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Chef Gaz Smith's only restaurant after closing his original Michael's, and the next door wine bar Little Mike's, to focus on this bigger Blackrock site. The freshest of fish caught off the coast each day, with daily specials that keep diners coming back again and again. Worth a detour. Big Mike's Website michaels.ie/big-mikes/ Address 57 Deerpark Road, Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Chef Gaz Smith's only restaurant after closing his original Michael's, and the next door wine bar Little Mike's, to focus on this bigger Blackrock site. The freshest of fish caught off the coast each day, with daily specials that keep diners coming back again and again. Worth a detour. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Ku Raudo Website @kuraudosushidublin Address 185 Townsend Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Part of chef Joginder Singh's (ex-Jaipur and Kerala Kitchen) mini Indian empire, with other sites in Rialto, Dublin 8, and Blessington, Wicklow. Everything is made fresh on site, and each location offers something slightly different - in Terenure it's the weekend Punjabi breakfast, with a range of dishes to try for €12.99. The evening à la carte has lots of lesser seen recipes, and the early bird is fantastic value. Spice Village Terenure Website spicevillageterenure.ie Address Spice Village Indian Restaurant | Terenure | Dublin, Terenure Road North, Terenure, Dublin 6W, County Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Part of chef Joginder Singh's (ex-Jaipur and Kerala Kitchen) mini Indian empire, with other sites in Rialto, Dublin 8, and Blessington, Wicklow. Everything is made fresh on site, and each location offers something slightly different - in Terenure it's the weekend Punjabi breakfast, with a range of dishes to try for €12.99. The evening à la carte has lots of lesser seen recipes, and the early bird is fantastic value. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Out of gallery

Mr Dinh Website @mrdinhrestaurant Address 101-102 Capel Street, Rotunda, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Roots Restorative dining goes on the road Posted: 29 Oct 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Roots is a pop up partnership between chef Keith Coleman and partner Aisling McHugh, and while this is a once over with a difference, in that they're nomadic so we can't give you an address, Roots is something you should know about, and will feel better for having been a part of. The couple moved home from New Zealand five years ago with designs on opening their own place, but high rents coupled with demand, as well as the somewhat new phenomenon of 'key money' put paid to that, so they ended up working in some of the city's best cafés, like The Fumbally and Bibi's , before being offered the opportunity to run Fia in Rathgar, with Keith in the kitchen and Aisling front of house. Fia almost immediately became one of the city's most sought after brunch spots, with weekend queues that were the stuff of legend, but it was when Keith started his Roots Pop Ups that people started talking about his food instead of Fia's. The first pop-up was in 2017 with Cúan Greene (now head chef at Bastible ) who was home from Noma in Copenhagen for a stint before heading to Mexico to launch the infamous Noma pop-up in Tulum. The next was with Eric Hellig (formerly of Heron & Grey, now Liath ), then came one in Bibi's with friend and ex- Momofuku chef Joshua Plunkett. Last year Keith and Joshua popped up again in Green Man Wines in Terenure, with Keith staying on to do a residency. Just before he was due to move on, Catherine Cleary reviewed the wine bar turned restaurant in the Irish Times giving it 9.5/10 and saying, "we’ve waited a long time for someone to bring wine lovers and food lovers together over plates of brilliantly creative food in a casual friendly place." That day the Terenure wine bar booked out for weeks. So what's happening now? In August this year the Keith and Aisling officially launched ' Roots ' as a travelling food concept, hosting intimate pop-up dinners across Ireland. They recently moved from Dublin to Slane, and harbour a dream of opening a destination guest house, organic farm and bakery in the future - we wait in hope for that one - but in the meantime we'd been very jealous of the feedback from a dinner series they did in the Hang Tough gallery in Portobello at the end of the summer, so when we heard their next pop up was going to be Sunday lunch at McNally Family Farm in North County Dublin we jumped on the tickets - and got the last two. What's the venue like? McNally Family Farm is our favourite place in Dublin to go vegetable shopping, and the sheer amount of organic produce they manage to grow in an Irish climate is mind-boggling. If you haven't been we'd really recommend a Friday or Saturday trip to their farm shop and newly opened café. Keith and Aisling have been working on the farm recently learning about everything that grows there, so the recently renovated barn seemed like the perfect place to do it. What's good to eat? With their pop ups we imagine it will be usually a case of putting yourself in their hands for a no choice tasting menu, and these are very good hands to be in. Their initial description of "some individual snacks followed by a sharing main course and a dessert" was massively over-delivered on, and one look at the menu up on the wall had all kinds of excitement running through the room. The couple came out at the beginning to talk everyone through the dishes, and explain that a lot of the vegetables were only picked that morning - it's hard to imagine a more idyllic set up for a vegetable based pop up than the farm the vegetables were picked on. First out were rosa radishes with a green tomato emulsion made from tomatoes that hadn't ripened and Irish rapeseed oil. With these came char-grilled cucumbers filled with pumpkin seed miso, and Keith Coleman must be one of the only people in the country who can make hot cucumbers taste good. After this came burnt leeks with leek top mayo, from which there is no going back. This was peak leek, and the perfect illustration of what happens when sensible use of seasonal produce meets someone who seems to have a natural gift for creating maximum flavour from minimal ingredients. Thick slices of Scéal sourdough followed with lovage butter (all aboard the lovage train), and then a borscht-like beetroot soup with horseradish cream and fennel flowers for a kick of aniseed as it went down. This was fresh horseradish grown on the farm in case you were imagining a jar of Coleman's, and it was a delicate, silky bowl of warmth, sweetness and general soothing. After this came the main affair of lamb rump with blackberry and elderberry. The meat tasted like it was fresh from a summer barbecue, almost making us forget we were in a converted farm barn in October in 6 degrees celsius (there's heaters, it's fine), and was covered in the most intense, thick berry sauce, like Michelin-starred ketchup. Sweet + smoke = happiness. This came with four sides, including cold slices of kolhrabi marinated with dandelion, which was almost like a palate cleanser between bites of everything else, and char-grilled cauliflower with a Drumlin cheese and beer sauce - which was exactly as good as you're imagining it to be. The other sides were flower sprouts (a cross between Brussels sprouts and kale) with fermented black garlic, which were chewy, sticky, flavour-filled mouthfuls, and Orla potatoes dripping in what tasted like butter and herbs, which are baby potatoes somewhere between waxy and floury, and which seem to have the best qualities of each. Every vegetable was prepared relatively simply, using one or two other ingredients max, yet they tasted like the best possible versions of themselves. That's what serious kitchen talent can do. Dessert was a whipped lightly minted cream over cape gooseberries with honeycomb (from the farm's beehives), an elegant and thankfully light end to a Sunday feast - barring much honeycomb stuck in teeth but that comes with the territory. What about the drinks? For the moment their pop ups are likely to be BYO unless the venue has an alcohol licence, so we took a bottle of Judith Beck 'Ink', an Austrian blend of Zweigelt and St Laurent (available in Green Man Wines and Loose Canon ) which was pretty dreamy with the lamb - and the cold weather. Aisling had also made cordials/juices including sorrel and mint, hawberry and rose geranium and blackberry, thyme and juniper, which were all lovely to alternate with, and a bonus for the drivers. And the service? On their website Aisling and Keith describe Roots as "an experience where our guests feel like they’re at home, with friendly faces around them who are eager to converse and get to know one another," and this is exactly what they've created, through the use of a single communal dining table, sharing plates, and both popping heads in constantly to check on everyone, as if you're at a dinner party in someone's home. It's hard not to be struck by how meaningful the experience is, and how much of the people behind it comes through on the plates and in the room, so it feels like everyone there is in on something special. The verdict? The root of the word restaurant comes from the word "restorative", as when restaurants as we know them today started to open in Paris in the 18th century they were seen as a way to restore your body and soul. That's exactly what Roots does - restores you through food picked metres from where you're sitting, cooked in a way that respects what it is and isn't trying to turn it into something else, and makes you feel better from the inside out just for having been a part of it. With people finally starting to come around to the importance of both using and eating Irish produce, Keith and Aisling are an example for others to follow, and we have little doubt that this farm/guesthouse/restaurant they're dreaming of is going to be big news when it finally comes together - possibly scene-changing. At Food On The Edge in Galway last week one of the chefs who was giving a talk said "having good food is a way to respect yourself, it's self-care", and we can think of few other places bringing this to life in such a vivid way right now. Roots are hoping to host more pop-ups on the McNally farm (and other places), but sign up to their mailing list or follow them on Instagram to hear about what's next. Roots Hopefully coming to a venue near you soon rootsproject-ie.squarespace.com New Openings & Discoveries More >> !

