzy drinks. She said she could do something with elderflower and cucumer for the same price as a juice, so we gave her the green light. It was refreshing but very sweet, and later led to the unravelling of what had been a lovely meal - more on that to come. The wine list has a lot more of interest by the bottle than by the glass, with the latter feeling perfunctory and quite safe. Things get considerably more interesting by the bottle, with some star picks including Luis Seabra's Xisto Ilimitado Branco, Viña Gravonia from Lopez de Heredia, and Giulia Negri's Langhe Nebbiolo. How was the service? Service throughout was pleasant if not overly attentive. Courses were perfectly spaced and delivered with a smile, but we were never asked how the food was when clearing plates, and had to wave down a manager several times when we needed something, like more water. Things then unravelled with the bill. The previously mentioned elderflower and cucumber soft had been put through as €7, not the €4 juice price we were told on ordering. We told the server who brought the bill, who brought it to the general manager, who then came over. We explained the previous conversation multiple times, while he continued to insist that it was the correct price, while we continued to (exasperatedly) explain the previous conversation multiple times (that staff member had now left). It felt like being on a dizzying waltzer that we couldn't get off, and only on pointing out our disbelief that he would argue this strongly with a customer over €3 did he whip back angrily to the till and correct the price. It was such an inhospitable ending to what had been a really lovely meal, and we went from "we'll definitely be back here" to "there's no way we're stepping foot in there again", in the space of five minutes and a very draining argument. In a world where Google reviews can make or break a restaurant, to send someone off into the night after an altercation like that would be unthinkable for most hospitality professionals, and it left us reeling our way through Rathmines. And the damage? €138 for a mishmash of food to feed three, but only one cocktail and two softs. It felt like very good value for what we had in comparison to average prices around town right now. What's the verdict? We were mega impressed with Lottie's. How many places can balance food that's genuinely exciting, with prices that don't hurt your heart, and the type of room and menu that makes it ideal for so many occasions - even those family and friends getogethers with so many varying palates and wallets that inevitably end in booking somewhere that ticks all the boring boxes. The big glitch in service at the end was so unfortunate (and could just as easily not have happened), and while some other things signified issues in that department, most of the staff were warm and welcoming and the timing of the food was faultless, with everything arriving just as we wanted it. There's no argument that the kitchen here is the strong point, along with the spacious, modern room, and its ability to please a wide group of diners without being a "please-all" restaurant. Just don't question the bill and you should be fine. Lotties's 7-9, Rathgar Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6 lotties.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Agave Taquitos, pambazos and homemade nachos come to Dublin 2 Posted: 18 Aug 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Dublin has never been the city to find legit Mexican food (something that causes us much dismay), and while there are some success stories (namely 777 , El Grito , and more recently pop up food truck La Cocina Cuevas ), what's on the market here would make most Mexicans shudder. The majority of it consists of questionable burritos and sizzling enchilada plates, and is more more Tex-Mex than Oaxaca - fajitas, chile con carne and even our beloved cheese-covered nachos all fall into this category (read more about the differences in this Thrillist article , or listen to this episode of Eater's Digest). So, any time a new Mexican restaurant opens we live in hope that this will be the one with the homemade corn tacos (wheat anything = not very Mexican), the mole (totally different to guacamole) and the infamous tacos al pastor (pork marinated in spices and cooked on a spit grill, served with pineapple, onion, coriander and salsas on the aforementioned homemade tacos). The latest addition to this hopeful hit list is newly opened Agave on Lord Edward Street. Do you remember Café Azteca ? Not many people do - they never quite made the mark on the Dublin dining scene that they were hoping for - but that's where Agave is now. It's run by Mexican couple Costel and Aldo, who was a chef in Azteca and is from Mexico city. Costel is a chef too, but for now he's running front of house. They say they wanted to bring new dishes and fresh ideas to the city, and images of more unusual dishes on their Instagram feed had us pulling on the comfy pants and setting off for Lord Edward Street. Where should we sit? It’s a small space with only six tables (they’ll possibly have more if Covid ever fecks off), and there’s a nice one for six people in the window if you’re planning on seeing friends at some stage this year. Otherwise tables are for two or four and the space is definitely more eat and leave than graze and linger. What's the food like? The menu is definitely trying to stay a little on the safe side, and it’s probably a bit too large as they try not to scare people by keeping dishes they’ll recognize (can we just make burritos die already), as well as introducing more authentic ones like chilaquiles (tortilla chips soaked in salsa), sopes (corn tortillas with various toppings) and pambazo (bread dipped in a red pepper sauce and stuffed with potato, chorizo, sour cream and lettuce). Okay so maybe loaded nachos aren’t the most Mexican of Mexican foods, but Agave’s are homemade ( 777 actually buy theirs from them), so we feel this gives them a major pass. They come with cheese, sour cream, excellent pico de gallo, jalapeños and either chile con carne or guacamole – we asked for half and half. It might not be what you’ll get in a Mexican Mami’s casa, but it was extremely tasty, and a huge portion – we shared one between four. The crunchy chicken taquitos - rolled and fried blue corn tortillas stuffed with chicken and queso fresco, and topped with pico de gallo, sour cream and lettuce - were another highlight. Crunchy, creamy, zingy - what's not to like. The aforementioned pambazo (traditional Mexican