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Precise, original Sichuan cooking that draws diners from across the city and beyond, for the ‘Man and Wife’ beef slices, ‘waltip’ pork and chicken dumplings, and whole fresh Irish lobster with egg noodles. It's not cheap, but it's one of the best Chinese restaurants in the country. China Sichuan Website china-sichuan.ie Address The Forum, Ballymoss Rd, Sandyford Business Park, Sandyford, Dublin 18 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Precise, original Sichuan cooking that draws diners from across the city and beyond, for the ‘Man and Wife’ beef slices, ‘waltip’ pork and chicken dumplings, and whole fresh Irish lobster with egg noodles. It's not cheap, but it's one of the best Chinese restaurants in the country. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

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

M and L Chinese Sichuan spice and a seriously good deal on corkage Posted: 11 Feb 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? As diverse as Dublin’s dining scene is right now, we’ve always suffered from a lack of the type of Chinese food they actually eat in China (trying to avoid the ‘A’ word). There are spice bags and 3-in-1’s on every corner, but try to get a plate of Xi’an Biang Biang noodles or braised, fermented fish belly and you’ll have a job on your hands. M&L on Cathedral Street is well known as one of the few places to get real Sichuan food, but it’s having a bit of an industry boom of late, as word has gotten out about their €6 corkage charge. Cue half the restaurants in Dublin booking it for their post-Christmas Christmas party (no restaurant has their Christmas party in December) so they can BYO some serious wine. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? Let's be honest, it’s not exactly Soho around here. Madigan’s on O’Connell Street is decent for a pint. Apart from that their sister site The Vintage Teapot just across the road is a cute (if ethnically muddled – Chinese dumplings, Italian antipasti and Russian blinis) place for a glass of wine, or post-dinner tea or coffee – they have a particularly good Chinese tea selection. What’s the room like? Like a Chinese restaurant. Cosy with some nice artwork on the walls and minimal table settings. The main room is nicer than the narrower section leading to the kitchen, but this tends to be quieter so better if you want some privacy. What's good to eat? Sichuan cooking centres around Sichuan peppercorns, chillies and garlic, so expect lots of each. There are non-Sichuan dishes here too (black bean, sweet and sour, peking) but we’d steer clear and stick to the ‘chef’s recommendations’ on the menu if you want the real experience. The specials on the board are a great place to start. From there we had beef and pork dumplings, and steamed buns with pork mince. All were excellent, especially drowned in chilli oil. We tried the chicken and sweetcorn soup (more out of curiosity than anything else) which was definitely of the more ‘European Chinese’ variety - gloopy and tasteless. Thankfully things picked up with the French beans with dry chilli, which seem to be everyone’s favourite. You might balk at €11 for a plate of green beans but you won’t once you’ve tried them. They’re M&L’s version of class A drugs - highly addictive. From a previous visit we can highly recommend the deep-fried seabass Sichuan style (on the bone), but this time we tried Seabass in hot and spicy sauce (off the bone), which was like a really good sweet and sour with extra depth of flavour. The fish was perfectly cooked and the skin crunchy, but it wasn't as good as the Sichuan version. We meant to order deep fried chicken with chilli and crispy peanuts (again had it on a previous occasion and again loved it) but in a miscommunication ended up with Kung Pao chicken, which is also a Sichuan dish and was very good, but a bit pedestrian. If you do order the deep fried chicken be warned that the portion is huge, but you can always take the leftovers home (you'll find images of it on Instagram). The deep-fried aubergine with soy sauce was also enjoyable if not overly memorable, but didn’t look remotely deep fried. No crispy edges. We wanted to try the whelks which are an M&L favourite but they weren’t available. The soft-shell crab is also mentioned constantly in reviews but seems to be a table divider. Some love it, some don't. We didn't have enough space to take the chance. In synopsis, you need to know what to order in M&L, and make sure you communicate it clearly to the staff. What about the wine? €6 corkage. That’s all you need to know. We took a cursory glance at the wine list and are sure none of it will kill you, but it would seem a wasted opportunity not to bring