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

Chubbys The former taco truck gets very serious in a drop dead gorgeous space Posted: 23 Jul 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Chubbys? If you were looking to tell the tale of Dublin’s food scene over the last fifteen years, there are few better figures you could do it through than Barry Stephens. His crash-era opener 147 Deli steadily built up a rep on Parnell Street as one of the city’s very best sandwich shops, rotating specials (their best in class Christmas sandwich included) descended upon by ever more hungry hordes of workers as the city bit by bit got back on its feet. But as the pandemic knocked us all right back down again and rampant inflation followed, input costs’ rapid escalation saw Stephens’ pitch of quality and creativity in casual convenience food become a harder and harder sell. That didn’t hold him back from branching out, with taco truck Just Chubbys popping up in Clontarf in summer ’22 to bring the same ethos – and the very same crowds. We impatiently waited after the sad shuttering of the Deli and an extended Christmas break for the truck with a promise of bigger things to come, and come they now have in the fancy form of Chubbys , a radical reworking of the warehouse space the truck once sat in for a big new chapter. Where should we sit? Stephens’ wife Jen, with a long CV of design and branding jobs behind her, is the mastermind behind this gorgeous glow-up popping with pastel pinks – whether or not you’d been in the prior iteration, you’ll stroll in slack-jawed through the giant glass double doors at one of Dublin’s nicest new spaces. Plump down on any of the soft accent chairs and you’ll feel right at home. A duo of long communal tables in the middle of the floor (and a few two-tops between them that can be made into the same thing) are a group dining dream if you have the foresight to book far enough in advance – reservations have gone like lightning. We were landed at the banquette set opposite the kitchen pass, ideal to take in the atmosphere and any what’s-that-they’ve-ordered-there FOMO. As teased on socials for ages by the endearingly excited chef, the kitchen fitout is the stuff of cooking nerd dreams, with a custom smoker and wood-fired grill making the counter seats the ones you want – they’re often held for short stay walk-ins, so if you want to be sure of getting a seat you’ll have to make do with craning your neck to flashes of flame from afar. What’s on the menu? We lost count of the times over the years (more recent ones especially) where people we raved about 147’s sandwiches to sneered over the price. Too often that’s the rub with casual food’s cognitive dissonance, an expectation that we can have the best in quality without bulking up the bill - as though an added two or three euro to know where your food’s come from was that one bridge too far. All that’s to cushion the blow of the beef birria (€8.50) and confit carnitas (€8) tacos – Chubbys was already at the top end of the city’s scale for taco pricing, and these latest tweaks take things further. But that’s true for flavour as well as price point; in the low and slow overnight McLoughlin’s beef cheek, shin and brisket just as much as the copper cauldron-cooked Salters free range pork and bacon belly, there is the kind of quality, time and attention that doesn’t come cheaply. You can taste where your money's going. Creativity costs too, and what a wallop of it in the pork rolls (€12), crisp-skinned snacks landing in the dreamscape space between chimichanga and spring roll – this is a bite that’ll stay with you for weeks, even before you get to the beautifully-balanced smoked lime and jalapeño salsa on the side. Watch on with glee as others order them around you and let out lusty sighs of delight as the deep-fried skins pour out slow roast pork juices. Only the sharing nachos (€13.50) came up short on value. Despite their hand-cut and tajin-seasoned superiority over the usual fare, and a house cheese sauce we’d drink from the dish, the higher price and smaller portion versus the ones we loved on our trip to the truck not too long ago was a let down. A smaller snacks section option with salsa matcha and guac looked more palatable at a full €4 cheaper – it’s rare we get food envy for a smaller plate. Chipotle and lime butter-basted corn ribs (€8.50) made amends, with a cheaper price tag and chunkier portion than our last visit. Subtly sweet, smoky flavour permeates every dripping kernel here - there’s no shame in slurping, everyone else is at it. Sticky-sweet honey and soy chicken (€14.50) is a prime example of the new Chubbys' more varied flavour profile. The Asian influence that often streaked through 147 is on full display, with bangs of garlic, ginger and chilli to the fore in every crisp, spicy bite. Good prep goes a long way but as is ever the case with fried chicken, quality is everything – the tender taste of Rings Farm free-range birds shines. The smoker is the crowning glory of Stephens’ new setup. We arrived intent on ordering the Jamaican jerk lamb ribs, but the sights and scents of a neighbouring table’s beef short rib (€37) caused a quick pivot. McLoughlin’s again brings the goods with dry-aged prime cuts, rubbed and smoked for ten hours to give a blackened exterior barely encasing the tender meat beneath. It slides off the bone into a peanut-textured and makrut lime leaf-scented curry that we’d bathe in given half the chance. Slow-tweaking flavours is a hallmark of Stephens’ style, and with this interplay of smoky sweet meat and softly-spiced sauce he’s hit on a primal harmony that had us enter a bliss state (see also: garlic naan for mopping). Not that we were done yet – sticky toffee spring rolls (€9.50) aren’t something we would pass on. You’d want to be confident to offer only one dessert option - they are, and have every reason to be. There’s more than a hint of baklava in the syrup-soaked, nut-sprinkled notes here, but novelty too. Like everything else at Chubbys, this is casual comfort food shot with a playful streak of energetic invention. What are the drinks like? House cordials and reductions drove us straight to the cocktail list (all €12) – beers via Zingibeer and Whiplash and a tap-heavy wine list will offer enough variety and value to keep most punters happy. The best of the bunch was a picture perfect Cherry Float, ruby red from Regal Rogue vermouth and cherry soda, citrus-spiked from sumac sprinkled on the dense vanilla foam, with the fresh flavour of smoked lapsang. The Shaken Stephens played like a milder Moscow mule, Valencia Island vermouth and IPA reduction in place of vodka – light and lively. There wasn’t the same balance or freshness to be found in the Mango SuperSplit, with alleged salt and chilli flavours all subsumed in tawny port. How was the service? This team’s ample honesty gives eye-opening insights into the challenge the hospitality biz is up against, and they’ve begged clemency more than once for the kind of intro hurdles all new openings face as they get the measure of things and struggle to hire to meet demand. Against that kind of difficulty, we’ll always give a lot of leeway, but when we were told 30 minutes on from our opening time seating that the all-at-once glut meant the kitchen might need another ten minutes to take our order, we wondered why phased seating and/or a slower scaling-up wasn't being utilised. That sense set in all the more as tables around us politely corrected the orders wrongly set down before them. Staff were all very friendly and funny, but it’s clear they were flustered too – demand like this (it’s now nine weeks until the next available table) is hard to plan for, and with the baptism of fire they’re in for they’ll need to tweak things quickly to keep hangry heads happy. Setting expectations more clearly or starting people on snacks upfront would go a long way. Our advice? If you’ve going in soon, check the menu in advance and order ASAP. And the damage? This greedy glut (it’s professional diligence, swear) clocked up a €147 bill before tip – mental maths on most tables around us put the average order in and around €50-60 a head. You’d be well fed for that, and with far better stuff than many other options around town where you'll spend the same. What’s the verdict on Chubbys? Understandable opening jitters aside, Chubbys has all the makings of Dublin’s latest success story – and we’ve got every faith in a team that’s never been short of the ability to learn quick and rise to it. That two month-plus run of full houses ahead of them speaks to the high esteem and expectations they’re held in - once again, here’s proof they’ve earned it. Often more candid than can-do, the refreshingly honest 147 Deli story spoke to the passion needed to weather the mounting challenges of making genuinely good food work in the environment we’re in. To see that passion make the leap to a space like this would fill your heart as well as your stomach. Many great restaurants feel like stepping into someone’s home. Chubbys feels like you're getting a window into Stephens’ life, witnessing something earnestly sincere, and altogether special. New Openings & Discoveries More >> !