sandwich) had great flavour from the chorizo and potato but was a bit soggy. It tasted like it had been dipped in the red pepper sauce but not fried to crisp it up, which undoubtedly would have made all the difference. Also don't do as we did and forget about the salsa until the last bite. There's mild, spicy and very spicy - approach the last one with caution. There are six different types of tacos on the menu, with pork (including those legendary al pastor), chorizo, chicken, chili con carne (no comment) and prawns. We really liked the tacos de camaron (prawns) which came with pickled cabbage and chilli mayo, but the batter on the prawns could have been a bit more delicate and a bit less oily. Despite this they had a great balance of flavours, particularly when those salsas were added into the mix. The only truly devastating, soul-crushing disappointment of the meal was the tacos al pastor, which just weren’t. Granted it would be difficult to get a verticle rotating spit into such a small space, but catering style chunks of tasteless pork are not even in the same universe as the real deal. This is so far from what it should be it just shouldn't be on the menu. It also said we would get five tacos but we only got three - not sure if this was a typo or a kitchen error, but under the circumstances it was probably for the best. (For an in-depth look at what tacos al pastor should be, please watch the first episode of Netflix's Taco Chronicles and join us in this obsession) Also, not to get anyone (i.e. us) too excited, but we happened to walk past 777 later that day and saw what appeared to be an 'el pastor tacos' hatch - we'll even forgive them the wrong spelling. Watch this space for incoming news. There are no desserts on the menu but when we were there they had vanilla or chocolate 'conchas' (sweet bread in the shape of a seashell) and crème caramel (more commonly called flan in Mexico), both homemade. It turns out the conchas are not really a dessert (it literally is a slightly sweet bread roll), and more something to have with coffee in the morning. The crème caramel however was creamy, sweet and doused in caramel, and the cream and berries on the side were a nice touch. We initially thought it was a small portion but it turned out to be perfect. A must-order for anyone with a sweet tooth. What about the drinks? Fans of cult Mexican soft drink jarritos will be giddy when they see the number of flavours on the shelf here – from cola to guava, mango to mandarin – although not many seemed to be in the fridge, so you’ll probably need ice. They also have non-alcoholic pina coladas and ‘nojitos’, the latter of which, with cucumber, mint and lime, was very refreshing on a muggy Dublin day. As far as alcohol you’re limited to house prosecco, white or red wine, or tinto de verano (lemonade and red wine). And the service? Friendly, if a bit subdued, and the mortal sin of wearing mask over mouth but not nose was in full force. Kitchen staff weren't wearing masks, but there was sanitzer, tables were decently spaced and the door was open. The verdict? Agave is a good addition to Dublin’s Mexican food scene, and while it’s not quite the one we’ve been waiting for, it's a world better than most and definitely has the potential to go further. We’d like to go back and try a few more of the lesser seen dishes, like the chilaquiles and the sopes, and it’s very good value – we paid €20 a head for a lot of food. We would love to see them ditch a few of the more common dishes and focus more on what they eat at home in Mexico, because that's what's really lacking over here. And kill the burritos. Agave 19 - 22 Lord Edward Street, Dublin 2 instagram.com/agavedublin New Openings & Discoveries More >>

This sweet little Malaysian café in the middle of a housing estate in Palmerstown is one of our finds of 2025, with the best Nasi Lemak we've had outside of Kuala Lumpur. Avoid the non-Malay dishes, there for locals who can't move with the times, and focus on the curry puffs, homemade satay, and rice and noodle dishes. D'Lepak Website d-lepak.ie Address 34 Manor Rd, Redcowfarm, Dublin 20, D20 DY20, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story This sweet little Malaysian café in the middle of a housing estate in Palmerstown is one of our finds of 2025, with the best Nasi Lemak we've had outside of Kuala Lumpur. Avoid the non-Malay dishes, there for locals who can't move with the times, and focus on the curry puffs, homemade satay, and rice and noodle dishes. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

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 Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

Greek Souvlaki Bar where gyros stuffed with flame grilled meats are the speciality. The pitas are fluffy, the dolmades are fresh, and the chips are crispy. A little slice of Greece in Glasnevin. Yeeros Website yeeros.ie Address 19 Prospect Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Greek Souvlaki Bar where gyros stuffed with flame grilled meats are the speciality. The pitas are fluffy, the dolmades are fresh, and the chips are crispy. A little slice of Greece in Glasnevin. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

Margadh RHA This might be the best value tasting menu in town Posted: 14 Jun 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? If you're a regular ATF reader you'll know that we're big fans of Mamó , couple Jess D'Arcy and Killian Durkin's seaside sanctuary in Howth, so we expect everything they touch to be executed to the same standards across food, wine, service and setting. After Mamó came their food and wine shop (and now wine bar) Margadh a few doors down, then Barrow Market and Elm Epicurean , both in Dublin 4. The final addition to the family (for now anyway) was Margadh number two in the RHA Gallery just off St Stephen's Green, in the space formerly home to Coppa . They first opened last October as a wine bar with simple sharing plates (ATF Insiders got a preview and loved it), but a few months later they decided to change tack, introducing a brilliant value tasting menu and more hot dishes á la Mamó. The RHA's location is just out of the thoroughfare of town, so you'd have to know where you were going to end up here - passing trade is practically nil. While this might not be great for a new opening trying to drum up customers, it does make for quite a peaceful dining and drinking experience - you're in the centre of town, but it feels more like a quiet lane in suburbia. Where should I sit? There are low tables along the floor