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Storyboard Not your average brunch Posted: 1 Oct 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Storyboard opened in Islandbridge, Dublin 8 (near Heuston Station) in 2017 with chef Laura Caulwell (ex- Fumbally ) at the helm, and within months Catherine Cleary in the Irish Times had written that it was the best café food she'd eaten in Ireland. It was already busy, being in a good-food-starved part of the city, but it got busier. Caulwell quietly slipped out the following year, going back to help The Fumbally in their mission of changing school dinners in the The Warrenmount Canteen , but Storyboard continued their trajectory as one of the city's best brunch spots. We love a brunch with a difference and the images on their Instagram feed were causing serious cravings for kimchi pancakes , so we went to see how things were faring two years in. Where should we sit? It feels like a tight squeeze inside when it's busy so if it's in any way sunny we'd be trying to nab an outside table. Otherwise edge your way onto a table of two of four, and there may be a wait at the weekend. There didn't seem to be a queuing system when we got there, and while we got a table quickly we hope they have some way of telling who's first in line. There was a queue but we couldn't tell who was waiting to pay, who was just there for takeaway coffee and who wanted a table. What's good to eat? From the brunch menu we tried two of the Storyboard classics - the kimchi pancakes and the "spuds", and a new kid on the block - 'Beet & Figs' - which turned out to be our favourite. The beetroot and figs come served on a thick slice of Le Levain sourdough toast topped with sumac mascarpone with hibiscus, and lemon tea reduction (almost like a curd), with McNally's mixed leaves. A great and unusual combination of flavours and textures, although we would liked the pieces of beetroot to be a bit less enormous. You also only get one slice of toast for €10.50 so if you're very hungry this might not fill you. The kale kimchi pancakes are a nice savoury rework of a breakfast classic, and we rarely pass up an opportunity to eat the pungent, fermented cabbage in any form. These had a slightly chewy, slightly crumbly texture, and came with perfectly soft scrambled Wicklow free-range eggs on top, as well as sunflower shoots, scallions, house teriyaki sauce and homemade spicy mayo. Maybe we didn't read the menu properly as we were disappointed that the "spuds" was literally just a plate of spuds. They were well cooked with rosemary and salt, but neither the accompanying buffalo sauce, pea purée or minted frisee leaves leaves did much to amplify it much beyond a plate of potatoes. We wishes we'd added two free-range fried eggs or some Gubbeen chorizo from the sides, which probably would have made all the difference, but by itself it felt like an incomplete dish. The price tag of €10.50 added insult to injury. They'd run out of quite a few cakes/treats when we got there (but they'd been restocked by the time we were leaving), so we settled on a chocolate covered peanut butter ball (rugby not soccer), which was dense and extremely peanutty, dipped in excellent dark chocolate - what a snickers wishes it was. Perfect if you have a sweet tooth to satisfy but don't want a full on cake fest. What about the drinks? Coffee is excellent, as you would expect, and they had both Imbibe and Bonanza Coffee Roasters in stock when we were there. Other drinks are very limited, and if you were hoping for something other than kombucha, ginger fizz or sparkling water you'll be disappointed. And the service? Chaotic. They really seemed as if they needed more staff. We were passed several times while trying to figure out if there was a queue for seats without being acknowledged, and had to almost walk out in front of someone to get their attention to ask. They were very nice, but some seemed addled, others too relaxed. Once we did sit down we waited 25 minutes for a flat white to arrive, having asked after it three times, and watch customer after customer leave with takeaway cups in their hands. They took it off the bill but it's hard to recover from a start like that. The verdict? Storyboard is still one of Dublin's most interesting places for brunch, with an ever evolving menu and a thoughtful use of Irish produce. If you favour peaceful weekends you might want to get in early and hopefully beat the rush, but if you're not in a hurry and like a bit of buzz it's probably right up your street. A walk in the Phoneix park afterwards should help you work up an appetite for lunch. Storyboard Clancy Quay, Islandbridge, Dublin 8 storyboardcoffee.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

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

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

A locals favourite that often flies under the radar, Zero Zero is a no frills option, offering a small but perfect formed menu of Neapolitan style pizza in a casual dining room. Zero Zero Pizza Website zerozeropizza.ie Address 21 Patrick St, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story A locals favourite that often flies under the radar, Zero Zero is a no frills option, offering a small but perfect formed menu of Neapolitan style pizza in a casual dining room. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

One of Dublin’s best places to buy and drink wine, with a small kitchen serving up cheese, charcuterie and tinned fish to go with it. Choose from their shelves of brilliant wines to drink in house with a set corkage fee (€15 at the time of writing), so the better you drink, the better the value. Green Man Wines Website greenmanwines.ie Address 3 Terenure Road North, Terenure, Dublin 6W Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story One of Dublin’s best places to buy and drink wine, with a small kitchen serving up cheese, charcuterie and tinned fish to go with it. Choose from their shelves of brilliant wines to drink in house with a set corkage fee (€15 at the time of writing), so the better you drink, the better the value. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Orani A new Filipino-fusion pin in our Dublin 15 food map Posted: 11 Jun 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Orani? Orani opened in a grey Blanchardstown business park in summer of 2023, promising a glimmer of colour with their " modern European cuisine with an Asian touch". The woman behind it is Pauleen Orani, originally from the Phillipines but majorly influenced by her time working in Japan in 2018. She's the Executive Head Chef here, her husband Paul is the Head Chef, and the rest of the Orani family manage everything else - including presumably the restaurant's photography , which they're excelling at. While they call the food "Modern European" and "Asian Fusion", their family Filipino dishes have been gaining as much social media traction as their ramen, poke bowls and sushi bakes. One of our most asked questions from ATF Insiders is "IS THERE ANYWHERE TO EAT IN DUBLIN 15", so we regularly find ourselves scouring Google Maps for anything new or being reviewed zealously, and Orani has been getting a lot of love. Where should we sit? It's a big, bright room with plenty of seating options and tables that can easily be reconfigured for any size group. There's outside seating too, which looks onto a road in the industrial estate - you can't have it all. There's also some nice counter seating if you're on your own and don't want to take up a whole table, or would like to gaze out at many window-ed buildings while you eat. What's on the menu? Predominantly Asian dishes, like karaage, poke and ramen, with some Filipino flourishes - pork adobo and kare-kare were two of the specials when we visited (more on those shortly). The saddest thing about the menu is the (clearly obligatory) soup and toastie combo, catering for local office workers who sat across from us, unable to cope with stepping out of their lunchtime comfort zone. They'll never know what they're missing. "Signature chicken wings" come in two flavours - the salted egg and chilli we went for, or soy, garlic, ginger and chilli. The seasoned, salted egg powder is imported from the Philippines, and gives a crunchy coating to the chicken, like fine polenta. They could have done with a bit more draining before being served, but the fresh chilli and spring onions give it a zingy, spicy freshness. It's oddly only €1 extra to upgrade from a small (around eight wings) to a large (around 12 wings), so it's worth paying it, even if you bring some home. A chicken karaage bowl (€13.50) comes with seasoned, crisp, deep-fried chicken thigh pieces on perfectly cooked sushi rice, with shredded white cabbage, and a tangy lemon miso mayo, with a sprinkling of chilli powder and chives. It's a very satisfying, flavour-forward combo. The chicken here is sadly not free-range, but it is Irish, halal and sourced from local butchers (as is their beef and pork). While Asian-fusion is the schtick, we really wanted to try their family Filipino dishes (a gaping hole in the culinary market despite Bahay fighting the good fight). Pork adobo has braised pork belly cooked in soy, vinegar and garlic for a deep, umami flavour, once again served over perfectly fluffy rice, with freshness coming from chillis, spring onions and pickled onions, and a fried egg and crispy onions on top. It's a very flavoursome, very satisfying dish, and our only disclaimer is that the pork is very fatty (at times it felt like more fat than meat). If that's something that bothers you, you may want to choose an alternative. Kare-kare is a Filipino stew with a thick peanut sauce, and it's often on as a special here. It's beautifully presented, like something you might get served in a beachside restaurant in Palawan, with cherry blossoms in your hair and a mestiza in your hand. The pork is thinly sliced, surrounded by very crunchy crackling (you wouldn't want a loose tooth), with rice, just cooked vegetables and Atchara (Filipino pickles) on top bringing the vinegar. We found the sauce a little under-seasoned, but otherwise thought it a well balanced, enjoyable dish. Another Filipino special they're getting a name for is the Halo Halo (which translates as mix mix in Tagalog) - a kaleidoscope of colours, shapes and textures (€7.95). The unusual dessert is made of up various beans, vegetables, fruits, jellies and ice-cream, with shaved ice at its centre. In Orani you'll find sweet potato cubes, sweetcorn, black-eyed beans, cornflakes, cubes of fruit flavoured jelly, ube ice-cream, evaporated milk, shaved ice, and a solo meringue on top. As desserts go, there's a lot of nutrition in this madcap flavour mix, but it's way too much for one person - a taste of each individual component and you'll most likely be happy to drop your spoon. If that all sounds a bit much, the Ube cheesecake might be more to your simple tastes - soft, sweet and creamy, tasting of vanilla, and not at all like purple potatoes (even though they are in there). There's an ube brownie too. What about drinks? Smoothies, hot drinks, and softs from the fridge are your options here. A "mango momma" (€5.95) with oat milk, banana, mango, ginger and turmeric tasted a bit anaemic, and could have done with double the mango. It also disappointingly came in a plastic cup, with the server telling us that all of their sit-in glasses had been broken. Coffee is from Dublin roasters J.J. Darboven, but the cheap IKEA mugs make it a challenge to drink without burning your hand. The small cup handle is impossible to grip without hitting off the thin, heat-conducting cup, ensuring a finger scalding in the process. How was the service? Very pleasant and friendly, but they seemed a bit stretched at times, with requests not dealt with as quickly as they could have been. You order and pay at the counter, so you'll have to get up for anything you need. What was the damage? We paid just over €80 for four mains, two desserts, a coffee and a smoothie. Budget €20 a head for lunch and a drink, or €35 a head for a three course feast. And the verdict? In a desert of food options, Orani is illuminating a monotone business park in Blanchardstown from breakfast through to early evening. Lucky those who work or live nearby, and the rest of us have a new Filipino/Asian Fusion pin in our Dublin 15 food map. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Upmarket food somewhere between French and Irish in Monkstown, from chef Temple Garner (formerly Town Bar and Grill and the currently closed San Lorenzo's). A beautifully designed dining room and terrace, with a new private dining space for 2022. Expect classic dishes like rabbit leg, gratinated scallops and Irish lamb. Bresson Website bresson.ie Address 4 The Crescent, Monkstown, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Upmarket food somewhere between French and Irish in Monkstown, from chef Temple Garner (formerly Town Bar and Grill and the currently closed San Lorenzo's). A beautifully designed dining room and terrace, with a new private dining space for 2022. Expect classic dishes like rabbit leg, gratinated scallops and Irish lamb. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