something special when the corkage charge is this low. To put it into perspective, a wine that you pay €20 for will cost you €26 to drink at M&L. Standard restaurant margins would make it in or around €50. We took an organic, biodynamic white from a Portugese producer called Aphros (annoyingly not currently available in Ireland, sorry) which was zesty and full of flavour (lime, orange, white flowers), with lovely minerality. A perfect pre-dinner drink while we waited for food to arrive. The chilli sauce with the dumplings eviscerated our palates so we couldn’t taste it after that, but luckily it was almost finished. We also took a Greek red from producer Gaia's 2009 vintage; an obscure Greek grape variety called Agiorgitiko. It’s currently on sale in O’Briens for €18.45 down from €28.95 (for no reason other than most Irish people don’t buy Greek wine), and was a hauntingly beautiful bottle, full of perfume, flowers and blackberries. (It's worth noting that we went back for a second bottle which wasn’t as good, but that’s wine, it’s a living thing so can be unpredictable). Neither were a perfect match for Sichuan food but not much is. And the service? Basic but friendly. No-one will fall over you and you might need to wave a few times but staff are very accommodating. The verdict? There is great food at M&L but you could easily fall into the trap of the Western diner and end up with a pretty standard Chinese, which would be a great shame. Do your research, stick to the chef's specials and bring your own wine and you'll be fine. M & L Chinese 13/14 Cathedral Street, Dublin 2 mlchineserestaurant.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

CN Duck Roast meats in Ranelagh straight out of Southeast Asia Posted: 28 Jun 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? CN Duck opened quietly enough on Ranelagh's thoroughfare in February, and apart from one (copied and pasted from their website) article on Lovin' Dublin, and a review in the Sunday Independent, they haven't had a whole pile of coverage, but on a recent visit to Ranelagh in search of somewhere to eat, their online reviews stuck out like a bullet oven in a Dublin suburb. It's a lazy, false stereotype that because people of a similar ethnicity as the restaurant are eating there it must be the best around - people of every colour, race and background eat bad food, and what if it's just the best of a bad lot? - but what stuck out most from all the praise was the steady stream of Asian diners gushing about the quality of the roast meats, and how it was the taste of home they'd been sorely missing. One read: " The best roast duck you could expect to have - it is as best as a 5-star hotel in Hong Kong. This is amazingly delicious. Absolutely worth for the value. Will be visiting again! Salute to the Chef!!! Thank you CN Duck! It effectively heals my homesick. " How could we not after that. Cities like Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai are famous for their juicy, crispy-skinned roast meats, cooked in special bullet ovens shaped like torpedos, and hung up in windows and street stalls across town. These ovens circulate heat evenly around the meat, rendering the fat and crisping the skin, and while these aren't the first ones in Dublin, we've never found a source of Chinese roast meats that we thought could compete with the ones we've eaten in South East Asia. Multiple attempts at contacting the restaurant to get more information about who's behind it went unanswered, but one online report claimed they're connected to the Zakura Japanese restaurants. If we ever find out we'll let you know. Where should I sit? This is fast casual dining, with two long tables for sharing with fellow diners, a table for four, two high tables for two, and one outside table that can seat four. The roadside seating isn't the most comfortable and you'll probably be wary of your belongings, but it is nice sitting in the sun (on the rare occasions it shows up). None of the seating has been designed with lounging in mind, so just pull up wherever's free. What's the food like? You're here for the roast meats and we'll hear no more about it, but there is quite a large menu in case you have a heathen in your midst who wants to break ranks (or you just want to get a selection of different dishes - far more reasonable). There are also enough vegetarian dishes to bring any meat-free friends too. We asked which starters were made on site, and were told the spring rolls and the Shao Mai dumpings, so got one of each. There was no doubt the duck spring rolls were made fresh, with uneven wrappers giving up extra crispy bits, and a filling full of fresh, crunchy vegetables, and rich chunks of meat. With a side of sweet chilli sauce for dipping, these