to ceiling windows with beautiful views out at the restored Georgian houses on Ely Place. The tables themselves are slabs of wood build around internal pillars - lovely to sit at, but immovable so not ideal for larger groups. There are some small spaces for two (or one, it would be very easy to hide away here for a solo meal) and a couple of high tables, as well as some seats outside that are patiently waiting for plates of burrata and carafes of rosé. What's the food like? The new tasting menu is €38 which feels like remarkable value for Dublin right now, or you can order as you go from the small plates menu . The whole table has to take it so bear that in mind, but that's pretty standard. The only choice you have to make is between olives or almonds to start. We chose olives and they were the usual Mamó good stuff - stone in, firm, a mix of types and sizes in good olive oil. And speaking of olive oil... The one they serve at Margadh, with slices of sourdough for dipping, is a bombastic version aged in Lustau sherry casks, and we are obsessed. We've never made the trip to a restaurant before solely on the basis of their olive oil, but it would be justified in this case. There was much fruitless googling that night about where to buy it, leading to a dead end. If Margadh ever start selling this in their shop we'll fight off anyone in the queue. First for the hot dishes was their 'market cheese' and onion croquettes with tarragon aioli. On the day we visited the market cheeses were Hegarty's Cheddar, Gruyère and another that we struggled to remember post biting into it. Mamó always does a good croquette, and Margadh does too, the perfectly crisped panko breadcrumbs wrapped around a filling tasting like an expensive bag of cheese and onion crisps, with the tarragon aioli adding a herbal, bitter-sweetness. Tarragon is to these guys what cheap parsley is to Italian chains, and we love that they're championing the under-used herb, illuminating all the ways to make the most of it. Next came a toasted finger of sourdough with lemon 'aioli' (more like a lemon mayo, we couldn't discern garlic) and a single, perfect Cantabrian anchovy. More please sir. After that came baby gem lettuce cups filled with Asian slaw, Skeaghanore duck breast and leg, and crispy ginger on top. This a messy one so best eaten over a plate, with both the duck and the slaw dripping with juices. At times the crispy ginger was a bit too over-powering, so make sure it's spread around, but the rest of the flavours and textures were in sync. A burrata salad came with firm, crisp asparagus, fresh peas, toasted hazelnuts and freshly grated truffle. How they can get fresh truffle on a €38 tasting menu is the culinary equivalent of the riddle of the sphinx, and this was a note-perfect dish for a mild June evening. Lastly for hot dishes came a fennel sausage ragu with homemade tagliolini (made in their central prep kitchen in Dublin 1) and Pecorino cheese. There were pickled green peppers in there, big chunks of meat and a slick of basil oil on the side, and as pasta dishes go it's everything you could want. Eat with a glass of Chianti for optimum enjoyment. We raised eyebrows at a chocolate crème brûlée for dessert - why mess with a classic? - but it turns out a bowl of chocolate custard (dark and white in there) with a glass-like sugar top waiting to be shattered, and warm madeleines on the side, is a home run, and a subtly sweet and chic ending to a great value meal. We say end. There's optional cheese, but is cheese every really optional? On the menu that night was Ballylisk Triple Rose from Armagh, Templegall from Cork, and Bleu d'Auvergne from France, and we ordered the lot. We hadn't seen that they were €4 each (so €12 for a cheese plate) which felt like a bit of a jump from the rest, but the plum chutney and toasted bread drizzled with olive oil were lovely additions, and if you share one you're talking about €44 for the tasting menu instead of €38. They could probably do with adding a supplement for replacing dessert, for those who favour savoury over sweet. What about drinks? The list here is tight and beautifully put together, with pretty good prices too. Any time we see a Grower Champagne for under €20 a glass we jump on it, and the Clair Obscur zero dosage on the specials board that night (€18) was an ideal opener with those early dishes, as was the salty Xisto Ilimitado Branco from Portugal (€10). The Monteraponi Chianti (€13) was a no brainer with the fennel sausage ragu, and a glass of the Italian sweet wine Recioto (€15) went down nicely with the chocolate crème brûlée and the cheese. There was loads more by the glass we wanted to drink, and you'll be in safe hands whatever you pick. How was the service? Extremely welcoming, calm and intuitive, bringing us things we wanted/needed before we even had to ask, and full of helpful information and recommendations. It's a very relaxing environment, with no loud noises coming from the kitchen, and a chill out (at times venturing into jazz) soundtrack. It's somewhere that would be perfect for first dates, catch ups when you actually want to hear each other, and a post-work bite when you need to unwind after a tough day. And the damage? €147 for two tasting menus, the €12 cheese supplement, and four glasses of wine - one a Grower Champagne. If you didn't go for cheese and drank house wine you could do it for just over €50 a head before tip - a bargain by current Dublin dining out standards. The verdict? Margadh at the RHA might be the best value tasting menu in Dublin right now. It's not quite Mamó in the city centre, but it has the essence of it, showing the flair for flavour seen across the group, in a casual wine bar environment with zero pomp. You get the feeling if you just showed up here without a booking they'd move mountains to fit you in, and with that steal of a menu changing frequently it's somewhere you could go back to again and again. There isn't a whole pile of value to be had in Dublin at the moment when it comes to special nights out and restaurant tasting menus, which makes Margadh stick out all the more, and if anyone's going to weather the upcoming storm, we reckon places like this will be in pole position. Margadh RHA RHA Gallery, 15 Ely Place, Dublin 2 www.margadh-rha.