Mamó was the most anticipated opening in Howth in recent memory (and one of the most generally of 2019), and with owners Jess D’Arcy and Killian Durkin’s CVs including Etto, Chapter One and Thornton’s expectations were high. Thankfully they were met, and Mamo's cod chips, by-catch ceviche and Howth honey tart seemed to have charmed everyone who’s walked through the door. Mamo Website mamorestaurant.ie Address Harbour House, Harbour Road, Howth, Dublin 13 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Mamó was the most anticipated opening in Howth in recent memory (and one of the most generally of 2019), and with owners Jess D’Arcy and Killian Durkin’s CVs including Etto, Chapter One and Thornton’s expectations were high. Thankfully they were met, and Mamo's cod chips, by-catch ceviche and Howth honey tart seemed to have charmed everyone who’s walked through the door. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Hawksmoor We tried 27 items on the menu at Dublin's new steakhouse. Here's what to order... Posted: 5 Sept 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Hawksmoor? You probably know it all at this stage, but just in case you've been in Witness Protection for the past few months... Hawksmoor is the London-born restaurant that was named "best steakhouse in Europe" in the World's Best Steak awards, coming second globally (and it's actually not another nonsense awards situation - judges on every continent conduct visits anonymously). They're also certified as B Corp , meaning they have to continuosly prove that they meet high environmental and social standards, with accountability and transparency, and they were the world's first carbon-neutral steak restaurant group. Impressed yet? It was big news last summer that we were getting a Hawksmoor of our own in the old Abercrombie and Fitch site on College Green - their first outside the UK and New York (Chicago is coming soon), and despite making us wait almost a year for the doors to open, demand for soft launch tables was unsurprisingly through the roof. The 50% off food offer helped of course, with 8 days of bookings gone in minutes. We bagged ATF Insiders an exclusive first look at their famous Sunday roast (an offering badly lacking in the capital) but have been back a couple of times since, and managed to work our way through most of the menu - 27 items in fact - so we're here to break it down for you. Where should we go for a drink first? There's a beautiful bar at the front but each time we've been it's been empty - maybe they're still waiting for word to get out - so depending on the atmosphere we'd say here, The Blind Pig around the corner for a cocktail, Fallon & Byrne 's wine cellar for a glass of wine, or The Foggy Dew across the road for a pint. Where should we sit? There are a multitude of seating options in this arresting room with its dramatic ceiling dome, and considering how busy it's been you're unlikely to get your choice of tables, but for our money the large booths at the very back of the room when you walk in are the best of the bunch ( their wine manager agrees ). There are smaller green velvet four tops on both sides of the room, and long rows of banquette seating, as well as standalone tables, and the room feels masculine, clubby, and sprawling - it seats 200 at capacity. Exciting news also dropped last month that they were ready to take bookings for their 18-seater private dining room off to the side, 'None The Wiser', offering sharing dishes and family-style feasts. One to bookmark for your next work night out/group gathering/special occasion. Give us the menu breakdown. Starters, go... Right, are you strapped in? The menu starts with oysters, either Flaggy Shore dainties (natural or with scotch bonnet mignonette ) or Kelly Gigas roasted with bone marrow. We very much recommend the warm, savoury yet sweet, creamy, crumbly latter - even oyster deniers might get on board with these ones. The roasted currach-caught scallops with white port and garlic are pricey at €18 (€6 a scallop) but we loved them too - you just might not be kissing anyone for a while afterwards. Hawksmoor are famous for their bone marrow with toast, an animal part so rarely (and inexplicably) seen here, and if you've never experienced the joy of scraping well cooked marrow out of the bone and smearing it onto bread (like the best beef-flavoured butter), now's your chance - just don't forget a generous sprinkle of sea salt on top. Andarl Farm pork belly ribs were not what we were expecting, in the best way (they were boneless for one), with the tangy meat collapsing under our knives, and the vinegar slaw a bright, refreshing side show. There are two starter options for vegetarians and vegans, and we're relieved to tell you that both are worth ordering, whether you're a meat eater or not. A ripe, heritage tomato salad came with diced cucumber, thinly sliced shallot rings and fresh herbs in a vinegar-heavy dressing, which all tasted beautiful under a generous scoop of soft St. Tola goat's cheese. The vegan option (although why you'd bring a vegan into a steakhouse is beyond us) is ash-baked beetroot with pickled fennel and horseradish, and while that doesn't sound overly interesting, it really was - the sweet beetroot, tang of the fennel, punch of the horseradish (creamed and fresh), and a clever sprinkling of breadcrumbs pulling together a salad made for people who like their flavours turned up. The last starter we tried, and the one we liked least, was the smoked mackerel salad with new potatoes, horseradish and watercress. It was fine, but tasted like something we'd pull together for a midweek lunch at home, and the mackerel tasted like the big brand type rather than the local fishmonger type - it's the only fish item on the menu with no provenance. Got it. Tell us about the mains... Onto what you're probably here for - the steaks. There are four set priced ones on the menu, ranging from €26 for rump to €42 for fillet, and other cuts (Chateaubriand, Porterhouse, Prime-rib and T-bone) are priced per 100g, with available sizes listed on blackboards on the wall. From the set priced ones we tried the rump, sirloin and rib-eye. The rump was undoubtedly the weakest, drier and chewier than the others, but if you order the cheapest thing on the menu what do you expect. The sirloin was better, although the first time we had it it came pre-sliced without much of a buttery coating, the second time it came as a whole piece with far more fatty flavour from the pan. You can add a half native lobster in garlic butter onto the side of your steak, but at €28.50 when we visited this is not good value for money (you can get a whole one in King Sitric with chips for €40) so we'd skip that splurge unless you're living the high life. The rib-eye was far and away the best steak we tried of the three, beautifully browned outside, the additional fat bringing all the flavours. All of the steaks we tried were cooked more or less the way we asked for them, with a couple coming more medium-well than medium - if it had been any further in one direction we would have asked for a redo, and at these prices so should you. The sharing steaks are where you'll really want your debit cards greased up, and have the potential to make people nervous - you'll need a calculator to figure out what they cost. There's been quite a few complaints about the availability of only very large sizes when guests have visited, and we found the same on two visits. We did manage to get a 550g Prime-rib for two (they recommend 300g of meat per person) but at €71.50 we would have liked more meat (we presume the bone was part of that weight). One hungry person could easily have eaten this alone. When it comes to fish they've got Dublin Bay monkfish, whole native lobster in garlic butter (which will come in at €55-60 depending on size with no sides), and 'Dublin Lawyer' - a whole lobster baked with whiskey, leeks, cream and Cáis na Tíre, at the eye-watering price of €75. When one of our party wanted monkfish they were told the smallest size available was 300g, which came in at €42, with just a lemon for company. This is big money for most people, and will be pushed towards €50 with a single side. It was well cooked but we can't say we thought it was worth the price tag. There's one option for the vegetarian in your life (nothing for vegans but again, it would just be cruel to bring them here) - a Ballylisk Wellington with celeriac, mushrooms and Ballylisk cheese. While we loved the originality of this dish (and are die-hard Ballylisk fans) it's very heavy, dense and meaty from the mushrooms, and it would be more suited to a cold winter's evening than a sweltering day in summer. Our token veggie liked it, but as it went on found it a bit much, and didn't finish it. Okay, what about the sides? There are triple-cooked chips and beef-dripping fries, and it's fries or die for us. They're as close to McDonalds as you'll get without having to step under the golden arches, while the triple-cooked ones were disappointingly beige - lacking crispness and fluffiness. The Hawksmoor caesar comes with Cantabrian anchovies and plenty of cheese, and we loved that you eat it leaf by leaf, each its own vessel for the lovlieness within. The macaroni and cheese is also worth your money, with just cooked pasta, a rich, well seasoned sauce (clearly made with good cheese) and a browned breadcrumb topping. Creamed spinach, a steakhouse must, is done very well here, with the right amount of cream to spinach and a perfect sprinkling of nutmeg, but the grilled hispi cabbage on the menu is not hispi cabbage - it's buttered spring greens. While they taste as they should, it's quite the comedown if you're expecting grilled hispi cabbage - they've gotten us twice on this now and we're not sure why the menus haven't been reprinted (it does say buttered greens online ). We tried all the sauces, and here's our verdicts: Béarnaise - textbook perfect Young Buck hollandaise - blissful, if you like blue cheese you'll love Anchovy hollandaise - as above with anchovies Porcini hollandaise - a mushroomy version of the same but not as interesting Bone marrow gravy - gravy but better Peppercorn sauce - don't do it. It doesn't resemble anything you know as peppercorn sauce and is more like a dishwatery gravy. Should be deported immediately What about the Sunday roast? It's €23 for dry-aged beef rump (cooked deliciously pink and so tender), beef-dripping roast potatoes (nice but missing the crunch, which always seems to be the issue with roasties made en masse), Yorkshire pudding (huge but ours were dry and papery - other diners don't seem to have had this problem), roasted carrots (lovely), buttered greens (ditto), roasted garlic (why isn't this served with every roast) and bone marrow gravy (a joy). We ordered an additonal side of cauliflower chese and it was as good as it gets - al dente cauliflower, a rich cheese sauce, and perfectly browned on top. If you want to pop your Hawksmoor cherry you'd do worse than starting with the roast, it's up there with the best in Dublin (albeit that's a very short list). Tell us about the desserts? If you're still reading fair play to you. The 'Peanut Butter Louis' is the unmissable one here - a layered, crispy, peanut butter and caramel filled, chocolate covered rectangle, served with salted caramel ice-cream. If you've gone for the full kit and kaboodle it will probably push you over the edge, so we recommend sharing. The same goes for the sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream, which is British pud perfection. You should also share this one, for your stomach's sake, but you'll find it difficult. The tiramisu comes covered in a mascarpone mound, with Irish whiskey and coffee-soaked sponge, and coffee ice-cream hiding right in the middle. It's very good. For something marginally lighter, the strawberry pavlova with custard cream and strawberry basil sorbet was a bright, summer-filled ending, and the salted caramel rolos (€6 for three or €15 for eight to take away) are a good choice if you can't face a whole dessert (or just be greedy like us and have both). What about drinks? They take cocktails as seriously as meat in here, and everything we tried could compete with the city's best cocktail bars, including the 'New Cork Sour', 'Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew', and the 'Sour Cherry Negroni', although we did have one incident involving the 'Ultimate Gin Martini' (€14). On ordering we were told that the latest batch wasn't ready yet, it was in the cooling stage, and were offered a regular martini (a bit of a comedown from the "ultimate" but okay). We were asked to pick a gin, Tanqueray (on the cheaper end of the scale) was selected, and all was fine until the bill arrived and we'd been charged €19. A elongated debate with a bar manager followed about why a basic martini was €5 more than the "ultimate" one, and eventually it was removed altogether, but it didn't make a whole pile of sense and the drawn-out mansplaining episode seriously delayed our departure. The wine list is towing a line between crowd-pleasing (including an own-label Malbec we imagine will be popular) and wanting to appeal to the city's wine lovers (and big spenders), and you might not be surprised to hear that there's not a lot under €50. Our best advice is to ask the wine manger for her recommendations and tell her what you want to spend - she steered us towards a Slovenian Furmint which went beatifully with some seafood, and a Georgian Saperavi, which we went straight out and bought a bottle of afterwards from The Corkscrew . The best way to drink wine in here is to visit for the BYO Monday wine club , where corkage on any bottle is €5 - if you like the good stuff it won't take long to figure out the savings you could make on the bill - you can even bring a magnum for the same price. Oh and pro tip - always offer the wine manager/sommelier a taste. You will instantly become their favourite customer of the night. How was the service? Better when it was quiet, lacking at times when it was very busy. Servers were all very pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful, but at times we found ourselves straining to get someone's attention in the 200-seater space, and on one visit we reckon we sat for an hour more than we'd planned to because of delays in ordering, calling the bill and paying it. It's not the intimate service experience you'll get in places like Etto or Library Street, and some people might prefer that, but we could have done with a bit more checking in. What was the damage? It can vary wildly depending on what you order, but we'd budget €100+ a head before tip if you want to do it right - that estimated €4 million fit out has to be repaid somehow. The clever money's in the express menu , served Monday - Saturday until 6pm, with two courses for €29 or three for €33, including rump steak, monkfish, the sticky toffee pudding and more. And the verdict? How anyone could deny that Hawksmoor is a remarkable addition to the capital is beyond us (and there are always dissenters out there). There's nothing else like it in the city, and it does feel a bit like little 'ol Dublin is joining the dining big leagues - where one international outfit goes, others tend to follow. However highstreet steak house chain this is not - it's premium dining at premium prices, with generally the provenance to back it up, and if you get your head around that and budget accordingly you should have a great time here. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Díon Website diondublin.ie Address Central Plaza, Dame St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