are spring rolls the way they should be, yet so rarely are. The Shao Mai (also called Siu Mai) dumplings were stuffed with a pork and mushroom filling so juicy you will want to eat these in one mouthful, the thin pastry pleats holding it all together, and a whole prawn on top. They come with a soy based dipping sauce and are utterly delicious, but heavy. Perfect for sharing, but a whole portion as a starter and you might be done for. For the star attraction, there are a few ways of doing it. The four roast meats on offer are roast duck; crispy pork belly; BBQ char siu pork; and Cantonese soy chicken. You can either order portions of the meat by itself, plumping out your meal with rice and other sides, or you can order it as part of a rice bowl. You can also order combos to try two at once, and because we had to try it all, we got a meat-only combo of roast duck and crispy pork belly, and a rice bowl combo of BBQ char siu pork and Cantonese soy chicken. And oh my this meat. If you've ever eaten your way around those bustling Asian cities this will take you right back there. Too often you find duck in this style with too much fat under the skin, making for unpleasantly chewy mouthfuls, but this was flawlessly rendered down with a slightly sticky marinade, showing what those ovens are capable of in the right hands. You can pay an extra €1 to have it deboned, and if you don't do that just be careful as little shards of bone can sneak into your mouth when you least expect it. The crispy pork belly is cooked in a way that will make you never want to cook it at home again (or eat it anywhere else). By its nature it has more fat than the duck and in more places, but the cracking belongs in the all-star leagues, and the sliver of fat underneath would give fat on meat a good name. There were pieces towards one end that were all fat and crackling, but some people like that too, and there was a lot of meat to get your chops around. The BBQ char siu pork and Cantonese soy chicken were the combo for our rice bowl, and once again, the soy chicken is the best we've had anywhere here. Often slippery, with rubbery skin and no flavour, this skin is made for eating, with the chicken melting underneath it. Again it's on the bone so bear that in mind when jamming it into your mouth. Thin slices of char siu pork had a vivid barbecue flavour, and the portions of meat felt very generous. The rice bowls come with half a jammy, soy-cured egg (as good as the best ramen bars serve, anywhere). stir-fried greens, steamed pak choi and edamame beans, and for €15 for the meat combo this is a hell of a bowl of food. On the table are duck sauce (very hard to find good versions outside of Asian and this is a good version) and chilli oil that tasted like it was based on fermented shrimp paste. Great condiment game. The only downside to these delicious meats is a lack of provenance information. The website says they use "locally sourced meat" but that doesn't mean much, and we would have loved more information on where they're getting it. Outside of the roast meat bonanza there's ramen, noodles, fried rice and stir fries, and while we tend to look at these as filler items, it's hard to imagine the standards dropping from the rest. There's also a good value daytime menu served from 12:00 - 17:00, with a selection of dishes for €9.95 - hard to argue with. We're pretty desperate to go back and try more, and have spent the week quietly cursing Ranelagh residents for having such easy access to it. What about drinks? Soft drinks or beer only - Tiger, Asahi or Tsing Tao, but they also do BYOB at the bargain price of €1 per beer or €6 per bottle of wine. This would be a great place to break out some special bottles, and the food's not spicy enough to overpower anything. How was the service? Very pleasant and to the point. You order at the till and they'll bring your food to you. As you'd expect everything comes when it's ready, so if you want to spread it out we'd advise asking if they can do this when you order. And the damage? €44.95 for a generous amount of food for two with leftovers to take away. For food of this quality we think the value for money is in the city's top tier right now. The verdict? For our money these are the best Chinese roast meats in Dublin right now, and an itch is finally being scratched to complete satisfaction. We hoped CN Duck would be decent, we didn't know it was going to be this good, but maybe we'll take more notice of those gushing Google reviews more often. Hopefully they've got their eyes on other sites so more people can experience the joy, but maybe it's best kept as one solo special spot for soy chicken and char siu. Either way, we're coming up with all sorts of excuses to get back to Ranelagh. CN Duck 12 Ranelagh, Dublin 6 www.cnduck.