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Two Faced A classy-casual contrast to the Camden Street crowds Posted: 28 May 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Two Faced? The Drury Street dominance of summer in Dublin may be in for some competition if Montague Street has anything to say about it. This little laneway tucked just off the chaos of Camden Street has had a new lease of nightlife that started with La Gordita last year, and the newest among them is the dual purpose Two Faced , a café by day, wine bar by night, that’s all about bringing a buzzy new energy to this stretch of the city. Where should we sit? You’ll be happy with whatever you can get - space is at a premium here and we’re expecting plenty of disappointed walk-in hopefuls throughout the summer, though the Two Faced team shows no lack of invention in comfortably slotting more people in wherever they can. There’s outdoor seats and space to stand around with a drink too, so even if you’re out of luck on arrival you might only have a glass’ worth of a wait to get seated. Three high two-tops tucked in the back corner make an ideal date night perch for couples or anyone else out for D&Ms, while the communal seating everywhere else, and the conversations it fosters, might well see some new pairings born. The wall-length ledge alongside the entrance strikes us as a little too compact for comfort, but the main central shared table that also hosts the coffee machine and DJ deck at either end is the real heart of the action, and the atmosphere. What’s on the menu? Managed expectations are important here. The vibe of Two Faced ’s evening iteration is very much a wine bar first and foremost, and coming in looking for a muti-course dining experience is not advised. With the tight space and limited prep setup available – we’re talking a fridge and counter-top multi-purpose oven – the team have drawn up a pragmatic menu that’s more about serving the peckish than the full-blown hangry. That needn’t involve too much of a trade-off on quality, and while their space limitations may hold Two Faced back from doing much in the way of dish development, their assorted boards and platters come stocked with plenty of premium produce. Much of the small plate snacks as well as olive oil and balsamic comes via Lilliput, while the tinned Spanish seafood selection that makes up a significant chunk of the menu is all La Curiosa . Whiskey and maple roasted nuts are a good start, with a smoky-sweet duality broad enough to play off a wide range of wine – you get the sense with much of the food here that it’s been thought up as a pairing for the wines, rather than the other way around. That explains ample cheeses with a primarily Irish slant, including a gloriously gooey baked Cavanbert from Corleggy. Its mild, nutty notes balance beautifully off the depth of balsamic grapes and rich sweetness of honey, though the side of sourdough could have used a little more time in the toaster for added crunch. There’s no toasting at all for the focaccia that’s served alongside the stracciatella, and we couldn’t fathom why – the creamy glut of stretched curds needed something more structurally sound to cling to. While the shaved tomato and lime zest sprinkled over the top bring an acid freshness that avoids any sense of one-note richness, this is a dish that works best in small doses, shared around. What didn’t work for us was the ham and triple cheese toastie, pairing Durrus Óg, Bookers Cheddar and Templegall. This is a sandwich whose pedigree can’t be doubted, but the broadly similar flavour profiles of the three makes for a muddled mouthful of no real pronounced character, with the ham getting lost in the mix. Something sharper would have been a better bet to stand out from the crowd. The multi-purpose oven’s limitations are in full view here too, with one side of the bread more soggy than singed – a flip halfway through the cooking time would go a long way. Some eyebrows have shot skyward at the price tag of the conservas, all in and around the €20 mark for a tin served with crisps, crackers and pickles, or a duo of bread and chutney. Bargain deals they ain’t, but these on-trend and additive-free preserves don’t come cheap - with all the bells and whistles, we doubt Two Faced are making a massive margin on any of this. The curried mackerel's flavourful flakes could win over even the most oily fish-averse, and while the mussel paté might be a more acquired taste for some, we found its rich and lightly-spiced appeal pretty alluring. What are the drinks like? There are forty-plus wines on the bottle menu, with a variety of suppliers on board and more in talks to join soon. The result is a mix of reliable standards and more left-field picks, with a price range from €38 to €125 – Two Faced say they're keen to offer as much variety as possible. Co-owner Genie Petrauskaite, heading up front of house, is encyclopaedic on what they’ve got and very helpful in her suggestions - purely for research purposes we tried a good spread of the fifteen BTG options. Best were the floral, fruity and off-dry Bender weissburgunder, perfect with the fish, and the rhubarb-rich Integrale rosé, a moreish pet-nat that tided us over happily while we waited for the first plates to come our way. How was the service? A real highlight - Two Faced ’s team have an ease and enthusiasm about them that just screams passion project. Keen eyes watch the glasses and leap in to offer another with a cheer that’s just the right side of pushy, and while the oven’s scale could make for a bit of a wait if a glut of orders come in all at once, the kitchen looks to be well calibrated to manage the likely demand. And the damage? Three glasses apiece and enough food to leave feeling filled, if not fattened, set us back just short of €60 a head. You could grab a quick glass and a solid snack here before a fuller dinner in the area for a reasonable €20. What’s the verdict on Two Faced? Dublin’s wine bar scene just keeps stepping up gears, with more than ever popping up in quick succession. In that environment, a niche or novelty is needed to stay the course, and with its closest competition coming in the shape of the more formal Frank’s and the most food-forward Bar Pez , Two Faced makes its pitch all about the atmosphere. Warm colours and a friendly air meet bassy beats and spillover street space, for a vibe that above all feels ready to roll with the punches – there’s many kinds of nights that could play out here. As a classy-casual contrast to the rowdier scenes spilling out of bars around the corner, it’s a welcome change of pace. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Neighbourhood pizza as it should be: equal parts authentic and eccentric. Named after the nondescript little Smithfield alley out behind Frank Ryan’s pub where it originally set up stall in 2017, Coke Lane has steadily progressed to bigger and better things since opening in 2017, now serving up its wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas in two D8 sites: The Circular in Rialto and Lucky’s in the Liberties. Founder Dave Holmes brings vocational zeal to his work with irresistibly airy sourdough crusts, delicious home-made chilli honey and sophisticatedly simple flavour pairings designed to appeal to all palates. It's a particular hit with vegetarians, with half the menu meat-free. Coke Lane at Lucky's Website cokelanepizza.ie Address Lucky's, 78 Meath Street, The Liberties, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Neighbourhood pizza as it should be: equal parts authentic and eccentric. Named after the nondescript little Smithfield alley out behind Frank Ryan’s pub where it originally set up stall in 2017, Coke Lane has steadily progressed to bigger and better things since opening in 2017, now serving up its wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas in two D8 sites: The Circular in Rialto and Lucky’s in the Liberties. Founder Dave Holmes brings vocational zeal to his work with irresistibly airy sourdough crusts, delicious home-made chilli honey and sophisticatedly simple flavour pairings designed to appeal to all palates. It's a particular hit with vegetarians, with half the menu meat-free. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

Pala Pizza and Trattoria A Foxrock trattoria better than plenty in Rome Posted: 4 Oct 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? Back in early 2020, just a couple of weeks before Covid entered our lives, we told you about chef Rory Shannon, who had returned home from cooking in London and taken over the stoves at his family restaurant Bistro One in Foxrock, shaking things up in the process. We knew he was plotting his own restaurant, but a pandemic has a way of ruining best laid plans. The family has a long connection with Italy and a house out there (they even make their own olive oil), and during one of the many lockdowns, Shannon Jnr started Pala Pizza, as a way to make clever use of a few parking spaces outside the upstairs restaurant. He is shamelessly obsessed with Roman-style, crispy, topped pizza slices, and wanted to bring something new and different to the pizza scene here. The result was one that we and plenty of others became shamelessly obsessed with. Despite Pala's success, we still thought Shannon would hold out for a city centre site of his own, but in June the family announced that after 30 years Bistro One would close, and the next in line to the throne would open Pala Pizza & Trattoria in its place. A trattoria? In South County Dublin? It's the kind of word mediocre suburban restaurants insultingly throw around, like 'tapas', and 'fresh fish', but this wasn't any two-bit chef with a dream and an ill-advised investor. We were quietly confident that this was going to be one of the most needed, wanted and affirmative openings of 2022. Not to mention something genuinely fresh for the city. Where should we sit? The dining room has been transformed from its Bistro One days (see here for a throwback), and is all muted greens, soft lighting and dark wood. It's bright and inviting without being cold, and there's plenty of space - something parents of children who can't sit still will be appreciative of. There are two main rooms, the main one and a small one at the back, which would be ideal to take over as a group or for a family gathering and have what feels like your own private space. What's the menu like? Trattoria by name, trattoria by nature, Shannon Jnr's ticking all the right boxes with this one. Antipasti, pasta, pizza, secondi, deep-fried parcels of deliciousness (otherwise known as suppli and macaroni rimasto) - it all feels so simple, yet bizarrely rarely seen here at this inviting a level. What did you eat? Shannon's been curing his own meat for months and it's clearly a huge passion project, so that's a no brainer/while you wait must-order. They range from €4 - €6 a plate and both the Finocchiona and Mortadella tasted straight outta Bologna. Do not pass on the pickled vegetables and olives - they're electric with tang and heat. Of the deep-fried options we went with the lesser spotted Macaroni Rimasto (which means 'remaining') - deep fried macaroni in a cheesy bechamel with odds and ends of salumi, fried in panko and sitting on top of a vivid, herby, lemony salsa verde,. As deep-fried pasta goes, it's unexpectedly balanced, and expectedly delicious. Filled focaccia is another menu anchor, and we'd seen (and wanted) the Dexter beef ragu one when it was paraded on the gram . At first we thought they must have had trouble with the dough rising as it was missing the bready bubbles we associate with focaccia, but thinner and crispier seems to be the style here, and it works. The sound of the bread snapping against the rich ragu now sits among our favourite dinner soundtracks of 2022. Pastas are priced between €12 and €15 and they are not big portions., so you will likely need to order a few different ones to share, or just a load of antipasti/pizza to go alongside it. We tried the Tordelli Lucchesi (meat filled ravioli) which has the unmistakeable taste and texture of freshly made, but needed a touch more salt in the sauce. We also had the Carbonara which was silky and rich and heavy on the black pepper, with perfectly crisp guanciale dotted throughout. The pizza slices Pala initially became known for are of course on the menu here, ranging from €2.50 for a basic slice up to €6 for more expensive toppings, like burrata, smoked bacon and Cais na Tire Sheeps' cheese. Our 'Finocchiona' with fennel and black pepper salami and marinated artichokes, and our Anchovy & Whipped Ricotta with Kalamata olives were such perfect pieces of crisp, flavour-laden food that we've spent a disproportionate amount of time thinking about them since. How far in advance is the dough cooked? Is it reheated before toppings are put on? In the oven? For how long? How, how, how? There are four 'Secondi' type dishes too - bone-in prime rib, organic chicken with potatoes, whole sea bream on the bone and osso bucco, and we would have loved to try every one of them, but every stomach has its limits. Pala keeps it simple when it comes to dessert with tiramisu, and a deep-fried apple and cinnamon calzone. The Tiramisu is thinner than most we've encountered, but in no way suffers on flavour, and it's easily one of the best we've had. The deep-fried apple calzone with