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 >>

Chequer Lane Website chequerlane.com Address 25-27 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

You want a Turkish escape in town, you head for Reyna. Meat is cooked on a charcoal grill, vegetables are fresh and vibrant, and breads are cooked in house. It's an industry favourite, and one lamb doner in here will make you forget any late night Abrakebras. Reyna Website reyna.ie Address 29-30 Dame Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story You want a Turkish escape in town, you head for Reyna. Meat is cooked on a charcoal grill, vegetables are fresh and vibrant, and breads are cooked in house. It's an industry favourite, and one lamb doner in here will make you forget any late night Abrakebras. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Middle-Eastern leaning Brother Hubbard opened in Ranelagh in 2022 and the southside suburb suddenly had a new must-visit for all day brunch, all week long. Breads, pastries, pickles, ferments & preserves are made in house, and they have an impressive list of suppliers for the rest. Brother Hubbard Ranelagh Website brotherhubbard.ie Address 27 Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Middle-Eastern leaning Brother Hubbard opened in Ranelagh in 2022 and the southside suburb suddenly had a new must-visit for all day brunch, all week long. Breads, pastries, pickles, ferments & preserves are made in house, and they have an impressive list of suppliers for the rest. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Liath Damien Grey raises the game to a different level Posted: 19 Mar 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Heron & Grey opened in Blackrock Market in 2016, and after winning a Michelin star within their first 10 months, the 22-seater restaurant, only open three nights a week (with one sitting per night, so 66 people per week), was soon the most sought after reservation in the city. It only became more difficult as time went on and word got out, and each month when the seats for the following month were released they sold out in minutes, leaving tranches of disappointed Dubliners virtually sobbing on social media. When owners Andrew Heron and Damien Grey announced in December that they were going their separate ways, it came as a shock - why would anyone give up on such a good thing? - but Andrew wanted a more balanced family lifestyle, and Damien wanted to change the feel of the restaurant, so they decided the time was right for them to part, and Damien to morph Heron & Grey into Liath (meaning grey in Irish - a name his daughters came up with), alongside kitchen team Róisín Gillen and Josef Radacovsky. They closed at the end of January for a two month refurb, and rumours of white tablecloths and an ambition for a second Michelin star started to abound (Grey has technically lost his star with the change, so needs to win it back with the new format). When the first block of tables for the March reopening were released on the 1st of February, 3,500 people tried to book a table simultaneously at 10am, leading the website to crash, and once again leaving lots of disappointed wannabe diners in their wake, but we were lucky enough to bag a table for night two, purely so we can tell you all about it. Where should we go for a drink first? We'd be tempted to say just don't, as why muddy your palate with anything else before sitting down in here, but if you insist, the best boozer on the main street in Blackrock is probably old-man style Jack O'Rourke's , there since 1897. Where should we sit? The new restaurant configuration has one table for six, three tables for four, and two tables for two, and lets face it, you'll be doing well to nab any of them, but we always like being closer to where the action (i.e. the kitchen) is, so you could request it when you book. Otherwise the two-seater at the far end looks very cosy and as private as you'll get in such a small space. What's good to eat? The menu consists of a ten-course tasting menu for €78 (they will cater for allergies but not dietary choices), and despite the fact you will leave with a hefty bill when drinks are included, it really does feel like excellent value - there are non-Michelin starred restaurants in the city with more expensive tasting menus whose food isn't at this level. This is boundary-pushing, sometimes head-exploding stuff, and often while eating here we've found ourselves shaking our heads in amazement at how someone's brain even begins coming up with ideas like these. Our 10 courses were a rollercoaster of tastes, textures and striking visual compositions, and there wasn't so much of an instant of boredom or a dish that didn't work, just a succession of wows from beginning to end. If absolutely forced to pick favourites, we'd single out the celeriac, the smoked eel cone, the pork and pineapple and the kaffir lime meringue, but you can see everything we had below in all its glory. Chicken broth with wild peas, cabbage and mushrooms Celeriac cooked on the yakatori grill with sheep's yoghurt, pesto and rosemary powder Pigeon with fermented beetroot and liver Textures of lemon with rapeseed oil Mackerel, sprouting broccoli, kimchi, lardo Feuille de brick with smoked eel, shallot, aged parmesan and fennel pollen Pork, allium, pennywort, pineapple - a riff on Grey's favourite dish from his Chinese take away, pork yuk sung An idea of a mango Rhubarb, kaffir lime, meringue Dark chocolate, preserves, raspberries What about the drinks? Most people at Heron & Grey used to go for the wine pairing, of either six or nine courses, with Andrew Heron showing up at the table throughout the meal with another white or red option once your glass had run dry. Liath is starting off with a six wine pairing for the time being, and there's been no major changes as of yet to the killer wine list, featuring tonnes of interesting wines (lots of them from the minimal intervention canon). We went for the pairing on this occasion and unfortunately a few of them didn't work (despite them all being very good wines in their own right), but we're putting it down to the fact that they'd only gotten into the space 24 hours earlier and didn't have the usual amount of time to painstakingly try each dish with a variety of wines. We're confident that this will sort itself out over the next few weeks once they have time to bed in and get back into their regular routine, but the á la carte list is full of great bottles at non-gouging prices if you want to fly solo. And the service? As poised and professional as always, without the formality that can often hang around Michelin-starred restaurants making everyone a bit uptight. Long-standing floor team member Ailish had slotted into Andrew's old place on the floor when we were there and was typically warm, welcoming and generous of time. The chefs also delivered a couple of plates to the tables, which we love because we get to quiz them on exactly how some of these mind-boggling dishes were born. The verdict? When we heard Grey wanted to make changes to his restaurant, like adding tablecloths, we didn't really get it. We thought it was pretty perfect as it was. But on walking in we realised that by doing what he's done, he's raised the game to a whole new level. This doesn't feel like a sparsely decorated corridor in Blackrock market any more. With the etched glass on the windows, the wooden slats, the black banquettes and the wall of wine, it feels more like Copenhagen or Stockholm than SoCoDub, the type of place that culinary tourists get on a plane for. The food scene in Dublin has never been as vibrant and fast-moving as it is right now, from street food trucks to fine dining, but we've never really had a restaurant to put us on the global culinary map. We only have one two-starred Michelin ( Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud ), haven't had a contender in the World's 50 Best Restaurants since Thornton's was included in 2003, and the main Michelin Instagram account doesn't follow any Irish restaurants and just one Irish chef (Martijn Kajuiter at Michelin-starred House at The Cliff House Hotel ), but things are moving fast, and we can't shake the feeling that Liath could be the one to change the game. We have no doubt that Grey's going to reclaim his star when the 2020 Michelin guide is released in October this year, but it's the very real prospect of a second that's just made things a whole lot more interesting. Liath Blackrock Market, 19a Main Street, Blackrock, Co. Dublin liathrestaurant.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Taqueria on Drury Street from the people behind Bunsen, serving tacos with freshly made tacos and salsas. Portions are small and cheap so you can pile the plates high. Masa Website masadublin.com Address 2-3 Drury Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Taqueria on Drury Street from the people behind Bunsen, serving tacos with freshly made tacos and salsas. Portions are small and cheap so you can pile the plates high. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Chameleon A reinvention for Indonesian tapas in Temple Bar Posted: 2 Apr 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Indonesian-inspired Chameleon 's been part of the fabric of Temple Bar for an incredible 25 years, and recently made the clever decision to do a bit of a brand update - they got a new logo, changed the outside of the restaurant from black to bright blue, and invested in a beautiful new spray-painted shutter . It's a shrewd move to stand out in a city that's currently seeing a record number of restaurant openings each month, and one that got them onto our hottest restaurants in Dublin list for March. We hadn't visited in a long time, and after a very well-eaten foodie told us they were "hitting all the right notes" when it came to Indonesian cooking we thought it was worth a visit. Where should we go for a drink first? The temptation is always there to dance into Oliver St. John Gogarty 's and act like a tourist for an hour - you'll leave with a lighter wallet but a newly invigorated sense of national pride that only twee Irish music, aran jumpers and barely passable bowls of stew can summon up (but best to avoid the toilets if you can - €5 million a year in profit clearly isn't enough for a new paint job and some air freshener). Roberta's and The Liquor Rooms (below) do great cocktails, and for wine both Piglet and Loose Canon are within a 5 minute walk. Where should we sit? Upstairs all the way, ideally at the lower tables with the cushioned seating for the full experience. Anyone with a dodgy back or who likes proper tables and chairs can opt for the standard tables. There are more tables downstairs, but we don't think it has the same atmosphere or feel as the first floor. What's good to eat? The main part of the menu revolves around set menus that are either meat, fish or vegetable based, from €36 - €40 per person. There are also 'Asian Tapas', a lot of which are found on the various set menus. We thought it would be a good idea to get one Java (meat-based) and one Sumatra (fish based) to try as much as possible, but we hadn't realised that four of the seven dishes were the same on both (noodles, vegetables and a fish cake), so if we were choosing again we'd pick one set menu and other dishes from the Asian tapas section so that we could try more. The best thing we ate was probably the fish finger bao, with tiger prawn and squid katsu and sambal (a type of chilli sauce) in a homemade bao. Immediate regret for not having ordered all the bao. Other highlights included the Sweet Sambal Udang - marinated prawns with pineapple and chilli mango sauce - which walked the line perfectly between sweet, savoury and sour, the Kari Java - a Javanese curry with braised shoulder of Wicklow lamb and sweet potato that was incredibly rich in flavour, and the sesame fried vegetables with sautéed onions and toasted sesame seeds, which managed to make cabbage addictive. Both the crab cake with haddock and the chicken satay (props for using free-range) were enjoyable, and the beef rendang had great flavour but the meat could have been more tender. We weren't keen on the noodles which had an overpowering taste of molasses, and the salad with cucumber, mango and Chinese leaves could have done with having the dial turned up on the dressing - or maybe just needed more dressing. A dessert of Kahlua and organic dark chocolate pannacotta with peanut brittle had the perfect wobble, and was a nice midway point between coffee and dessert, when your heart says espresso, but your head says it's too late, don't do it. And the drinks? The wine list is pretty compact, with half on tap and half in bottle. The advantage of those on tap is that they're available in small and large glasses, carafes and bottles, so everyone can drink what they want in exactly the amount they want, but we would have liked to see a few more options that would specifically compliment the food in either format, like off-dry Pinot Gris or Gewurztraminer. We drank the Hobo Workbook Californian red blend on tap which is a great all-rounder, and for white we would have gone for the Peter & Peter Riesling in bottle, a grape that tends to work well with Asian flavours. And the service? Really warm, and couldn't do enough for us. The only issue with the set menus is that everything comes at once, and it's a lot of food, so by the time we reached the end some of it was cold, but retrospectively if we had asked our lovely server to bring a few things first like the bao, satay and fish cake, we think she would have been more than happy to oblige. That would be the plan next time. The verdict? There are a lot of good flavours going on at Chameleon, and we kept thinking what a perfect place it is for group dining - bag one of the big tables upstairs, order all the food and a load of carafes of wine, and we're pretty sure everyone would leave happy. Keeping a restaurant open for 25 years is no mean feat, and keeping people talking about you for that long is even more difficult, but we think updating their image was just what was needed to put Chameleon back on Dublin diner's agendas. Chameleon 1 Fownes Street Lower, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 www.chameleonrestaurant.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

One Pico A new energy about an old classic Posted: 9 Nov 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? You know One Pico . We know One Pico. Everyone knows One Pico. You were probably brought here for a graduation lunch, an anniversary dinner, or a private meal for your Granny's 80th in the Polo Room upstairs. It's been open since 1997 and has always been classic, consistent, dependable, but lacking somewhat in fireworks, and the culinary climbing of sister restaurant The Greenhouse ( awarded two Michelin stars in the 2020 guide ) meant it was over-shadowed by its younger sibling. The Greenhouse remained shut for the duration of the pandemic (two star food doesn't really translate to prepare at home meal kits), and in May of this year Head Chef Mickael Viljanen announced he had quit and was taking over Chapter One (below) as chef-patron, with Ross Lewis still involved in the background. That's proved to be a very good decision , but The Greenhouse remains empty and doesn't appear to have a reopening plan. Those of you with vouchers were getting anxious about whether or not you'd be able to use them, so there was a bit of relief when One Pico said they could be used there instead. Outside of this, we've noticed a slow but steady rumbling about what's coming out of the kitchen in recent months. There's always been a (generally older) cohort insisting One Pico should have a Michelin star, but it feels like something has shifted lately, with the lionizing getting louder and spanning more age groups, and it was enough to send us back for a midweek lunch to see what was happening. Where should we sit? The dining room is as classically formal as it gets, from the velvet seats to the white tablecloths, the lack of any background music to the staff crumbing your table after each course. In one way we've always felt this old-fashioned approach has held One Pico back, it's not generally what the youth are looking for in their food adventuring, but it does suit the older, monied crowd, of which One Pico's customer base is primarily made up of. On the other hand a bit of formality can be quite soothing and escapist at times, and we'd be lying if we said a midweek lunch on velvet seats with silver service wasn't very enjoyable. Tables are well spaced with covid-friendly dividers against one wall, and there's a nice banquette running along the back of the room for extra cosiness. We get a lot of questions from you guys about where to book for groups and special occasions, so take note of The Polo Room upstairs where you can dine in private from a set menu - exactly how many can attend will depend on Covid restrictions at the time (or maybe one day we'll be living in a Covid free world again, imagine...) What's the food like? Lunch is a set menu of €45 for two courses or €55 for three, with bread, tea/coffee and a petit four included. For dinner it's a three course set for €85, which is quite the jump considering a lot of the dishes are the same, but the supplements on some dishes are lower. Either way lunch is where the value is at. You can see current menus on their website . A beautiful bread basket of sourdough, brown and fruit breads set the tone for the meal, and the offer to replenish the pounced upon basket was a nice touch (just say no kids, we know it's hard). We'd seen the dramatic looking venison and beetroot tartare with blackberries and nasturtium on head chef Ciarn McGill's Instagram account and had to have it. It's a beautiful dish, with the mineral earthiness of the venison nicely balanced by tart beetroot and sweet blackberries. Our only complaint was that it was slightly over-seasoned with black pepper dominant, but as complaints go it's minor. Our other starter was their homemade ravioli that seems to be a cornerstone of the menu. At the moment it's filled with an aged parmesan and truffle bechamel, in a crystal clear cep mushroom consommé that's been clarified three times, with more truffle shaved on top, and it's the most perfectly hedonistic bowl of Autumn flavours. Don't miss it. When faced with a set menu there tends to be a tendency to "get your money's worth" with a meat or fish dish as opposed to the vegetarian option. We fought off those urges here because the Potimarron squash with Roscoff onion, gnocchi, chanterelles and pickled squash contained so many of our favourite things, and it's the best vegetarian dish we've had in months - and there wasn't even any cheese to be seen. There was more grated truffle on top though - tick. Chunky, chewy, crispy gnocchi, sweet onions, fruity chanterelles, what tasted like a considerable amount of butter. The squash still had a bite in the middle, which at first we wondered was a mistake, and then realised how much that little bit of crunch added to the dish's textures. Little pickled slices of squash were the acidic icing on the cake, and we were so sad to eat the last forkful. Our other main of Wicklow Sika deer was another powerful plate of food, thanks to perfect cooking and interesting accompaniments. A pear chutney for sweetness, last year's elderberries for tang, parsley root purée to soothe, a potato crisp in the shape of a leaf for crunch, and a few more chanterelles, because why not. Nothing out of place, nothing without a good reason for being there, and a beautifully cooked piece of meat. What is going on with potatoes? Everywhere we go lately places are majorly upping their spud game. The once afterthought of the sides menu is becoming the must order, and that's the case here too. Their charlotte potatoes were served with parmesan, crispy onion and shaved Autumn truffles (no you cannot have too much truffle in one meal but thanks for asking), and were salty, umami packed little flavour bombs, with excellent added crunch from the onions and sea salt. Something else we'd been giving the glad eye to since seeing it on social media was the dessert of "Poire Belle Hélène" - One Pico's riff on the original Escoffier dish of poached pears with chocolate sauce. If Michelin were giving out stars for desserts, this deserves one. The chocolate covered ring covered an almond sponge and a pear and vanilla mousse, chunks of pear so sweet and ripe they tasted almost fake (such is the general pear standards across the country), a Valhrona chocolate sauce, and a Poire Williams (pear liqueur) sorbet. This is in the top tier of desserts in the country right now, and we insist that you taste it. The other dessert of baked Guinness custard with blackberries and blackberry ice-cream we picked mostly out of curiosity, and are relieved to say did not taste of Guinness. There was a savoury, grain-like flavour to the custard, which was on the denser side, and the various blackberry elements from sauce to sorbet gave it a nice balance, but the previous dessert was in another league. Good coffee and a rich chocolate truffle finished off a pretty absorbing lunch, before sadly stepping back out into reality. What about the drinks? Wine prices are eye-watering and you'll struggle to find much under €40. It's very clear who this list is aimed at, and it's not the same people who spent the weekend in Note wine bar . The old world, particularly Burgundy