We love a good corner café, and Il Valentino probably deserves a medal for location alone. The glass-fronted café looks to busy Pearse Street on one side, and the more subdued and car-free Grand Canal Dock on the other. Their huge counter is always packed with rows of sandwiches, croissants, cakes, pastries and cakes, and they've had no problem competing with some of the bigger names that moved in a few hundred meters away. If the weather's nice try to grab a table on their outdoor terrace for maximum city break vibes. Il Valentino Website ilvalentino.ie Address 5 Gallery Quay, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story We love a good corner café, and Il Valentino probably deserves a medal for location alone. The glass-fronted café looks to busy Pearse Street on one side, and the more subdued and car-free Grand Canal Dock on the other. Their huge counter is always packed with rows of sandwiches, croissants, cakes, pastries and cakes, and they've had no problem competing with some of the bigger names that moved in a few hundred meters away. If the weather's nice try to grab a table on their outdoor terrace for maximum city break vibes. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

The Grayson Website thegrayson.ie Address 41 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

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

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 Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Lena The hype is justified at the buzziest opening of 2025 Posted: 4 Mar 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Lena? It's the new neighbourhood Italian that's taken the place of Locks in Portobello, from the trio who brought us Uno Mas , Enough said? That trio are Paul McNamara (chef and former owner of Locks), along with couple Liz Matthews and Simon Barrett, who own one of Dublin's most consistently brilliant restaurants, Etto , and who later opened Uno Mas with McNamara - also in the very top tier of Dublin dining. It's safe to say that all three are among the best restaurant operators in the city, so the buzz around Lena has been LARGE. What's changed since it was Lock's? The room has had a clean sweep, with the studded velvet chairs removed in place of simple wooden furniture and leather banquette seating. It's all very soft and muted, and it's the same upstairs in the two private dining rooms. It seems that the soft velvet may have helped with the acoustics, as this many hard surfaces in a larger space than their other two restaurants is causing some sound issues - at times we were shouting across the table trying to be heard over the noise of happy diners all around. We're sure they're on the case, but for now we'd leave your granny at home. Where are the best seats? It was by the window in Locks and its by the window in Lena - especially if you're in for lunch. Those canal views are everything after a crazy week on the wheel of life, and if you like to eat on a soft rather than hard seat, go forth and request a table with a banquette. One of the biggest changes has been the new bar installed on the left of the restaurant - prime counter dining real estate with views into the kitchen. Solo diners will love these seats, and they're perfect for a quick pit stop if you don't have time to settle in for a few hours. What should we eat? Like in the other two restaurants, you'll be overwhelmed from all the snacks (antipasti) you'll want to order before even getting to the "primi" and "secondi". From olives and focaccia to prime imported charcuterie and deep-fried deliciousness, you'll need a cocktail while you pick it all apart - the peach spritz and orange garibaldi are ideal low abv openers. The sage leaf and anchovy fritti (€8 for two) are Lena's answer to Uno Mas' gilda - if you come here and don't eat one, have you really been... The mink anchovies are meltingly soft, sidled up next to the perfumed sage in their crispy shells - it's a perfect bite while picking more - order it as soon as you sit. The supplì al telefono (€9 for two), named for the thin cord of mozzarella between two halves when pulled apart resembling a telephone line, are very similar to the tomato and scamorza version that's one of sister restaurant Etto 's signature dishes. If you haven't had supplì they're risotto filled croquettes, similar to arancini, deep-fried, with a cheesy centre. Peak bar snack stuff. We were advised by a neighbouring table that the Lardo di Colonnata toast (€9) was a must order, and when it arrived we initially thought the strips of cured pig fat were cut too thickly, but we were wrong. They gradually melted from the warmth of the toast, and the bits hanging over the site practically dissolved on impact with our mouths - this is superior pig fat. We hadn't planned on ordering the wild sea bass crudo (€15), but when owner Barrett said it was his favourite thing on the menu, what were we to do? There could not be a more perfect palate cleanser after the fried snacks to start, each mouthful of meaty fish, blood orange segments and juice, rosemary olive oil and pops of raw pink radish punching your palate back to life - simple flavours endlessly amplified. Plus, is there a more beautiful looking dish in Dublin right now? Palate cleansed it was onto pasta, and having a soft spot for the worm-shaped pici, the cacio e pepe (€16) was always coming to our table. The pasta is perfect, the trademark pici chew perfected, but the sauce was assertively peppery, more than any other version we've had. If you love pepper, you'll love this, but we would have liked the scales to tip slightly more towards Pecorino. The peppery plate was practically licked clean regardless. Osso bucco with saffron risotto (€32) is one of those "angels singing on high" dishes when in Northern Italy, a good one having the potential to stay with you until you're in the ground. This is a very, very good one, it's hard to imagine better actually, and if you've never had one of Italy's star dishes (which is very possible as we never see it on Dublin menus) go here and have one that's better than many in Milan. Beef shin is cooked for hours in a tomato, red wine and vegetable sauce, served on top of floral, sweet saffron risotto, and topped with lemony gremolata as the final flavour punch. (Sidenote: if you can get your hands on beef shin and want to try cooking this at home, Angela Hartnett's recipe tastes very similar) Other mains include wild halibut (praise be for the lack of farmed fish), beef fillet with pickled onion rings (a nod to Locks), and a whopper bistecca alla Fiorentina to feed 2-3 (€115). There's also a barbecued pork chop with parsnip, coco de paimpol and salsa verde (€32). The smoky meat was pink and buttery, in stark contrast to most things that identify as a pork chop, with parsnip purée, creamy beans, crispy artichoke, bitter endive and tangy salsa verde providing lots of mix and match flavour combos. We enjoyed it a lot, but wouldn't consider it the same level of must order as the osso bucco. Those Etto and Uno Mas crispy potatoes are here too, and rest assured it will be business as usual, so we ordered a side of hispi cabbage with tonnato sauce and capers (€6). The sweet, blackened hispi is as good as cabbage gets, while the rich tuna/anchovy/mayo sauce topped with salty fried capers made for luxury moppage. Yet again we hadn't planned on ordering the chocolate, espresso and olive oil tart, but the manager twisted our arm by telling us we absolutely had to. It's more mousse than tart (getting the soft slices out in such perfect triangles is an applause-worthy achievement), sitting in a puddle of salt caramel and the best olive oil, with espresso ice cream and thin chocolate biscuit sitting on top. It's a dessert you'll moan over, then daydream about. A final foray into a cloudlike, mildly boozy tiramisu with bountiful chocolate shavings on top sent us floating happily off into the night. What about drinks? Like at Etto and Uno Mas, the wine list is one to loiter over - maybe start your studying at home if this is your specialist subject. Bottles start at €33 for basic house white and red, and there's a good selection of glasses (all available in 500ml carafes too) starting at €7.50 and going up to €18 for sparkling Chardonnay. There are wines from every region of Italy, each with a reason for being there, and it's obvious the list was put together with painstaking care and real love for the topic. There are five cocktails too, with a couple of low abvs at the top just the thing to settle you into those seats, as well as Italian and Irish beer, French cider, amari and grappa. How was the service? Just as lovely, charming and skilled as in their sister restaurants - these guys hire well and hold onto good people. Food was fast to start then nicely paced, which is no harm when you've sat down and are desperate for a snack to take the edge off. And the damage? €105 a head before tip for that feast of food, with a cocktail and four glasses of wine between two. Anything else we should know? The private dining rooms upstairs have had a subtle redesign and are crying out for your next group gathering. What's the verdict on Lena? The hype on this one has been big, and did anyone really doubt that Lena would deliver with these three at the helm? McNamara is a spectacular chef, someone who can scoop up ideas from around the globe and execute to perfection, giving the people what they want before they knew they wanted it. He's not trying to crowd please or play anybody's greatest hits, he's cooking dishes they way they're supposed to be cooked - big, bold, and with a face full of flavour. Team those talents with operators like Matthews and Barrett ensuring wine, service, and dining rooms are effortlessly, expertly delivered, and it's a rare and captivating combination. Our first meal in Uno Mas was a lot like this one, and each meal afterwards just got better and better. We're predicting a similar upward trajectory for Lena. New Openings & Discoveries More >> The News You Might Have Missed This Week 6 days ago ATF readers' most loved supermarket products - Lidl & Aldi Jun 16 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week Jun 16 The Two Minute Review: Morso Jun 16