caramel sauce is the show-stopper (like a McDonalds apple pie if it was worth eating), and while you may think "€14 for flour and apples?", this is a dessert to share with a minimum of two, if not more. If you can tackle the whole thing yourself you're made of stronger stuff than we are. It's so rich and so OTT and yes, so very good. What about the drinks? A clear level up from your average trattoria, with plenty of bottles on the walls we would be very happy drinking. There's a nice selection of natural if you're a fan (we are) and everything's Italian, as it should be. There's also an aperitivo/digestif menu that's practically winking at you, and we can vouch for the Negroni Sbagliato. And the service? Servers were all young, friendly and perfectly proficient, and despite it being opening weekend and packed from one side to the other, things seemed (from outside anyway) to be running very smoothly. It's a casual place so they won't be hanging around your table and you may have to wave to get someone's attention, but when they come over smiling and upbeat you really don't mind. Anything else we should know? At 18:00 on Sunday it was packed with families, everything from newborns on the floor in car seats to teenagers fresh from the sportsfield. There was breast-feeding, there were toddlers shouting for food, there was laughter and animated chat and parents so happy to be dining out as a family eating food this good - it was all so Italian. Apparently they had a complaint over the weekend about the amount of children eating there. If you don't want children to be part of your dining experience you can eat out after 8pm when they're all in bed. Pala has Italian sensibilities running through every ounce of it, and that clearly includes catering for all ages. What was the damage? We spent around €40 a head before tip (including a drink and a half), and for the food and drinks we had there were zero complaints. What's the Pala Pizza & Trattoria verdict? If you haven't already gathered, we loved it. We wish every Dublin post code came with a Roman Trattoria so good you'll eat better here than in many places in Rome, but that's unlikely to happen outside of our food fantasy land, so this is somewhere we see ourselves travelling to regularly. And we're bringing the whole family with us. Pala Pizza & Trattoria 3 Brighton Road, Foxrock, Co. Dublin palapizza18.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

After doing the market scene for a couple of years, Korean Table owner Vivian Cho went permanent in a long, narrow room in Stoneybatter, previously home to Beo Wine Bar and Cow Lane tapas. The short menu ticks a lot of boxes, with Korean fried chicken, beef bibimbap and kimchi-fried rice, and there’s a basic drinks list. They don’t take reservations unless there’s 10 or more, so chance your arm with a walk up. Korean Table Website koreantablestoneybatter.com Address 50a Manor Street, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story After doing the market scene for a couple of years, Korean Table owner Vivian Cho went permanent in a long, narrow room in Stoneybatter, previously home to Beo Wine Bar and Cow Lane tapas. The short menu ticks a lot of boxes, with Korean fried chicken, beef bibimbap and kimchi-fried rice, and there’s a basic drinks list. They don’t take reservations unless there’s 10 or more, so chance your arm with a walk up. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

Inexpensive, excellent Neapolitan style pizza in Temple Bar, with their margherita coming in at under €10. The MacHugh brothers were inspired to open Sano after a trip to Naples, seeing how delicious, affordable and popular pizza is there, and it's loved by locals, tourists and students in equal measures. Bookings are only taken from 12:00 - 17:00 but you can put your name down and they'll text you when your table's ready. They have a second site in Ranelagh. Sano Temple Bar Website sano.pizza Address 2 Exchange Street Upper, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Inexpensive, excellent Neapolitan style pizza in Temple Bar, with their margherita coming in at under €10. The MacHugh brothers were inspired to open Sano after a trip to Naples, seeing how delicious, affordable and popular pizza is there, and it's loved by locals, tourists and students in equal measures. Bookings are only taken from 12:00 - 17:00 but you can put your name down and they'll text you when your table's ready. They have a second site in Ranelagh. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

Seafood tapas overlooking Howth Harbour, with fish coming from the boats that dock right outside - doesn’t get much fresher. On a sunny day, bagging an outside table is like winning the lotto. Octopussy's Website octopussy.ie Address West Pier, Howth, Dublin 13 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Seafood tapas overlooking Howth Harbour, with fish coming from the boats that dock right outside - doesn’t get much fresher. On a sunny day, bagging an outside table is like winning the lotto. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

All The Food x Devour walking food tour of Dublin Explore ATF X Devour Food Tour All The Food and Devour have created a food tour to show the best of Dublin eating right now We've been devout fans of Devour 's European and US food tours for years, pointing our readers towards them on their travels, and being constantly impressed at how they won't settle for second best. When they asked us to help create their first Dublin food tour, we couldn't turn down the chance to show visitors (and locals) the best cooking, baking and ice-cream making in the city right now. We've come up with a morning of sausage rolls, seasonal pastries, Irish cheese, icon-status toasties and the freshest seafood at some of our favourite city centre spots . You'll get an injection of history and culture too as you walk through St Stephen's Green, Trinity College, Central Plaza, past Molly Malone and through Dublin's Victorian Architecture. Find out more and book the Ultimate Dublin Food Tour here . What's New News and recommendations. More >>

