Bistro One Website bistro-one.ie Address 3 Brighton Road, Foxrock, Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Mani Join the queue for perfect pizza to perk up the New Year Posted: 9 Jan 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story with Mani? If you haven't already heard of Drury Street's latest pizza slice shop, you must have been on an enforced social media blackout for the last few months, because Mani has been everywhere (and that's going to continue for the foreseeable future). Owner Ciaran McGonagle used to work for Coppinger Row, before founding Catch Events, and later setting up food truck Ciao Cannoli . At some point an obsession with Roman-style pizza al taglio took hold, and realising it wasn't readily available in Ireland, he decided he was the man to bring it. He spent a year mastering the dough from Italians in the know, then went to Ballymaloe for their famous 12-week course to focus on the rest. He tested the water with a food truck which popped up at various locations like Clontarf, Dublin Castle and the House of Peroni, but when Blazing Salads vacated the Drury Street premises they'd been in for 23 years, McGonagle got lucky with a lease. As luck would have it, chef Rory Shannon, who'd recently wrapped up Pala Pizza and Trattoria in Foxrock in search of somewhere more central, was available for hire, and these two Roman pizza nerds came together in a solid case of all the stars aligning. Are there seats? Yes but they're limited to eight stools inside (five facing out onto Drury Street with glorious people watching opportunities) and picnic benches outside. Some are covered, but we imagine all will be eventually, because you know, Ireland. What's on the menu? Pizza slices, dips, panini, and a few fried bits (Fritti) which are a Shannon specialty. Sadly the fritti weren't available on the day we visited, but we've had his suppli and oogled his lasagne fritti online so we feel confident reccomending them even without having tasted them. Of the five pizzas available on the day we visited, three were vegetarian and one vegan, so plenty of options for any non meat-eaters in your life. There's also a vegan panini with melanzane parmigiana, as well as porchetta and mortadella options. You'll be able to eye up the slices up in the display window before making your choice, although you might feel frazzled if there's a queue and not feel comfortable leaving it for a browse. The staff then whisk it off to be reheated in the oven and give you a buzzer that goes off when it's ready. Fear not, this is how many slice shops in Italy operate, and nothing is lost with the pre-cook, reheat later method. Because of the high hydration, the dough gets even crispier after a second trip to the oven. The margherita (€6.50) is always the first test of any good pizza place, and Mani's comes with homemade tomato sauce, Toonsbridge Fior di Latte, stracciatella, basil and EVOO. Whether you've had Roman style pizza before or not, the base here with its 80% hydration and three-day fermentation before baking will knock you sideways - so light while losing nothing in texture, so crisp without being dry or hard. Sweatshop levels of exertion have gone into this dough preparation and cook, and you can taste it as soon as it hits your mouth. Toppings were perfectly judged, with bright tomato under an oozing double cheese combo. The Carbonara slice (€8.50) is what catapulted Mani from fondly-thought-of food truck to social media superstar, and it's an eye-catcher, with pancetta, guanciale, Pecorino Romano, Toonsbridge Fior di Latte, black pepper, and a generous coating of free-range egg yolk over the top (we're dying to know what happens to all of the egg whites, maybe there's a pavlova spin off in the works). The toppings here outweigh any saintly lightness from the base, but the carbonara flavours are all there and then some. Too many pizza places can be tight with the toppings, but shouldn't be any complaints about that here. Wall to wall pancetta, cheese and egg yolk will make the masses happy, but the richness factor is high so we wouldn't plan on eating much more if you're having a whole one. We didn't realise the potato slice (€6.50) was vegan until after we'd eaten it, the cream di nocciola bringing a creamy, nutty, sweetness that deftly disguised the lack of cheese. Irish rooster potatoes are sliced wafer thin, and it's topped with cress for added freshness. The other meat option is the salsiccia (€7.50), with housemade fennel sausage, vodka sauce, fior di latte, pink onions, salsa verde and Pecorino Romano. The salsa verde is a clever touch, bringing a lemony freshness to a meaty, cheesy slice, and like everything else in here is beautifully balanced. Of the four dips (€2 each) we tried three - garlic sauce, hot chilli and honey, and cacio e pepe. We would heartily reccomend all of them (the garlic is perfection), but the Carbonara slice dipped in the cacio e pepe sauce is an OTT trip that cheese lovers won't be forgetting any time soon. Panini (€10.50 - €11.50) are no relation to the ultra-processed bread pox that landed in Dublin some time in the last century (and are still readily available in delis and bad pubs across the country). These have the same light, ultra-crisp dough as the pizzas, baked into sandwich form, sliced through the centre and stuffed with fillings like porchetta and cheesy aubergine. When we heard the mortadella option came with pistachio cream, curiosity got the better of us, and of all the things we ate that day, this is one we've been reliving daily. The mild, porky, slightly smoky flavour up against the slightly sweet, pesto-like sauce sounds so wrong, but tastes so incredible. Owner McGonagle's other business Ciao Cannoli plays a supporting role here, with Nutella, classico and pistachio options (€5.50 each) all made to order. We've had these several times and they're always pitch perfect, but these felt a bit smaller than what we've had in the past so we wouldn't share between any more than two (if you're feeling generous). What about drinks? They're basic but do the job, with a very drinkable organic Nero D'Avola by the glass (€8) or bottle (€45) and a Gavi for white (same prices). Beers are Ichnusa (or Peroni 0.0) and they have soft drinks too. How was the service? Pleasant but perfunctory. You place your order at the till, pay and take a seat with your buzzer. Once your order is ready you go up to collect it. Just prepare to feel slightly stressed if you have questions about the menu and there's a snaking queue behind you - there's only one till and hungry people are easily irritated. What was the damage? €60 for more than enough to feed three - we took leftovers home but could have been greedier and finished the lot. What's the verdict on Mani? We wanted to like Mani, but we LOVED it. McGonagle has cut zero corners, determined to get the Roman specialty just right for a clearly appreciative Irish audience, and having Shannon for start-up support makes Mani a powerhouse. We think Shannon has grander Trattoria-style plans down the line, but if the temperaments work, we think these two could have an imressive run of restaurants in them. God knows it's easier having a business partner than going it alone, especially when you operate with the same fervour and work ethic to attain a perfect product every time. With appetites (and wallets) for premium-priced dining experiences dropping by the day, we think it's ultra-accessible, ultra-delicious places like Mani that are going to soar in 2024. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Anywhere that has a note on their website pleasing "please don't ask us for chicken in your pasta" gets the seal of approval from us. Bar Italia does a lot of things really well: house-made pasta, pizza bases that have been been fermented for 72 hours, and some of the best people-watching in the city thanks to floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the Millennium Bridge. Bar Italia Website baritalia.ie Address 26 Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Anywhere that has a note on their website pleasing "please don't ask us for chicken in your pasta" gets the seal of approval from us. Bar Italia does a lot of things really well: house-made pasta, pizza bases that have been been fermented for 72 hours, and some of the best people-watching in the city thanks to floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the Millennium Bridge. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Cellar 22 Homemade charcuterie and 40 wines by the glass at Dublin's newest wine bar Posted: 23 Jan 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story with Cellar 22? Since The Cliff Townhouse closed its doors mid-pandemic at the end of 2021, number 22 St Stephen's Green has sat empty, crying out for a shrewd operator to move in and level up the space into somewhere with the potential to draw in all of those five-star tourists passing the doors each day - and the rest of us if they got the offering right. Last November, it was announced that the basement space (formerly The Cliff's seafood bar Urchin) was reopening as Cellar 22 , with whispers about a more formal restaurant to follow upstairs. The new owners (who also own The Fitzwilliam Hotel and The Bailey ) were obviously intent on making this more than just a tourist trap, because they brought in Delahunt 's head chef Chris Maguire (as well as some of his colleagues) to run the kitchen. Victor Nedelea (ex- Sole ) was brought in on wine, and teaser posts dropped on social looked like they meant business. Where should we sit? It's a quirky, cosy room, with a lot of dark wood and cavernous corners to sink into. There are low tables at the front, high tables in the middle, and booths to the right, as well as a semi-private room towards the back. There's also four counter seats in the back of the restaurant facing into the kitchen, so if live-action is your thing be sure to request them. As you'd expect with a basement restaurant, snug and intimate take precedence over bright and spacious, but that's just what we're looking for in these cooler months. We imagine indoor seating in a venue like this might suffer when the sun shines, but there are seats for 8-10 out front too. What should we eat? Cellar 22 has set out its niche as having a dedicated charcuterie menu, with the even more impressive declaration that 80% of it is made in house - that's enough to get us off the couch and onto a bus. If you're a meat eater, you're probably coming here for this, but first, bread. A 'selection of breads' - sourdough, focaccia and brown - will set you back €9, and comes with smoked butter (incredible), Parmesan fondue (forgettable), and beetroot and dill (questionable - why is this here without some kind of ricotta/similarly milky salve). Breads are very good - sourdough light and chewy, brown dense and crumbly, but the focaccia was a little too dry for our liking - unleash the oil. Croquettes get a bad rap for being on every menu in every combination, but sometimes you get one that reminds you WHY they're everywhere - because they're bloody delicious. Cellar 22's shortrib ones fit the bill, with crispy shells hiding sweet, melting hunks of beef, although the chive mayo could have been a bit more assertive. We were verrrrrry excited at the prospect of a brand new beef tartare in town, but this version with too tough meat and far more mayonnaise than has any business being in a tartare was disappointing. The crispy onions would have been a lovely addition if everything else worked, but we'd pare this one right back to basics. The pomme paillasson (straw potato cake) on the other hand could (should) be a dish on its own, with the tartare actually managing to distract from it. Pile em high and send em out. Then onto the main draw, the charcuterie board, which comes in small (€16) or large (€28). In the large you get all eight options, in the small a selection chosen that day by the chef. Of course we went large (this isn't a half once over), and at first glance were slightly disappointed with the portion sizes. It took a few minutes to realise why - the board photographed for their Irish Times review was noticeably larger, with an extra piece of all three cured meats, a pâté en croûte that was double the size, and twice the amount of (delicious) deep-fried crackers. In a world where over-delivering is tantamount to a great experience, under-delivering from promo photos is an odd move. But what about the actual charcuterie. Coming out on top was the Venison rillette (cured venison leg, slowly cooked in chicken fat for an immensely deep flavour ), the Pâté en croûte (pork, foie gras and smoked lardo in the most perfect savoury short crust pastry), and the chicken liver pâté (seasoned with brandy and silky smooth). The pâté de campagne was enjoyable as a more rustic terrine but not quite as wow, the ham hock