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Kaldero opened with a stumble, thanks to its "consultant chefs who don't actually cook there" schtick, but found its way once it installed the couple behind Filipino pop up Bahay to steer it in the right direction. The menu is a deliciously fun study of Filipino food, with plenty of dishes and ingredients that you won't encounter elsewhere, and the large room with an expansive area down the back makes it great for groups. Don't miss the Filipino cocktails. Kaldero Website kaldero.ie Address Kaldero, King Street South, Saint Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Kaldero opened with a stumble, thanks to its "consultant chefs who don't actually cook there" schtick, but found its way once it installed the couple behind Filipino pop up Bahay to steer it in the right direction. The menu is a deliciously fun study of Filipino food, with plenty of dishes and ingredients that you won't encounter elsewhere, and the large room with an expansive area down the back makes it great for groups. Don't miss the Filipino cocktails. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

The Rooftop at Anantara The Marker A new food and drink menu, but it's all about those 360 views Posted: 27 May 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What do we need to know about the Rooftop at Anantara The Marker? Open since 2013, The Marker Hotel was bought by and rebranded as Anantara The Marker in 2023. This saw a multi-million euro renovation to the already five-star hotel, with all rooms refurbished, a fresh update to the lobby and bars, and bespoke cabinetry and custom furniture across the hotel. It's always been a place to see and be seen, with Influencers and Tiktokers frequently spotted draped across the rails, while their Insta-boyfriends wear out their fingers taking photos, but this year was the Rooftop's turn for a refresh, with the hard, white geometric furniture gone , and softer, neutral sofas and loungers brought in to replace them. On a clear day you can see the Poolbeg chimneys, the Aviva Stadium, and as far as Dún Laoghaire and the Wicklow Mountains, so you won't get many better places for a 360 view of the capital. Indoor and sheltered zones are mixed with outdoor terraces, with the addition of a new fire-pit. There's a new menu for summer 2025 too from Executive Chef Gareth Mullins, which they say is " fusing bold Thai and Asian flavours with fine Irish ingredients ", a nod to their Thai-born parent company. A new cocktail list with similar Asian flavour inspiration completes the refresh. What happens if it rains? When you book online it doesn't specify seating areas, but you can request in the notes if you want to be in a particular spot. We had initially booked during the short-lived summer of 2025 and requested an outdoor table, but when the day (and the rain) came we called to ask what happens if the weather is particularly inclement. They said they can generally seat bookings inside or under cover, and only if conditions get extremely bad would they close the whole space and move people to the downstairs bar instead. There's room for around 20 in the fully enclosed bit, and three couch-based seating areas under a permanent structure, so a bit of drizzle won't ruin your plans. So if it's sunny where should we sit? First you need to get up there - arrive early for your booking as we were waiting at least five minutes in a queue to see the host. The days of taking yourself to the lift and pressing the button are over. There's lots of radio-ing back and forth from reception to bar to tell them that you're here, that you're en route, and you'll either get all the VIP feels or find it a bit OTT. This rooftop has wraparound views across the city so there aren't really any bad seats, but we prefer to face out over the Liffey and Grand Canal Dock, as the views the other way aren't as expansive. Your seating preference here might also come down to the type of chair you want to sit in - options range from single rattan chairs, to couches, to soft fabric loungers with little back support, so if this is an issue for your party, request the appropriate seating before you get there. What if we just want drinks? No problemo. They've made a big deal about their new cocktail list, " weaving exotic ingredients and imaginative storytelling into every glass ". Drinks have names like " Elephants: Love and Bananas" , and " Storm in Bangkok" , using ingredients like Szechuan peppercorns, pandan leaf and Kaffir lime leaves (whose name is a debate for another day ). If that all sounds too adventurous they cover the bases too with Margaritas, Old Fashioneds, and the lesser-seen-these-days Cosmopolitan. There's a