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Díon The rooftop restaurant with the 360º views that opened too early Posted: 9 Dec 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the scoop on Díon? It's the new rooftop bar and restaurant in the old Central Bank building (now Central Plaza) that's been years in the making, and finally opened last weekend after multiple delays. The site was originally due to be leased by the Irish operator of PF Changs , but when a global pandemic caused that to fall through, an Irish company known as Dreamview set their sites on it. It appears to be mainly funded by Irish corporate lawyer Barry McGrath , with Alan Clancy (a long time hospitality pro behind House, 37 Dawson Street and The Wright Venue) initially a fellow director. Díon is the Irish for roof, pronounced "dee-in". There's been rumblings of issues with the site for months, with Clancy stepping down as director in October (he's still described as a hospitality consultant to the business), and this week the news broke that Clancy's House venues in Dublin and Limerick have gone into receivership with an estimated €10 million owed. An 'annus horribilis' perhaps. While press releases started coming in September about its November opening, the date was put back again and again, with several people complaining on Díon's Instagram page a couple of weeks ago that they'd woken that morning to an automated email saying their booking for the same day had been cancelled. Not even a phone call? Help to find a table elsewhere? Not their problem apparently. It finally opened late last week, offering discounts on the menu for one night (as far as we can ascertain). You start below ground level, entering the doors to find hosts who will escort you via lift up to the tenth floor restaurant. We're told the plan is is start guests on the ninth floor and offer them a drink first, before ascending the stairs for dinner, but it's all a bit of a mess right now. So what's the problem? This venue is not finished and shouldn't have opened - clearly an ill-advised decision was made to cash in on the Christmas rush. Floors remain unfinished at the joins; nails sit on the ground ready to pierce the soles of diners walking by; there's a hole in the bathroom wall where a mirror should be; loose wires stick out along the staircases; kick boards under banquette seating were falling down hitting diners' ankles. Whoever was responsible for painting and finishing the ground floor looks to have gone on holidays midway through and forgotten to come back. Other online reviews from the early days of opening noted power tools on the ground; dust everywhere; a fire audit taking place during their meal with alarms going off for 30 minutes. There's something embarrassingly Irish about it all - "sure isn't it grand? What do they want?" What about the room and views? They're the reason it'll take you a while to spot the nails on the floor. Whatever we were expecting from Ireland's first 36 0 ° rooftop restaurant and bar, the reality of this glass box in the sky and its palatial design work exceeded it. It's incredible to be able to look down on every part of Dublin city centre and beyond, like a bird soaring over Dame Street, Trinity, the Convention Centre, the Ha'Penny Bridge - be sure to walk the full periphery of the room for the whole spell-binding effect. If there's a particular city marker that has a special place in your heart, ask for a view of it while you eat. The best tables are along the windows (and there are loads of them), with larger tables for groups (rectangular and round) set back from the front row, but there are no bad vantage points - you just can't escape these views. It does have a bit of a luxury liner feel to it, particularly when descending the stairs to the ninth floor below the restaurant, but we've never been adverse to a bit of luxury travel, and it all feels a bit surreal that we have something at this level (both physically and figuratively) in little 'ol Dublin. A sidenote though for parents - despite the restaurant being full of kids in with their families for an early dinner, they didn't think ahead enough to order high chairs, so they will be left to sit on laps or crawl over banquettes until they sort it out - which is really relaxing for their parents. What's the menu like? At first glance, snoozeville. It's a rare day that we struggle to decide what to order because so LITTLE appeals, but this is your typical please the masses combo. There's cream of chicken soup (is this a funeral?), duck a l'orange (is it 1970?), bacon and cabbage croquettes (sure we've got to have some Oirish stuff on there, we're basically in Temple Bar), and very little to get your heart rate up. Those croquettes (an appetiser at €9.50) are actually pretty decent, tasting distinctly of your Mammy's bacon and cabbage, with a very soft white sauce barely holding it all together. If you didn't like her version though you probably won't like these either. Another appetiser of shiitake mushrooms in salt and vinegar tempura (€10) was lacking both advertised flavours, but the batter was crisp and grease free. Bizarrely there were unadvertised spears of broccoli in there too - shiitakes too expensive? Chilli mayo on the side delivered a good punch of flavour, but it wasn't what was billed. For starters your eye can't help but be drawn to the 'Díon vol-au-vent', clearly their signature dish, given centre stage in its own box in the middle of the menu. Luxury ingredients like truffled chicken, foie gras and ceps justify the €25 price point, but of course it wasn't available. We slummed it with Lambay crab soldiers (an Instagrammer's dream at €16.50). The soliders arrived over-fried and lukewarm with the texture of cardboard, and if they'd ever come in contact with a Lambay crab we couldn't taste it - what a waste of a prime Irish crustacean. The béarnaise though was so perfect we would have eaten our napkins dipped in it, so we soldiered on. The surprise starter smash was the deep-fried globe artichoke with sage, tomato and romesco sauce (which also happens to be vegan). Beautifully tender inside, gorgeously crisp outside, the sage and tomatoes, brought freshness, the romesco depth, smoke and cream. It's a killer dish, veggie or otherwise. Díon are taking their life in their hands putting a double smash burger (€23.50) on the menu with all the competition around here, but those other guys can relax. These are not smashed patties (they were still pink inside, which in a non smash burger we would appreciate), and we're not sure how we felt about the large slice of tomato on top and the mound of iceberg underneath. Throw back to a sadder time in Dublin's burger history? It wasn't on a "cristal bun" either, looking like your average brioche. The main issue was the grease dripping from every side of it - so messy, with fat the dominant flavour and texture. Chips arrived at room temperature and criminally under-salted. There was no salt or pepper on the