and Bordeaux, takes up most of the list, and there are a number of big brands on there - presumably to soothe the TDs or those dining out on company cards who want to look like they know what they're talking about. The cheapest sparklings, a Crémant de Bourgogne and a Prosecco, are €75 - ouch - but needless to say, if you or the person you're dining with has endless cash under the mattress you can drink very well in here. Despite the classic lean, there are a few more organic/biodynamic/natural-ish wines hidden within, and their sommelier will happily give you recommendations - just make his life easier and tell him what you want to spend. We drank 'Le Mas' from Domaine Clavel, a grenache/syrah blend from the Languedoc at €52, and it was bright and juicy, pairing well with all of the dishes. The other thing you get for those prices is an elevated wine service - the cork left on the table, a side table for your wine. It's all very conducive to making you feel like a VIP for a few hours. And the service? Formal, smooth and very professional. You probably won't be cracking jokes with your waiter, but none of them will miss a beat, making for a very stress free experience. The only thing you'll have to think about is eeking out the food and wine for as long as possible. And the damage? Around €90 a head after tip with one lower priced bottle of wine between two. Not cheap by any means for lunch, but thoroughly recommended for a midweek skive every now and then. The verdict? It feels like there's a new energy about One Pico at the moment, like they're striving for something bigger, and of the multiple meals we've had here over the years, none impressed as much as this one. The pandemic was harsher on some restaurants than others, and places like One Pico who were dependent on tourists and corporate business more than some of their contemporaries, had it harder than others. We wonder whether it's made them think more about targeting the local food obsessives who spend each month scrambling for reservations in Variety Jones, Chapter One and Uno Mas, ditching the velvet chairs and white tablecloths, and easing out the suited smart set bit by bit. Maybe that's wishful thinking on our part, but the next time you're looking for somewhere for a special occasion meal, a food and wine splurge (we all need one now and then), or to taste the best pear and chocolate dessert of your life, head for Molesworth Place. One Pico 5/6 Molesworth Place, Dublin 2 www.onepico.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen You deserve this €65 lunch Posted: 28 Sept 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Mickael Viljanen is one of only four chefs in Ireland (ever) to be awarded two Michelin stars, in 2019 when he was head chef at The Greenhouse on Dawson Street (now closed, with the building apparently in the hands of a large hospitality group). It felt like a very long road to get there (but if it was easy to get it wouldn't mean as much), with critics and food writers declaring the food to be at that level long before Michelin made it official, and protesting that if The Greenhouse was in London or Paris it would have been elevated earlier. At the ceremony in London, Viljanen almost collapsed with relief, years of tension and back-breaking work flooding out of his body as he flung his arms around chef Raymond Blanc, lifting him into the air, before they both fell over mid-jubilation. The entire room was immersed in the joy unfolding on stage, and everyone holding an Irish passport felt their heart swell and their cheeks burst from smiling. His achievement felt like our achievement, our little island moving up the global culinary ranks. The Greenhouse was badly affected by the pandemic. They had no outdoor seating, and this level of food does not lend itself to finish at home meal kits. So there was nothing to do but lay everyone off, and hope they would hang around and wait for indoor dining to be allowed again, but they didn't. In May of this year, news erupted that Viljanen had resigned from The Greenhouse and was taking over the kitchen at one-Michelin starred Chapter One as Chef-Patron, forming a partnership with Ross Lewis, who was hanging up his apron (he's since put it back on to cook at Osteria Lucio, his other restaurant near Grand Canal Dock). The majority of the kitchen team came with him, leaving The Greenhouse defunct. Some thought this was a genius by the Finnish chef, reasoning that one star plus two stars equals three (not quite sure Michelin maths works like that but we'll see). Some wondered why the chef hadn't just gone it alone with his own, brand new vision. Almost everyone cheered the fact that he would finally have the dining room his food deserved (The Greenhouse's split a lot of people), and absolutely everyone was thrilled at the thought of what was to come. In August, Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen welcomed its first guests, and a month in we gave their €65, three-course lunch menu a once over. Where should we sit? The main dining areas feel lighter and more spacious than they did at the old Chapter One, and our favourite tables are by the window (both for light and for ventilation in covid-times). Tables are well spaced, so private conversations shouldn't be an issue, and there are cosy booths if you prefer a velvet couch to a velvet chair (both equally lovely places for your derrière). There are also seats at the chef's table which seats groups of four - six (€150 for the tasting menu and the dream meal as far as we're concerned) as well as a private dining room for up 10, and another private dining area for six. What's the food like? We were here to try the €65 lunch menu, which sounded too good to be true from a value perspective, particularly compared to some other menu prices around town where the food isn't in the same universe as this. You can do a tasting menu at lunch for €120 but last orders are at 13:30, so you'd want to be sitting down by 13:15. The set lunch is a three-course menu with snacks, bread and petit fours, and one choice for each course, so the ideal way to do it is with a friend/partner/family member who doesn't mind swapping plates half way through. Then the only decisions you'll have to make will involve what you're going to drink. There is a suggested wine pairing for each dish (when we were there prices varied from around €8 - €25), but they're happy to recommend others too. First out are the snacks. These change frequently but expect a miniature tart of some type containing Flaggy Shore oysters or Irish Angus bavette, maybe a bite of comté with truffle, and hopefully you'll get to try what's bound to become a restaurant signature - chilled borscht with smetana (like sour cream) and caviar. It's in a cocoa butter shell so it melts and pops in your mouth, releasing the borscht in one of the most magical mouthfuls of your meal. Then comes bread. Fresh, crunchy, chewy sourdough, with rich, yellow, perfectly salted butter. The dishes seem to change every day, so you may or may not have any of these as options when you visit, but there wasn't one dish that was even a mild disappointment, so just go with it. We had a steamed comté mousseline with Vin Jaune and truffle (paired with Lustau's amontillado sherry), and this is another dish we can see becoming a signature (and regaining the chef those two stars). It came with a side of perfectly dressed leaves, and while they seemed superfluous, it was salad to savour. Our other starter was Wicklow sika deer tartare (the chef loves game, and many think Autumn is the best season to eat his food), with smoked pike roe, horseradish and watercress. This also appeared at The Greenhouse, and is the kind of dish you want to nibble very slowly, possibly shedding a tear when the last forkful is gone, leaving you in no doubt as to why the Michelin guide think Viljanen's food is "worth a detour". It's worth a detour from France. Onto mains and expect more potentially tear-inducing dishes to arrive, like our wild sea-bream with fennel sitting in the most outrageously complex bouillabaisse sauce, with a side of lobster saffron rice that deserves its own restaurant. Just bowls of this. We will literally pay any money to make this happen. This is one of those taste memories you'll have for years after eating it, and if it's not on the menu when you visit we sincerely apologise for telling you about it. The other main on the day we visited was a Viljanen classic - Anjou pigeon 'en crépinette', with confit cèpe and date vinegar sauce. The description alone probably has you smacking your lips together, and it was even better than you're imagining. The meat wasn't gamey or strongly flavoured, it was delicate and subtle, with the cèpes, date vinegar and baby pickled onions ticking every box on the flavour wheel - savoury, salty, sharp, sweet, with no one taste over-powering the others. We went for broke with the wine pairing of 2011 Chateau Tayac Margaux at €25 a glass, and as pairings goes this one is a 10/10 (even if Bordeaux isn't usually your bag). Ever wondered why your mash isn't as good as the ones in certain high end (usually French) restaurants? It's because you wouldn't dare to put that much butter in it at home. Continue to live the lie that they just have a better technique for boiling potatoes than you do while you spoon the last scraping of this from the side of its silver bowl. For dessert expect another Viljanen signature - the part art, part dessert, swirl of deliciousness. Ours was Tuscan-made Amedei chocolate with white miso and honey vinegar, and a salted milk sorbet on the side. Does chocolate get any better than when it's laced with umami miso and a flicker of sweet vinegar? We've yet to be convinced. Our other dessert was more of a Chapter One classic, the soufflé, this one a Piedmonte hazelnut version with hazelnut sauce and citrus sorbet. The theatre of this is when they bring it to the table, cut into it and pour in the sauce - get those cameras ready millennials. It's perfect, like everything else. You'll finish with beautiful petit fours - our included brioche Tropezienne (brioche filled with orange cream) and clementine pâte de fruit with batak pepper and lemon thyme, and if you don't order an Irish coffee at this point from the famed Chapter One trolley we can't be friends. What about the drinks? The wine list at Chapter One has always been more classic than trend-chasing, and this still feels like Chapter One's wine list. You won't find much of the New California, Georgian skin contact numbers, or Pet Nats around these parts, and it's more Grand Marques than grower Champagne (although there are a few), but you will find several pages of Burgundy and Bordeaux, and some of the world's best producers among them. The wine pairings for lunch were well thought out and worked nicely with the dishes, but with a few exceptions we generally felt the food outshone the wine. And the service? The service is still very much Chapter One too, which will come as a sigh of relief to anyone who's experienced it. From the minute you walk in it's smile after compliment after joke, and you're immediately put at ease despite the starched tablecloths and somewhat hushed tones. It's not often you'll find food at this level of dining with such friendly, informal service, and it feels like a very Irish way to do a two-starred Michelin experience, one that we should be proud to see international visitors experience. And the damage? If you do the three course lunch with all three wine pairings you're looking at around €100 a head (depending on what's on that day). Add on an Irish coffee and service and you'll be more like €120, but in our book it's worth every cent, and you can always get a bottle if you want to bring the cost down. The verdict? We don't use this word often but this food is "thrilling". Thrilling because of the art-like beauty of the dishes, thrilling because they taste even better than they look every single time, thrilling because you know you're experiencing some of the most exciting cooking on the island, a chef and kitchen team pushing to be the best, that will be part of Ireland's culinary history in years to come. We're going to have to wait another few months (date TBC) to see whether Michelin give Viljanen back his stars, elevating Chapter One from it's current one to two, but we really can't see a situation where this doesn't happen. Blending two different restaurants together must have its challenges. Two kitchen teams, sommeliers, service staff, owners, all with their own ideas about how to do things, all bound to clash at times over the right way. If this is the case you wouldn't know it from our meal, which was practically flawless, but we can imagine over time you might see subtle changes as two become one. The €65 lunch at Chapter One is one of the best ways to spend your money in Dublin right now, and you don't just need to experience it, you deserve to experience it. It's been a shocking 18 months for a lot of people, the restaurant industry in particular, but if anything will give you hope for what's to come for "Irish Food" and put goosebumps on the back of your arms, this is it. Chapter One By Mickael Viljanen 18-19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1 chapteronerestaurant.