terrine was pleasant but needed a flavour oomph, and the smoked pig's head definitely won't be for everyone - slices were mostly fat, with a gelatinous texture. There were delicious cucumber pickles too, and an apple butter which felt superfluous - another pickle or cornichons would have provided some more welcome acidity to cut through all that meat. The only two that are bought in, the Salchichón Ibérico de bellota and Coppa Piacentina, are excellent quality, and perfect nibbles alongside a glass of tangy red. There's lots to like here, but some of it could be that bit more exciting. A final small plate of Southern-fried maitake mushrooms with Boyne Valley blue ranch (served in half a roasted garlic bulb) was what deep-fried vegetarian dreams are made off, and once we popped it was hard to stop, but a couple of the mushrooms were more batter than 'shroom. When fully filled with fungi they were a crunchy delight - the batter is perfection, the dip inspired. They're keeping it simple for afters with cheese, affogato or 'variations of chocolate, banana and pecan'. For the latter we were expecting something thrown together in typical wine bar "we're too busy to care about dessert" style, but not so - someone in here knows their way around a pastry section. A chocolate mousse comes encased in more chocolate, with what tasted like meringue along with banana underneath a pecan bicsuit and banana ice-cream. A perfect sweet note to end on, particularly with a glass of Port. What about drinks? When we read through the wine list online it all felt a bit classic, with plenty of big names and commercial producers - more Sole than Fish Shop . However when we got in there was an additional short list of smaller, more natural producers, which our waitress told us will change regularly. It's a smart move to keep wine loving regulars coming back to see what's new, and brings the number of wines by the glass up to an impressive 40. If you've got cash to splash (entertaining clients perhaps) you won't struggle for showy bottles, with the most expensive wine a €750 Premier Cru Bordeaux from Château Figeac in Saint-Émilion. We mostly drank off the specials list, with Albert di Conti's brilliant pet nat on for sparkling, a beautiful dry palomino from Hacienda la Parrilla for white, and Catina Rallo's Ciello Rosso falling surprisngly flat on this occasion, but the Etna Rosso from Torre Mora on the main list is exactly what you want with charcuterie - all dark fruits and zippy acidity. A fino to start from Williams & Humbert Col was a poor example, lacking in those salty, oxidative flavours that make it such a great aperitif, but a 2016 Sauternes from Château Suduiraut is worth the €15 price tag for a special sweet to end on. Try it with Boyne Valley Blue on the cheese board for the dream French/Irish pairing. How was the service? Our waitress couldn't have been nicer or more helpful, bringing the wine bottles over to the table so we could see the labels, and offering helpful recommendations with no hint of an upsell. Another young waiter who came on the floor later to cover her break was equally as attentive, and made us feel very well looked after. They seem to have hired very well, because you can't train for that kind of genuine pleasantness. What was the damage? €150 for two before tip with three glasses of wine each. You could just as easily come in at lunch for a plate of pasta and a single glass and be down €25 for a lovely hour's pitstop. What's the verdict on Cellar 22? Cellar 22 has all the ingredients to join Dublin's wine bar hit list along with Note, Bar Pez, Loose Canon, Piglet, Frank's and a few more, but we'd love to see the food kicked up a gear, and more of a focus on cutting edge wines than commercial operators. For now it's a great place to share some charcuterie, cheese and picky bits over a few glasses of wine in a very cosy setting - basically the antidote to January - but with a few tweaks these could be some of the most sought after seats in town. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Fresh, Irish lobster, served in a variety of ways, is the star of the show at Lobstar. From New-York style lobster rolls to lobster tail curry, this is one place it's worth going over your monthly seafood budget for. If crustaceans aren't your thing you'll also find local seafood, steak and chicken schnitzel. High end food in casual surroundings. Lobstar Website lobstar.ie Address 101 Monkstown Road, Monkstown Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Fresh, Irish lobster, served in a variety of ways, is the star of the show at Lobstar. From New-York style lobster rolls to lobster tail curry, this is one place it's worth going over your monthly seafood budget for. If crustaceans aren't your thing you'll also find local seafood, steak and chicken schnitzel. High end food in casual surroundings. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Andhra Bhavan Take a deep dive into Southern Indian cooking without leaving Dublin Posted: 7 Feb 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope & Ronan Doyle What's the story with Andhra Bhavan? Andhra Bhavan opened on Marlborough Place (just off Talbot Street) last November, with the bold claim that they were " Ireland's 1st Authentic South Indian Restaurant ". This is not exactly true - both 3 Leaves in Blackrock and Indian Tiffins on Parnell Street serve Southern Indian food, and food truck Dosa Dosa has given dosa their moment in the spotlight, but Andhra Bhavan has certainly brought the most extensive menu yet. The guys behind it are two friends, originally from Southern India, who've been working in Dublin for over 15 years. Praveen Madire is an entrepreneur and CEO of two tech companies, while Sainath Reddy was a brand manager for a pharma company. They say they missed the dining experience of home, and wanted to bring the food, ingredients, decor, hand-drawn paintings and the right chefs to Dublin, so that people living here could taste real Indian cuisine from the five states of the South, like Dosas, Idlis, Vadas, Uttapams and Pani-Puri (there's a counter where they make it fresh but it wasn't operating on either of our visits.). Andhra Bhavan is named after the famous government-run canteen in Delhi where food is highly subsidised, ensuring every resident can eat very well. The owners say they interviewed hundreds of chefs in India before hiring their kitchen team, led by head chef Venkata Ramana Manthri, and moving them to Ireland to get started on the menu. We were already struck by how overwhelmingly positive their online reviews were, with mostly Indian-expat customers declaring it the taste from home that's been missing in their lives, but when Indian born, Dublin-residing food writer Vritti Bansal declared various elements "fearless" and "worthy of applause", we found our fingers promptly making a booking. Where should we sit? They've packed the tables in so it isn't exactly roomy, but it fits with the canteen vibe of feeding as many people as possible. The room at the front has banquettes, whereas the one at the back has standard tables and chairs, and there's a lovely high table with a tree in the centre of it that's perfect for solo diners who don't want to take up a table. What's on the menu? The menu is huge - a novella to Southern Indian cuisine - and while we tried to get through as much of it as possible over two visits, it would take 20 to do it justice. There are 11 sections, including an all day breakfast menu, and here's what we loved, liked, and have already forgotten from what we tried... First the loves . Don't leave without doing a dosa. That is a direct order. Vritti recommended the onion rava, which is served everywhere in India but hasn't appeared here before now. It's the size of a full length adult arm, with frilly, crispy edges, and just cooked onion inside. Tearing it apart piece by piece and scooping up the brilliant peanut, coconut and ginger chutneys is some of the most fun you can have in Dublin for €11.99. There's also sambar, a watery lentil stew, that you'll probably (happily) eat most of with a spoon. Also on the breakfast menu are Medu Vada, which are no exaggeration, a revelation. You’ll find these savoury deep-fried lentil flour doughnuts in other places around town, but none come close to these, with their crispy-soft contrast of crust and filling. The three pieces again come with a generous pot of sambar and the three chutneys, and the mix-and-match flavour possibilities would bring us back here again and again. The other dish there was almost a fight for (also from the breakfast menu, guess we really love Indian breakfasts) was the Chole Bhatura. The chole is the spiced, tangy chickpea curry. The bhatura is the soft, fluffy, deep-fried bread. Once again hands are needed here to tear and dip and scoop, and expect to fight off other hands in the process. Veg manchurian is an Indo-Chinese dish of fried vegetable balls in a spicy, sweet and sour sauce, and having never seen them here before we had to add them to our order. Beautiful textures range from soft batter to crispy veg, and the sauce is just spicy enough to have you come back for another, and another. Onto the likes . Like the American pancake counterpart to the dosa’s crepe-like thinness, Uttapam is another Southern Indian staple with seven options on offer here including plain, tomato and cheese. We went with onion, and unlike the dosa approach of filling and wrapping, toppings are baked directly into the dough pizza-style, for a loaded tear-and-share that works well with a crowd. We’re more partial to the satisfying crisp of a dosa, but this is the way to go if you like something a bit thicker. If you want to know where everyone's favourite celebrity restaurant got its name, it's from the spicy soup-like dish with a base of tamarind, herbs, spices, lentils and vegetables, served here with idlis - little fluffy pancakes made from fermented rice and lentil batter. It's full of flavour, and full of spice, with the idil crumbling in your mouth and the rasam keeping your palate wide awake. We were disappointed that they didn’t have saag paneer on (despite what many Indian restaurants in Ireland advertise, saag is made with mustard greens rather than spinach), but as consolations go the all-spinach palak paneer did nicely. The lightly-spiced sauce has a flavour as intense as its bright-green colour, and the mildly-melted curds of what tasted like homemade paneer are a tangy treat to dig for. You’re offered plain rice or paratha on the side, but scooping greedy pools with the flaky dough will win out for us every time. Our server recommended we tried the Mutton Chettinadu, prefacing it with the question - "do you like spice?" We do, so we did, but buyer beware - there's Irish spice, and Indian spice. We downed at least three 1.5 litre jugs of water while eating just a few spoons of this, and if there was a fire extinguisher close by someone would have probably undid the safety and let it rip. You'll need a lassi for your digestive system, and a napkin for the sweat. The meat is also on the bone, so look out for small shards in the sauce. Mains come with a choice of steamed rice or paratha, and you'll probably end up with both if you have a few dishes. We also dried the roti and found it surprisingly dry and lacking in flavour. The paratha is the superior bread, but if you're counting calories... Beside a lot of what we tried, the Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani stood out less. The fragrant steamed rice packs plenty of flavour to accompany the tender, rendered fat of buried drumsticks, but this is more standard staple than standout special – you can safely skip this section of the menu and save room for the bigger highlights. There are a few traditional desserts, like gulab jamun, and jilebi (a pretzel-like dessert soaked in sugar syrup), but seen as it was a wintry Dublin day we tried the Semiya Payasam, a soup-like pudding with cardamom-infused milk, vermicelli, sugar, nuts and raisins. It's warm and soothing, and while it might jar to be eating what we're more used to as noodles/pasta for dessert, the perfumed, sweet, fruit and nut-filled mouthfuls are very satisfying. A whole bowl is a lot however so sharing is the way to do it. What about drinks? Drinks are standard softs, beer and house wine, but the lassis are what you want to be drinking. We tried both mango and rose and both were cooling, fresh and sweet - but not too sweet. They were gone before the food arrived. How was the service? Very slow. This was the main downside of eating here. We had to wave servers down for menus, water, napkins, we had to order drinks twice because they didn't arrive the first time, and it was a struggle to get anyone's attention. When we did staff were lovely and very helpful, but maybe there needs to be more of them. What was the damage? Everything we ate was over two visits, but you could eat very well in here, with leftovers to take home, for €35-40 a head, including a lassi. Head in for breakfast and dishes are on average €10-€12. And the verdict? Andhra Bhavan aren't the first ones to cook authentic Southern Indian food in Dublin, but they are the first to bring a menu this extensive. A visit here is as close as you're going to get to the government-run Delhi canteen without having to leave the capital, and having our own Southern Indian enclave in which to take a deep dive through dosas, uttapams and vadas have made Dublin's food scene sizeably richer. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

