The Two Minute Review: Two Pups Wine Bar, Fairview
A Two Pups wine bar? Is this Notions on the Northside?
Not quite. The tiny Two Pups Fairview is trying a weekend pivot into wine and snacks, with a limited menu and no bookings, so it'll only really appeal to spontaneous locals with no fear of being turned away.
Is there much seating?
Again, no. There are five tables outside (no heaters may become problematic when temperatures fall), and one counter in the window inside, sitting four-five at a push.
Is it just wine?
Wine and wine-based cocktails, with a natural-leaning selection. It was quiet when we visited so not all the wines by the glass were open, with our server saying they were trying to minimise waste. It seems to be a case of chicken and egg.
We loved a spicy vermouth spritz (so clever), but the peche blanc tasted too much like our peach schnapps laden youths.
All of the wines we tried we want to drink again, with the Sette Italian white, Heinrich 'naked orange', and the chilled Italian Terre di Pietra red ones we jotted down for future purchasing.
What is there to eat?
A limited menu, so not a place to come with limited eaters - take people who eat all the tasty food. Several influencer reels are talking about the fact that you can order the whole menu for €39, but that's way too much, so hold your horses.
Rectangles of pan con tomate (€4) came on soft, golden-crusted bread, more like a white yeast loaf than a pillowy focaccia, with avocado, ripe tomatoes, thin slices of olives and olive oil. A simple, well seasoned pairing for wine sipping.
Little balls of Gubbeen arancini with red pepper ketchup felt steep at €5 a pop, but oozed nutty, cheesy flavour. The ketchup is a winner - we scooped up every drop.
Then deep-fried karaage chicken (€14) with date ketchup, aioli or chipotle mayo. There's no provenance listed so we presume it's not free range, but the thigh meat was juicy, the coating lightly spiced, and the fat well drained from a crisp coasting. Of the dips, date ketchup was the best - the other two needed more flavour.
Garlic butter fries are twice as naughty as regular ones, crisp and garlic scented. They don't need the dip, but who could resist a dunk.
A Bold Boy tiramisu (€10) convinced people who thought they didn't like tiramisu that it's not so bad after all. A huge, ultra creamy portion, you could share one between three or four.
What are the flaws?
No bookings, no toilet, no plates. They did hold a table for us after an Instagram DM, but they can take a while to get back. Want to offload that wine? They have an arrangement with the fluorescently lit takeaway a few doors down to use their loo. Everything served in disposable trays upset us, especially as they use proper plates in the day time.
Why should we go?
For good wines, an easy going menu, and satisfying refreshment on the fly. Reservations and non-disposable dinnerware would make it even better, but in an ideal world they'd find a bigger space (with a toilet) and bring the full, D8 operation northside.
Two Pups Wine Bar