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Potager Ex-Chapter One head chef makes Skerries a food destination Posted: 25 Jun 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? In January this year it was announced that The Red Bank restaurant in Skerries, open since 1983, would close, and the site would be taken over by ex- Chapter One head chef Cathal Leonard and his partner Sarah Ryan. Interested eyebrows were raised, more so as the industry rallied behind them on social media to tell the world what lovely people they were and how great their first solo venture was going to be. Cathal had most recently been working with John Wyer at Forest Avenue , but also worked in UK restaurants like the Michelin-starred Clove Club in London, before coming home and settling into Chapter One. Sarah had been selling fish wholesale to the trade, which is how they met 10 years ago, and Potager has been their dream practically since they met. Despite being one of Dublin's most popular seaside villages, Skerries has been lacking a destination restaurant in recent years. A trip out there at Christmas was less than inspiring, and left us scratching our heads as to why no one was pushing the boat out (sorry). And as if by magic along comes Potager. 'Potager' means kitchen garden, and theirs comprises the wealth of vegetables and fruits being grown in North County Dublin, as well as fish caught locally and meat like Lambay beef from Lambay Island just across the water. They describe the food as modern, Irish and seasonal, built around Irish producers and their ingredients, and with Cathal being originally from Rush just down the road, he was no doubt familiar with the glut of produce in this part of the country, that few places seem to be taking advantage of. All of the pre-opening talk about it being a showcase for local produce made it sound like the type of restaurant we might have dreamed up, so we were full of anticipation heading off on the Dart. Where should we go for a drink first? We would come straight here and have an aperitif in the lovely waiting/bar area. Cosy up beside the fire (in June) with a sherry or an Irish G+T and enjoy a few moments of calm before heading into the dining room on the other side of the building. If you feel like a bit more action you could head into Nealon's a few doors down (who do a great trad session on Wednesdays), or to The Snug around the corner, which might be the most atmospheric (and snug) bar in the town. Where should we sit? The main dining room is down the corridor from the reception/waiting area, and is a good size whilst still feeling intimate. There are also two smaller rooms off the main one, which would be perfect for group dining or celebrations, or if you were looking for a bit more privacy. The room is very well lit despite there not being much natural light, so there will be no issues reading menus or getting those all important photos of your food. What's good to eat? At dinner it's tasting menu only, with a couple of choices to be made throughout. They say it's five courses for €55, but really it was eight when you include the bread (which you should) and the snacks, which for this amount of food at this level of cooking is incredible value. We imagine once the plaudits start coming in the prices will increase, so get in soon if you like bang for your buck. The first thing to arrive is bread, and it was the most perfect bread course we've had in years. A fluffy, white mashed potato bread, and a dense, fermented, crunchy crusted brown bread with pumpkin seeds came with cuinneog butter and ricotta with local lovage pesto. We could have left after this and it would have been a worthwhile trip. After this came snacks of a tapioca cracker with smoked cods roe, and white beetroot rolled and stuffed with more beetroot, walnut and mint. The cracker was the winner when it came to flavour, but both were interesting single bite snacks. Usually soup does little to get us worked up, but the next miniature course of potato soup with herbs, thickened cream and dehydrated bacon was about as exciting as liquid vegetables can get. We desperately scraped out every last drop out until becoming aware that we were probably disrupting the other diners. The next course of cured, then torched red mullet (a severely under used fish), in a red mullet sauce, with rush tomatoes, tomato jelly, tomato powder, basil and frozen buttermilk was probably the dish of the night, and one of those experience elevating plates of food that makes you wonder how a person even begins to put these flavours and textures together to create something with the ability to totally silence those eating it. After that came another highlight, and a curve ball in the form of strong blue cheese midway through a meal. A cashel blue cheese mousse sat on top of very finely chopped celery and apple, with apple jelly and pickled walnuts. So unusual, so dynamic, so insanely delicious. Then came a dish that we've thought or talked about daily since eating it - charred octopus with roasted cauliflower, Drummond House elephant garlic, and a milk and seed crumb. The garlic heightened everything without taking over, and the charred octopus tentacle was meltingly tender. There had been so much flavour by this point that our heads were spinning, in the best possible way. After that sensory rollercoaster it was onto the mains, and on the night there were two choices, both of which we tried. Hake came with broad beans, lemon confit, smoked mussells, samphire and Ballymakenny pink potatoes, while Aylesbury duck breast came with braised duck leg, cabbage and baby turnip. Both were faultlessly cooked plates of food, the hake probably winning it for us, but they somewhat lacked the excitement of everything that had come before. We wondered if they felt pressure to put on "a proper main course" for locals and former regulars, rather than continuing the theme of small and explosive. Dessert choices come on a separate menu with options for tea, coffee, dessert wine or any other after dinner drink you might want. Again there were two choices, and again both were eye-widening. A smoked chocolate mousse (genius) came on top of beetroot and cherries, with vanilla ice-cream in the centre and puffed spelt berries. Apparently Cathal has a thing about putting vegetables into desserts, and anyone that can do that and have us dreaming of eating it again is very talented. Another scraping the bowl scenario. The other dessert of set sheep's yoghurt from Velvet Cloud , came with the sweetest local strawberries, strawberry tea, strawberry sorbet, shortbread and burnt white chocolate, and it's hard to think of a more perfect, more delicious, Irish dessert at this time of year. And the drinks? The wine cellar is in the old bank vault, which must make it one of the coolest in the city, and they're fine for you to stick your head in and look around. There's a decent sized wine list with some real finds on there and they're working with great wine importers, but it's clear that there's no sommelier to refine it and give it a personality unique to the restaurant - they are looking for someone though. Servers were not versed on the list, so if you want a recommendation find Sarah the owner who will be happy to chat and talk through the options. They've played it very safe with the by the glass list, and the choices won't do much to excite wine lovers, but there's lots to try by the bottle with some really unusual options, and they do have plans to expand and change the wine list over the coming months. We had a really interesting white wine from Savoie in France made from the Jacquère grape - new one on us - and it was complex enough to cope with all of the flavours without over powering anything. And the service? Owner Sarah is a natural host, very generous with her time and clearly at ease working her way around the room making sure everyone is looked after. The chefs brought most of the dishes to the table, which is something we wish more restaurants did, giving us an in depth overview of what we were about to eat, but the few times that servers brought one (clearly as the kitchen was under pressure) they didn't know what they were bringing, and a chef ended up having to come out anyway. Things were very smooth and excellently paced up until the mains, which we had an abnormally long wait for, with no communication from staff about what the delay was. They did take two drinks off by way of apology at the end, but there were a few other issues that weren't dealt with as quickly or as fuss-free as they should have been. We think they're aware that service needs tightening and would be surprised if this isn't top of the agenda over the coming weeks. The verdict? There are a lot of panicked voices at the moment in Dublin about restaurant closures and how it's "carnage out there", but the reality is that most restaurants don't work out because they're missing a certain magic that makes it somewhere that people are desperate to eat in. Potager has that magic and feels like two people who've laid everything on the line to create their perfect restaurant, a chef who's finally been able to fully unleash his own creativity after years working for other people, and now it's exploding onto plates into Skerries. There is no doubt that this is a place that's going to get people very excited to get off their bums and go for dinner, and that's how you survive in a competitive restaurant market. Add to this that the menu seems to be changing daily and we're going to struggle to fight the temptation to hop back on the Dart on a weekly basis due to crippling FOMO. Potager 7 Church Street, Skerries, Co. Dublin potager.