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

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

Canal-side, Italian (in parts) dining from the team behind The Dean, The Liquor Rooms and Roberta’s. Leather-filled, luxe dining room and outdoor terrace looking onto the Grand Canal, perfect for those rare, wonderful occasions when the sun comes out. Angelina's Website angelinas.ie Address 55 Percy Place, Dublin 4 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Canal-side, Italian (in parts) dining from the team behind The Dean, The Liquor Rooms and Roberta’s. Leather-filled, luxe dining room and outdoor terrace looking onto the Grand Canal, perfect for those rare, wonderful occasions when the sun comes out. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

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

Sultan's Grill A Turkish mecca for behemoth breakfasts, crackling lahmacun, and homemade doners Posted: 20 Aug 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Sultan’s Grill? One of the great gifts of immigration is the real cultural understanding it brings with it – ask a Berliner and a Dubliner for their impressions of Turkish food and you’re likely, at least until lately, to get very different responses. Germany’s two million Turks have ensured the country’s culinary subculture is steeped in real tradition, where Ireland’s equivalent has always been more tailored to an after-hours Irish demand for drunken d ö ners. But the times they are a-changing, just as much as our evolving palates, and the threefold increase in Ireland’s Turkish population between the last two censuses has ensured an emerging market for more sophisticated stuff. From Reyna to Rumi , a spate of recent arrivals is broadening our blinkered view of what Turkish food can be. We’d kept a curious eye on this North Lott’s space ever since a brief popup previously due for Dame Street showed up for a few nights only – now it’s become Sultan’s Grill , with a wood-fired flatbread grill the centrepiece. Where should we sit? The lengthy, luxuriously-kitted space is smartly set up for a variety of visit types, from the hard-backed two-tops to the rear that lend themselves best to quicker evening snacking, to the comfy banquet booths whose wider tables are tailor-made for the endless breakfast plates – more on those anon. A pair of tables flanked by easy chairs in the back corner are great for groups looking for a low-key catch-up – the first indication that this is a world apart from the fast food iteration of Turkish food that’s largely all we’ve seen in the city before. Things were quiet on both our Friday evening and Sunday morning visits, so we had our pick of the place. For the perfect balance of comfort and a close-to-the-action vantage point near the wood-fired grill, you can’t beat a booth. What should we order? We needed two visits to get through all we wanted to try at Sultan’s Grill , with an early evening visit to test out their all-day flatbreads leaving us sufficiently impressed to come back for their flagship breakfast, served Friday to Sunday. Those pide and lahmacun are still novel enough in Ireland to have turned the Turkish heads we consulted, but it’s the traditional breakfast that has really raised the excitement. It's not hard to understand why when you see the full expanse of the spread – this bumper breakfast was as difficult to fit on the table as it was to cram into one shot. It’s billed as a meal for two people but three or even four could be happily sated here; the breads, meats and cheeses alone were more than enough for us before we even got on to the piping hot menemen that’s thrown in for good measure. The standout appeal at Sultan’s Grill is in the experience – sharing a meal as the first step to sharing much more. As we broke bread (fresh crusty baguette and sesame-coated simit, the Turkish take on a bagel), loaded it with every possible permutation from the plates before us (from soft chicken sausage with olives to Nutella and marmalade), and traded tips on what best matches what (mounds of the feta-like tulum cheese dripping with flavourful honey, for our money), we got a sense of a culture as much as a cuisine. Juicy, lightly-spiced sujuk sausage, fruity and fragrant abagannuc (the Turkish take on baba ghanoush), and kaymak clotted cream are among the more delicious discoveries to be made here – only the cheap jar olives and limp chips let things down. The menemen, eggs scrambled into a cooked-down spiced sauce of chopped tomatoes and peppers, would make a plentiful breakfast on its own, and you can order just this, or a choice of b ö rek and g ö zleme pastries. The latter weren’t on for our breakfast visit so we settled for a cheese and spinach b ö rek which was a highlight, with layers of flaky filo barely containing the rich, salty filling. Sultan’s Grill has made plenty of noise about its lahmacun – giddy reviews from Turks in Dublin have done the same. The wafer-thin snack is a flatter cousin from the same family as the Lebanese manousheh we raved about in (now rebranded) Zaatar . Here it’s spread to the edge with minced lamb and diced veg, served with a salad loaded on top before folding and eating, wrap style. The crisp crackle of the flatbread as its folded is as good as foodie ASMR gets, and the packed mouthfuls the finished product yields are a treat. Don’t be shy with the little pickled peppers, flavour bombs we wanted to buy by the jar. At €7.99, this is one of the best value dishes in town. The pide, with seven options available, is rolled thicker with sides upturned to keep the more generous fillings from spilling over. We found the sausage the superior of the two we tried, with tiny diced chunks of sujuk swimming in a sea of molten cheese. The other just couldn’t compare - for all the juicy, spicy goodness of the minced beef we found the egg cracked on top before loading into the oven took away more than it added – we’ll take the raw yolk of neighbouring Georgia’s khachapuri any day. If that variety of dishes isn’t enough to attest the true qualities of Turkish cuisine, Sultan’s Grill ’s take on a doner seals the deal. It’s no surprise after the quality flatbreads to find the house-made wrap leagues ahead of anything from the cheap corner joints around town, and the succulent chicken stuffed inside with shredded lettuce and red cabbage is just as superior. We could live without the underwhelming chips, but chilli sauce is essential. What are the drinks like? The Turks are the only people on earth who outdo the Irish on tea consumption per capita, at a whopping seven pounds annually to our puny five. They’re every bit as ritualistic about it as us, with a communal pot constantly at the go. With the breakfast, you’re treated to all you can drink, and the piping hot, slowly-strengthening brew is a gorgeous way to wash down all that food. The adventurous should ask about şalgam. It’s not listed on the menu, but this bottled, brilliant-purple drink brings something unique to the experience, a sour-sweet riposte to much of the cheesy, spicy dishesr. While it’s named from the word for turnip, the fermented juice is also derived from purple carrots and has reputed health benefits from a hangover cure to combatting the impact of excess carbs – needed here. Ayran is another unlisted novelty worth a try, a salted yogurt drink with a mild palate-cleansing freshness we found a major help in jumping around so many dishes. How was the service? Relaxed and ready to help, with a very charmingly casual air every step of the way. The Sultan’s Grill team were very happy for us to sit wherever we wanted and order more at our leisure – not being at all rushed when we had so much food to get through was a big part of the pleasure. The all-day options all come in quick time, so those in a rush needn’t worry. And the damage? Breakfast isn’t insignificant at €50 for two, though there’s no doubting you leave very well-fed for that. The standalone items from b ö rek to g ö zleme to menemen will happily sate both your belly and your bank balance. On the all-day front, a pide or doner will give you a top-quality lunch for less than €15, while we’ve had to triple-check the lahmacun really was just €8 - a bargain. What’s the verdict on Sultan’s Grill? From indulgent all-in breakfast bounties to incredible value quick bites, Sultan’s Grill has the menu, space and price range to give all variety of Dublin diners a delicious crash course in a cuisine heretofore badly under served in the city. Grab a d ö ner to compare and contrast, pair a lahmacun and şalgam to try out something new, or keep an eye on Instagram for their regular rotation of specials - that's enough to bring us back for a third visit. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The eponymous Janet has evolved from an Eatyard food truck to a fully fledged restaurant in the Arthaus Hotel, just behind St Stephen's Green shopping centre. This is a two-for-one deal, with breakfast and lunch served via one entrance on Mercer Street, and dinner through the purple door on York Street. All the fan favourites are here like dumplings and bao, but she has more space to express her infectious personality in here, so expect new dishes like aubergine popcorn, Taipei chicken wings and the Yibu spice bag. Yibu by Janet Website yibu.ie Address 2, 3 Mercer Street Lower, Dublin 2, D02 TW61, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The eponymous Janet has evolved from an Eatyard food truck to a fully fledged restaurant in the Arthaus Hotel, just behind St Stephen's Green shopping centre. This is a two-for-one deal, with breakfast and lunch served via one entrance on Mercer Street, and dinner through the purple door on York Street. All the fan favourites are here like dumplings and bao, but she has more space to express her infectious personality in here, so expect new dishes like aubergine popcorn, Taipei chicken wings and the Yibu spice bag. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Drury Street bar Rei Momo has a full Brazilian snack and grill menu, and is having a lot of fun with flavours in their food and drinks. They have the best selection of caipirinhas in Dublin, and all the deep-fried snack foods are perfect for sharing with friends over some cachaça based cocktails. Rei Momo Website reimomodublin.com Address 56 Drury St, Dublin, D02 HT29, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Drury Street bar Rei Momo has a full Brazilian snack and grill menu, and is having a lot of fun with flavours in their food and drinks. They have the best selection of caipirinhas in Dublin, and all the deep-fried snack foods are perfect for sharing with friends over some cachaça based cocktails. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Oliveto Housemade coppa, Osso Bucco and all the views in this charming Italian by the sea Posted: 15 Nov 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? Oliveto started life as a pizza place on Dun Laoghaire's seafront in 2009. After owner Fla Larkin bought the former Kingston Hotel in 2015, he began the slow process of renovating and transforming the building into boutique hotel Haddington House (still ongoing) and part of this was moving Oliveto in on the ground floor. They've never shouted about what they're doing here, leaving locals and those from further away to organically discover it for themselves, but installing former Michelin-starred chef Cormac Rowe to lead the kitchen, and nabbing Barry O'Neill (Gráinne O'Keeffe's sous at Clanbrassil House) spoke volumes about their ambitions. During the pandemic Rowe moved on and O'Neill was bumped up to head chef, then Executive head chef, hiring Francois Jacusse (previously at Woodruff) as his second in command. Everything seemed to be coming up roses, with one great report after another, but then in August of this year, Barry O'Neill tragically, and shockingly, passed away from natural causes. Anyone who'd worked with him seemed griefstruck, his funeral service bursting with those in disbelief that this talented young chef at the peak of his career could be gone. We'd been meaning to get to Oliveto for months, trying once and having to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, and while very sad we never made it with O'Neill in the kitchen, we had a strong feeling that the team here would be giving it everything they had to keep the standards as high as ever. Where should we go for a drink first? There's only one answer to this question, and that's The Parlour Bar . Haddington House's recently revamped cocktail bar is for our money one of the best in the city, and the amount of work and detail in these cocktails is hard not to marvel at (read our two minute review here ). We loved their 'Vico Crest' as well as their take on a Dirty Martini with olive brine, fennel powder and mint, and not making time for a drink here before or after dinner would be doing yourself over. Where should we sit? If you or something you're with is still Covid-wary, there are three tables on an enclosed outdoor terrace with sea views and heaters above, but you'll still need a jacket if it's chilly as the front is open. Inside has the buzzy feel of a New York brasserie, with lots of corners to hide away in, or you can sit in the middle of the action. Some tables at the front have a great view into the open kitchen and towards the pizza station where the chef is spinning dough, but the most in demand will always be the ones at the window, so request in advance. What did you eat? We started, as all good Italian meals do, with focaccia, but this wasn't very focaccia-like. It more like a white yeast bread, with none of the oiliness, saltiness or deep flavour we were expecting. It came with chilli oil and 12-year aged balsamic which helped things, but when we told the waitress she flew into the kitchen, then flew back saying the chef sends their apologies and it "wasn't their best". She took it off the bill and we thought fair play, perfectly handled, mistakes happen. Head chef Francois Jacusse was formerly at Woodruff (charcuterie masterminds), so our eyes widened when we saw "housemade Andarl Farm pork coppa", with pickles and house sourdough. It's pricey at €16, but if you're going to do charcuterie, do it like this. We loved the pickled onions, green beans and fennel on the side, and we only wished we'd eaten it a bit slower. For our other starter we went for Italian burrata with beetroot and blackberries because we love blackberries but we've never seen them on the side of burrata. Now we know what we've been missing all this time. The roasted almonds on the menu came as hazelnuts (probably better), the lightly pickled beetroot came in slivers and chunks, and the focaccia crisp on the side added yet another texture to a brilliant dish. We would have never have topped it all with dill, but it was a genius addition. Mains were more limited when we visited than what's currently on their website , with five options and a steak special, but everything sounded a cut above your average neighbourhood bistro. Sausage ragu with rigatoni, aged parmesan and pangrattato had the rich depth that only comes from a long, slow cook, the pasta with a perfect bite, the portion generous. 'Ossobucco Milanese' is a rarely sighted thing in Dublin (see also Pala Pizza and Trattoria ), and this "bone with a hole" was a beautiful rendition of the Lombardy specialty. The risotto cooked perfectly with a hint of saffron, the veal shins falling apart with the touch of a knife, the whole thing rich and heady with flavour and scent. The pieces of uncooked tomato on top were definitely not traditional, but actually melded in quite nicely. We feel it's bordering on illegal to not order Tiramisu in an Italian restaurant, seeing how it stacks up against the rest of the city's iterations, and unfortuntely this wasn't one of the best. It looked fancy, but lacked flavour and tasted artificially sweet. There was something that looked like dehydrated chocolate on top, and it was an unpleasant addition to an already disappointing dessert. A vanilla panna cotta with Irish strawberries and almond shortbread on the other hand was perfect, creamy and light, although it felt quite late in the season for strawberries. This nit-picking did not affect the taste. What about the drinks? The wine list is decent, with plenty by the glass and carafe, and enough to keep both lovers of "house wine" and lovers of something more interesting happy. We drank a Primitivo which did the job with the sausage ragu and the Osso Bucco. Italian is definitely the way to go. You can also bring in cocktails (and presumably order them from your table) from The Parlour Bar across the way. This is a very good fall back plan if nothing on the wine list appeals. How was the service? It felt like everyone in here was being treated like a food critic - it's how the very best do it. It's rare to encounter a team where everyone is so affable, so helpful, like they've welcomed you into their own home and want to ensure you have the very best time while you're there. They couldn't do enough for us and everyone else, and it's the kind of service that builds a fiercely loyal customer base (that and the food). What's the verdict? It's hard not to be totally charmed by Oliveto. The place was heaving on a Wednesday night, the room full of animated people sharing food and pouring wine from carafes. The room felt happy, full of happy staff, and happy customers, and while the food wasn't completely faultless we wouldn't hesitate to go back. So many neighbourhood restaurants are box-ticking and boring, totally missing the subset of customer travelling further afield each week in search of excitement on their dinner plate. Oliveto seems to have struck a perfect balance between an approachable menu that won't scare anyone away, executed in a way that will make even the pickiest diners (guilty) very happy. Oliveto @ Haddington House 9 - 12 Haddington Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin haddingtonhouse.ie/oliveto New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Specialty coffee roaster and restaurant in Smithfield, with brightly coloured plates of food aimed at making you feel good. The menu has influences from around the world, as well as home, and they're always coming up with new dishes for customers to try. Good brunch at the weekend and a nice natural wine list. Urbanity Website urbanity.ie Address The Glass House, 11 Coke Lane, Smithfield, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Specialty coffee roaster and restaurant in Smithfield, with brightly coloured plates of food aimed at making you feel good. The menu has influences from around the world, as well as home, and they're always coming up with new dishes for customers to try. Good brunch at the weekend and a nice natural wine list. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Vietnom Street food that's reason alone to got to Stoneybatter Posted: 30 Oct 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? We're really quite into this whole "dingy pub gets great pop up in the back" thing. Between Vurgerface in The Belfry and Dice Bar, Grálinn in MVP and Coke Lane Pizza in Frank Ryans and Lucky's, pub food has never been better. Another one that we've been hearing loads about over the past few months is Vietnom in the back of The Glimmerman pub in Stoneybatter, and while the idea of Vietnamese/Mexican fusion wouldn't have had us running for the Luas, after two excellent reviews in The Irish Times and the Irish Independent we had to check it out for ourselves. Set up by chef Milly Murphy and Alex Gurnee earlier this year, the menu at Vietnom changes every week, and most things on the menu are vegetarian, with at least one vegan option. They work with what's local and seasonal, growing some vegetables themselves, buying others from organic farms, and sourcing only free-range meat and eggs. So far so good. Where should we go for a drink first? The Glimmerman is atmospheric to say the least, with Charlie Haughey and Margaret Thatcher in a bed hanging from the ceiling, beer mats all over the walls and more nooks and crannies than we thought was possible to fit in a single pub, so a drink here is a good shout. Otherwise you've got L. Mulligan Grocer for an immense craft beer selection, The Cobblestone for traditional Irish music, or Walsh's, which was named best pub in Dublin at this year's Irish restaurant awards. Where should we sit? There's loads of seating out the back, ranging from quirky to "I'm sitting on a plastic-covered leather sofa in the middle of a tip", but with the weather turning colder you'll want a good winter coat to eat outside. Luckily the pub are cool about bringing the food inside, so just sit wherever you can find some mismatched furniture. What's good to eat? The menu is short with three main options both times we visited - tostadas, banh mi and fried rice. Ingredient and flavour combinations change each week and we tried everything twice, loving all of it. We marginally preferred the tostada with cauliflower, peanut sauce, chilli and pickled onions to the one with squash, tomatillo salsa and toasted sesame, but there wasn't a lot in it. We much preferred the banh mi with caramelised ginger and apple roast pork to the one with paneer, finding it lacking in flavour - the same could not be levied at the pork, and the lovely crunchy vegetables jammed in alongside it. Our only complaint is that we like a crisper bread for banh mi, Vietnom's being a soft sourdough, but they've had it designed especially for them and it's exactly what they're going for so we might be alone on that one. Both courgette and broccoli fried rice came topped with an assortment of nuts, chillis, pickled onions, herbs and flower petals, and might have been our favourite thing here. To make something as plain as rice taste this vibrant takes skill, and the courgette in particular was verging on "food crack". There was so much food we took some home and there were fork fights over the last of it the following day. What about the drinks? Those clever Vietnom people, knowing the type of customer they were likely to attract with their food, convinced The Glimmerman to stock a couple of very nice, inexpensive wines to go with it. Ciú Ciú are an organic producer from the Marche region of Italy and both the white and red blends are excellent, particularly for €6 a glass. We'd go so far as to say these could be the best value wines in any pub in the city right now (accounting for the quality). If you're going to drink wine here, this is what you want. Forget the rest. And the service? Alex and Milly do everything themselves, with a smile on their faces, and are happy to answer questions about the food or make recommendations. We also found The Glimmerman staff lovely, particularly the younger members of the team who were just super friendly. The verdict? Vietnom alone is worth a trip to Stoneybatter. They can do as much 'fusion' as they want if it tastes this good, and with their focus on local produce, organic vegetables and free-range meat and dairy, it's fast food to make you feel good. Go soon, go often, and order everything. Vietnom The Glimmerman, 14 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 @vietnom New Openings & Discoveries More >>