Amai by Viktor Brazilian food gets a fine dining showcase off Grafton Street Posted: 19 Aug 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What do we need to know about Amai by Viktor? This one caught us on the hop. Usually when a new restaurant cooking at this level opens, especially one metres from Grafton Street, there's a lot of build up. A chef makes their name in one restaurant, gets backing to go out on their own, a PR company is hired and we're subjected to months of teasers before actually getting to eat anything. Up until a few weeks ago we had never heard of Viktor Silva, eaten his food (we think), or had any idea there was this serious a contender en route to the capital's restaurant roster. Amai by Viktor is a partnership between the chef and the owners of The Corkscrew downstairs on Harry Street (facing The Westbury, what a location). After the wine shop's last partnership with Sicilian restaurant Amuri , who they installed upstairs in their old location on Chatham Street, we're starting to think these guys could have an alternative career in spotting the next big thing in food. Silva's last position was as head chef in Amuri , and he's also worked in Bang , on events with Jordan and Maiken Bailey , and staged in multi-Michelin starred restaurants like L'Enclume. He grew up Brazil's favelas (scenes from which he's hand drawn on one of the dining room walls), and says the idea for Amai developed during the pandemic, when he was thinking about his family, identity and legacy. His grandparents were unable to read or write, and survived by cooking food which Silva's parents then sold in the city. Their sacrifices and " meals full of love " started his passion for cooking. Amai means "mother" in Shona (an African language and part of his heritage) and “to love” in Portuguese, and the chef says it's a tribute to the women who raised him. What table should we ask for? This is a beautiful old room (it used to be a shoe shop!) that's gotten the fit out it deserves, with comfortable, elegant seating, and Brazilian touches throughout - Silva's aunt's paintings are dotted around the room; a cavaco banjo hangs on the wall; a large black mural of an African woman covers the wall that greets you as you climb the stairs (painted by the chef). There are hanging florals, a parquet floor, a timber-lined bar with a swirling green marble countertop, rich dark wood and terracotta cushions on a creamy backdrop - it's a joy to take in, light flooding the room from those old sash windows. The best seats however are the two tables for two at the windows. On a muggy summer evening in Dublin it felt like having our own personal wind machine, the loveliest breeze drifting in through the window. Add to that the 10/10 people watching below (including right into The Westbury's lounge) and these aren't just the best seats in the restaurant, they're some of the best in the city. What's the menu like? It's a tasting menu only for €79 with no options (but they'll happily accommodate dietary requirements, just give them notice please ). Snacks first. A thickly crusted croquette with a rich feijoada interior (the famous Brazilian bean stew), animated by orange and nam jim on top. A smoky yucca (starchy root veg common in Brazil), egg and Gubbeen custard with lardo powder on top - dig deep for sweet and tangy black garlic underneath and scoop it up onto a crunchy tapioca cracker. A foie gras, coffee and açai (actual berries, not smoothie slush) tart that looked and tasted like it had come by taxi from Chapter One . If you weren't paying attention before, this opening salvo will have you correcting your posture. The statement cooking continues with barbecued o chra (a vegetable native to Africa but popular in Brazilian cooking), sitting on a ring of Ardsallagh Goats Cheese, with candied strawberries, nasturtium leaves and puffed rice. Watermelon gazpacho is poured in at the table, along with mint oil and fermented tomato honey (made in house, obvs). Getting your greens is rarely this exciting. Fennel brioche is a wow moment (the same way Jordan Bailey's brown soda bread course at Aimsir was), corn-cultured butter moulded into the shape of a corn cob. Tear open the sweet, fragrant bread topped with salty crystals and lather it on. This is not the stuff for scraping or scooping, this is bread that needs its own moment. Monkfish is next, and Silva's take on the Brazilian fish stew moqueca, with red pepper, coriander, coconut milk and red palm oil. The frothy top hides a deep red sauce underneath that you'll be using your fingers to scrape from the bowl, and the firm, meaty fish was needed for all that tang and spice. We're always surprised to see beef on menus these days with prices out of control, but it is synonymous with Brazil. AGM Mariana told us this dish represents the churrascos in her and Silva's home town of Porto Alegre, where meat is cooked over an open flame, but like everything else it's levelled up with vinaigrette (our favourite salsa-like Brazilian condiment), a rich jus, and a long wafer filled with potato salad. Smoky short-rib to the side, so tender you could eat it with a spoon, was the best thing about this plate, with the striploin too firm and the "jus bras" slightly too salty. Why are tasting menus "mains" always the least exciting part of a menu? We're still waiting on that restaurant with a tasting menu of just snacks. The culinary sparkle was back with a dessert of mango sorbet, mango pieces, lime, polenta cake, camomile infusion, and vanilla caramel tuille with bee pollen. Got all that? You will once it's swimming around your mouth, every flavour holding its own. A tenacious chef ends a menu with the same strong statement they started it with. A blow-torched lemon meringue tart; a banana caramel choux; a Capirin ha pâte de fruits. Three perfect bites, ideally paired with a decaf espresso (10/10), and you'll float happily off into the night. What about drinks? Being the national drink of Brazil, you've got to try a Caipirinha (€16) - this is the best one we've had outside of Rio de Janeiro, and just LOOK at those custom ice cubes (there are more than a few Michelin-worthy touches here). They don't have mocktails on the list but delivered a beauty of a mango one with N/A gin on request. The wines are coming through The Corkscrew downstairs, with Drappier the house Champagne at €22 a glass. Bottles start at €41/€43 for basic white and red, with the more interesting producers starting from €50-60. You'll find something you like here, but we would have liked to see some more exciting, off-beat choices, and they've gone high with margins - the same wines (like Pieropan's Soave) are available in other Dublin restaurants for a good 10% less. Must be the Grafton Street tax. Glasses are also 175ml which is large for this type of restaurant, so expect sticker shock looking at a glass of Portugese Dao for €20, or an Italian rosé for €17. How was the service? They posted on Instagram that what they hope makes them stand out is their " warm, welcoming spirit—that rare quality both Brazilian and Irish cultures share. The genuine kindness, generosity, and love for making people feel at home that's fundamental to who we are ." That statement of purpose sums up our experience here, and the generosity that flowed from arrival to departure. From the broad welcomes on arrival, to the offer of any table we'd like, to the generosity of time chatting and explaining more about the food and concept, to the offer of any drink you want on the house to end your meal (what a novelty!), it's like sitting through a crash course in what it means to be "hospitable". What was the damage? The tasting menu is €79, and if you go all in on cocktails, wine and coffee you'll easily spend €150 a head after tip. We considered that money well spent. What's the verdict on Amai by Viktor? Dublin is on a hell of a roll right now. 2025 has already brought us Lena , Comet and Chubbys , all operating at the very top of their game, and now Amai by Viktor has swooped in as a challenger to the best of them. We said Comet was bringing something unique to Dublin that didn't exist elsewhere - now here's another player a couple of streets over doing exactly that. Brazilian food has never had a showcase at this level of cooking in Ireland, and it's clear from the first few bites that this is a chef with an obsessive focus, who's pushing harder every day (just look at Google reviews to see how the plating has developed over the first few weeks). Take our advice - book Amai by Viktor now before the Michelin men and national critics write about how impressive, unique and exciting it is, and those window seats become a lot harder to secure. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