compact, not very exciting, list of wine and Champagne with all the popular grape boxes ticked - including Whispering Angel rosé for the Insta huns just back from their hols in the South of France. A glass of cava will set you back €16, Ayala Champagne €28, and wines by the glass range from €10.40 for Pinot Grigio to €17.40 for Chablis. There's no added value in buying a bottle - it's the same price to buy four 175ml glasses, so you can mix it up without penalty. We tried the " Elephants: Love and Bananas" (based on the natural diet of elephants), and the " Storm in Bangkok" , and while on first sip we thought they weren't half bad, a few more sips revealed far more sugar than we want in our drinks on a night out, and everything else fighting to be tasted over the inert sweetness. At €18-€21 a cocktail we were hoping for more balance and refinement. As tempted as we were to try the "Celtic Sea" with it's "salmon-washed Method and Madness gin", we needed a mouth cleanse, and a glass of 3 Rios Vinho Verde and an Espresso Martini did the job. This cocktail was much better, with IStill vodka, Poitin coffee liqueur, espresso and Japanese buckwheat syrup. Next time we'll stick to the classics. What's on offer for food? The small plates are out in full force, at not so small prices. It's the kind of menu you'd expect to leave hungry after, and you could very easily drop €100 per person on food and a couple of drinks in a very short time, so keep an eye on your spending or prepare to get a shock. Hand-dived scallops (sliced so it was hard to tell how many there were but we guessed two-three) came layered with an aged oxtail soy broth, pops of trout roe, bursts of citrussy yuzu, and crispy potato straws on (€21). It would have been a knockout if not for the woolly texture of the scallops. We guessed they were over-cured, with too long an exposure to salt/acid causing the scallop slices to lose any bite they once had. The salt and chilli "spice bag" potatoes (€8) came next, with a spiced mayonnaise tasting mainly of Five Spice. With good flavour and just cooked veg this is one of the better dishes here, but those potatoes would have been so much better deep-fried instead of baked - maybe the crowd here are counting their calories. "Muu Grop Warn", is described as Caramelised pork and Dublin Bay Prawn, with Little Gem, pineapple and orange (€18). This was an absurdly sweet, chewy, crunchy mound of what could have been a multitude of things. Nuts? Sure. Fried chicken? Perhaps. Deep-fried noodles? Could be...? No Dublin Bay Prawn should have to suffer this fate. There may well have been none in here though - it would be impossible to tell without a kitchen inspection. Don't order this unless you've got a toothbrush in your pocket to get the sugar off your teeth afterwards. Handpicked crab sesame toast (€20) comes with "pickled cumcumber" (unfortunate typo) and sweetened Japanese mayo. If this had seen more time on the pan and been adequately drained of oil we would have had no complaints about this fancy spin on prawn toast. Crisp Gochugang chicken with Thai "nam jim" dipping sauce (€18) had one major problem - it was about as crisp as an over ripe banana (also if you want to taste nam jim in Dublin go to Achara, cos this overly sweet mixture isn't it). It was so soggy we flagged down a server and asked had it been sitting under a heat lamp since we asked them to slow down the food. What followed was an explanation of what panko breadcrumbs are, and how they absorb sauce, before they must have taken pity on our weary faces and offered to bring the prawn wontons instead. Thank God for happy endings because these were the best things we ate. The dumpling-like filling had proper chunks of fluffy Dublin Bay Prawns (€20 but they left them off the bill by way of apology), were juicy, crispy and just cooked, and only the non-existent Prik Nam Pla (a fish sauce and chilli dipping sauce) let it down. Was it supposed to be the soy dipping sauce? Prik Nam Pla has no soy. Thailand's ultimate, sour and spicy condiment would have taken this dish from "wow" to "holy cow". Dessert consists of three different combinations of soft serve ice-cream (€9), but as the meal ended up being more drawn out than we'd planned for we ended up having to leave before we'd had time to try one. How was the service? At times we felt like we were stand ins for a training session. Our lovely waiter seemed very new and didn't have the answers to most of our questions, having to go and fetch other team members each time. Eventually answers on portion sizes and ingredients were answered, but it was all a bit protracted. Food and drinks were also slow in arriving, which was surprisingly given it was early on a rainy evening and there were only a few