This little hatch on Malahide's New Street serves Indian family recipes and more mainstream lunch options. Coffee is by Ariosa and seating is only outdoors, so best kept for dry days if you want to sit while you eat your potato curry or chicken salad. A Do Website @ado_coffeetogo Address 2 New Street, Malahide, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story This little hatch on Malahide's New Street serves Indian family recipes and more mainstream lunch options. Coffee is by Ariosa and seating is only outdoors, so best kept for dry days if you want to sit while you eat your potato curry or chicken salad. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Kaizen Go all in on dim sum in Ka Shing's Dublin 15 sibling Posted: 5 Aug 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story with Kaizen? The Chinese restaurant specialising in dim sum opened on the outskirts of Blanchardstown shopping centre last October. While we don't make a habit of going to shopping centres for our dinner, we'd make an exception here for two reasons. 1) It has the same owners as city centre dim sum den Ka Shing on Wicklow Street, serving their now famous food since 2013. 2) Dublin 15 is one of the worst suburbs in the capital for exciting places to eat, and if we had a euro for every reader complaint we get about how "there's no where to eat here!", we could retire from food writing. Where should we sit? We were taken aback by how beautifully appointed the upstairs room is (there is a lift and wheelchair accessible toilet for anyone who needs it). There's a very grand feeling to the marble effect floor, black chairs and gold accents, including on the dividers separating the tan leather booths. There's every type of table configuration you could want in here, but for groups of four we'd ask for a booth at the window. For larger groups, or if you have a buggy or other extraneous materials, you'll be more comfortable on the circular tables in the centre surrounded by plenty of space. Of course there's a large table with a Lazy Susan for easy sharing of dishes, and we saw a separate room in the back where it looked like a child's birthday party was taking place - beats the food at Funky Monkey's any day. What's the menu like? There are two menus in here - the dim sum one, and the Cantonese one. Our advice is to go all in on dim sum, and forget the rest. Two of our favourites were the char siu cheung fun (€7.50) - slippery lengths of rice noodle filled with smoky, sweet pork and greens; and the deep-fried taro croquette (€7.50) - a crispy croquette filled with the yam-like root vegetable, encased in the most delicate wisps that dissolve as soon as they hit your mouth. Stunning pastry skills. Xiao long bao (soup dumplings, €8.50) had deeply flavoured pork inside a chewy dumpling case, but in some the soup had already seeped out, while pork and prawn siu mai (€7) were a decent example of one of dim sum's most popular dumplings, with chunky pieces of prawn. Make sure to order the cucumber with black vinegar (€6) - crunchy, refreshing lengths of green veg in the tangiest dressing with little punches of garlic and chilli. Salt and pepper squid "whiskers" were the oily antidote to its freshness, but with tender tentacles and salty veg tossed through. We've never met a BBQ pork bun we didn't like (€7), and that didn't change here, the soft, fluffy buns encasing sweet, smoky chunks of char siu pork. Use the chilli oil on the table to amp up the heat. The swan puff pastries might look more like dessert, but there's a savoury and a sweet version. The savoury (€9.80) comes deep-fried, filled with custard surrounded by the crispest pastry layers and an edible neck and head, and they are so delicate, and so delicious, you may need all of your willpower not to order a second round. Beef balls with tangerine peel (€7.50) were a curveball order that paid off. Despite their semi-raw looking appearance, the juicy spheres had deep layers of savoury flavour, and the tangerine, vinegary dipping sauce was the lift it all needed. Pork ribs with garlic (€7) on the other hand would not be on our reorder list, with too much bone and fat and nowhere near enough meat. What about the Cantonese food? We got the feeling this isn't why they get out of bed in the morning, and it's more a case of giving the people what they want, than giving them what they need and they just don't know it yet. There's plenty here to satisfy diners, but it's not the reason we'd be making a special trip to Dublin 15. Firstly lots on the online menu wasn't available in the restaurant (we really wanted that meat floss), so prepare for possible disappointment. We love the semi-healthy feeling we get from prawn yuk sung (€12), with the finely chopped stir fry served in lettuce leaves that you roll up and scoop into your mouth. The one here is excellent, with all the expected flavours of oyster, soy and rice wine and sesame coating those chunks of prawn, pork and veg. A hot and sour soup passed the litmus test, but won't be winning any awards any time soon for outstanding flavour or generosity of ingredients, especially for €9.50. Barbecue spare ribs were too sweet for our palates, with not enough complexity in the flavours to make up for the sugary slant. The meat was as tender as you would hope for, but it didn't feel particularly generous for €10. We were hoping the Cantonese roast meats with rice (three for €30) might be another reason to hightail it to Blanch, but we didn't find anything travel worthy there either. The roast duck, honey roast pork char siu, and Macau-style roast pork belly were all drier and less juicy than we were expecting, and they felt more like a tick box exercise than something that's someone's staying awake nights trying to figure out how to improve. Beijng-style lamb (€25) is one dish we would order again, with rich umami flavour and plenty of veg, although research suggests this should be more of a slow-braised style, than Irish takeaway-style, complete with plenty of cornflour to increase the gloop factor. Tasty? Yes. Authentically Chinese? The jury's out. Last for the Cantonese mains was Beef Ho Fun (€25), a smoky, charred, oily mound of flat rice noodles with tender beef, onions and beansprouts. The beautifully charred flavours make it hard to stop going back for more, but the high fat content makes this one to share, or your stomach will tell you all about it. Desserts are worth saving space for, and were considerably more interesting in the restaurant than online's "deep-fried banana" and "sticky toffee pudding". Staff tried to turn us off ordering the "trendy little white jelly bunnies" (€7.50), and they are just a watery/milky jelly with little flavour, but kids will love the fun factor. The pandan and pumpkin sponge cake (€8.50 is where the big flavours are at, with an airily light swiss-style sponge and layers of pumpkin caramel in between. Served barely warm, it's all too easy to eat. What about drinks? The wine list is predictably commercial and uninteresting, but we had a (just about) drinkable glass of Albariño . We couldn't bring ourselves to try the cocktails, which include "Pornstar on the beach", and the long lost "Long Island Iced Tea". 2005 called - they want their cocktails back. How was the service? Quiet and uneffusive, but efficient. They're also happy to let you order at your leisure, a few plates at a time, which means you can make your meal as short or as drawn out as you like. How much should we budget per person? With dim sum coming in on average at €7 - €8 per plate, a spend of €25 per person will supply a feast of dumplings, buns and cheung fun, which sounds almost ludicrous in today's market. When we went back to try the Cantonese menu our bill was double, for far less impressive food. What's the verdict on Kaizen? You'll forget about the shopping centre surroundings as soon as you climb the stairs into Ka Shing's grandly-appointed sister restaurant, and it's not often the toilets are a highlight of a dining visit, but it's another thing to look forward to (we won't ruin the surprises). Our advice is to go all in on the dim sum, and take advntage of what has to be one of the best value dining experiences in Dublin. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Mamó A blast of fresh air for Howth Posted: 15 Oct 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? There are certain types of people residing in Dublin who frequently make grand statements such as "there's nowhere to eat in *insert suburban town/village/street here*", while others look on in confusion thinking, "but there's 36 restaurants there?" (We may or may not be guilty of such statements.) What this actually means is "I'm aware there are 36 restaurants there but none are exciting enough to make me get off my bum and pay someone a substantial amount of money to cook my dinner", and one of the postcodes that's fallen into this bracket over the years is Howth. Yes there are plenty of restaurants, yes there's a decent (could be better) amount of fresh fish, but it always felt like a trick was being missed, and the culinary dynamism that's been taking over the city centre at full force hadn't quite reached here. So when we heard that ex- Etto front of house Jess D'Arcy and chef husband Killian Durkin (ex-Thornton's, Chapter One and Charlotte Quay ) had signed the lease on a harbour facing site earlier this year we felt a shiver of excitement. They describe Mamó (Irish for grandmother) as "a contemporary European dining experience in a relaxed and friendly setting", and a showcase for North County Dublin's abundant produce, as well as lesser known fish that they can buy directly from the boats. With Jess coming from Etto we had high hopes for the wine list, and a quick look online showed sherries, lesser known producers and no prosecco. So far, so ticking all of our boxes. They opened the doors at the end of September, and initial reports suggested our excitement was going to be justified. Where should we go for a drink first? The good news is there's no shortage of pubs in Howth. The bad news is if you're looking for something other than beer or gin you may struggle. The Bloody Stream is a cosy place to huddle up with a pint if it's cold outside, the Abbey Tavern up the hill on Abbey Street claims to date from the 16th century, and if you're after a more "modern" selection of drinks head for Wrights Findlater . They also have a roof terrace if it's warm enough to sit outside. Where should we sit? The dining room is cosy and quite compact - be careful what you say as it's likely your neighbours will hear you. There are tables and counter seating (perfect for eating alone ) as well as four tables outside - we don't need to tell you how in demand these are going to be come spring. For the moment heaters have been ordered. The two tables at the window with a view of the harbour are the ones to plump for if you have a choice, or the counter's lovely for one or two. What's good to eat? The menu is divided into snacks, starters, mains, sides and desserts, and as seems to be the case more and more lately we're finding ourselves more drawn to smaller plates than larger ones - probably because it allows us to try more food. The menu is changing regularly depending on what's available but if they're on as a snack when you visit do not miss the confit potato chips with taramasalata - Mamó's take on fish and chips. Salty, vinegary, creamy, fishy, and exactly the type of culinary excitement we've been looking for from a restaurant by the sea. Herby, garlicky razor clams with a macadamia nut crust were perfection on a plate (the flavour still hasn't left us), and chicken liver parfait with chicken skin crisps and crispy onions was gone in seconds. Both are must-orders if they're on. Good sourdough bread comes as standard and they plan on varying up the butters. At the moment it's a Vadouvan butter (similar to a masala spice blend) with flakes of sea salt on top. It was whipped to the point of fluffiness, and the bread comes in very handy for mopping up the last few smears of chicken liver parfait. From the starters we had a mackerel tartare with orange and pressed cucumber, which was like a Peruvian ceviche cleverly served with crisps. We are very much here for the zing and freshness of a well-made ceviche and the accompanying crunch of salted crisps, and think that variations of this will be one of their signature dishes (read: please don't ever take it off). Another starter of tarragon gnocchi in a porcini broth felt like an ideal plate for a cold day, and managed to feel light despite the rich, savoury flavours. Killian is apparently known for his homemade pastas so we look forward to more of those hitting the menu over the coming months. A main of wild black pollock with sobrasada, Lambay crab and coco de paimpol broth was well balanced with a tingle of heat and excellent fish, but wasn't as memorable as some of the smaller dishes. They also do an Etto-style Côte de bœuf from Higgins Butcher to share with bearnaise sauce and crispy potatoes, so that's on the agenda for a return trip soon. We did have the crispy potatoes as a side and they're up there with Etto in terms of their ability to turn a table of adults into a pack of scrambling animals desperately fighting over the last few crunchy bits. Another side of carrot salad with tahini and pomegranate didn't really do it for us, and felt like it was lacking seasoning. For dessert the Howth honey tart with sea salt ice cream is another we're hoping is a permanent fixture. Honey comes from up the hill where there's also an allotment they're on a waiting list for, and it's hard to think of a more thoughtful, of-the-moment ending to a meal here. Another of dark chocolate ganache with blueberries and Italian meringue was luscious, but the portion sizes didn't allow either to feel overwhelmingly sweet. We're still regretting not ordering the Old Groendal cheese with poached pear and Guinness bread, so that's high on the list for next time. What about the drinks? We're big fans of small production/on the natural side wines, but have been growing weary of seeing the same names on every new wine list in town, so it was refreshing to see a lot of lesser known producers here, and Jess is more than happy to talk people through them and make recommendations. Anywhere serving sherry by the glass gets bonus points from us, and offering something sparkling other than prosecco by the glass gains more again - here it's a great value sparkling Chardonnay from the Loire called 'Tuffeau' from Domaine Plou. There are 13 wines by the glass and we asked them to bring what they thought would work for each dish. They were on the money every time, particularly a dry furmint from Tokaji in Hungary with the mackerel tartare. And the service? This is very much a family operation with Jess' brother helping her front of house and the rest of the crew calm and tight knit. Jess is very much the hostess making sure everyone is well looked after, and while we were there she had to graciously turn away guest after guest without a booking - but not without making sure they had the restaurant's card with booking details, and telling them they would love to welcome them another time. It's not often that people leave a restaurant this happy when they haven't been able to get in. The verdict? Mamó is a breath of fresh air in sleepy Howth and it feels like it's been a long time coming. We're looking forward to seeing it settle in and just hope that the tourists don't find out about it too soon or we may struggle to get a table forever more (especially in summer, picture the scenes). At the same time, we're excited about visitors experiencing this new iteration of Irish food in such a tourist hotspot and going home to tell everyone about it, so basically you can't win. A drawn-out, lazy Sunday lunch here would be just the way to end the week, or a midweek evening stroll along the harbour followed by ceviche, 'fish and chips' and all the wine sitting up at the counter would be as good an antidote to hump day as we can imagine. Mamó Harbour House, Harbour Road, Howth, Co. Dublin mamorestaurant.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