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

One of our top picks for Turkish food in the city, offering some of the best value around for very generous portions. Meat is cooked on the mangal – the beating heart of Turkish barbecue – and served with homemade breads, dips and assorted mezze. Casual space full of ex-pats missing the taste of home, and there’s no alcohol but you could head to The Sackville Lounge or Bar 1661 afterwards if you’re out for the night. Sofra Website instagram.com/sofra.dublin Address Sofra Cafe & Grill Restaurant, Liffey Street Upper, North City, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story One of our top picks for Turkish food in the city, offering some of the best value around for very generous portions. Meat is cooked on the mangal – the beating heart of Turkish barbecue – and served with homemade breads, dips and assorted mezze. Casual space full of ex-pats missing the taste of home, and there’s no alcohol but you could head to The Sackville Lounge or Bar 1661 afterwards if you’re out for the night. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

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

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

The all-in menu at Lucky Tortoise in Temple Bar (and in their original Aungier Street site) is some of the best value in Dublin, with plate after plate of banchan, okonomiyaki and dumplings meaning you can try it all and still have change from €30. There's a vegan version too. Lucky Tortoise Temple Bar Website luckytortoise.ie Address 17B Asdill's Row, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The all-in menu at Lucky Tortoise in Temple Bar (and in their original Aungier Street site) is some of the best value in Dublin, with plate after plate of banchan, okonomiyaki and dumplings meaning you can try it all and still have change from €30. There's a vegan version too. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