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Yumgrub The Two Minute Review: Posted: 5 Sept 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Yumgrub? Previously located in Ballybrack’s Village Yard before its sudden closurescuppered things, plant-based fast food “filth” purveyors Yumgrub have now setup shop in Grand Canal Dock’s The Place , alongside fellow food trucks Pastiamo , Tacoman , Dosa Dosa and The Drunken Cookie . The all-vegan menu is packed with Beyond Meat burgers, chick*n rolls, tofu baconand loaded fries, and we’d heard just enough positive word to want to get downto check it out for ourselves. What should we have? We might have expected to walk away from Yumgrub raving about one burger oranother, but actually it’s the nachos we can’t shut up about: slathered in a rich and creamy vegan queso, these well-loaded tortilla chips happily hold their own with the standard competition. Where meat alternatives have come along in leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, plant-based cheeses are often lagging far behind. Yumgrub’s concoction gets it spot-on with a sharp, tangy tastiness that’s nigh-on impossibleto distinguish from the real thing. Well-seasoned guac and a piquant pico de gallo have just the right acidic kick to balance out the gooey, cheesy goodness. Had we known in advance just how moreish that queso was going to be we’d have gone for a helping of cheeze-loaded fries too – we make these mistakes so you don’t have to. Instead we went for the little-bit-of-everything Grub Box to give us a few little tasters. It’s a substantial serving of food anchored in the perfectly crispy skin-on fries, but we found the overly thin chick*n strips a little disappointingly bland in isolation – it’s easy to imagine one of the sauce-laden chick*n burgers being a more well-rounded vehicle for the breaded Seitan, with other ingredients giving it a chance to work in concert. We’d been really curious to try the “Mac ‘n’ Cheeni”, suspect though the pun may be, and while the textural contrast of crispy breadcrumbs, oozing cheeze and al dente pasta makes for a mighty mouthful, the filling was just a touch too under-seasoned to really resonate beyond that initial bite. We rounded things out with a Cowboi burger, and there’s no doubting the BeyondMeat patty looks the part, slathered with melted cheeze and topped with a messymound of caramelised onion and BBQ sauce – that’s no complaint. Texture and flavour is on-point too, with crisped edges and a juicy interior making this a spot-on replica: vegan converts craving the nostalgia value of a dirty burger will be well-served here. The only slight drawback is the tofu “bacon”, too subtly flavoured and softly textured to stand out from the crowd in this busy stack. Why should I go? Dublin’s still a bit short-changed when it comes to decent vegan fast food – especially since the late lamented Vegan Sandwich Co. shut up shop – so those craving just that will be happy to discover Yumgrub. The slot at The Place also makes it a perfect compromise pick for mixed groups of vegans and carnivores unwilling to go without, though they might well be tempted to try it once they see how good it all looks. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The all-in menu at Lucky Tortoise in Temple Bar (and in their original Aungier Street site) is some of the best value in Dublin, with plate after plate of banchan, okonomiyaki and dumplings meaning you can try it all and still have change from €30. There's a vegan version too. Lucky Tortoise Temple Bar Website luckytortoise.ie Address 17B Asdill's Row, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The all-in menu at Lucky Tortoise in Temple Bar (and in their original Aungier Street site) is some of the best value in Dublin, with plate after plate of banchan, okonomiyaki and dumplings meaning you can try it all and still have change from €30. There's a vegan version too. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Romain Tessier's Arty Baker stole hearts and Instagram feeds with his stand at Sandycove Store and Yard, before going permanent with his first shop and bakery in Dalkey. Get there early for sourdough loaves, chocolate raspberry cruffins, and jalapeno popper croissants. Arty Baker Website artybaker.com Address 20A Castle Street, Dalkey, County Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Romain Tessier's Arty Baker stole hearts and Instagram feeds with his stand at Sandycove Store and Yard, before going permanent with his first shop and bakery in Dalkey. Get there early for sourdough loaves, chocolate raspberry cruffins, and jalapeno popper croissants. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Izakaya Japas & Sake Class-act cocktails and diverse sharing plates, but not the sushi we're searching for Posted: 3 Oct 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What's the story with Izakaya Japas & Sake? Probably the most common query we receive via ATF Answers – our Insiders-only direct line to advice on eating out – is some variation on where's the best place to get great Japanese food in Dublin. Sadly, friends, we’re largely as bereft as you: despite its capital status, Dublin has lagged behind both Galway (with Wa Sushi ) and Cork (with Miyazaki and the Michelin-starred Ichigo Ichie ) for far too long, with only a handful of passable options studded around the city. The recent arrival of Matsukawa has thankfully (finally!) set a new Dublin bar, but between the €90 price tag and its being booked out clean through to the end of the year, it’s not much help to the casual diner looking for a sushi fix on short notice. So off we went to size up Yamamori Izakaya Japas & Sake after hearing increasingly positive grunts around town, and letting ATF Insiders pick our next review. It's one of the longstanding local chain mini-empire of outlets, open on George’s Street and in recent years pushing itself more and more as a traditional take on the casual Japanese sake and snacks bar. Where should we sit? The Victorian building’s high ceilings and a whole host of nooks and crannies give Izakaya a cavernous feeling that, even if the place is packed to bursting, lets its little corners feel nicely intimate. The sectioned bar seats are just a little too poky for our tastes but otherwise you can’t go far wrong from the main dining space spread with leather-backed booths and high tables and a window-side area with prime people-watching potential onto George’s Street. There’s also a downstairs dining room that was empty on our Friday night visit – it’s probably kept aside for brunch spillovers. What did you eat? Traditional izakayas are usually just as much, maybe more, about the drinking as the eating, so options here are broadly pretty simple, broken into sections of sashimi, nigiri, sushi platters, chef’s specials, and “Japas” – Japanese tapas. The vibe is very casual, with every opportunity to order a few dishes to start, and dip back in as and when it takes your fancy. We started with (complimentary – it’s the little things) edamame, fresh and firm beans in coarse-grain salted pods: the vigorous steam rising from the bowl is a good promise that things will be coming out fast and furious. We skipped past sashimi and went straight in with three nigiri, all served in prettily-plated pairs topped with edible flowers and paired, as per, with a ribbon of ginger and blob of wasabi – these are plates that look the part. The spiced hamachi was a solid start, the mild fatty fish given a gentle kick with duelling sauces of togarashi-based shichimi and citrusy-soy tataki: we might have preferred a more assertive spice, but it’s a matter of taste. Unagi foie gras was always going to need to be tried, roasted slivers of eel topped with a torched smear of liver paté. The slightly bitter brûlée treatment brings an interesting taste and texture to a bite that’s skirting excess richness with the butteriness of both meats – the combo makes for an off-beat interlude, if never quite the showstopper we might have hoped on first sight. The otoro – or bluefin tuna belly, among the most prized of sushi fish cuts – kept things suitably simple with a little smear of wasabi mayo, and while the marbled meat’s saltwater taste attested a freshness, we’ve had substantially better iterations of this elsewhere (not least just recently in Matsukawa). At €15.50 for the plate, this one’s a bit of a letdown. On the level of fundamentals across the three nigiri, there are a few tell-tale drawbacks that hold Izakaya back from being the answer we wish we could give to everyone’s Dublin sushi woes. We found the rice fine but less well seasoned than you should be getting in top-tier sushi rice, while the less said about the grainy, over-processed wasabi paste the better – steer clear. Happily the rest of the menu skewed to a slightly higher standard, with our venture into the chef’s specials a particular standout. These are all norimaki with presentation a major focus, and the ebi dragon we opted for definitely looks the part with plump, juicy katsu prawn wrapped in rice and overlain with thin-sliced avocado, wasabi mayo and capelin roe. You’ll be offered a choice of black or white rice; the black brings a delicate nuttiness that plays well with the sweetness of the prawn and saltiness of the roe. Onward to the Japas options, and we kicked off with takoyaki, the popular Osakan octopus ball snack. There’s good contrast here between the crisp fried exterior and the gooey pancake batter innards studded with chewy diced octopus, but the over-enthusiastic sprinkling of bonito flakes on top slightly dulled the flavour of the sour-sweet tonkatsu sauce. It’s not a bad dish, but there are others around town (hello Kakilang ) doing it better. Gyoza options hadn’t exactly gotten us excited – next to the nigiri, a lot of the Japas menu reads as pretty standard fare – but we gave the yasai option a go for good measure. They came out bearing the tell-tale burnt-bottom signs of a proper pan-frying, and while these crisp undersides give just the right crack as you bite in, the veggie filling is a dud of soggy spinach and soft squash. We’d pass on these. We were on firmer ground with the potato korokke, croquette-style breaded discs of creamy mash with a spot-on golden crust and just the right sprinkling of salt – this is the kind of side snack plate the whole table can agree on. Mileage may vary with the tonkatsu sauce on the side; while it’s flavourful in its own right, we felt these played better with a wasabi mayo. Agedahi nasu – or deep-fried aubergine – arrived in a still-searing pot with the wafting air of dashi broth making its way across the table. The traditional version of this dish uses a Japanese species of aubergine with thinner, more absorbent skins – here, with the more familiar, fatter form of the fruit, the skin still feels slightly rubbery. Thinner slices might have helped. We can’t fault the flavour though, with the scored flesh hiding rich pockets of dashi umami. The seared skin of the 'sea bass & kuro ninniku' is a sight to behold and has the flavour to match: the fish has been cooked in a black garlic butter that gives it a deep, rich, bitter-sweet intensity that’s a joy to savour. Beneath the charred skin, the flesh is soft and succulent with all the buttery goodness it’s known for. This is a standout. Sides of steamed rice are solid, with a varied texture from tempura flakes and sesame seeds keeping it interesting, but given how broadly sauce-free the dishes at Izakaya are, this is one you could easily go without – particularly if you’ve already gone down the norimaki route. With a deeper and nuttier flavour, the black is probably the way to go if you're just looking to get a fix of carbs. What about drinks? Sake is a specialty here with several varieties