tables occupied. Is there anything worse than watching your cocktail slowly warm up on the counter with no one to rescue it. After a decent wait for food, three of five dishes landed on the small table at one time causing anxiety to hit, so we asked them to hold the other two until we'd finished what we had. This request seemed to throw them, and much was made about whether or not the kitchen was already making the food and if they could halt the order. We dream of a day where we no longer have to have the conversation about wanting to eat food while its still warm. Also, where were we supposed to put the extra dishes? On our laps? What about the prices? Sky high, which is no surprise. Cocktails are at five-star hotel prices, coming in at less than The Sidecar in The Westbury, but well above almost everywhere else like The Mint Bar (€16.50), Peruke & Periwig (€15) and Bar 1661 (€5-€16). For those prices we would have expected more polish in those special cocktails. Food wise you're averaging €20 a small plate - pricey by anywhere's standards, but we did feel full after sharing five plates between two. Two cocktails each and five sharing plates and you could easily be down €200 after adding a tip. What's the verdict on The Rooftop at The Marker? Let's be real. The Rooftop at Anantara The Marker is all about the views, and you'll pay for them on your bill. While it would be a dream come true for Dublin to have a rooftop restaurant with food to match the 360 skyline, there's plenty here to keep a mixed crowd (with deep pockets) happy on a glam night out. If you're on a budget you can pop in for a pre-dinner glass of wine and some complimentary pretzels, and if you've got money burning a hole in your pocket on the next sunny evening in Dublin, you could spend a dream-like few hours here on a lounger floating above the city with a glass of rosé in hand, nibbling on tuna sashimi. There are far worse ways to spend an evening. When's it open? Wednesday to Thursday from 5pm, Friday and Saturday from 3pm, and Sunday from 1pm. There are plans to open daily from June, weather permitting. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The best of Irish produce in a bright, airy room overlooking the Liffey. Open since 2006 but feels like it’s been a stalwart of the Dublin restaurant scene forever. The Winding Stair Website winding-stair.com Address 40 Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The best of Irish produce in a bright, airy room overlooking the Liffey. Open since 2006 but feels like it’s been a stalwart of the Dublin restaurant scene forever. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

The 'Osteria Locale' from the guys behind Hera and Crudo exploded onto the scene at the end of summer 2025, with Phibsboro locals leading the demand. The menu is so full of snacks, antipasti and pasta that you'll struggle to choose, and the Italian-leaning dishes are cooked with the best Irish produce. The old bank setting feels grand, but everything else about Borgo, from the drinks to the prices, has its feet firmly on the ground. Borgo Website borgodublin.ie Address 162-165 Phibsborough Rd, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, D07 RX3P, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The 'Osteria Locale' from the guys behind Hera and Crudo exploded onto the scene at the end of summer 2025, with Phibsboro locals leading the demand. The menu is so full of snacks, antipasti and pasta that you'll struggle to choose, and the Italian-leaning dishes are cooked with the best Irish produce. The old bank setting feels grand, but everything else about Borgo, from the drinks to the prices, has its feet firmly on the ground. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

After shifting to Japanese-leaning Lotus Eaters in 2024, 2025 saw The Pig’s Ear go back to its roots, and turn the dial up on the Irishness. A brand new menu was launched, with dishes inspired by and featured throughout Dublin’s literary history, and dishes like coddle, tongue n’cheek kidney pudding, and boxty pancakes with Cais na Tire cheese and truffle getting old and new customers excited. A great place to take visitors to. The Pig's Ear Website thepigsear.ie Address The Pig’s Ear Dublin, Nassau Street, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story After shifting to Japanese-leaning Lotus Eaters in 2024, 2025 saw The Pig’s Ear go back to its roots, and turn the dial up on the Irishness. A brand new menu was launched, with dishes inspired by and featured throughout Dublin’s literary history, and dishes like coddle, tongue n’cheek kidney pudding, and boxty pancakes with Cais na Tire cheese and truffle getting old and new customers excited. A great place to take visitors to. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