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 >>

Taste of Hong Kong Chinese roast meats are the main attraction at this new quick stop café Posted: 14 May 2024 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 Taste of Hong Kong? Since the demise of CN Duck in Ranelagh (which still hurts, thank you for asking), and then the closure of Duck on Fade Street at the end of 2023 after a damning closure order from the HSE, Dublin has been lacking a Chinese roast meats specialist in a casual, quick eat setting. So when Taste Of Hong Kong opened a few weeks ago in one of The iLac's units on Moore Street, social media feeds started spreading the good word fast. The seven day a week, all day opening looked like it could be the Hong Kong café-style replacement to plug the roast meats gap, so pretty quickly we felt the pull of crispy duck skin and char siu pork to see how it measured up against its predecessors. Information on the background here is scant, with staff telling us they think it's the owner's first restaurant in Dublin but couldn't be sure, and that the chef previously cooked in Duck before it closed. That's all we could pry out of them. Where should we sit? Wherever you can get a seat along on the right-hand side of this narrow room. There are only 16 so you might have to wait if it's busy, but they'll take your name and give you a rough idea of when to come back. You can also stand inside the door but it's tight. What are we ordering? You're here for the roast meats, cooked in a specially imported bullet oven which allows hot air to circulate better than a regular one, but there are a couple of other things you can bulk up your order with. The very depressing thing is that everything comes in plastic containers, with the soup containers extra sturdy and branded, so it doesn't look like this is set to change. Ideal for collection and delivery orders, less so for all those dining in. Please God let them recycle. Duck spring rolls (€6 for two) were obviously made in house, having the sightly uneven feel of being made by hand, not machine. The vegetable, vermicelli and duck filling was pleasant, and the pastry crisp, but we've had better spring rolls in the city. Pork dumplings (€10 for eight) were also clearly made in house, the thick doughy wrappers hiding well-flavoured, steaming pork interiors. We planned on trying one and taking the rest home, but we couldn't stop going back for more - chilli oil drizzled (or drowned) on top is a must. Onto the main reason you're here, and the format is simple. You can either order a rice bowl or noodle soup, topped with one or two choices (two is a "double") from roast duck, char siu pork, crispy roast pork and soya chicken. You can also order extra portions of the meat as "sides". If you do like we did and get a double rice and a double soup you'll be able to try all four. The presentation won't be winning any awards, but that's okay, you're here for the taste. The skin on our roast duck was more slippery than crispy, and we got the leg so there was a lot of bone to work around to find the chunks of juicy meat - you'll need your napkins. The char siu was wrapped in that sweet, smoky flavour punch we love so much, but some of the meat was dried out and chewy. A rice bowl comes with four leaves of just cooked pak choi draped over the top, and small plastic tubs of soy sauce are brought to the table (why not a glass bottle?) so you can dress with that and chilli oil to your tastes. For the noodle bowl we ordered the remaining two meats of soya chicken and crispy roast pork. The chicken had the juicy texture of a bird braised in flavoursome liquid over a few hours, and the pork had thin crisp skin and tender meat, but felt a bit one note after a few pieces. Overcooked, basic wheat-flour noodles came in a rich chicken-flavoured broth, with more pak choi and spring onions on top. It's comforting, waming food, but more bite and less sogg in the noodles would have been appreciated. A soy marinated egg (€1) would have been so much better with a soft, fudgey yolk (this one was practically chalk). What about drinks? Softs and water only. Nothing to report. How was the service? Once you're ready to order you do so at the till, paying at the same time. Our friendly server brought the food when it was ready, and things were pretty nicely spaced for such a casual place - we thought it would all be fired out together. Anything leftover can be packed up in your boxes and taken away - you'll just need to ask for a lid. What was the damage? €47 for enough food for lunch for two, and enough leftovers for the same again for dinner. If you like the food this will be a very easy place to justify returning to again and again. And the verdict? Dublin once again has a quick-stop Chinese roast meats café, and while we're not sure the initial excitement around Taste of Hong Kong bears out in the execution, there are plenty of no frills places like it in Hong Kong, feeding the masses day in and day out. It's more Duck than CN Duck , but if you're missing the former you'll be glad to have found it. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

D'Lepak Superior Malaysian street food hidden away in suburbia Posted: 14 Oct 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the background on D'Lepak? Wife and husband team Ira (front of house) and Sydian (chef) came to Dublin from Malaysia 23 years ago, with both working in hospitality across restaurants and cafés. A year ago the Palmerstown café in the middle of a housing estate that Sydian worked for (Easy as Pie) decided to close, and the couple decided to take the leap and bring the food they eat at home to Dublin 20 locals, but were they ready for it? Ira said that at first regular customers didn't know what to make of the new dishes, asking if they could still get their usual burger or chicken salad. They kept these items on the menu, supplementing with iconic Malay dishes like curry puffs, Nasi Lemak and Mee Goreng, but she says that now most people have come around, and order the Malay dishes over the old Western ones. They would love to get to the point where these dishes are removed completely, and we think that would be the turning point for D'Lepak to gain a wider following, moving from a locally loved café to a Malaysian food destination. What's the seating situation? This is a café set up, so not somewhere you're likely to settle in for hours. Chairs are hard plastic or backless cushioned benches (most with cushions), but it's a sweet place to sit surrounded by Malaysian artwork and fans, and a large fake flower wall complete with "just lepak and chill!" in neon letters. Some Gen-Z driven Instagram/Tiktok thought went into this decor. There's a cute garden out back too if it's mild enough for outdoor dining, with more fake flower + neon sign photo opportunities just crying out for a place on your social feeds. They do take reservations so you can also request where to sit (benches by the window for us), but when we tried to use their online system it wasn't working so we had to call. What's on the menu? You have to cut through a fair amount of filler food to get to the supremo Malaysian stuff, but that's where we come in useful. Needless to say you are not here for the chicken burger, steak salad, or chips, but from the Asian sections there are some key winners and ones to avoid. Beef and lamb are Irish, but chicken may not be, so avoid as required. The only two small plates that are fully homemade are the curry puffs (or karipap) and the Malaysian chicken satay skewer (€10.90), and these should both be in your order. You want to talk about going the extra mile? D'Lepak's satay sauce is from a family recipe, made with fresh ingredients and zero shortcuts, including grinding peanuts fresh instead of using bought in peanut butter. The barbecued chicken skewers are smoky and tender, and while the plain chunks of cucumber, red onions and compressed rice cubes might seem dull at first glance, you would eat the top of your finger dipped into this sauce. Curry puffs (€6 for four) come filled with curried potato or sardines, in the crispiest deep-fried pastry shell, and they'll default to potato if you don't specify which on ordering. If you drove out here and just had a plate of these you would leave with no regrets, and probably order a second portion to go. €1.50 per puff feels like you're ripping them off. We've spent years trying to find a version of Nasi Lemak (the country's national dish) that's as good as the ones we fell in love with in Malaysia, and Normah's in London is the closest we've got without jumping back onto an Ethiad flight, until now. Order it with the lamb rendang (€15) - a spiced meat curry rich in coconut and fragrant with lemongrass, and pick and mix with the spicy sambal sauce, crunchy peanuts and anchovies, refreshing cucumber, soft egg and rice cooked with coconut milk and pandan leaf. It's unusual to serve the egg in this common breakfast dish fried instead of boiled, but we quite liked the yolk running all over the rice. The weekend sees specials hit their social media feeds, and ask about them if they don't offer them up on arrival - we had major heart eyes to find out they were running a special of roti with dahl, and the flaky, buttery flatbread had barely hit the table before it was ripped to shreds and inhaled by all present, but the dahl covered in a thick oil slick was very high on the spicy scale, and should probably come with a warning for fair-weather Irish palates. The roti is sadly bought in (it is a quality version), but the couple hope to extend their kitchen if business goes well so that they can start making their own (we also hope for this as there are few higher pleasures in life than good, homemade roti). A Malay dish we've never seen served in any other restaurant here is kuay teow ladna (€16), a dish of flat rice noodles in a silky egg soup, with prawns, chicken, squid and vegetables. The chicken stock-based, egg-enriched soup has a deep flavour profile, with meat and seafood quantities more generous than we expected, and a squeeze of lime over the top livening it all up. There's a bit of a "chicken soup for the soul" vibe going on here - the next time you're sick or feeling "tired" (read: hungover), we bet this would improve things. Mee Goreng, a fried noodle dish with chicken and/or seafood is commonly sold at food stalls around Malaysia, with egg noodles in a sticky, sweet sauce. D'Lepak's has chicken, prawns and plenty of fresh, crunchy veg, topped with a fried egg, fried onions and freshly fried prawn crackers. It's not a reason to drive here like some of the other dishes, but if you're craving noodles you'll be very happy. As is too often the case, we left feeling short-changed that we hadn't been able to try more. Next time (on the owner's advice) we're trying the Nasi Goreng Ikan Masin - Asian style fried rice with salted fish, chicken onion, choi sum and a fried egg on top - and the Maggi Goreng chicken chop - instant noodles fried in Malaysian sauces with vegetables, crispy breaded boneless chicken leg and a fried egg . The less said about this 'Gear Box' special - a Northern-style vermicelli soup with bone marrow - that we also missed out on the better. If you're hungry enough for dessert, skip the fridge with bought in sponge cakes and profiteroles, and look to the counter for Malaysian specials like 'Serimuka', a two-layered dessert with glutinous rice and green pandan custard, and 'Talam gula merah', with a palm sugar based and a coconut milk topping. The serimuka was our favourite, but we wouldn't class either as a must eat. We'd rather have another curry puff. How was the service? Totally charming, with owner Ira genuinely interested in everyone that walks through the door, wanting to know how they're finding the food, how they heard about the restaurant, and whether they've been to Malaysia before. Their two children help out at the weekend too when they're not in college, and it's the kind of place you'd feel yourself drawn to regularly if you lived locally, for the welcoming energy as much as the food. What was the damage? A bargainous €67 before tip, for two starters, four mains, and two Malaysian sweets, with plenty of leftovers to take home, or for four people to feel very full eating in. What's the verdict on D'Lepak? There's so much heart in this little café, and if they just ditched the burgers and bought in fried food and stuck to where the soul of the operation is, this could end up as much an out of the way food destination as Normah's in London, in its back street shopping mall in Queensway. For now they're too nervous to make the leap, but maybe once word spreads about the curry puffs and nasi lemak, they'll move things up a gear and focus fully on what they're best at. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