table, so after we'd gotten out of our seat (for the 65th time) to flag down an overwhelmed server, then have her take most of five minutes to go and source salt, they were fully cold. Duck a l'orange (€27.50) came plump and pink, with perfectly rendered fat, and crisp skin, but where's the orange? We were almost finished it before we remembered that part. A meaty jus would be more accurate. An endive tart came with half a caramelised bulb sitting on top of a rectangle of pastry, as if the two had been cooked separately and then assembled. Pleasant, but disjointed. Sides of colcannon mash (so dry we almost choked on it and with such a skant amount of kale we thought we'd gotten the wrong dish) and tenderstem broccoli with crispy chilli (very, very spicy with no crisp to be seen) were €4.50 each and you'll need them as a lot of dishes come with zero sides, like the dry-aged fillet steak (€47.50), or the Iberico pork chop on the bone (€45). We'd seen the tart tatin for two (€18) being carted around the restaurant, all eyes drawn to the large mound of apples heading for other tables. It's good, but not Mae good, with nicely burnished, tender apples crying out for more caramel. Again it seemed that the apples were cooked separately to the pastry with no fusion between the two - attempts to eat it just resulted in the apple chunks falling off. We've never seen Gypsy tart on a menu here, and while the description of "salted caramel tart" isn't technically correct, the addition of salt to an overly sweet tart is always welcome. This is dessert perfection, the type you'd expect to end on in a London bistro where every plate has delivered on your largest food dreams - the pastry, the custard, the glossy top, the Chantilly on the side - may they never take it off the menu. What about drinks? The website's cocktail menu talks a big talk abou t " A modern Irish cocktail story, told from above" , but when we asked for the menu we were told none of these special cocktails were available. " We just have classic cocktails ". Like what? " All the classic cocktails ." Panic, what's a classic cocktail. Can you give us some examples of what the bar can make? " All the classic cocktails. " We gingerly asked for a spicy margarita, expecting a "request denied", but it was brought and it was very good. The wine list looks like it's been designed by several different people. There's everything from supermarket brands, to natural wines, to bottles you'd only buy if you were showing off (€2000+), and there's no cohesion in any of it. You'll struggle to find anything of interest by the glass under €16/17, with the rare (and welcome) exception of Cantina Tollo's Montepulciano, a brilliant house red at €9 a glass. Anyone serving Moët as their house Champagne in 2025 needs to take a long hard look at themselves. How was the service? What service? After our appetisers and starters were delivered (together) we were left completely alone, to the point that we started to wonder if this magical room had imbued us with the super power to become invisible. No one came to check how the food was, to take away our empty glasses, to ask if we wanted more drinks, to clear our plates, to bring fresh cutlery. After a good 30 minutes of sitting like icebergs, we started to think that surely the mains were going to arrive any second, so got up and found a server from another section, apologetically explaining that our server had disappeared. "Oh I think everyone's gone on their break"... Our disappearing server hadn't know what the fish of the day was, how it was cooked, what price it was, what sizes the sole (priced per 100g) was available in. After a five minute delay each time when he went off to check, we gave up asking questions. Our flustered rescue server admitted that they weren't ready to open, and that the night before had been "carnage", with many, many unhappy customers. Our experience was mild in comparison apparently. Lucky us. There's also an agonising wait when the back waiter brings up your food on a large tray and places it on a service table in view, and you have to watch your food lose heat while they wait for a front waiter to bring it to you. More than a few times we were close to jumping up and grabbing the plates ourselves. Why anyone would put people on the floor with such inadequate training, who don't even know what's on the menu, and who are willing to walk off on a break leaving diners deserted is a head-scratcher. Was it days away from going under if they didn't get the doors open? Didn't they realise the damage that initial carnage could do? Why not do a week long soft launch seeking diners' forgiveness while they fixed the floors, finished the paint job and trained their staff to an acceptable level? How much was the bill? €194.50 for enough food for three (but just two mains), three alcoholic drinks and two softs. You'll easily spend €100 a head here if going all in, and you could spend a lot more if you're looking at that grill section and the higher priced wine. What's the verdict on Díon? It's generally accepted that glamorous international imports like Gloria , The Hoxton and Hawksmoor are good for Dublin, but you still hear rumblings of "but why can't we do these things ourselves?", with a lack of investment generally blamed. Díon has had plenty of investment (estimates sit around €10 million), but lacks the expertise to get a new opening off the ground in a professional, (seemingly) faultless way like their international competitors. It's embarrassing that we can't do it as well as them, especially in a space that has the potential to be as iconic as this one. Imagine Gloria opening the restaurant while there was still building work going on; Hawksmoor letting staff loose on the floor who hadn't been properly trained; The Hoxton opening Cantina Valentina with their Peruvian cocktails and star dishes missing from the menu. None of these guys would have risked it, no matter what time of year it was or how the bank balance looked, because they know you've only got one chance to make a first impression, and those first reviews (diner and critic) will sit on the first page of Google until the end of time. If you've got all the money sloshing around your pockets and are happy to drop some on a sub-par experience then go forth and enjoy those views, or just drop in for a drink, but otherwise we'd put this one on the long finger until the new year, when hopefully the online reviews will reflect that they've finally figured out what they're doing up there. New Openings & Discoveries More >>