Crudo A neighbourhood Italian getting it all right Posted: 20 Mar 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Crudo? In what was formerly Dunne & Crescenzi in Sandymount, the next generation of the family, Sean Crescenzi, opened Crudo with friend Jamie McCarthy in mid-2019. They were finding their feet and figuring things out when Covid shut them down in early 2020, so it's been a stop-start few years, but they've now settled nicely into their groove. Feedback seems to have been getting progressively better about their neighbourhood Italian offering, aimed at locals, without cutting corners to satisfy blander taste buds, and they've been quietly going about their business with a limited social media presence - clearly it's not needed to drum up customers. Where should we sit? It's a homely room with simple furniture and someone's much loved (and long held) cookery book collection dotted around the walls. We do love a bit of people watching and you never know who you'll see in Sandymount so we'd go for the window if it's free. Andrew Scott was who we saw in Sandymount - he walked right past the window on his phone - and we're told Andy Farrell (the Irish Rugby Head Coach) is a regular. Those tables at the front are also perfect for familes. They seat six so there's plenty of space, and are right near the door in case anyone using their outdoor voice needs to be swiftly removed. Otherwise there's four tops along the wall and twos in the middle, but there's the ability for maneuvering depending on bookings. What's on the menu? They open for lunch and dinner with a lot of the same dishes, but lunch has a slightly reduced menu, and the addition of paninis which come with soup or parmesan fries. A lovely suppliers list (including first names) is up front so it can't be missed, and there's a €10 (frozen food free) kids menu that will excite parents used to paying €4 for just a juice. There were a lot of specials on the day we visited, but we try to stick to the dishes you'll be able to order too. Bear in mind though that even if you've picked your food in advance based on what's online, expect a whole new realm of greedy confusion to reign down when you're presented with chalkboards of new options, each one sounding better than the last. One of the best tests of any Italian is bruschetta, especially in a country where tomatoes are more often mealy, insipid balls of disappointment, than juicy, round pops of sunshine. Here a fluffy wedge of Oaksmoke sourdough comes just grilled, rubbed in garlic, and topped with marinated datterini tomatoes, basil and EVOO (€13) and you can add half a creamy, springy burrata ball for an extra €5.50. €18.50 might be on the pricier side for a starter, but it's big enough to share, and it's worth it when the Italian-imported ingredients are this superior. Arancini (€15) are always on the menu, and ours came with 'crispy fried risotto', crayfish and lobster bisque, and a preserved lemon and basil crema underneath. These were as big as baseballs, and another starter easily shared between two. The risotto itself was a bit dry (maybe because of the crispy frying), but had proper chunks of crayfish, and the crema was one of the best things we've tasted this year. So vividly lemony, there wasn't a creamy basil-streaked smear left on the plate - it made the whole dish (and possibly our whole day). We feel like we've been hearing about Crudo's scampi risotto since day one. Just cooked arborio rice comes with a lavish amount of fresh prawns, Dublin Bay prawn and sambuca bisque, prawn oil and crème fraiche (€24). It's one of those dishes you won't be able to make much conversation while eating, other than ummmms and errrmmaagaawwddss, and the elevation of all the flavours here shows up so many other risottos around town. Even the most committed meat eater should try the hand-rolled ravioli filled with cavolo nero and brie, served with deep-fried wild mushrooms, hazelnuts, and black truffle and parmesan fonduta (€25). It's one flavour bomb after another, the chewy mushrooms and and crunchy hazelnuts the perfect foil to those big pasta pillows and all that cheese. The pasta was a little underdone in the centre, but we couldn't dream of parting with the plate, and there was so much to love here that we didn't really care. Desserts contain your traditionalist options like tiramisu, affogato and cantucci biscuits with Vin Santo wine, and as you might expect by now are no slow coaches in the taste stakes. Tiramisu (€9) comes in individual portions with hazelnuts and Frangelico, and a chocolate biscuit on top. We loved the crunch of the whole nuts in there and all the flavours in the glass jar, but it was a little heavy on the cream and a little