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

Old school, opulent dining with French flair in a refurbished 18th century coach house. Great produce cooked skillfully for over 20 years, with new head chef Zhan Sergejev taking the reins in 2022. They've made no attempt to hide that they're in pursuit of a Michelin star, and many think they should have been given one years ago. Could this be the team that does it for them? One Pico Website onepico.com Address 5/6 Molesworth Place, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Old school, opulent dining with French flair in a refurbished 18th century coach house. Great produce cooked skillfully for over 20 years, with new head chef Zhan Sergejev taking the reins in 2022. They've made no attempt to hide that they're in pursuit of a Michelin star, and many think they should have been given one years ago. Could this be the team that does it for them? Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Tables at Liath were already some of the hardest to get in Dublin, and Michelin awarding them a second star in the 2022 hasn't helped things. They got their first star as Heron & Grey in 2016, but when owner Andrew Heron departed two years later, owner/chef Damien Grey announced a name change to 'Liath' - 'grey' in Irish, and took things up a gear. Reservations open two months in advance and you’ll need to be primed and ready to get a table. Liath Website liathrestaurant.com Address Blackrock Market, 19A Main St, Blackrock, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Tables at Liath were already some of the hardest to get in Dublin, and Michelin awarding them a second star in the 2022 hasn't helped things. They got their first star as Heron & Grey in 2016, but when owner Andrew Heron departed two years later, owner/chef Damien Grey announced a name change to 'Liath' - 'grey' in Irish, and took things up a gear. Reservations open two months in advance and you’ll need to be primed and ready to get a table. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Comet The most exciting, original restaurant opening in Dublin this year Posted: 8 Jul 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the 411 on Comet? The prodigal chef returns home from Denmark with a grá to settle at home and dreams of achieving big things on home turf. Wexford-born Kevin O’Donnell came up through the ranks of Dublin dining, working at Bastible and Klaw, before decamping to Copenhagen and achieving very big things. Gaining a job at two Michelin-starred Kadeau , he worked his way up to head chef at Kadeau 's summer beachside outpost Bornholm (which has one Michelin star), before being appointed head of research, development and "special stuff" across both restaurants, which doesn’t happen without a lot of talent and an equal amount of graft. O’Donnell’s now wife Laura Chabal also worked at Kadeau as Communications Manager, but the couple, like most in hospitality, dreamt about what they could create on their own, and Ireland was calling. They moved home in 2024 and started testing the water with their Comet supper club , which had a few run outs at the Fumbally Stables, as well as doing some private catering while they figured out a plan. That plan was hatched with old employers Bastible , who came on board to back Comet the restaurant. Remember La Ruelle , the wine bar behind what's now Pablo Picante on Dawson Street? The wine list (or room) was never our vibe, so we can't say we were heartbroken to see them go. The site though on Joshua Lane (named after Joshua Dawson who sold the land it sits on to Dublin corporation for £3,500 in 1715) has the most central of locations, and despite a lack of passing trade, we were surprised to see it sat empty since last year – until Comet swooped in to turn on the lights back on. What table should we be asking for? If you're a table of six (or maybe less depending on how busy they are) you'll want the oval table in the window - the only one with decent natural light and the perfect shape for group conversations. Thankfully acoustics in here are better than the lighting - be aware that if you bring that older person in your life who wears reading glasses they will complain about needing a torch to see the menu. Otherwise the room is roughly split in two by a room divider on the left and the bar counter on the right, with natural light diminishing the further back you go, but a mirror cleverly installed on the back wall to combat this. We generally like to be at the front and have a better view of the whole room, but if you're meeting someone to conduct an illicit affair, ask for a corner in the back, or just behind that divider. What's the menu like? A genuinely original (for Dublin), European bistro-style, love letter to local sourcing, pickling, smoking, fermenting and doing very clever things to get the maximum possible flavour from very lovely ingredients - no BS included. Start with the "Comet" aperitif while deciding what to order - the white vermouth on ice with a guindilla chilli pepper and a dash of the brine mixed through is an electric opener, and the perfect signature serve. There’s a “4-course carte blanche” option for €78, but it’s a bit confusing as to exactly what you’ll get. They told us two snacks, two starters, a fish course each (red mullet instead of the pollock on the menu), a main to share, and two desserts, but it’s all a surprise, and with no details of what’s on there it’s impossible to know whether it’s better or worse value than ordering à la carte , which is what we ended up doing. Don't pass on olives and pickles (€8) thinking you've had them a million times - not like this you haven't. Warm olives arrive so smooth and glistening in olive oil (the really good stuff) you can almost see your reflection in them. A unique assortment of pickled gooseberries, artichoke, asparagus, and onion sit beside them, and between the rich olives and tangy pickles it's a mini flavour riot. Anchovy and meyer lemon toast came next, covered in a sorrel leaf which we struggled to see the point of (other than the fun of lifting it up to see what's underneath). This one needs a chilli warning - that heat wasn't mentioned on the menu - and while those mink brown anchovies are in our all time top food lists, we didn't love this enough to think about it much afterwards (especially for the €9 price tag). Onto starters/small plates, and a smoked pork cheek and black kale skewer (€22) arrived concertina-style in the most perfect rectangle. The pork, from Fiorbhia Farm in Laois is cured in shio koji ( here's an explainer ), hot smoked, then glazed with pork fat, collatura (an Italian fish sauce made from anchovies) and fermented habanero. The tangy, earthy kale up against the ultra-thin smoky pork, dragged through the toasted yeast emulsion on the side makes for a dish where the above average price tag is easily justified. " Peas, broad beans and pistachio " wouldn't have been on our order sheet if owner Chabal hadn't told us it was her favourite, and gosh were we glad we listened. Peas and beans from Abercorn Farm and Castleruddery in Wicklow tasted like they'd been plucked from the ground moments earlier, podded by nuns who yodelled as they worked. Tossed through with pistashio and fermented plum, and sitting on a puddle of crème crue (another name for crème fraîche), this is the kind of dish you want to never come off the menu, but you know it has to – that’s what makes seasonal eating so special. When you get to mains DO NOT look past the quail on toast - currently a top contender for the best thing we've eaten in 2025 (or ever?). French quails are deboned, given a sweet Asian glaze (confit garlic, cider vinegar, soy), stuffed with leeks, melded to homemade sourdough, and sat in a pool of Vin Jaune sauce – this is gamebird witchcraft and we were suitably spellbound. You might start off with a knife and fork, but a few bites in and you'll be making a show of yourself gnawing every last sliver of meat from the remaining bones - a finger bowl would be handy. If we don't see this on the Michelin Inspector's dishes of the month some time soon we'll be questioning whether they know what they’re talking about. The fish dish was pollock cooked in beef fat (ooooof for us, controversial for pescatarians) served with girolles and toasted hazelnuts, in a buttery sauce made with the mushroom cooking liquid and fermented white asparagus juice. Anything sitting side by side with that quail is going to pale in comparison, but the mouthfuls where you got a bit of everything were pretty special. As fish dishes go, this isn't light, and those (crazy people) who don’t like too much butter may want to pick something a bit less rich. Pommes boulangère usually looks like more like a gratin than a potato rose, but we prefer this version. Cooked in chicken stock and so soft that a knife glides from top to bottom of the waxy potato stripes, it tasted like the best Christmas potatoes, without veering into carbocide territory. Yet another impressive kitchen turn. In too many bistro set ups like this, desserts are an obvious afterthought. Something spoonable, something freezable, always simple and negating the need for a pastry chef. So Comet's three options plus an out of the box cheese course is more cause for applause. We usually skip the cheese course - we eat enough of it at home for a fraction of the price, why bother with the premium restaurant surcharge - but Comet is where habits will be broken. Are we going to cook the softest warm oat pancake as a base, make a marmalade-from Cedrat, an ancient citrus fruit imported from France, and generously shave nutty, caramel, crystal-flecked Coolea (an Irish gouda-style cheese) over the top? No we are not. We're good, but we're not that good. This is that good. A fig and brown sugar tartlet had the kind of ultra-short, crumbly, cocoa-filled pastry that only the most skilled Granny can produce. Filled with slices of ripe fig and topped with a silky, coffee crème diplomat (there’s cold-infused coffee oil in the crème), it's the kind of thing you could imagine Cedric Grolet serving you after a Parisian pilgrimage, while you tell yourself it’s a perfectly acceptable breakfast alongside a Café au Lait – fruit and coffee = breakfast. What about drinks? This is a wine venue - there's a few aperitifs and some NA options but no beer or spirits as we type. There's a short, sharp by the glass list, with a single sparkling and rosé, three each of white and red, and a couple of dessert options. It's considerably cheaper to drink the same wines by the bottle, with small glasses (125ml) at a premium price, so you will pay more for variety. There are no bad choices on this list - everything's been carefully chosen to take up a treasured slot, and the minimal intervention lean in much of the bottles is the perfect fit for the thoughtfully prepared food. If you tend to stick to the more common grapes and are unsure which of the by the glass options you might like, ask for a taste. And if you're in the wine drinking big leagues (and/or the salary big leagues) ask for the cellar wine list ( also online ). This is the kind of starry-eyed selection we’re more used to seeing in London or Paris, and this alone will draw a very specific type of diner (the type we’d really like to be friends with). How was the service? With two owners on the floor, and with us getting clocked immediately, it was never going to be anything but lovely. Dishes arrived with perfect timing, and we weren’t rushed off the table afterwards (this will depend on whether there’s a booking after you though). If Chabal is on the floor try to grab her for food and wine recommendations. There’s nothing quite like getting your hands on the person whose passion project you’re watching unfold. What's the financial committment? Comet has placed itself in the upper tier of Dublin pricing, in line with Library Street, Kicky’s, Uno Mas, and with the extreme amount of work to extract maximum flavour in the kitchen, it couldn’t be any other way. There’s no doubt the Michelin inspectors will be sitting down to dinner soon, and it’s hard to imagine a chef who’s coming from a multi-starred stable not wanting to get one on his own terms. While the prices might mean this is special occasion territory for most people, they won't care too much if it’s worth it. We paid €125 per person for a snack, starter, main, dessert/cheese, and four drinks each (including an aperitif and coffee), before tip, and we’d pay it again, and again. What's the verdict on Comet? It’s always hard to make big statements after just one meal, but here we go anyway. Comet , is the most exciting, original opening in Dublin this year (and we might include 2024 in that too). Maybe someone will say restaurants like this are 10 a penny in Copenhagen, maybe nothing is really original any more, but looking at the existing landscape of Dublin dining , Comet has landed with something entirely different. This is such confident cooking, sourcing only the best and fusing it with bold flavours developed through time-intensive methods. This is a team on a mission, with no evidence of fumbling or second-guessing themselves (maybe they’re hiding it well). There’s no hint of bean-counting or cost-cutting either, but you’ll pay for this kind of investment in flavour, and we suggest you do before word spreads and those 30 or so seats become perpetually booked up. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Steak and seafood with more than a few nods to the Parisian bistro. Classic, comforting dining in the seaside village of Dalkey. Deville's Website devilles.ie Address 25 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Steak and seafood with more than a few nods to the Parisian bistro. Classic, comforting dining in the seaside village of Dalkey. Where It's At Nearby Locales Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield

Square Dish A Detroit-style disappointment Posted: 13 May 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Square Dish? It's Dublin's newest pizza restaurant (no we haven't peaked yet), with a fancy fit out on one of the capital's most desirable streets - St. Stephen's Green. While the combination of those elements initially made us think Square Dish must be from a big hospitality group with money coming out the wazoo, it's actually husband and wife team Andrew Eakin and Naomi Murtagh behind it. Eakin started London wine shops Bottle Apostle many moons ago, before moving into the wine industry in France, while Murtagh is a designer, most recently based in London. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