on the menu, but we’d had a tip that the cocktails are where it’s really at – we’re happy to report it was on the money. The complimentary notes of the Fashioned Brandy and Japanese Old Fashioned highlight the impact of little touches, with the former’s black walnut bitters bringing an earthiness against the apple overtones of the Nikka Days whiskey in the latter. The Toki sour was a knockout, a fresh and sour-sweet mix of Suntory whisky, plum sake, lemongrass syrup and plum bitters topped with a sprinkle of matcha – we loved it. How was the service? Staff are exceptionally friendly and all over the menu – give them your preferences and they’ll give you a very knowing helping hand. Dishes come quick but not overwhelmingly so, and there’s a clear rhythm to the way they'll roll out the next stages according to what you've ordered. The layout of the space can mean you’re waiting a little longer than you’d like to get some attention if you find yourself tucked away in a corner, but service is sharp once you have caught an eye. What was the damage? For a just-right share of food and those rock-solid cocktails, it came to just shy of €70 a head for three of us – that includes a 12.5% service charge added on automatically, something usually only seen in bigger groups. It’s not wildly out of step with expectations in Dublin these days, but it does put Izakaya on a price par with many better options out there. A recently-added brunch menu is much better value, with €35 four-serving cocktail pitchers and a choice of five Japas for €45 (albeit from a much slimmed-down menu) meaning you could eat and drink well for closer to €40 before service – it runs from 1pm to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. What's the verdict? A great place to get sushi it ain’t, but Yamamori Izakaya’s class-act cocktails and diverse selection of sharing plates, never mind its central location and surplus of space, make it a solid choice for group dining. There’s plenty here to suit most dietary needs, and a just-right blend of mainstream and more adventurous choices – if you’re struggling to keep a mixed crowd happy, this might just be the answer for you. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

With restaurants in Greystones and Bray already, the third branch of this Pakistani and Indian restaurant opened in Glasthule in 2021 and immediately gained a following. Their reputation preceded them, and their newest foray is delivering so far. The restaurant sets the mood before you’ve even had a chance to look at a menu, with rich and colourful furnishings in a large and comfortable room. The food itself is traditional, but very well done, and unusually for an Indian restaurant they have a well- developed cocktail menu, so this is a great spot to come with a group of friends. Daata Website daata.ie Address 73 Glasthule Road, Sandycove, Glasthule, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story With restaurants in Greystones and Bray already, the third branch of this Pakistani and Indian restaurant opened in Glasthule in 2021 and immediately gained a following. Their reputation preceded them, and their newest foray is delivering so far. The restaurant sets the mood before you’ve even had a chance to look at a menu, with rich and colourful furnishings in a large and comfortable room. The food itself is traditional, but very well done, and unusually for an Indian restaurant they have a well- developed cocktail menu, so this is a great spot to come with a group of friends. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Brazilian Carlos Sakai started making sushi for friends after moving to Ireland to study English. They told other friends, and soon he was throwing sushi parties, where Carlos and a growing team travelled to people's homes to prepare tuna temaki, deep-fried salmon and prawn rolls, and nutella and kiwi sushi for dessert. Mid-pandemic in 2020 he opened their first permanent site in Phibsboro, and Sushi Sakai feeds a steady flow of customers from open to close. Sushi Sakai Website sushisakaidublin.ie Address 342 North Circular Road, Phibsborough, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Brazilian Carlos Sakai started making sushi for friends after moving to Ireland to study English. They told other friends, and soon he was throwing sushi parties, where Carlos and a growing team travelled to people's homes to prepare tuna temaki, deep-fried salmon and prawn rolls, and nutella and kiwi sushi for dessert. Mid-pandemic in 2020 he opened their first permanent site in Phibsboro, and Sushi Sakai feeds a steady flow of customers from open to close. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

"Food with purpose" is how As One describe themselves, and it's not a meaningless mission statement. The highest levels of care and energy are given to building relationships with the farmers, food makers and producers supplying their ingredients, and in how they serve them to ensure maximum nourishment for their customers. Gut health is big in here so expect all the ferments, whole foods and minimal messing with them. As One Website asone.ie Address Unit 3, 13 - 18 City Quay, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story "Food with purpose" is how As One describe themselves, and it's not a meaningless mission statement. The highest levels of care and energy are given to building relationships with the farmers, food makers and producers supplying their ingredients, and in how they serve them to ensure maximum nourishment for their customers. Gut health is big in here so expect all the ferments, whole foods and minimal messing with them. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Bustling neighbourhood wine bar and shop with a short, daily changing menu for lunch and dinner. Salads, sandwiches and sharing boards are constants, with hot dishes like fish cakes and sausage rolls making regular appearances. One of the best wine selections in Dublin with enthused staff always ready to make recommendations. 64 Wine Website 64wine.ie Address 64 Glasthule Road, Glasthule, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Bustling neighbourhood wine bar and shop with a short, daily changing menu for lunch and dinner. Salads, sandwiches and sharing boards are constants, with hot dishes like fish cakes and sausage rolls making regular appearances. One of the best wine selections in Dublin with enthused staff always ready to make recommendations. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Caribou Not content with having the best drinks, interiors and staff, Caribou are now conquering food too Posted: 12 Nov 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What do we need to know about Caribou? Born in Galway in 2016 and transported to Dublin in May 2024, Caribou is the latest opening in the capital from Shane Clifford, Hugh Farrell and Declan Murphy. The trio also own Kodiak in Rathmines, Bonobo in Smithfield, Impala in Cork and Jackal in Navan, and previously ran P Macs (where Caribou is now) for its former owners, before going out on their own. Galway's loss has very much been Dublin's gain, and even though tears were shed by some over the closure of P Macs, they were short-lived when they saw what replaced it. Caribou has been an upgrade on every front, and we think few operators understand what Dublin bar-goers want as well as these guys. With their other Dublin sites sticking to Neapolitan pizza for food we thought it would be business as usual here, but we thought wrong, and swiftly after opening, word of a bar food menu that was majorly over-delivering hit our shores. Where should we sit? These guys were either interior designers in another life, or pay very good ones to design their bars. Classic wooden furniture is broken up with leather seats, 70's-style light fixtures, textured walls, enough art to open a gallery, and assorted dressers and bookshelves that look like Grade A flea market finds. Candles, plants and real flowers sit on every surface, and everything combined makes it a place you'll want to stay in for an extended period of time. Sit in the main room if you want all the space and natural light (parents will love all the room to park buggies and pull up high chairs; travellers will find plenty of places to park suitcases and backpacks), or head into the back for cosy nooks to settle into for private chats, where low tables are lit by lower lights. What's on the menu? There's only a weekday and weekend lunch menu for now, served until 16:30 on weekdays and 17:00 at the weekend (Friday - Sunday). While Kodiak and Bonobo have stuck successfully to Neapolitan pizza, Caribou is going all in on food, with Patrick Byrne installed as head chef. He formerly owned food truck " Taco de Town " which operated between Sligo and West Cork, and spent six years previous to that cooking in New Orleans. Weekday and weekend lunch menus vary slightly, with the main difference being the addition of roasts at the weekend, because why should roasts be relegated to Sundays? Eyes might widen at €7 for olives as you browse, but they're big, juicy and lovingly dressed, and it's the only thing on the menu that doesn't feel like exceptionally good value. A chopped Caesar salad (€11) is an utterly perfect example of the naughtiest thing you can do with a plate of lettuce, Romaine leaves generously coated in Caesar dressing with shavings of Grana Padano and baguette-style croutons to amplify cheesiness and crunch. You could have stuck a fork in us here and we'd have left happy. You can add add grilled or fried chicken (not free range) for €4 to up the protein. Our Reel last week on Caribou's steak frites (€15 for a 6oz midweek and €24 for a 10oz at weekends) got a lot of well-deserved love, and we're still wondering how they're getting that just-off-the-barbecue flavour, how they've made fries that stay crispy for the duration of the meal, and how many different types of peppercorns are in that glorious sauce. We weren't asked how we wanted our steak cooked and would have preferred it a little less done, so be sure to specify if you're equally picky. Either way we can't remember having a better steak-frites than this in Dublin, and we've tried plenty in hope. The fish sandwich (€13) came with a hunk of fresh not frozen, IPA beer battered cod, topped with chunky tartare and sitting on mushy peas, all in a burger bun. A beautiful thing, fish cooked to the point of being hot and juicy while not overdone by a second, it was only missing seasoning on the fish/in the batter. On a second visit the peas had been ditched for shredded lettuce and house pickles, which sound even better. We're not a town that excels in Sunday roasts the way many, many towns in the UK do, so we're always excited to see a new player enter the game. We weren't however expecting Caribou to casually sail in at the top of the pile - is there anything this kitchen doesn't excel at? Beef from McLoughlin butchers (€19.50) comes with a dazzling line up of: miso glazed carrot and parsnip; mash, (PROPERLY CRISPY) roasties, stuffing, grilled tenderstem broccoli (al dente), celeriac purée, a giant Yorkshire pudding, and a Guinness gravy we'd like to drink by the flask (unlimited if you want more). Controversially there was no horseradish brought to table, but once our brains started popping off with all these flavours we forgot we wanted it. Also in the roast line up is Caribou's version of bacon and cabbage (€19.50), with Buckfast glazed ham, sautéed cabbage, parsley sauce and the rest of the roastie sides. We will happily stake the claim that there's no better tasting plate of bacon and cabbage in the city, and it makes of a mockery of what's served to tourists in twee pubs in Temple Bar. Any childhood scars from bad versions of this dish will be salved, and lest we forget to mention, at €19.50 these are some of the least expensive (quality) roasts in Dublin right now. Despite the very generous roasts, we added on sides, because All The Food and all that, and Caribou's charred broccoli with romesco, hazelnuts and feta (€5) is the kind of thing you try to casually fling together at home but you leave the broccoli on the grill for too long or make the Romesco too bitter - they don't do that in here. The only issue is that one plate isn't enough. Those shatteringly crispy triple-cooked fries can also be ordered on their own with garlic mayo (€5), but we'd actually avoid the pungent dip because there's so much good stuff going on with the food here that you don't need it over-powered by garlic breath. There was no dessert either time when we visited, but there was on earlier menus, so hopefully there'll be a return to form once things settle down. What about drinks? These guys are known for their craft beef and support for Irish breweries, and big beer fans will love looking through the tap and bottle list to find something to pique their interest. The selection isn't at the level of Kodiak in Rathmines, but we can't think of many other bars that are. Cocktails are another high point, with a Paloma, a clarified rhubarb sour and a Hugo spritz all going toe to toe with the city's best cocktail bars. Wines are more basic bar, with the exception of a couple of rotating bottles "from our friends at Grapecircus" - whatever they're pouring we're drinking. How was the service? Of all the visits that all of the members of our team have made to all of these guys' bars, the service has always stood out - they seem to have hiring for personality and general human loveliness down to an art. We've never been scowled at, ignored or treated with apathy by exhausted staff who'd rather be anywhere else. We've always been greeted like we've just walked into a friends house, showered with smiles, and had any questions answered with enthusiasm and a willingness to go and find out the answer if they don't already have it. In an environment where finding staff for hospitality jobs has never been tougher, this kind of achievement shouldn't go unnoticed. What was the damage? We ate this over two meals, but midweek you could have a very solid lunch with a drink for around €25, and at the weekend, €30 will get you a roast, a pint and cover your tip. What's the verdict on Caribou? Shane Clifford, Hugh Farrell and Declan Murphy are the guys to beat for bars right now, and in their determination to get every little thing right, they've delivered a bar food menu and kitchen team that make so many others look like they're not fit for purpose. If they can do it in a setting like this, with prices like these, served by staff who look like they genuinely like being there, why can't everyone else? And why would you want to go anywhere else? Go for the roast, go back for the steak-frites, and harangue them to bring in food in the evenings - the city's crying out for "bar food only better" menus like this. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Eoin Cluskey’s temple to bread on Pearse Street opened in a storm of publicity in September 2018, and we wonder what we ever did for bread in the city centre before they arrived. The cruffins are the stuff of legend, and weekly specials like Swedish semlor and quince croissants keep customers coming back week after week. Brunch and lunch is served upstairs in the eatery from Friday - Sunday. Bread 41 Website bread41.ie Address 41 Pearse Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Eoin Cluskey’s temple to bread on Pearse Street opened in a storm of publicity in September 2018, and we wonder what we ever did for bread in the city centre before they arrived. The cruffins are the stuff of legend, and weekly specials like Swedish semlor and quince croissants keep customers coming back week after week. Brunch and lunch is served upstairs in the eatery from Friday - Sunday. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Contemporary café at the top of Parnell Street serving brunch and lunch, with pasta and pizza in the evenings. Specialty coffee and carefully chosen ingredients, including beef from the owner’s sister’s farm in Meath. One Society Website onesociety.ie Address 1 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Contemporary café at the top of Parnell Street serving brunch and lunch, with pasta and pizza in the evenings. Specialty coffee and carefully chosen ingredients, including beef from the owner’s sister’s farm in Meath. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Honey Honey has been thronged from the day they opened in 2018 with locals, visitors and passing cyclists queuing up for specialty coffee, granola bowls and warm sausage rolls. It filled a much needed gap in the area for a quality café, and expect to wait for one of their in demand tables. Honey Honey Website honeyhoneycafe.com Address Strand Road, Burrow, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Honey Honey has been thronged from the day they opened in 2018 with locals, visitors and passing cyclists queuing up for specialty coffee, granola bowls and warm sausage rolls. It filled a much needed gap in the area for a quality café, and expect to wait for one of their in demand tables. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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 Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Glovers Alley Fine dining returns to the Fitzwilliam Hotel Posted: 2 Apr 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or following the wrong people on twitter) you’ve probably heard about Glovers Alley , the new fine dining restaurant in the space formerly occupied by Thornton’s in the Fitzwilliam Hotel . Headed up by Dubliner Andy McFadden, once the youngest Michelin starred chef in London, we don’t think a Dublin restaurant has ever gone as big on pre-opening PR, and they took a bit of flack over some pretty absurd language on their website (thankfully mostly gone) and the promises of delivering something Dublin has never seen before. Regardless of the slightly bumpy start, we think the city is in need of more high-end dining options and were glad to see one of the ' Murphia ' return home, so we went to check it out for ourselves. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? You’re right off Stephen’s Green so the options are endless. Presuming you’ll be in your Sunday best, the Horseshoe Bar in The Shelbourne is always good for pre-dinner/lunch bubbles, or La Ruelle wine bar is off Dawson Street. For cocktails, beer and rugby-player spotting, Lemon and Duke is close by too. What’s the room like? Not as pink as it looks in pictures. Very plush and clearly no expense spared when it came to decor. There are three main rows of seating, with a mix of banquettes and free-standing tables, and there’s a separate private dining area which was busy hosting a scarf launch/lunch on the day we were there. It feels modern but very comfortable, and we loved the lack of white tablecloths. Staff tend to hover in front of the bar which is slightly disconcerting, as you feel like you’re always being observed, but we’re not sure what the solution is to this. It’s the layout of the room, and there’s nowhere else for them to go. The upside is you won’t have to wave your hand around trying to get someone’s attention. What's good to eat? We would recommend the tasting menu, which felt fairly priced at €60 for lunch, considering there were three snacks, a lot of incredible bread, six courses, a pre-dessert and petit fours. There were twelve elements in total, and while we wouldn’t be spending €60 on lunch every week, it felt like good value. The first snack was disappointing – a parmesan gougère, which didn’t taste of much – but the following two were very good. Foie gras sandwiched between two crisp pieces of tuile, and more crispiness in the form of chicken skin topped with taramasalata and seaweed. Not a combination we would have put together but it all worked. The bread selection must be one of the best in town and we gluttonously tried it all. We’re still dreaming about the parmesan and black olive bun, which was like a savoury version of a cinnabon in the best possible way. Butter is from Abernethy and we had to restrain ourselves from eating it by the spoon. The tasting menu changes daily, but high points for us were curried cauliflower with crispy ham hock, and rabbit with carrots, grapes and tarragon. Rabbit came in the form of an incredibly tender, skilfully cooked loin (no mean feat for such a lean meat), a pastilla (deep-fried pastry) and a teeny tiny, totally delicious rabbit rack, which we didn’t even know was a thing. There were also a couple of brightly coloured splodges of sauce on the plate which didn’t really add anything and we felt unnecessarily complicated things. We were less keen on the brill with beetroot, cucumber and anchovy, the brill being the weakest part of the dish. The chewy, sweet beetroot, which had been dehydrated then rehydrated was the high point and we think they should start selling it in bags to go. A pre-dessert of cardamom panacotta with mandarin granita and Thai basil didn’t taste much of cardamom but was delicious nonetheless and nicely refreshing after the array of flavours that came before it. The main act of grapefruit, white chocolate and lime mascarpone was really beautiful, delicate but full of flavour, nicely balanced between freshness and sweetness. The dark chocolate, sesame caramel petit fours are another item we think they should sell on the side. Crazy good. What about the drinks? As you would imagine, the wine list is extensive and excellently curated. Margins are a bit on the high side but no more than we would expect in a restaurant pitched at this level. There’s a nice selection by the glass and the sommelier recommended some good pairings, including a pitch-perfect German Riesling from Emrich Schönleber , a dry Pedro-Ximenez called Dos Claveles from Spanish producer Toro Albalá , and a really cracking Mencia from Raul Perez, also Spanish. And the service? Very professional but a little stiff at times – lots of ‘Ma’am’ and ‘Sir’ – which is great if that’s what you’re in the mood for. We were very thankful for head waiter Bill, formerly manager at Bastible , who was a breath of fresh air in a slightly nervous feeling room, cracking jokes throughout lunch and generally being an excellent addition to the experience. The verdict? Glovers Alley put themselves in the firing line by talking a big game pre-opening (although we have it on authority that Andy McFadden had very little to do with this) and some critics have been only too happy to take a shot. It’s not perfect yet, a couple of dishes didn’t wow, and it would be nice to see them relax into things a bit more, but there is some very skilful cooking happening here, in an ultra-luxurious room, and we would think zero chance of a bad service experience with a 5-star floor team led by GM Ed Jolliffe (ex- Chapter One ). They're not planning on sitting still any time soon and we would predict that it’s only going to get better over the coming months as things settle down and they find their comfort zone. Glovers Alley 127/128 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 gloversalley.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>