light on the sponge. A doorstop of a dark chocolate tart (€9) came with a bitter chocolate base, an unrestrained chocolate filling, sprinkle of sea salt and the genius addition of mandarin oil. Staff told us people regularly take some of the monster portion home and offered to wrap up any we didn't finish - what a lovely takeaway. Excellent espresso sent us on our way. What about drinks? The wine list is 90% Italian (as it should be) with the odd bottle from Spain, France or Portugal. There's a noble 13 wines by the glass, and it's the kind of place where they'll be happy to give you a taste of anything open before you commit. We went on their recommendations and had a fleshy, structured Sicilian Grillo, and a light, bright Marzemino (all herbal notes and sour cherries) from Alto-Adige. Both felt like something you'd be poured in that local trattoria on your holidays - wines made to work with the food you're eating. How was the service? Danny Meyer talks in his brilliant book Setting the Table about gatekeepers and agents, and we think about this walking into every single restaurant. A gatekeeper sets up barriers to keep people out - the staff member who blocked your path asking if you had a booking, the server who didn't acknowledge you and eventually shrugs saying there's an hour wait for a table. An agent on the other hand facilitates, makes things happen. When we walked into Crudo, we had a heroes welcome, an owner offering to seat us before knowing if we even had a booking. There were bright smiles, genuine chats, inquiries as to whether the table was okay - we think it would be just the place to be on a day when you're feeling fragile and need to be cosseted. There were only two servers for a half-full lunch service but no missteps or delays, and regular glances and check-ins to see if we needed anything. It feels like a very smooth operation. And the damage? €120 for a three course meal for two with a glass of wine each and one espresso. It felt like fantastic value considering the quality of the produce, the quality of the dishes, and the portion sizes. We could have shared a starter and dessert and left very happy. What's the verdict on Crudo? Crudo is that little Italian you find on your holidays and can't understand why food doesn't taste like this back home. None of it is over-complicated, there's nothing to scare anyone away (paging your parents), but it's all done with carefully gathered ingredients and some very skillful, generous hands in the kitchen. We could pick the most minor of holes in it, but none of them would matter, because as casual neighbourhood restaurants go, Crudo ticks every one of our boxes, and if Sandymount isn't your neighourhood, it's only a 10-minute walk from the Dart. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Sandwich specialists on Smithfield Square with daily changing specials. Depending on the week you might find a chargrilled chicken shawarma with gordal olive tapanade and tahini, or chargrilled ribeye with béarnaise, balsamic, mushrooms and rocket on white. Their classics are on every day, like their version of a Reuben, with pastrami, sauerkraut, pickles and horseradish aioli on granary, and they have a second location just off Capel Street. Oxmantown Smithfield Website oxmantown.com Address 13 Smithfield terrace, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Sandwich specialists on Smithfield Square with daily changing specials. Depending on the week you might find a chargrilled chicken shawarma with gordal olive tapanade and tahini, or chargrilled ribeye with béarnaise, balsamic, mushrooms and rocket on white. Their classics are on every day, like their version of a Reuben, with pastrami, sauerkraut, pickles and horseradish aioli on granary, and they have a second location just off Capel Street. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

The original Tang site on Dawson Street facing St. Stephen's Green has a lot less seating space than their Abbey Street and Cumberland Place sites, and you can expect to find a queue throughout lunch, but there are few better places to grab a lamb flatbread or a box of brightly coloured salads and head for a bench in the green. Tang Dawson Street Website tang.ie Address 23C Dawson Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The original Tang site on Dawson Street facing St. Stephen's Green has a lot less seating space than their Abbey Street and Cumberland Place sites, and you can expect to find a queue throughout lunch, but there are few better places to grab a lamb flatbread or a box of brightly coloured salads and head for a bench in the green. Where It's At Nearby Locales Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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