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

Bun Cha Vibrant Vietnamese on Moore Street Posted: 9 Jul 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Bun Cha opened on Moore Street in early 2018 and immediately stood out from the few Vietnamese restaurants in the city thanks to their slick website and professional food photography. We weren't the only ones who noticed, as they had Lucinda O'Sullivan and Tom Doorley through the door in the first couple of months. She hated it, he loved it, but slowly they seemed to be building a fan base for their eponymous bun cha and banh mi. Opened by the same people who own the oriental supermarket next door, we're told it's one of only three Vietnamese restaurants in Ireland that are owned and cheffed by Vietnamese people, and that bringing a taste of home to Dublin was the main goal. So far so convinced. Where should we go for a drink first? We recently made the welcome discovery that Wines Direct have a wine shop and bar in Arnotts with €7 corkage on anything off the shelf, as well as plenty of wines by the glass. It closes when Arnotts closes (from 7-9pm depending on the night) so would only work if you're in early, but it's your best bet for wine around these parts. If you're after a pre or post beer head for The Big Romance on Parnell Street for one of the most interesting selections in town, and if you fancy a caipirinha or a mezcal mule make your way to Wigwam on Middle Abbey Street Where should we sit? There's a Vietnamese canteen vibe that means you probably won't sit here all night, but it's perfectly comfortable for a quick bite to eat. If you're on your own there are a few counter seats looking out onto Moore Street, otherwise grab one of the benches against the wall. What's good to eat? From what we ate the unmissable dishes were the bun cha (grilled pork with noodles) and the bun nem (fried spring rolls with noodles). The chargrilled pork in the bun cha has an obscenely smokey flavour that has to be tasted to be understood (we're talking big green egg flavour), and the pork spring rolls must be up there with the most blisteringly crisp (and delicious) in the city. The balance in the dipping sauce with bits of carrot, kohlrabi and chilli is perfect, and we loved the amount of fresh coriander and mint jammed onto the plates, which is something other Vietnamese restaurants here can bizarrely be lacking. We also loved the wonton soup with shrimp wontons, char siu pork, egg, broccoli and spring onions, and a lemongrass paste to stir into the rich, deeply flavoured broth, that could only have come from hours of cooking. It's a huge bowl of food for €11.50 so only order if hungry or you're prepared to take some home (in their lovely cardboard boxes). Our waiter told us one of his favourites was the dry mixed noodles with roasted pork xa xiu, and it was a disarmingly simple bowl of what looked and tasted like super noodles, with slices of pork, crunchy pak choi, shallots and peanuts. Once we got past the super noodle prejudice we really enjoyed the mix of textures and flavours from the sweet pork, slippery noodles and crispy shallots, and it's a dish we're now actively craving. Summer rolls with prawns weren't the most exciting thing we tried, and could have done with a more amped up flavour, and "fried golden dough" or "quay" were just sticks of somewhat bland savoury dough, but will fill a hunger gap until the mains arrive. In Vietnam these are usually eaten with congee or pho, so that might improve things. We didn't try the banh mi but have it on authority they're as good as many in Hoi An, and will definitely be going back for the pho once the weather turns cold again (which should be any day now). What about the drinks? We'd been told to try the sugar cane juice which is freshly squeezed in the kitchen downstairs, but they were out of it, so instead tried a lychee and mint juice, greener than anything naturally occurring in nature. We wouldn't recommend this unless you like the idea of drinking lychee toothpaste. They do have a short wine list and it's predictably unappealing, but we've seen worse so if desperate you could find something, and randomly they do cocktails, including sex on the beach. Proceed with caution. And the service? Both times we ate here our server was so sweet and welcoming, and very happy to tell us his favourite dishes, both here and back home in Vietnam. For him this is the best Vietnamese food in the city, and when it comes to the bun cha and bun nem we'd find it hard to disagree. The verdict? We've always struggled to understand the lack of Vietnamese food in Dublin when it's so prevalent in cities like London and Melbourne, and such a vibrant, fresh cuisine that most people seem to fall in love with on tasting. It's easy to say that the best Vietnamese cuisine is going to be found in Vietnam, but if you can't afford a plane ticket Bun Cha's doing a pretty good job of bringing it to us. Bun Cha 11 Moore Street, Dublin 1 www.buncha.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Shouk Mezze, shawarma and arayes straight from the Levant Posted: 13 Nov 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Shouk opened quietly a year ago with zero fanfare - they have social media but not even a website. Slowly rumours started to go around about what sounded like a ramshackle operation on the grounds of St Pat's college in Drumcondra serving really exciting Middle Eastern food. Catherine Cleary reviewed it six months later and the word was officially out. It's actually not in St. Pat's College, it's right next to the train station and the Arts and Business Campus, and it backs onto a yard with a few covered market stalls selling various handmade bits and pieces. Owner Alon is Israeli with Irish roots, and insists on everything being made fresh, and it's in no small thanks to this that in 12 months Shouk has gone from suburban unknown to somewhere you'd be lucky to get in without a booking. Where should we go for a drink first? This isn't really the land of wine or cocktails. Your best bet would be a pint or a gin and tonic in Fagan's (Bertie Ahern's fav) or Kennedy's , or just go straight to Shouk which is BYO. Where should we sit? Inside is warm and 'cosy', with a few bar seats and tables which are quite close together, but we can guarantee it won't bother you much once the food starts coming. There's also a wonderful outside area which is a total suntrap and was the place to be during the summer. We were thinking of how sad it is that this space is going to go to waste for the next six months or so until the weather gets better again, when they told us that work is about to get underway on building walls to enclose the space that will be able to go up or down depending on the weather, as well as a retractable roof. Genius. What's good to eat? Honestly? Everything. We've been three times and were wowed by it all. Don't miss the mezze platter, but be warned, it's enormous, so one between two (or two between four) is plenty, unless that's all you want to eat. Everything in Shouk is homemade and it's so obvious when you start eating. The flavours are so intense and vibrant, we spend most of our time there making yummy noises and shaking our heads rather than talking. You can order all of the bits separately from the snacks menu but the mezze is a really good overview of what the kitchen are doing. The chicken shawarma is another winner, albeit more difficult to share, and is packed with spiced chicken, pickled and fresh veg and loads of hummus in a fresh pita. For €8.50 it's one of the best sandwiches we've had this year. The menu is mostly vegetarian, and the chargrilled aubergine, with tahini, harissa, cherry tomatoes and more of that amazing pitta is as good an example as any to give meat a break. It is very charred and strong-tasting, so you might not want a whole plate to yourself but it's a definite if you're sharing. *Secret menu item alert* - Through some fortuitous twist of fate (an older member of a group asking where all the meat was) we discovered the beef and lamb arayes - stuffed pitta breads deep-fried and served with labneh, charred vegetables and a cucumber, onion and tomato salad. This is heavy and probably the least healthy item in here but oh so worth it - total table silencer. They're hoping to launch new menus soon and we're told this will be on there, but if not ask for it. They only had one dessert the last time we were there - Malabi, an Israeli milk pudding. Usually desserts like this wouldn't overly appeal, but our server convinced us to give it a go and we were so glad she did. A coconut cream base was topped with rosewater, shaved coconut, caramelised almonds and pistachios, and was a perfect combination of lightness, zippiness and sweetness. We shared one and were very tempted to order another, but had already eaten our body weight in pitta so restrained ourselves. What about the drinks? Another brilliant thing about Shouk is that it's BYO - €4 for wine, €1 for beer, but this might go up soon as it's very cheap. This started as they initially didn't have an alcohol license, but despite recently securing a wine list they're going to keep allowing BYO as it's been so popular - three cheers for Shouk. They're currently working on a wine list too so if you don't want to BYO (or forget to) they will have options. And the service? There's a really positive atmosphere in Shouk and everyone really seems to like working there. This is probably partly down to the fact that they are deluged with customers telling them how much they enjoyed their meal and can't wait to come back. It's like walking into a big love bubble. The verdict? This the most exciting, best-value Middle Eastern food we've found in Dublin. The dishes and flavours set the bar for this style of cooking, and if we had this in Israel, never mind Ireland, we'd be delighted. Every time we've gone the bill has seemed paltry for the amount and quality of food we had, and the fact that you can BYO makes it ideal for special occasions. Go soon, and be sure to book in advance. Shouk 40 Drumcondra Road Lower, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 shouk.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>