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

Ku Raudo Special sushi rolls and a good place to drink great wine Posted: 4 Jul 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Ku Raudo is a somewhat under the radar, BYO sushi spot on Townsend Street, which opened in 2015 initially just serving just two dishes - a meat bento box and a vegetarian version. Soon after they expanded to sushi, noodle and rice dishes and after seeing it looking nicely busy recently on the way to somewhere else, we thought it was worth a visit. It's also open seven days a week, so great for that where to eat Sunday/Monday dilemma. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? We stopped into The Blind Pig , the formerly mystery location speakeasy, whose address is now on google maps (it's on Suffolk Street). After a mission to find the door (which at one point ended up in a utility closet in the ladies toilets), we were eventually directed to pull a picture frame at the bottom of the stairs and the bookcase in front of us slid open. This is properly impressive first date material. Cocktails are excellent, the beer selection decent, and the wines basic. Have a cocktail. If you're after a good boozer there are loads around, with Doyle's, Bowes, The Long Stone and Mulligan's all a few minutes walk away. We'd head for The Palace Bar on Fleet Street, which is one of those must-visit pubs that makes you feel happy to be in Ireland. Prepare to make friends. What’s the room like? Like a typical Japanese sushi restaurant abroad, with wooden benches, Japanese art and randomly, love hearts projected onto the ceiling. It's narrow, cosy, and intimate, just don't have any conversations you don't want your neighbours to hear. On our visit there was no music, ensuring everyone could clearly hear conversations from other tables, which is fine unless you're discussing illegal activity or admitting to watching Love Island. What's good to eat? When in a sushi restaurant, eat sushi. It's not all standout, the salmon nigiri was a lot better than the tuna, and the spicy tuna roll was average, but the more elaborate rolls are very good. The dragon special comes with Katsu prawns, avocado, capellin roe (masago), eel & a mayo sauce and was hard to follow. Special mention for arranging it in the shape of a dragon (okay it was more like a snake). We were tempted to order a second one but we'd over-ordered as it was. The spider special was a close second, with deep-fried soft-shell crab, lettuce, capellin roe and Japanese mayo. The menu is extensive with 20 different types of nigiri alone, but we think the value is more to be had in the special rolls which are a bit more flavour packed, than in the stand alone ones which depend on the fish to be of seriously superior quality. Salmon teriyaki soba was no better than you could make at home, but chicken gyoza and yasai tempura were both excellent, even if the dipping sauce for the later was a bit unbalanced in the direction of vinegar, but the batter was light and crisp and the vegetables perfectly cooked. What about the drinks? It's BYO with zero corkage charge so it's a brilliant place to take something special, even if it does suffer the fate of the majority of BYO restaurants by having terrible glassware. You can't win 'em all. Champagne and Sherry (the proper dry stuff) are great matches for sushi if you have a willing crowd. We took a Californian Chardonnay from Sandhi and a New Zealand Pinot Noir from Allan Scott that were so delicious they'd go with anything. And the service? Smiling and helpful, but needed to be waved down a few times, which isn't ideal for such a small place. Didn't take away from the experience though. The verdict? Quality sushi and a great place to drink good wine. The Japanese zen vibes are particularly nice when you want to step out of the Dublin bubble for a few hours, just stick to the more elaborate sushi options if you want to be wowed. Ku Raudo 185 Townsend Street, Dublin 2 kuraudosushidublin New Openings & Discoveries More >>

B Skewers Make a beeline for Brazilian BBQ on Bolton Street Posted: 12 Jul 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? Brazilian couple Bruno Amado and Thaís Eloá started B Skewers in 2019 to "democratize barbecue", by setting up stall at various food markets. Having worked in hospitality in Dublin running restaurants for other people (Bruno for places including The Intercontinental and Pacino's) they decided they wanted to be their own bosses, and after dipping a toe in the BBQ market and getting the reception they were looking for, they felt confident enough to look for a permanent site. B Skewers opened on Bolton Street in early 2021, and rather than pitch themselves as a Brazilian BBQ shop initially, they said they wanted to showcase BBQ street food techniques from around the world (this now seems to have flipped back to Brazilian BBQ). That kind of catch all approach, as well as the strong focus they had on delivery apps, didn't initially get us fired up, but over the last year we've seen more and more chefs and laymen (whose opinions we take seriously) descend on B Skewers for steak on sticks, charcoal-grilled chicken hearts, and what several were calling the best burger in Dublin. We were in. Where should I sit? This place is teeny, with three high tables, five counter seats and some tables outside. We didn't realise that you can book online , and when we arrived there was nothing free, but the resourceful staff just lifted a table in from outside and sat us beside the till, then moved us to a high table when one became available. You've got to love a can do attitude. The counter seats are perfect for a quick pitstop, allowing you to peer into the kitchen as you eat, and the outdoor tables will do the job if you want to sit in the fresh air, even if it's not the most glamorous set up in town. Our pick would be the high tables looking out onto Bolton Street. What's the food like? The menu consists of skewers, burgers and sides, and the prices make it feel very accessible (and easy to over order, but you can always take extras home). Also be sure to check out the combo deals where you can mix and match it all, even if a substantial amount of brain power is required to decipher the best way to order what you want. We asked the owner Bruno what he recommended, which was a good decision because he loves to talk about food as much as we do. Basically, "everything is amazing", but he really wanted us to try the pork belly, the steak, the chicken legs, and the cheese and onion sausage. We wanted to try the burger after seeing it all over the 'gram, and the chicken hearts for offal novelty. He also gave us a substantial amount of interesting information about their sides and sauces, and where the dishes and recipes come from, including cassava/yuca prepared three different ways. They suggested we start with the burger and "fried yuca snacks", and if this dish hasn't been created with the 'gram in mind it was a very happy accident. Cutting it in half and flashing each side back on the grill for those all important grill marks manages to make it look that much more appetising. The burgers (fresh from FX Buckley each morning) are dripping with meat juices and cheddar cheese, have a slick of herby mayo, and are served medium-medium/rare - brave in today's health and safety obsessed society but they feel their sourcing is good enough to go for it. Once you've had a non-overcooked burger it's hard to go back, and it's very difficult to find one outside your own home these days, so we just hope this one manages to stick around. Yucca (or cassava) is a carbohydrate filled root vegetable, from the same family as potatoes, sweet potatoes and taro. It's native to south American and consumed daily in Brazil in numerous forms, including flour. Here it's on the menu in three different ways, including these deep-fried balls of silky smooth, starchy yuca snacks, with small chunks of smoked sausage mixed throughout, and a crunchy shell keeping it all in tact. Beer snacks don't get better. There are nine skewers to choose from and you could forego the burger and try them all between two, but with limited stomach space we picked four. The best were the beef (tender, marinated Angus) and the pork belly (melting and sweet), both tasting like something straight from a São Paulo Churrascaria. The cheese and onion sausage is made especially for them by a Brazilian sausage maker in Dublin, and has chunks of melting cheese amongst the salty pork, but as sausages go it didn't leave a lasting impression. The chicken hearts are for offal aficionados only, and we didn't love them, but you might. Bruno also recommended we try the boneless free-range chicken legs, and we meant to order the halloumi but forgot in all the excited discussion about the menu. Two of many reasons to go back. While the steak was filled with flavour on its own, it was taken to a new stratosphere by the addition of some "vinaigrette" and farofa. The vinaigrette is a tangy, mouth-puckering mix of tomato, onion, spring onion, olive oil and lime juice, and does the same job (probably better) as a spoonful of chimichurri with a nice slab of Bife de Chorizo. In Brazil they often sprinkle farofa (another form of cassava with a texture similar to polenta) over barbecued meats, and while you might wonder whether its necessary to fling additional carbs onto some perfectly good meat, we have now discovered that it is. A chunk of steak sprinkled with farofa and topped with a spoon of vinaigrette made for a massively memorable mouthful of food, and really highlighted how little additions can take a meal from good to great. For cassava #3 , it was a mashed version, similar to very smooth potatoes, but also creamy and cheesy. It had more depth of flavour than potato, and tasted more savoury, and it would be very easy to just eat this by the spoon (which we did). We also tried the buttered sweetcorn which was a bit sweet and a bit spicy, although we felt it could have had a bit more of a bite. There are five sauces to choose from and we ordered the salsa verde (tangy and full of fresh herbs) and the garlic pâté (like a very good garlic mayo made with roasted bulbs). They also brought us an African pepper sauce to try, saying they had been working on the recipe for ages, and this is one for the chilli chasers, but despite its heat it's fruity and rounded. Just don't eat too much in one go. There's only one option for dessert - a dulce de leche stuffed toasted brioche bun, and while no one needs a dessert like this, sometimes a bit of indulgence is required. It's excellent dulce de leche in an excellent toasted bun, and while at first we thought it needed some ice-cream, there was something OTT in a good way about carb on carb. If you can eat a whole one of these you've got a higher sugar tolerance than we do, so we recommend one to share, between four. What about drinks? It's no surprise that the drinks list is basic, but they do a mean Aperol Spritz, as well as Campari spritz, a Spanish beer called Madri, and some unexciting but drinkable wines. When we arrived we liked the look of the Aperol Spritz but they had no ice so we ordered prosecco instead. About 20 minutes later we saw some ice arrive, and before we even had a chance to ask, two ice-cold glasses were delivered to our table FOC. This kind of generous hospitality feels very rare these days, and seems to sum up what the place and its owners are about. How was the service? From the first smiles on walking in, to the generosity of time and spirit in explaining the food and menu, to the warm farewell on departure, it felt like being a very welcome guest in someone's home, and a genuine opportunity to learn about new foods you may not be overly familiar with - something that's not possible in the same way without the right, wholly impassioned people serving it. And the damage? Around €65 for two with one drink each on the bill and leftovers to take home. In a world of rising prices, we think places like this which can deliver such sincere, delicious food at such great prices are going to ride high for the foreseeable future. The verdict? You know when you leave somewhere you liked so much that you can barely wait to tell someone about it? That was us with B Skewers, phone in hand before the door shut had behind us. We were completely endeared by the whole, heartwarmingly honest operation, the people behind it, and the new flavours and ingredients they're serving up to infatuated customers, sick of the same old dishes citywide, although we'd love to see a stronger focus on provenance and quality ingredients - they've told us it's on their agenda. We've never found a Brazilian BBQ worth shouting about, and although there's another currently on our to try list, right now we've got all the love for Bruno, Thaís and their little Brazilian BBQ on Bolton Street. B Skewers 47 Bolton Street, Dublin 1 www.bskewers.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Boco Clontarf Is this the Northside's answer to Reggie's? Posted: 7 Apr 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope Tell us about Boco in Clontarf? The original Boco opened on the corner of Bolton Street and Capel Street in 2017, and has always flown somewhat under the radar when it comes to the continuous conversation about Dublin's best places to eat. Despite a loyal band of customers shouting about them every chance they get (we see your DMS), and consistently sky high scores on review sites, they've never quite managed the same column inches as places like Bambino/Reggie's/Pi. In the mid-Covid world of 2020 they opened a pizza fire truck at the back of the beautiful Harry Byrne's pub in Clontarf, serving pizza to grateful locals who soon became Boco loyalists. When word got out that they were looking for a second location with a roof and walls to call home, those people were VERY excited. They secured the former Pigeon House site at the start of 2025, but it's been the longest, slowest wait for them to open the doors and fire the ovens, so when they finally announced that the day had come a few weeks ago, celebrations were heard up and down the Clontarf Road. Where's the best place to sit? There's a few distinct seating areas in here. Towards the back you've got high tables seating up to four, with prime views of the pizza ovens working overtime. The front section has nicely spaced out tables and was full of families, high chairs and buggies when we visited early evening. If you want more privacy/peace try to get a table around the corner in the alcove-type area - this section would be great for a group/party too. Then at the front you've got an expansive indoor/outdoor space with heaters and a retractable roof. Let us lay it down in print - these will be the most in demand, spritz-filled tables in Clontarf this summer. Boco, Clontarf What's on the menu? Small plates, salads, pizzas and dips are the gist, with a nice mix of deep-fried bits and healthier veggie add-ons like padron peppers and rocket salad. You can take the small plates as starters or sides, and staff happily fired ours first with the pizzas to follow after. We've been finding a LOT of A-grade focaccia in Dublin over the past year, and Boco's crunchy on the bottom, fluffy on the inside, lardo and leek draped masterpiece (€7) is up there with the best. To get that brittle bottom you need to use more oil than we'd dare to home, and the equally melted and crisped up lardo is the focaccia hack we'll be putting to use at home. Deep-fried onion strings with buffalo garlic mayo (€7) are worth an order too - tempura-crisp without being greasy, with the buffalo garlic sauce having the perfect amount of spice and tang. Multiple diving hands meant these mysteriously disappeared within seconds of landing on the table. There are three substantial salads, all with an amount of thought well beyond 'menu filler', with ingredients like a Wildwood elderberry and star anise vinaigrette a good illustration. The most appealing to us was the prosciutto and black grape, with mixed leaves, artichoke, walnuts, Pecorino and that vinaigrette (€14), and if you ended up here with a coeliac/non pizza lover they won't feel like they've had a second rate experience. Chips were surprisingly great too (how often do you say that in a pizzeria?), fried in oil hot enough to give those burnished edges that shatter on biting. We went for Parmesan (€6.50) which came with roasted garlic mayo, and finished off the silver cup wondering if there was anything that these guys would fall down on. It didn't happen with the pizzas anyway. As Neapolitan bases go, Boco's would make you emotional. The puffed up cornicione, the blistered charring, the crusts so tender there was little work in the chewing - there's a fine art to pizza, and if they can consistently deliver this kind of base, we have no concerns about them keeping their seats full. Get the # 7 for no other reason than to taste this vodka sauce, which is like getting a mouthful of ripe tomatoes in Puglia mid-summer. Typically vodka sauce has cream in it - this is pure tomato and all the better for it. The Fior di Latte, salami soppressata, j alapeños and Parmesan are loaded on in perfect proportions, and this just needs a glass of Lambrusco on the side for optimum enjoyment. Any pizza with miso in the name is going to grab our attention, which is how the # 9 with miso butter, wild Irish mushrooms, Stracciatella and porcini crumb ended up on the table. You know when you build something up in your head and then it's just not as good IRL? This was the opposite, umami flying all over the place, the texture contrasts a home run. One of the main reasons we raced to Clontarf was the promise of an Osso Bucco pizza with gremolata, but it was short-lived (apparently it was too time-consuming and customers didn't get it - who are these people and where can we lock them up?) Begrudgingly we changed our pre-planned order to the # 10 with mascarpone, Tallegio, Italian sausage, kale, confit garlic, Parmesan, and pickled shallots. This one had a lot going for it, but was missing the oomph moment. Shallots tasted raw rather than pickled, and the sausage was under seasoned. Was it a bad pizza? Definitely not, we're very much into nit-picking territory, but we'll try others next time. Desserts follow the pizzeria standard of creamy things in cup-like vessels, and if it ain't broke don't fix it. Both the Key Lime Mess and Stout Tiramisu were valiant endings, both with enough interesting elements so as not to feel like something thrown together post the main event. If you like a boozy dessert both the affogato with Frangelico and the biscotti with PX sherry will tick the box nicely. Like your dessert in liquid form? There's three dessert cocktails too, including a frozen Irish coffee, and a salted caramel espresso martini. Is there anything these guys can't/won't do? It's a pizzeria. Are the drinks any good? The first line on the wine list says " all of our wines are organic " - another stake in the ground that shows you how much thought has gone into every part of this operation. The majority of bottles are under €50, with a nice variety of grapes, countries and styles - you'll find something you like here. There are also four house cocktails, six classics, and seven spritzes, including Aperol, Limoncello and Basil. Tick, tick tick. The beers, soft drinks and no alcohol options have plenty of interesting options too - everything is covered. If you come to a pizzeria and don't drink Lambrusco you should be shown the door (just our humble opinion), and the Quercioli here does the job nicely, at a saintly 11.5% alcohol. We also tried a pleasantly fizzy, well-balanced Sbagliato - like a Negroni with Campari, Vermouth, and prosecco instead of gin to lighten the alcohol. How was the service? Young, eager and very pleasant - they've hired for personality and it comes across. If anything was slightly delayed there were apologies, and information (plus wine tastes) were offered up graciously. We never felt stranded or in need of anything for too long, and the food was nicely paced as per our request, despite the place being packed to the rafters. What did the bill come to? €133 before tip for three small plates, a salad, three pizzas, two dips, two desserts and two drinks - easily enough for three hungry people, or four normal ones. This felt like the best value meal we'd had in ages. What's the verdict on Boco in Clontarf? Boco is somewhere that many Dubliners have taken for granted for too long. Maybe because of its unglamourous Bolton Street location, or its student associations being a one minute walk from TU Dublin, but with this second location we're wagering that's about to change. If you need a reference point, this is the Reggie's of the Northside, and we're predicting a similar demand. During our meal many, many people were turned away at the door after some sad sniffs of what was coming out of the kitchen, and longing gazes at clinking glasses filled with Aperol Spritz. Don't be like them - get planning your visit now. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Just north of the river Liffey to the west of the city centre, Smithfield used to be home to inner-city farm yards and an open-air market, but is now home to fried egg sandwiches, Cardi-Bs, and one of Dublin's best places for seafood small plates and natural wine. Smithfield Our Take Just north of the river Liffey to the west of the city centre, Smithfield used to be home to inner-city farm yards and an open-air market, but is now home to fried egg sandwiches, Cardi-Bs, and one of Dublin's best places for seafood small plates and natural wine. Where to Eat Biang Biang Bonobo Fish Shop Mad Yolks Matsukawa No Messin @ Proper Order Nutbutter Smithfield Oxmantown Smithfield Sister 7 The Legal Eagle Urbanity

Northern Mexican taqueria run by a trio of women who were missing their favourite foods from home. The Northern aspect means more of a focus on wheat and beef, than corn and pork, and the prices undercut all the big chains, for far better flavours. Pickosito Website instagram.com/pickosito.taqueria Address Pickosito Northern Mexican Taqueria, Upstairs, Mary Street, North City, Dublin 1, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Northern Mexican taqueria run by a trio of women who were missing their favourite foods from home. The Northern aspect means more of a focus on wheat and beef, than corn and pork, and the prices undercut all the big chains, for far better flavours. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

This local’s favourite coffee shop has two joints in South County Dublin – the original in Glasthule which serves 3fe coffee and homemade pastries only, and a larger shop in Blackrock which is offering a broader brunch menu alongside their usual fare. Their cinnamon swirl won silver at the 2021 Blas na hEireann awards and is exclusive to the Blackrock shop so make sure to save room for one of these. Hatch Coffee Website @hatchcoffee Address 4 Glasthule Road, Sandycove, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story This local’s favourite coffee shop has two joints in South County Dublin – the original in Glasthule which serves 3fe coffee and homemade pastries only, and a larger shop in Blackrock which is offering a broader brunch menu alongside their usual fare. Their cinnamon swirl won silver at the 2021 Blas na hEireann awards and is exclusive to the Blackrock shop so make sure to save room for one of these. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Portugese bakery and café just off Capel Street specialising in pastéis de nata and coffee, selling tea leaves to take away from Europe's only tea plantation in The Azores. The fact that they're as good as much of what you'll find in Lisbon has lead to daily sell outs, and the plan is to add wine and small plates by Autumn. Cafe Lisboa Website @cafelisboa_dublin Address 28 Mary Street Little, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Portugese bakery and café just off Capel Street specialising in pastéis de nata and coffee, selling tea leaves to take away from Europe's only tea plantation in The Azores. The fact that they're as good as much of what you'll find in Lisbon has lead to daily sell outs, and the plan is to add wine and small plates by Autumn. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra