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    Il Segreto has gone to shite.

    Food was only ever decent. Now it's bland and underflavoured.

    Service used to be excellent but a few cheap and angry with the world eastern european waitress types have killed it. Sorry my tax avoiding chums.
    ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

    Comment


      Originally posted by ionapaul View Post

      Going to Lemongrass in Citywest on Saturday night (out there for a wedding reception later that evening), the last time I ate there was years ago while with PPP, I believe GAB was in attendance and the great Liam Flood foot the bill. Hopefully will be just as nice this time around, though alcohol won't be flowing quite as freely.

      I'm not a fan of lemongrass. Restaurant options in Citywest are in general grim and overpriced. The Anvil is waay too pricey. Browns barn is atrocious and the new place in Saggart (called Carpe Diem) looks like very basic Italian fare at city centre prices but I haven't tried it.

      For me the Poitin Stil in Rathcoole is the best option. Pub food, served plentifully and well. At least you don't feel robbed and the open fires are lovely of an autumn evening.
      ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

      Comment


        Originally posted by V for Vendetta View Post
        Il Segreto has gone to shite.

        Food was only ever decent. Now it's bland and underflavoured.

        Service used to be excellent but a few cheap and angry with the world eastern european waitress types have killed it. Sorry my tax avoiding chums.
        Who says there's no good news these days?!
        "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

        Comment


          Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
          Who says there's no good news these days?!
          I thought coming back into town I'd be flying with good food options but things are really not great.

          You don't want to be going top end and you want something casualish but where you can have a decent chat and a nice bite to eat in a reasonable time frame. I need to do some more scouting.....
          ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

          Comment


            Originally posted by V for Vendetta View Post
            Il Segreto has gone to shite.

            Food was only ever decent. Now it's bland and underflavoured.

            Service used to be excellent but a few cheap and angry with the world eastern european waitress types have killed it. Sorry my tax avoiding chums.
            Definitely agree that the food was never great. Place is very nice though and still a great spot for a late after dinner drink on a Friday or Saturday night imo. Similarly, the Number 5 Piano Bar down the side of The Unicorn is a fantastic place for a late drink on a Friday or Saturday night. Great acoustic guitar/piano music that isn't too overbearing and a very cosy bar too.

            Comment


              On il Segretto, they do a great soup and steak sandwich weekdays for lunch @€10.50 is hard to beat.
              Plentiful homemade bread too.

              Comment


                Also GAB I noticed you mentioned the Old Convent A few pages back, I went there about 3 months ago for the 8 course tasting menu.
                It's too long to remember well enough to describe but it was wonderful. We stayed for the weekend and the breakfasts were amazing too, I had a skillet of bacon, eggs and Smoked salmon with creme fraiche.
                They do a "bento box" as well at night for guests which was a hotch potch (sp) of deliciousness!

                Comment


                  Had dinner in Aniar on Saturday. It was pretty disappointing although they were clearly having plumbing difficulties. Toilets all out of order and lots of workmen going through restaurant to kitchen, which isn't good when the entire (already a bit cold) restaurant gets a blast of cold air every time the door opens.

                  They just had an A La Carte menu on offer, starters/mains were similar to the sample on their website but desserts mostly different.

                  Starters were both good and definitely the highlight of the meal, although as with all courses they were put down in front of us without a word of explanation, which isn't great when the menu is so vague. Several things we had no idea what they were. I had scallops and herself Ham Hock, both very interesting and tasty.

                  Mains arrived >1 hour after starters left and were only ok, I had vension which was fairly standard taste wise but about 1/3 of the size of what you'd get elsewhere. Herself had monkfish which was again ok but nothing great. Side dish was heavily buttered potatoes. Plates were sitting on the table empty for ~20 minutes before they were removed.

                  Desserts were very well presented but somewhat bland. We did get an apology for the delays and a free glass of dessert wine each with these. Petit fours with coffee were good.

                  Won't be in any rush back
                  3/10

                  Originally posted by Mike View Post
                  Restaurant Name: Aniar

                  Location: Dominick Street, Galway

                  Website: www.aniarrestaurant.ie

                  Price Range: (from 1 to 5 €€€€€) €€€€

                  Review:

                  Haven't been eating out much since the baby was born but as the inlaws are over visiting we took the oppurtunity to go out for a good meal.

                  Went to Aniar for the 4 course tasting menu (€40pp) with matching wines (€20pp). We have eaten here before with other couples and always been impressed but never had the chance for the tasting menu before due to some fussy eaters (entire table has to take tasting menu as is standard in most places). Prices on the a la carte are approx €10 for starters, €25-28 for mains.

                  Arrived at 7.30 and was given the choice of available 2 seater tables, jackets taken and hung by the waiter. Its a fairly small place, seats about 30 total if all tables are full, simple decor and furniture.

                  Amuse bouche was a crispy croquette filled with delicious duck leg confit served with a dried cabbage leaf with dots of scallop roe mousse.

                  Selection of breads promptly brought to table and carafe of water.

                  Starter was a selection of pickled vegetables, slices of carrot, cucumber, beetroot, golden beet and kohlrabi (cross between cabbage and turnip it seems) with dots of smoked cheese. All pickling and smoking was done by the chefs on the premises (over several weeks in light vinegar water with rose petals for the vegetables). Very light pickling, delicate flavours. Served with a glass of prosecco with went beautifully with the dish.


                  Fish course was scallops and pork belly (cooked over 24 hours), served on a black pudding mousse with dried cauliflower, pea shoots and cauliflower puree. Served with a glass of west coast Italian white whose name escapes me (.

                  Main was beef short ribs (no bones) served with steamed onion, braised baby leek, spinach smear, pickled elderberry, cauliflower puree and a beautiful beef jus. Offered a side of potatoes but passed on these. Served with a glass of Nero d'avola from sicily.

                  Dessert was end of season strawberries, strawberry and rhubarb meringue, Irish mascarpone, viola flowers and a strawberry liquor. Served with a German honeyed Reisling.

                  Nice espresso with home made petit fours (fudge, marshmallow, butter biscuit wafer).

                  All in all a fantastic meal, great value imo for the quality of food received, accompanying wines were well selected. Waiters give an extensive narritive with all course from cooking/preparation techniques to suppliers of meat and veg. Total cost €125 excluding tip

                  Best food in Galway by a distance, recent winner of best restaurant in Connacht.

                  Comment


                    Originally posted by Goodluck2me View Post
                    Also GAB I noticed you mentioned the Old Convent A few pages back, I went there about 3 months ago for the 8 course tasting menu.
                    It's too long to remember well enough to describe but it was wonderful. We stayed for the weekend and the breakfasts were amazing too, I had a skillet of bacon, eggs and Smoked salmon with creme fraiche.
                    They do a "bento box" as well at night for guests which was a hotch potch (sp) of deliciousness!
                    I was there in spring and while the food was generally good (breakfast and bento box particularly) the tasting menu was too big, there was too much food, and the whole restaurant was served at the same time which also meant there was constant feeling of racing to finish a course with too little time between courses to digest and reflect.

                    In fact i started feeling unwell (more uncomfortable really) towards the end of the meal and was fairly violently ill after i'd retired to my room.

                    A shame really as their use of local, seasonal produce (including their own) is certainly laudable and the place itself is cool.

                    Another annoyance is that they seemed to have 1 or 2 CDs on repeat in the drawing room, both days so when relaxing over afternoon tea, before or after dinner you'd hear the same songs over and over.

                    I wouldn't be in a rush back for the food but its a nice place to stay and it was cool to feed the donkeys in the field next door.

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by BennyHiFi View Post
                      I was there in spring and while the food was generally good (breakfast and bento box particularly) the tasting menu was too big, there was too much food, and the whole restaurant was served at the same time which also meant there was constant feeling of racing to finish a course with too little time between courses to digest and reflect.

                      In fact i started feeling unwell (more uncomfortable really) towards the end of the meal and was fairly violently ill after i'd retired to my room.

                      A shame really as their use of local, seasonal produce (including their own) is certainly laudable and the place itself is cool.

                      Another annoyance is that they seemed to have 1 or 2 CDs on repeat in the drawing room, both days so when relaxing over afternoon tea, before or after dinner you'd hear the same songs over and over.

                      I wouldn't be in a rush back for the food but its a nice place to stay and it was cool to feed the donkeys in the field next door.
                      Haha, KT Tunstall wasn't it! I almost knew the words Before we went home! The homemade cookies in the kitches FOC was a nice touch too along with the delicious apple juice!

                      I was warned about large plates now that you mention it so I starved for tr day, was very full by the end. Goodluck2mrs just left a bit of course 4&5 and felt fine after.


                      I stayed and ate at Flemings restaurant on cork... Will do a full review later

                      Comment


                        Had lunch in fishy-fishy today. Me the Mrs and the little.one. I had the fish pie and Mrs had the chowder. Washed down with a glass of reisling. Food was fantastic with so much flavour, nearly licked the plate. Had a plum, date and apple pudding with butterscotch sauce and vanilla icecream which was good without being exceptional. Service was great and very kid friendly. Would highly recommend a visit if you are in the area.
                        His rival it seems, had broken his dreams,By stealing the girl of his fancy.Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil,But everyone knew her as Nancy.

                        Comment


                          Originally posted by elbows View Post
                          Had lunch in fishy-fishy today. Me the Mrs and the little.one. I had the fish pie and Mrs had the chowder. Washed down with a glass of reisling. Food was fantastic with so much flavour, nearly licked the plate. Had a plum, date and apple pudding with butterscotch sauce and vanilla icecream which was good without being exceptional. Service was great and very kid friendly. Would highly recommend a visit if you are in the area.
                          If you are down in Kinsale you should try Man Fridays. MF's and FF are the 2 places I never fail to visit when in Kinsale. All washed down by a few pints in The Spanaird, cant get any better than that.

                          Comment


                            Restaurant Name: Brasserie Le Pont

                            Location: Fitzwilliam Place
                            Website: http://www.brasserielepont.ie/

                            Price Range: (from 1 to 5 €€€€€) €€

                            Review:

                            I've had a few menupages deals in the last couple of months and they've all been a bit of a disappointment and it's about time to give them up. This visit only confirms that. I bought this one a couple of months ago and it was about to expire. Tried to book online last week and it was declined without comment. Tried twice more again without any reply, so just rang up and booked in the end.

                            When we entered the restaurant there was a slightly irritated couple standing at the bar reading a menu. But it turned out they were waiting for their coats so my expectations at this point were rock bottom.

                            When I was ordering the wine as soon as I said the words half bottle the waitress took the menu without seeming to really confirm what I was ordering. She arrived back with a jug of wine (not even a carafe!) hohum.

                            I had a marinated beetroot and crozier blue cheese salad for starter, which just didn't work, gf had french onion soup which she left untouched. Mains were passable - flavourless lamb. Desert was probably the best course but again nothing outstanding.

                            Service was bizarre, coats were taken about five mins after we sat down, bread arrived in the middle of the starter, glasses were never topped up.

                            All very poor. Nice interior though.
                            Last edited by Denny Crane; 31-10-12, 09:28.

                            Comment


                              Originally posted by HiCloy View Post
                              Had dinner in Aniar on Saturday. It was pretty disappointing although they were clearly having plumbing difficulties. Toilets all out of order and lots of workmen going through restaurant to kitchen, which isn't good when the entire (already a bit cold) restaurant gets a blast of cold air every time the door opens.

                              They just had an A La Carte menu on offer, starters/mains were similar to the sample on their website but desserts mostly different.

                              Starters were both good and definitely the highlight of the meal, although as with all courses they were put down in front of us without a word of explanation, which isn't great when the menu is so vague. Several things we had no idea what they were. I had scallops and herself Ham Hock, both very interesting and tasty.

                              Mains arrived >1 hour after starters left and were only ok, I had vension which was fairly standard taste wise but about 1/3 of the size of what you'd get elsewhere. Herself had monkfish which was again ok but nothing great. Side dish was heavily buttered potatoes. Plates were sitting on the table empty for ~20 minutes before they were removed.

                              Desserts were very well presented but somewhat bland. We did get an apology for the delays and a free glass of dessert wine each with these. Petit fours with coffee were good.

                              Won't be in any rush back
                              3/10

                              That's disappointing to hear as I'm booked in there tomorrow night, will report back.

                              Comment


                                Restaurant Name: Flemings Restaurant

                                Location: Glanmire Road, Cork
                                Website: http://www.flemingsrestaurant.ie

                                Price Range: (from 1 to 5 €€€€€) €€€

                                Review:

                                I've had a the pleasure of eating here a few times, most recently over the Bank holiday weekend last week where I ate there every night.
                                The drive in suggests a period style home and that's exactly what greets you from the outset. It's authentically decorated, no faux classical restorations, just natural and reassuringly outdated surroundings which add to the charm of the place.
                                The owners themselves will welcome you at the door and bring you through to the cosy little side bar for an aperitif if you so wish.
                                We bowed to his recommendations for wine/champagne and in 4 visits I'm yet to be disappointed. Whilst I'm far from taking the crown of a sommelier my company would be harder to please and everyone agreed.

                                Before you order, it's advisable, especially in quieter times to ask Mr Fleming What he recommends as he will be honest and more importantly Acurrate with what he says. I had lemon sole for starters served off-menu with a shrimp and scallop accompaniment in a light herby jus. The white we had with it escapes me but rest assured top quality also.

                                My main, although not usually an eater of richer meats, was the venison as recommended by Mr Fleming who assured me that it "wasn't too strong", and was absolutely delicious. This was served with Toulouse sausage and red wine sauce. Only the glaring eyes from the lady across my table saved me from licking the plate.

                                For dessert I had the assiette of desert which consisted of apple tart, lemon pie and a homemade wafer with sorbet.

                                All in all a terrific dining experience, I've never had a bad one i just wish I hadn't had so many pre-dinner drinks that I'd have remember the detail a bit better.

                                9/10 - not Michelin quality, but more like Nevin Maguires where the personal touch and friendly advice more than make up for it.
                                Portions are generous and there will be little need of sides, the dining room is immmaculate by the way as any fine restaurant would be presented.
                                Last edited by Goodluck2me; 02-11-12, 08:37.

                                Comment


                                  This is what I had the first night

                                  Fois Gras served hot with Timoleague Black pudding, Glazed apple and Pineau de Charante sauce.

                                  Chefs choice- palate cleanser of champagne sorted with passion fruit and balsamic vinegar dressing. Weird initially then you wonder why you haven't always been using balsamic on sorbet!

                                  Slow roast leg of lamb with mint infused Couscous.

                                  Comment


                                    I had the 7 course tasting menu in L'Ecrivan with the voucher and have to say I couldn't find any faults with service or food.
                                    They even went to trouble of printing out my voucher for me as I forgot to and just had to email them.


                                    Also thought it might be a nice idea to list the restaurants you'd recommend but couldn't review as its been oo long.

                                    Lemon Tree, Letterkenny. Unbelievable value for money, by far best restaurant I've eaten in Donegal.

                                    The Wild Goose, Ranelagh. Ate here a number of weeks ago found service and food to be excellent. Apparently do excellent value pre-theatre menu mid-week too.

                                    The Lochs, Portobello. Ate here last year before the star. Enjoyed it but found the menu a but unexciting. I'm sure it's improved since though.

                                    Lime Restaurant, Homewood Spa, Bath. Will hold a special place as it was my first tasting menu so not sure where it ranks. All I know is that I thoroughly enjoyed it £80 for 7+wine was great value and I think trip advisor reviews back this up.

                                    Bath priory Hotel. This was sensational, the drawing room, service, menu and end product were the best I've had. Would recommend highly a weekend away to bath taking both places in as a serious treat.

                                    Comment


                                      Tried to book the Aldridge Lodge for this weekend but it was full

                                      Going back a while, we had a good night at the chef's table at Chapter One. Too long ago for specifics but the food was obv great, the wine pairing was brilliant as I re-iterated every course much to everyone's amusement.
                                      Highlight was rigging the credit card roulette so Cardshark would lose. He actually didn't mind losing as much as the waiter not even giving him a sweat by insta-picking his card.
                                      Wasn't a huge fan of the actual table. Kind of uncomfortable place to spend 3 hours, and reminiscent of an Eddie Rockets booth.

                                      Comment


                                        Restaurant Name: Rolys Bistro

                                        Location: Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

                                        Website: http://www.rolysbistro.ie/

                                        Price Range: €€€

                                        Got a Samsung galaxy phone for my birthday (thanks Martin) and Martin put my old blackberry phone up on adverts.ie and got €150 for it (lol) so we decided to treat ourselves and go for a nice meal to a restaurant we have never been to…. In the end I picked Rolys Bistro. I booked the table for 7.00 p.m. on Saturday night. I reckoned it would be busy (Ireland V Argentina Match) on earlier in the aviva stadium, but the place was absolutely wedged, very noisy but a great atmosphere.
                                        We arrived a little early at 6.50 p.m. and was greeted by a very friendly and chirpy host, who took our jackets and got a waiter to bring us to our table which was upstairs. There was a flurry of activity with the menus being given to us/ wine menus handed out and jug of water placed on table immediately. Then a waiter came around with a basket of different types of bread which was offered to us. I was going to ask why types of bread there were but we were still trying to adjust to the noise in the place, so I took a slice of tomato bread which was lovely.

                                        Martin was looking though the menu while I was studying the wine selection and decided to go for the pinot grigio which was €27 a bottle

                                        Starters
                                        Martin had Wild Mushroom Soup, Truffle Cream, which he said was lovely
                                        I had Duck Liver Pate, With apricot and fig Chutney, Toasted Brioche. I though the chutney was a little overpowering and very very sweet, so only had a tiny little bit.

                                        Main Course
                                        Martin had the Traditional Kerry Lamb Pie And Vegetable Pie, Roasted Celeriac And Thyme. It looked lovely and Martin said it was really nice, with loads of lamb in it.

                                        I had grilled fillet of venison(which I ordered Medium to well done) on a bed of spinach with a blackcurrent Jus, with roasted potato fondant which was gorgeous (SO tender, and seasoned perfectly!). We ordered a selection of vegetables and potato. We got broccoli and pureed carrots. The carrots were nice but almost pureed to death and the broccoli was beautiful, still had a lot of crunch to it.


                                        Dessert
                                        We waited bout 20 minutes or so, drinking our wine and soaking up the atmosphere (even though it was very very loud). I went for the apply pie and with vanilla bean Ice cream with custard and martin went for the Cheese cake.

                                        I didn’t like the pastry on the apple tart, I found it really thick and doughy so just had the apples, and the custard was a bit gloupy so had the icecream only. Tasted a bit of Martins cheese cake and it was really really luscious. He said it was lovely, but couldn’t finish it.


                                        There was a table of 6 – 7 loud (putting it mildly) English group – in their 40’s so you would think they would know better. Anyway there was this loud mouthy blonde woman in the group who was roaring and shouting a lot… The icing on the cake being when she screamed ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY at the top of her voice… which caused a hush in the restaurant and some glares from people seated near the table, including us.. The chirpy host (from earlier) went over and had words with 2 guys at the table, which followed by them all leaving fairly rapidly…..

                                        Our bill came to €145 which included 10% service charge and 2 bottles of wine. When we went downstairs to get our coats, the host was very apologetic bout the English group and he gave me a bag with a pear and almond tart in it as an apology for the inconvenience of our “noisy neighbours”. He spoke exactly like the John Healy, Maitre'D in the series “The Restaurant”

                                        Here is a photo of the pear and almond cake (€12.95 takeaway price) -



                                        We were going to head to the Bull and Castle but common sense prevailed and we headed home, never mind the fact that I had the pear and almond cake with me and I knew it wouln’t end well, as all I could envisage was a pie fight… bouncers, mayhem and face hitting a wet pavement outside the bull and castle lol…..

                                        Sorry would rate 8/10
                                        Last edited by smurph; 25-11-12, 18:39.
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                                        Comment


                                          Comment


                                            Originally posted by Gimmeabreak
                                            Restaurant Name: Trax Brasserie

                                            Location: Naas

                                            Website: http://www.TraxBrasserie.ie


                                            I'd have to be honest and say that my main was about as good a main course of steak as I have been served in any restaurant. It was cooked perfectly and all of the accompliments were excellent. The Potato Gratin was very well done, it had lots of cream but held its shape with perfection. I have one caveat on this - the chef is a big fan of using butter. Which I don't mind tbh but you would not be reaching for the desert menu afterwards. I am sure that V4V would be delighted with this. The celeriac puree had lots of butter, the mushrooms & onions had lots of butter, the side order of veg had lots of butter - the gratin had lots of cream. I would think the steak was cooked in butter. I mean it is a lovely rich feeling to be eating good food cooked excellently in butter. For me it was bordering on too much butter but teetered on this side of the breaking point. For others it may have crossed the breaking point. Just put it this way - the horse wouldn't get to France if this chef had his way.

                                            Already mentally about to bookmark this place before I read this paragraph (due to location and description) - and now I'm sold!!
                                            ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

                                            Comment


                                              Restaurant Name: Fade St. Social

                                              Location: Fade St. (Although entrance to restaurant not on Fade St.)

                                              Website: http://www.fadestreetsocial.com/

                                              Price Range: (from €€€)

                                              Review:

                                              Booked this a few weeks ago for a night out with the Mrs. as we had not been out together (bar a wedding) in a long time. As it happens it was the first weekend trading for the restaurant.

                                              Arrived in from the freezing cold to be warmly greeted by the host and he had our coats off us in a flash and we were shown to our table. It was 8 O'Clock and the restaurant was only half full. The table was small and felt a bit cramped between 2 tables for four along a line of tables at the side wall. There were some nicer tables than ours mainly for larger parties in the center of the restaurant.

                                              We were asked if we wanted any water immediately and eau the tap came in chilled glass bottle. We were given our menus (food, wine and cocktails). The food menu was explained to us which did take a while. There was a large amount of groups on the menu (check it out on the website) - to start, stewed and braised, woodfired, Charred and smoked, from the farm and to finish.

                                              I then proceeded to spend a good 10 minutes looking for a wine as the list was very extensive and not in order of region but in order of taste (full bodied, fruity etc) which is fine when you have 20 wines to look through but there seemed to be an endless list and that was just the whites. I recently switched back from being obsessed with red back to white, especially Alsace/German Reislings. (best I had was an austrian one in Mint a few years ago).The Reislings were a little bit pricey ranging from €35 to €40. So I went looking for a nice italian gavi but no joy and went for a siciliian borini (I think) was fairly boring so I forgot the name of it (€26).

                                              Finally onto the food. I rushed my order after spending so much time on the wine ( I never send the waiter away unless my Mrs. can't decide).

                                              I ordered a wild smoked salmon from burren smokehouse with salmon cavier starter (special for €9) and large veal onion and truffle flatbread from the woodfire (€17). Mrs ordered the scallop to start and blossom (i thought she said possom had to ask her twice) for her main with sides of mushroom and truffle spaghetti (1 free with main from charred and smoked) and colcannon croquettes.

                                              My starter was nice but could have done with some brown bread. Salmon caviar added nothing. Scallop was covered with the nicest hollandaise I have ever tasted and came in the shell. I was jealous but not for long.

                                              The mains came out and this enormous flat bread arrives with the sweet aroma of truffle with veal mince and many other elements and the blossom (fish) covered in a pea puree accompanied by our sides. The flatbread was an amazing taste sensation as was the spaghetti but I was full after eating half of it (too much carbs). There is an option for a small flatbread which would have been plenty. The Blossom was overcooked and tasteless and the colcannon croquettes were quite good.

                                              We decided to share a dessert and the waiter said the banoffi was probably the lightest. It was too sweet (sickly)and I have the sweetest tooth of the toothiest kid in the land of chocolate.

                                              We then got the bill (€96 ex tip) and headed up for a cocktail upstairs. The cocktails were amazing but pricey over €9 a pop.

                                              The restaurant had filled up about half way through our meal and there was a good atmosphere. The staff were very friendly and attentive without being overly so. The large woodfire for cooking the flatbreads looks good in the corner and you can see the chefs running around under the watchful eye of Dylan McGrath (by the end of our meal he was about losing the plot a bit)

                                              Overall I had a good experience and would recommend it. 7/10.

                                              Off to The Greenhouse with lads next week for the 5 course tasting menu, so I will report back if I remember to.
                                              His rival it seems, had broken his dreams,By stealing the girl of his fancy.Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil,But everyone knew her as Nancy.

                                              Comment


                                                A good friend invited me to L'Ecrevain for Pre-Poker dinner on Thursday (Fitz EOM). Didn't have time to do a review and a lot of the finer detail escapes me now that I'm getting on in years :-) Very very enjoyable, had a great Portuguese Red from the Sommelier's selection. Awesome with the Venison. Hadn't been in a few years and can't recommend highly enough. Staff were fantastic. Will defo be back.

                                                On to more pressing matters. Has anybody eaten at the Butchers Grill in Ranelagh ? Haven't been and looking for good steak tonight without breaking the bank. Last minute decision. TIA

                                                Comment


                                                  Originally posted by PokerPiper View Post
                                                  A good friend invited me to L'Ecrevain for Pre-Poker dinner on Thursday (Fitz EOM). Didn't have time to do a review and a lot of the finer detail escapes me now that I'm getting on in years :-) Very very enjoyable, had a great Portuguese Red from the Sommelier's selection. Awesome with the Venison. Hadn't been in a few years and can't recommend highly enough. Staff were fantastic. Will defo be back.

                                                  On to more pressing matters. Has anybody eaten at the Butchers Grill in Ranelagh ? Haven't been and looking for good steak tonight without breaking the bank. Last minute decision. TIA
                                                  Haven't been myself but I do recall that GAB hated it. So much so that the owner nearly had a breakdown over the harsh words printed.
                                                  "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                  Comment


                                                    I owe this thread a Rasam review when I get 10 mins (working sucks). Suffice to say that jbravado is wrong
                                                    "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                    Comment


                                                      Was in L'ecrevian last week to use up that voucher. Wasn't overly impressed at all. The starter (veal) was excellent but the sorbet and main course (halibut) weren't worthy of a Michelin star I wouldn't have thought. Had 3 seperate waiters throughout the meal and only one described a course without being asked which was a pity. Also the tables are quite tightly bunched but that's a minor issue.

                                                      Comment


                                                        ...
                                                        "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                        Comment


                                                          Heading to Dylan mcgraths rustic stone on the 11th. I won't be paying do looking forward to being wined and dined. Anyone been? Good or bad?
                                                          "true friends stab you in the front"

                                                          Comment


                                                            The Butcher Grill

                                                            Restaurant Name: Butcher Grill

                                                            Location: Ranelagh

                                                            Website: http://www.thebutchergrill.ie

                                                            Price Range: €€€.5

                                                            I haven't done a review before so please forgive my lack of finesse.

                                                            This was a last minute decision thanks to a babysitter becoming available. Myself and Mrs Piper usually plan birthdays well in advance but on this occassion we let it run.

                                                            We arrived at the Butcher Grill just opposite Tribeca in Ranelagh. We had made a reservation and were greeted at the door and brought to our table. I wasn't sure about the high-stools/tables. Its quite a confined space with seating for only 30. This is not a fine dining establishment by any means but it is a cozy and welcoming environment.

                                                            Starters. I opted for the Cured & Seared Clare Island Salmon with Crab and Citrus Dressing. This was delicious, fresh and full of flavour. Only downside was a bit of shell in the crab meat. The salmon was perfect. My partner in crime opted for the Beetroot salad which was brimming with colour and was equally full of flavour. She opted to have the Goat's Curd on the side and didn't venture there in the end. The crispy garlic shavings saved the day however.

                                                            Main. 24oz CôteDeBoeuf with smokey beans & sage onion rings - for 2.

                                                            We've done the Shanahans gig a few times but didn't want all the fuss. I had heard the steak/beef was good here and decided to give it a spin. We immediately opted for the above. It was a substantial piece of aged black angus rib-eye done on a wood smoked grill. Served off the bone and carved on a wooden platter with onion rings - a sight to behold :-) With sides of seasonal greens deliciously done in garlic, Gratin Dauphinois and the obligatory fries for herself, this was a feast. We both like our steak and can comfortably put this up there with the best we've had. The smokey beans do nothing for the dish but othwerwise highly recommended.

                                                            We had a nice bottle of Rioja from the limited wine list. Standard if a little pricey at €32.

                                                            We had a look at the desert menu but decided we were too full and most definitely satisfied so decided to pass. However, on doing so the waiter brought us a complimentary cheesecake with accompanying birthday candle which was a very nice touch. And no, the staff didn't all stand around singing happy birthday :-) He picked up on a comment early on.

                                                            In summary, we wanted good steak and thats exactly what we got. This is a nice cozy joint with excellent staff. As I said, not fine dining but well above average as steakhouses go.

                                                            €123 for two, including wine. Excluding tip and excluding desserts. We'll be back.
                                                            Last edited by PokerPiper; 04-12-12, 11:59.

                                                            Comment


                                                              The greenhouse was off the charts. Pricey but best meal I have had since mint. Will do a full review when I get some time.
                                                              His rival it seems, had broken his dreams,By stealing the girl of his fancy.Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil,But everyone knew her as Nancy.

                                                              Comment


                                                                Roly's and Patrick Guilbaud's

                                                                Rolys and Patrick Guilbaud's this weekend - ah sure it's Christmas


                                                                Restaurant Name: Roly's
                                                                Location: ballsbridge

                                                                Website: http://www.rolysbistro.ie/

                                                                Price Range: €€


                                                                Been here before a couple of years back and was somewhat impressed. Decided to book an early dinner (6.30) for a few of us from work for friday night. We were told that there was a sitting at nine after us so we had to be out. This later on led to soem rushing about - but in fairness it was our fault as we didnt' get there until nearly 7.

                                                                Starters - I had the woodpigeon breast with black pudding. I thought this was very nice, however one side of the plate was cold - I'm presuming that it was hanging off the side of the banbarie.

                                                                main - Roasted Halibut wiht a crabmeat/leek and tomato sauce thing. This was very nice.

                                                                Didnt' bother with dessert.

                                                                All in all for 9 of us it cost about €600. Not bad as we had quite a lot of wine. The place though was jammers and this made the service suffer a little bit. Ironically this was the same probelm I had the last time. I was very impressed by the food and will be dining there again.





                                                                Restaurant Name: FRestaurant Patrick Guilbaud
                                                                Location: Merrion hotel

                                                                Website: http://www.restaurantpatrickguilbaud.ie/

                                                                Price Range: €€€€€

                                                                Was really looking forward to this. Went on saturday night with the wife. On the way in she said she fancied something fizzy - sparkling water was not an option.

                                                                We arrived a little early and were offered a glass of champagne. I knew I was going to get stung for this but I said fuck it. Glass of dom was €35. We only had one each. We got our meus in the 'bar' area and ordered our food and wine there. Bottle of Sancerre and some water. I went for the Clogherhead Lobster Ravioli Free Range Egg Pasta,
                                                                Coated in Coconut Scented Lobster Cream, Toasted Almonds, Split Curry Dressing followed by the Braised Fillet of Atlantic Turbot, Seaweeds in a light Citrus Nage, followed by the Glazed Wicklow Red Deer, Caramelised Endive and Orange, Horseradish Condiment. The wife went for Caramelised Veal Sweetbreads, Steamed Spinach, Crispy Tubers, Roast Juices, followed by the Grilled Fillet of John Dory, Fricassee of Wild Mushrooms, Oaked Chardonnay Butte and then the Fillet of Irish Beef and Roast Foie Gras
                                                                Madeira and Truffle Jus. This is highly unusual for her as she would never order a steak when in a restaurant, but she said if she was ever going to order a steak, it might as well be in a 2 star restsaurant.

                                                                We were brought to our table and the wine, water and bread was waiting for us. After about 20 minutes our starter arrived. The lobster was very nice and the pasta was cooked to perfection, but I had eaten a similar dish before in Ramseys and I thought it was better there. the wife's sweetbreads were fantastic.

                                                                Fish - really dissapointed with my turbot with seaweed et all. For a fish dish - it really needed some seasoning. Not very much flavour at all. The wifes john dory was great though.

                                                                Meat - The wifes steak looked and trasted brilliant - loads of foie gras, cooked to perfection. My venison - unfortunately was fucking tiny. It was cooked very nicely and tasted great - I just wish there was 3x the amount.

                                                                Didnt bother with dessert, but went for the cheese plate each instead. at €25 a pop, I was expecting a little more than 4 really small slices. They wheel over a tray of some really good looking cheeses and then say that we can pick 4. Fuck that. On the plus side, the supply you with plenty of crackers.

                                                                Staff were attentive and freindly, and the decor was very nice. (nice chairs and wine glasses - I must add). It wasn't as up your hole as I was expecting.

                                                                All in all the bill came to €600 for two. 2 bottles of wine, 2 glasses of champagne and the cheese plates account for the guts of the bill.

                                                                Would I go again? - yes, but I'd let the wife order for me.

                                                                Comment


                                                                  Restaurant Name: The Greenhouse

                                                                  Location: Dawson St

                                                                  Website: http://www.thegreenhouserestaurant.ie

                                                                  Price Range: €€€€€

                                                                  Review:

                                                                  This happened over a week ago so I might be a bit sketchy on the details but I have some pics of the goodies so I will give it a go. (balls photos are too big any suggestions let me know, freaked now)

                                                                  7 of us arrived at The Greenhouse for our 5 course tasting menu at 7 (1 of the group was running late). We were promptly seated and we were asked if we wanted a drink. A few beers to start while we waited as we were getting the wine with the tasting menu. There was a strong odour of cheese as the cheese board selection was directly behind me and a little off putting, even though I do like a good pungent smelling cheese.

                                                                  Finally our 8th arrived and we got down to business. A selection of canapes arrived which were devoured and on the whole very tasty. (no pics only thought of the pics after the 1st course).

                                                                  1st wine arrived and the sommelier (a real dub) went through the decision for choosing the wine (an alsace gerwurtztraimer) with the SEARED HAND DIVED SCALLOPS, PUMPKIN, TRUFFLE, CHANTERELLE and GINGER starter.

                                                                  IMAG0102.jpg

                                                                  This was sublime, perfectly cooked scallops and a taste sensation. My only gripe was the wine was a little sweet for the starter. (Had a similar dish in mint and a reisling worked much better with it)

                                                                  Round 2

                                                                  2nd "wine" arrived it was actually an english cider which complemented the second course perfectly ROAST FOIE GRAS, WILD MUSHROOM BROTH, PICKLED SHIMEJI, EEL & APPLE TOAST. Best Fois Gras dish I have ever had, I licked the bowl it came in.

                                                                  Round 3

                                                                  3rd wine was a delightful pinot noir but didn't bring the fish course to life. Mind you the dish was fantastic. GLAZED Cod, CAULIFLOWER, Smoked Octopus, PARMESAN, SEA VEGETABLES (need the pics sorry)

                                                                  Round 4

                                                                  Firstly the winebox in which the deer would be smoked was shown to us. Anyone who saw the masterchef where he smoked the pigeon will know how the chef does it.

                                                                  4th wine arrived, Big and Bold Northern Spanish Red went perfectly with the main hay Smoked YOUNG SIKA DEER Fillet and Deer Sausage, JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE, BONE MARROW, LIQUORICE. This was by far the best course and only wish there was more of it. (Could have eaten 3 plates).

                                                                  Round 5

                                                                  Dessert wine was not as sweet as the first wine but was a delight (Vert L'or) and went well with the white chocolate dessert. This was nice if not hugely memorable and could have done with more of it.

                                                                  Got an irish Coffee to accompany the petit fours, which were lovely and left feeling very satisfied even if my wallet had a big hole in it.

                                                                  €150 spots a piece tip included.

                                                                  3 hours start to finish.

                                                                  In summary the service was good and the staff were well informed and explained all the dishes to us in detail. They even took a pic of the 1st course that I missed. Just about the right amount of food but you don't need to starve yourself before going. I also think that it is cheaper outside of christmas trading times.

                                                                  9/10 for me - Food is the best I have had in dublin (since mint) and takes over from chapter 1 as my favourite for food. Star can't be too far away.
                                                                  Last edited by elbows; 18-12-12, 00:22.
                                                                  His rival it seems, had broken his dreams,By stealing the girl of his fancy.Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil,But everyone knew her as Nancy.

                                                                  Comment


                                                                    V gt

                                                                    Green House @ 150 sounds much better value than PG @ 300?

                                                                    Newbie, how the fluck did you get to that cost? Wine must have been ~100 a bottle?
                                                                    "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                    Comment


                                                                      wine was about 75 a bottle and there was a couple of glasses of port involved too.

                                                                      Comment


                                                                        latest couple of reviews by newbie and elbows updated in OP

                                                                        Comment


                                                                          600 quid for dinner for 2. I think that is absolute fucking madness!
                                                                          Her sky-ness
                                                                          © 5starpool

                                                                          Comment


                                                                            Bon Appetit again on Friday..nom nom

                                                                            Comment


                                                                              Originally posted by Gimmeabreak
                                                                              was in La Frere Jacques tonight - an interesting spot. Will review in the next few days.
                                                                              I'm always saying to the wife when we pass by it that i want to eat there. I'm in Dublin 17 years and i'm sure its been there the whole time unchanged, on the outside at least, as far as I can see. What happens inside intrigues me.

                                                                              Will take an interest in any review. Cheers.

                                                                              Food-lover Santy was good to me on the culinary front with a deep fryer (so i can finally make triple-cooked chips), Neven Maguire's new book (a real surprise with plenty of challenging recipes i'm keen to try), and a night in Mount Juliet for an eight-cousre tasting menu.

                                                                              Happy eating all!

                                                                              Comment


                                                                                Thread needs moar stinker reviews for balance.

                                                                                I ate in Kinara Kitchen in Ranelagh on Sunday. It bills itself as Pakistani fare. Suffice to say I'd join the Taliban to avoid having to eat there (in fairness have had nice meals in the Clontarf version).
                                                                                "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                                Comment


                                                                                  Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
                                                                                  I owe this thread a Rasam review when I get 10 mins (working sucks). Suffice to say that jbravado is wrong
                                                                                  Bumping this promised Rasam review! My parents place is round the corner and I've been a couple of times, though not for a good few months. I'm curious to know what you made of it.

                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                    Location; Enniskillen
                                                                                    Name; MacDonalds
                                                                                    Price; €

                                                                                    After the gluttony on Turkey last couple days and also having to do all the cooking I decided to go out and treat myself.
                                                                                    I was expecting a large crowd but was pleasantly surprised and it was quite intimate and relaxing. On entry they have added a new feature of an automatic door which I found very useful especially if I had have been holding a couple children.
                                                                                    The staff has been changed or maybe its a special catering outfit for the festive season and although their youth caused me brief concern it proved to be unfounded as they were very courteus and efficient and understood my order.
                                                                                    I ordered a festive burger medium meal with a milk to drink and as i went to gather some napkins the food was ready on my return to counter. I have never been served soo fast and the chips were fresh and hadnt been sitting under the hot lamp for a while as can happen.
                                                                                    The burger itself was hot and a hint of spice although I would have liked a larger slice of bacon inside it. After a few bites the bun started to lose its firmness and pieces of lettuce and mayo started to drip into the serving box but i just picked up and ate the lettuce and scraped up the mayo with some of the chips
                                                                                    The milk was superb even though it was semi skimmed but the coldness of it negated that small fault.
                                                                                    I considered going for a desert of a smartie macflurry but was too full and didnt want to wash away the pleasant tastes i had in my mouth
                                                                                    All in all a very good meal in 20 mins from start to finish and quite likely i will return
                                                                                    I did give a 3pence tip by way of depositing in a spiral colection box as well.

                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                      Originally posted by carlop View Post
                                                                                      Bumping this promised Rasam review! My parents place is round the corner and I've been a couple of times, though not for a good few months. I'm curious to know what you made of it.
                                                                                      Restaurant Name: Rasam

                                                                                      Location: Glasthule

                                                                                      Website: here

                                                                                      Price Range: €€€€€

                                                                                      Review:

                                                                                      In the interests of full disclosure, I must confess that the owner of Rasam is a friend of mine who I played cricket with for many years. A Sri Lankan by birth, he was always frustrated that there were no restaurants serving South Indian or Sri Lankan cuisine in Dublin. So, once he made enough money (and seeing as he owns Dicey Rileys among other things, that would be a lot), he flew in some expertise from his homeland and set up his own place, Rasam. The choice of location was both brave and shrewd, parked as it is out in deeper, darker er, whiter South County Dublin above the Eagle House pub in Glasthule. The well-minted locals (including carlop's auld wans) have been flocking there ever since.

                                                                                      In any case, we hadn't been there for a few years and decided to rectify this one evening in November. We zipped out on the DART (station is round the corner from the joint) and tottered in out of the cold, seeking the warming spices of Kerala and Ceylon. We were not to be disappointed. We were swiftly shown to a rather over-lit table and ensconced amongst various middle-aged couples and a couple of inebriated Southside twats who obviously hadn't got the note about the last five years and were very loudly discussing the state of their respective property portfolios. Gratifyingly for everyone else, it appeared that both twats were well and truly busto. Their twattishness was confirmed by their choice of a hearty red blend to wash down their spicy grub. Knob jockeys.

                                                                                      Mrs D asked the waiter if the lighting could be turned down a bit and a worried confab promptly ensued between waiter and maitre d'. This ended somewhat unexpectedly with the arrival of a pair of champagne cocktails on the house and an explanation that 'a single lady' was reading on the far side of the house and that the lights would be turned down when she departed. Nice touch. We ordered a good sampling of the menu and I selected a Pinot Gris (I think, it was a while back) from the wine menu to accompany. I did note that the wine menu was what I'd describe as a 'paint by numbers' effort, where they just tried to tick off every varietal box rather than considering the potential marriage between food and wine. In fairness, (a) they don't drink wine with this food in India and (b), Irish people generally order wine on the basis of knowing what they like rather than food\wine matching.

                                                                                      A decent interval ensued between ordering and the arrival of the starters and the potency of the cocktails, plus the demolition of most of the wine left us fairly giggly by the time the starters landed. I went for the red snapper ('in a marinade of carom seeds, ginger, garlic and gram flour, deep fried') and Mrs D went for the Jingha Kali Mirch (that's stir-fried prawns to you). Both starters combined beautifully-cooked fish (a rarer thing than it should be on this island nation) and a sublime delicacy and subtlety of flavours. On a side note, I actually find it quite difficult to describe the taste of Indian food, must be some kind of palate memory thing where you don't recognise tastes you didn't grow up with.

                                                                                      For mains, I had the same thing I've always got; the Thalys. Thalys are small silver dishes that probably hold a starter-sized portion of food. With this, you get a pretty hot prawn curry, a mild chicken curry, a medium lamb curry, indescribably good dhal (i.e. lentils, this dish could almost persuade me around to vegetarianism) and a spinach, most of which I left. All three curries were outstanding, combining stunning flavour with great local ingredients. You get the usual accompaniments of pilau rice, naan and pickle. Mrs D went for the hake curry, none of which I was allowed near. As someone who knows much more about food than I do, this was a serious endorsement.

                                                                                      I can't remember much about the rest of the meal, some Indian chai to wash things down and I seem to recall some kind of freebie digestif as well. The damage was limited, about a ton. We left with pleasantly full bellies (unlike the bloated feeling you get after eating takeaway Indian which is usually laced with ghee\clarified butter) and unusual taste sensations still dancing on our tongues. Go and enjoy. The only other Indian that can remotely compare is Jaipur but it's still a distant second. As usual, I rate the value of ethnic food by the feeling it evokes in me - Rasam makes me want to eat street food in Colombo, grilled prawns in Kerala and, most of all, go to the spice markets of Pondicherry and Cochin. Can't be bad!

                                                                                      Then we went downstairs and killed it all with G&Ts in the manky barn-like pub. Oh, and we got roped into a pub quiz and were unjustly accused of cheating . But that is a story for another day.

                                                                                      8.5\10
                                                                                      "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                        Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
                                                                                        Restaurant Name: Rasam

                                                                                        Location: Glasthule

                                                                                        Website: here

                                                                                        Price Range: €€€€€

                                                                                        Review:

                                                                                        In the interests of full disclosure, I must confess that the owner of Rasam is a friend of mine who I played cricket with for many years. A Sri Lankan by birth, he was always frustrated that there were no restaurants serving South Indian or Sri Lankan cuisine in Dublin. So, once he made enough money (and seeing as he owns Dicey Rileys among other things, that would be a lot), he flew in some expertise from his homeland and set up his own place, Rasam. The choice of location was both brave and shrewd, parked as it is out in deeper, darker er, whiter South County Dublin above the Eagle House pub in Glasthule. The well-minted locals (including carlop's auld wans) have been flocking there ever since.

                                                                                        In any case, we hadn't been there for a few years and decided to rectify this one evening in November. We zipped out on the DART (station is round the corner from the joint) and tottered in out of the cold, seeking the warming spices of Kerala and Ceylon. We were not to be disappointed. We were swiftly shown to a rather over-lit table and ensconced amongst various middle-aged couples and a couple of inebriated Southside twats who obviously hadn't got the note about the last five years and were very loudly discussing the state of their respective property portfolios. Gratifyingly for everyone else, it appeared that both twats were well and truly busto. Their twattishness was confirmed by their choice of a hearty red blend to wash down their spicy grub. Knob jockeys.

                                                                                        Mrs D asked the waiter if the lighting could be turned down a bit and a worried confab promptly ensued between waiter and maitre d'. This ended somewhat unexpectedly with the arrival of a pair of champagne cocktails on the house and an explanation that 'a single lady' was reading on the far side of the house and that the lights would be turned down when she departed. Nice touch. We ordered a good sampling of the menu and I selected a Pinot Gris (I think, it was a while back) from the wine menu to accompany. I did note that the wine menu was what I'd describe as a 'paint by numbers' effort, where they just tried to tick off every varietal box rather than considering the potential marriage between food and wine. In fairness, (a) they don't drink wine with this food in India and (b), Irish people generally order wine on the basis of knowing what they like rather than food\wine matching.

                                                                                        A decent interval ensued between ordering and the arrival of the starters and the potency of the cocktails, plus the demolition of most of the wine left us fairly giggly by the time the starters landed. I went for the red snapper ('in a marinade of carom seeds, ginger, garlic and gram flour, deep fried') and Mrs D went for the Jingha Kali Mirch (that's stir-fried prawns to you). Both starters combined beautifully-cooked fish (a rarer thing than it should be on this island nation) and a sublime delicacy and subtlety of flavours. On a side note, I actually find it quite difficult to describe the taste of Indian food, must be some kind of palate memory thing where you don't recognise tastes you didn't grow up with.

                                                                                        For mains, I had the same thing I've always got; the Thalys. Thalys are small silver dishes that probably hold a starter-sized portion of food. With this, you get a pretty hot prawn curry, a mild chicken curry, a medium lamb curry, indescribably good dhal (i.e. lentils, this dish could almost persuade me around to vegetarianism) and a spinach, most of which I left. All three curries were outstanding, combining stunning flavour with great local ingredients. You get the usual accompaniments of pilau rice, naan and pickle. Mrs D went for the hake curry, none of which I was allowed near. As someone who knows much more about food than I do, this was a serious endorsement.

                                                                                        I can't remember much about the rest of the meal, some Indian chai to wash things down and I seem to recall some kind of freebie digestif as well. The damage was limited, about a ton. We left with pleasantly full bellies (unlike the bloated feeling you get after eating takeaway Indian which is usually laced with ghee\clarified butter) and unusual taste sensations still dancing on our tongues. Go and enjoy. The only other Indian that can remotely compare is Jaipur but it's still a distant second. As usual, I rate the value of ethnic food by the feeling it evokes in me - Rasam makes me want to eat street food in Colombo, grilled prawns in Kerala and, most of all, go to the spice markets of Pondicherry and Cochin. Can't be bad!

                                                                                        Then we went downstairs and killed it all with G&Ts in the manky barn-like pub. Oh, and we got roped into a pub quiz and were unjustly accused of cheating . But that is a story for another day.

                                                                                        8.5\10
                                                                                        I never knew the owner also owned Diceys, two very different establishments! The food is definitely lovely but I think it's a touch on the expensive side. Us well-minted locals are happy to pay it though so I guess it makes sense.

                                                                                        Eagle House is a really strange pub. I don't frequent it too often, but I've been to open-mic nights with a distinctly hippy crowd on one night, only for the following night to be given some seriously dirty looks for refusing to stand for our national anthem at the end of the night.

                                                                                        Comment


                                                                                          Heading to Chapter One and will be confronted with this wine menu to accompany the tasting menu. Any suggestions?

                                                                                          Comment


                                                                                            Have a chat with sommellier or waiter, the staff in there are excellent and will be v helpful. Its largely a matter of personal taste anyway, for a tasting menu probably be good to sample a few different types of reds and whites- fairly sure they have a large selection by the glass
                                                                                            Low fee Euro/UK money transfer, 1st transfer free through my referral
                                                                                            https://transferwise.com/u/bfa0e

                                                                                            Comment


                                                                                              Restaurant Name: Rock Lobster

                                                                                              Location: Donnybrook, above Kielys

                                                                                              Website: www.rocklobster.ie

                                                                                              Price Range: €€

                                                                                              New restaurant in Donnybrook opened since the start of December I believe. After reading this review which probably sums it up better than me http://lovindublin.com/brasserie/the...ter-in-dublin/ I decided it was time to give it a try.

                                                                                              Now anywhere that's USP is a full lobster, salad and chips for €20 is going to be on to a winner if the food is half decent, and it's better than that it's excellent. We started with mussels and some potted shrimp, both were great but are completely overshadowed by the main course.

                                                                                              For €20 I wasn't expecting much of a monster Pinchy but what came to the table was anything but small. The lobster was served split which reduces the work involved and tasted great accompanied by some melted butter, a green salad and nice bucket of chips (fyi for €2 you can upgrade to the likes of truffle&parmasen fries etc). The lobster tasted fantastic and I would have willingly paid a lot more for it.


                                                                                              The service throughout the meal was good and we also had two cocktails which certainly didn't lack alcohol. On a Tuesday night at the beginning of January, the fact that the place was 2/3rd's full speaks for itself. Definitely need to book for weekend nights which can be done on the phone/twitter.

                                                                                              The bill for 2, cocktails, starters and lobster came to €72.30.
                                                                                              The sport that unites Catholic, Protestant and dissenter has had its day of days. Pity anybody who can't enjoy it. Some day. Gerry Thornley 23/3/09

                                                                                              Comment


                                                                                                Pretty sad to see that French Creperie , Fafies, Just off Camden street has closed down when I was last in dublin. Was a great place for a post Jackpot all nighter degen spin brekkie. Unreal Galettes and sound staff

                                                                                                Comment


                                                                                                  Restaurant Name: Damson Diner

                                                                                                  Location: South William Street

                                                                                                  Website: www.damsondiner.com (not fully designed yet)

                                                                                                  Price Range: €€

                                                                                                  Went along Sat night with the other half after having a few drinks in town (8pm). Had tried to reserve a table earlier but told only 6 or more for reservations and seating wouldn't be a problem. When we arrived told small wait and went up to bar for a drink. We ordered two glasses heineken (only beer on draught and only sold by the glass) and were asked what table we were at. Girl looked bemused when I said we were waiting here for a table as there was one free right behind us. Paid €7.80 for the two glasses beer and five mins later the host came up and asked us would the seat behind us do (in fairness to the girl at the bar I think she ran down to tell him).

                                                                                                  Menu is quite small and I didn't fancy anything from the mains so just ordered ribs (large size) with fries for my main and wife went for the burger. Two choices of ribs (chinese or BBQ) and although I ordered the bbq I'm nearly sure the chinese arrived as it was covered in chillies and was more zingy that I would have expected for bbq. Big portion though and they were good. Wife's burger was on the big side too and had a cheese filling and was encased in bacon. There was so much on the plate I even got a second tasting Also ordered a side of asian slaw and this was tasty too (lot of lime juice, fish sauce). Fries came with two different dips (garlic/bbq) and were very good.

                                                                                                  bill came to €40 which included another beer so reasonable enough. Our waiter was good without being intrusive and there was a good atmosphere in the place (3 levels ). Overall it was enjoyable but I doubt I would go back unless the menu was added to as it is too limited imo.

                                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                                    Originally posted by Gimmeabreak
                                                                                                    Restaurant Name: Trax Brasserie

                                                                                                    Location: Naas

                                                                                                    Website: http://www.TraxBrasserie.ie

                                                                                                    Price Range: €€€

                                                                                                    So I had the pleasure of being taken out for dinner on Sunday night without having to put my hand in my pocket which made for a very nice change. The venue was Trax Brasserie in Naas which is a converted station house. The interior is a large open plan room with high ceilings and pointed stone work. It is typically a room I would expect to be cold but it was far from it. Very snug. The room is spacious and it held the atmosphere well.

                                                                                                    As I wasn't paying I didn't pass much heed on the prices but it did appear that they had a rather good value set menu - I think - that had plenty of choice. The date for the night was a vegetarian and she seemed very pleased with the depth of the separate veggie menu. The menu on the website is only indicative.

                                                                                                    I am typically a red wine drinker but the host on the evening only drinks white so I have drank more white in recent weeks than normal and I am liking what I am tasting. I took control of the wine order and went for one of the dearest bottles on the menu, a Sancerre at a very reasonable €35. The wine menu was extensive and offered lots of choice at a reasonable price. The wine was very tasty and felt a lot like more.

                                                                                                    For starter I ordered Prawns that were served with a side salad of baby leaves and some fresh tomatoes based sauce. It was five prawns on a skewer. It seems like an ingenious way of serving five prawns and making the plate look full. That said they were very tasty and I would eat them again. She had a Bruschetta for starter that looked very good and appealing if you were into Bruschetta. I am not but she reported that it was excellent.

                                                                                                    For main I ordered Fillet Steak (Medium) that was served with Celeriac Pureee, Sauted Mushrooms & Onions, A Potato Gratin. She ordered some trio of mushrooms that was a very generous portion. We also got a generous side order of baby boiled potatoes and fresh veg. The mushrooms were reported to be very tasty but the portion may have been overkill.

                                                                                                    I'd have to be honest and say that my main was about as good a main course of steak as I have been served in any restaurant. It was cooked perfectly and all of the accompliments were excellent. The Potato Gratin was very well done, it had lots of cream but held its shape with perfection. I have one caveat on this - the chef is a big fan of using butter. Which I don't mind tbh but you would not be reaching for the desert menu afterwards. I am sure that V4V would be delighted with this. The celeriac puree had lots of butter, the mushrooms & onions had lots of butter, the side order of veg had lots of butter - the gratin had lots of cream. I would think the steak was cooked in butter. I mean it is a lovely rich feeling to be eating good food cooked excellently in butter. For me it was bordering on too much butter but teetered on this side of the breaking point. For others it may have crossed the breaking point. Just put it this way - the horse wouldn't get to France if this chef had his way.

                                                                                                    I rounded off with a espresso and retired to McCormacks where I consumed a welly full of Gin and Tonic. All in all a good night and I will be back for more and would recommend it to others also. The service could have been a little more attentive and a couple of extra prawns wouldn't have went astray. An easy 8/10 with them having some upside potential.
                                                                                                    We gave this place a spin on Saturday night.

                                                                                                    Steak was very acceptable and cooked medium rare to order correctly.

                                                                                                    One of the group ordered seabass and it looked weak and according to reports was very underseasoned and bland/limp. What a waste of seabass.

                                                                                                    Starters for the group as a whole were uninspiring and the desert I had was only okay. Service started off very well when the place was busy but got slower and less attentive as the night wore on and the crowd thinned out.

                                                                                                    Waiting quite a while to order deserts and it was hard to even find a staff member to indicate we wanted a bill. Got a bit draughty as the crowd thinned out too but it was a bitter cold night outside to be fair. The wimmins like to moan when it's cold though and having to hear about it detracts from my night.

                                                                                                    Only a 6/10 overall for me and mainly that's from a value perspective. Ambience and decor is nice. Decent spacing between the tables.

                                                                                                    The food is probably 5/10 except for the steak.
                                                                                                    ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

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                                                                                                      Originally posted by Gimmeabreak
                                                                                                      I was there last Tuesday night for post contract signing din dins and I was v disappointed. I was just looking for the motivation to come on here and update the review but you have it covered off. The steak was the lowlight of my meal.

                                                                                                      should give some balance and say that the veggie options get rave reviews.
                                                                                                      Let's just say your credibility is on thin ice with MrsV!!

                                                                                                      Vegetarian's are happy to get a feed. Anything that isn't pasta is a highlight.
                                                                                                      ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

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                                                                                                        Restaurant Name: Balzac

                                                                                                        Location: Back of La Stampa

                                                                                                        Website:http://www.lastampa.ie/balzac-restaurant-dublin

                                                                                                        Price Range: €€

                                                                                                        Bought a voucher for this place a few months ago and decided to give it a spin Friday.
                                                                                                        Arriving into the near empty dining room we struggled for a few moments to confirm our reservation until it turned out the missus booked it under my name and not hers. Having discovered we were
                                                                                                        'on the voucher' the maitre d pointed us to a very uncomfortable table wedged in between other parties
                                                                                                        doing the same. To be honest, the place was near empty and you had one wall of diners shoulder to shoulder
                                                                                                        and really not what I expect for fine dining. Particularly as the ladies to our left droned on incessantly in an increasingly
                                                                                                        irritating D4 accents in what seemed like a constant game of one-upmanship regarding love life, career and earnings.

                                                                                                        Nevertheless, we settled ourselves as best we could (having to take our coats and hang them up myself was pretty annoying too. Especially as
                                                                                                        we passed the coat rack at the door) and looked over the wine list. Paula decided on a pretty inoffensive Spanish Cab Sauv for €26.50. It was ok, ygwypf.
                                                                                                        Shortly thereafter the amuse bouche arrived with the waiter whispering quickly in my ear something, probably what it was but I cannot be sure.
                                                                                                        We were actually unsure what it was, it was perhaps 4 or 5 breaded pieces of a single calamari ring
                                                                                                        in a light sauce but it was brittle if so. The fact it was one little plate put in front of me
                                                                                                        and nothing for her seemed out of sorts but we shared anyway.

                                                                                                        For starters I ordered a crunchy hens egg with smoked haddock in a green sauce whose name escapes me at the moment.
                                                                                                        The puree was unremarkable but the hens egg and haddock were divine. The fish was desirously smokey, salty, meaty and light all at
                                                                                                        once and the hens egg was perfect letting a perfect yolk run on first cut.
                                                                                                        Herself had scallops that promptly disappeared before I got a chance to sample but seemed to go over well.

                                                                                                        Now to the embarrassing part of the meal. I had read of Anthony Bourdain's Cooks Tale and him raving about
                                                                                                        Beef Cheek. Having never tried it and spotted it on the menu, I decided to give it a go.
                                                                                                        It took an ETIRNITY to arrive, and when it did I was instantly disappointed. I'm not sure what I expected
                                                                                                        but the heavy fibrous stringy purple meat was not it. It was obviously cooked well as it fell apart under the fork
                                                                                                        but I felt like a moron for ordering it, the waiter more than likely agreed that I was one because
                                                                                                        when clearing the plates (Paula devoured her rib eye, it was perfect, the little bit I got), I had discreetly hidden the mound of meat
                                                                                                        under a napkin, he arrived to question if it was cooked ok.
                                                                                                        I was a little embarrassed and said it was fine but not to my taste.
                                                                                                        Fair play they came out a short while later with roast pheasant with creamed mash, shallots (which seemed to be on everything)
                                                                                                        and a fantastic sauce.

                                                                                                        At this stage we were 2and a half hours deep, the 1st bottle of red gone and another glass of a much superior merlot in the hole.
                                                                                                        Again, a fairly long wait for our desserts, crème brulee (which I'm not a fan of but Paula loves it) and a hazelnut parfait.
                                                                                                        The parfait was delouses even thought the waiter and the bill advertised it as Christmas pudding. Odd indeed.
                                                                                                        An espresso and a cappuccino and just past 11pm we left after a 8pm booking.
                                                                                                        The final bill?
                                                                                                        €26.50 plus the €70 voucher.
                                                                                                        My overall impression was it's a place that really doesn’t want the voucher crowd as such treated us like cattle.
                                                                                                        The saving grace was our gracious waiter. I don't think I'll be back.
                                                                                                        People say I should be more humble I hope they understand, they don't listen when you mumble
                                                                                                        Get a shiny metal Revolut card! And a free tenner!
                                                                                                        https://revolut.com/referral/jamesb8!G10D21

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                                                                                                          i dont think i could eat in a restaurant named very closely to a scrotum.
                                                                                                          airport, lol

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                                                                                                            Heading to Rock Lobster next Thursday. TY for tip off, looks really good.

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                                                                                                              Anyone been to isabels on baggot st. Looking for a decent restaurant in city centre I have not been to.
                                                                                                              Last edited by elbows; 16-01-13, 21:16.
                                                                                                              His rival it seems, had broken his dreams,By stealing the girl of his fancy.Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil,But everyone knew her as Nancy.

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                                                                                                                Restaurant Name: Fallon & Byrne

                                                                                                                Location: Exchequer Street, Dublin 2

                                                                                                                Website: here

                                                                                                                Price Range: €€€€

                                                                                                                We headed out on a sleety January Friday night hoping to engender some post-festive cheer at Fallon and Byrne, a place we've dined at a few times previously. Arrived in to a half-full house, the large room upstairs is one of the nicer dining rooms in the city and would almost be worth going to just to enjoy the space alone. If it wasn't for the food, that is. A sorry saga.

                                                                                                                A crab risotto and oysters were ordered for starters. The crab risotto was acceptable, if you like risotto. If you like crab, which I do, you would be hard-pressed to find any evidence of any crustacean ever inhabiting the dish. I suppose they are trying to do their bit for sustainable fisheries. The oysters were fine but I suppose you can't really fuck up an oyster. A glass of bland Verdejo was the accompaniment.

                                                                                                                We both ordered the rib-eye steaks from a not particularly appealing menu, medium-rare (this detail will become important) and I paired them with an organic Cote du Rhone from the attractive wine menu. The wine menu should be good of course, given that they have a wine bar in the basement and the bottle certainly delivered a decent whack of concentrated fruit. Service was overly attentive and got a bit annoying, on more than one occasion our three-quarter full water glasses were refilled. Why?

                                                                                                                In any case, the rib-eyes duly arrived and were sliced into. I don't know where the chef was raised but 'medium-rare' certainly doesn't translate as 'grey all through' in my book. Insult was added to injury by the presence of what were quite blatantly frozen chips. The waitress was called, she inspected the steaks with great solemnity and agreed that they were not in fact cooked to order. Replacements arrived after a while and were medium at best, in somewhat intemperate mood we did our best to force them down - it was nice meat, our enjoyment of it was just ruined by the ineptitude of the kitchen.

                                                                                                                I foolishly ordered dessert, a cherry and almond pie. It was burnt, which kind of encapsulated the meal itself. Espressos were watery. The bill was €138 which was an outrage (any place worth its salt would have taken the mains off the bill, at the very least). We headed off to the Old Stand and tried to drink away the memory of a thoroughly bad meal (their house gin is Bombaby, wp). Some old guy tried to sell me a pack of playing cards which was about the best part of the evening.

                                                                                                                F&B market themselves as foodies, this might be acceptable in the case of the food hall on the ground floor and also the wine bar but the restaurant has gone to the dogs. Avoid with extreme prejudice.

                                                                                                                2/10
                                                                                                                "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

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                                                                                                                  Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
                                                                                                                  Restaurant Name: Fallon & Byrne

                                                                                                                  Location: Exchequer Street, Dublin 2

                                                                                                                  Website: here

                                                                                                                  Price Range: €€€€

                                                                                                                  We headed out on a sleety January Friday night hoping to engender some post-festive cheer at Fallon and Byrne, a place we've dined at a few times previously. Arrived in to a half-full house, the large room upstairs is one of the nicer dining rooms in the city and would almost be worth going to just to enjoy the space alone. If it wasn't for the food, that is. A sorry saga.

                                                                                                                  A crab risotto and oysters were ordered for starters. The crab risotto was acceptable, if you like risotto. If you like crab, which I do, you would be hard-pressed to find any evidence of any crustacean ever inhabiting the dish. I suppose they are trying to do their bit for sustainable fisheries. The oysters were fine but I suppose you can't really fuck up an oyster. A glass of bland Verdejo was the accompaniment.

                                                                                                                  We both ordered the rib-eye steaks from a not particularly appealing menu, medium-rare (this detail will become important) and I paired them with an organic Cote du Rhone from the attractive wine menu. The wine menu should be good of course, given that they have a wine bar in the basement and the bottle certainly delivered a decent whack of concentrated fruit. Service was overly attentive and got a bit annoying, on more than one occasion our three-quarter full water glasses were refilled. Why?

                                                                                                                  In any case, the rib-eyes duly arrived and were sliced into. I don't know where the chef was raised but 'medium-rare' certainly doesn't translate as 'grey all through' in my book. Insult was added to injury by the presence of what were quite blatantly frozen chips. The waitress was called, she inspected the steaks with great solemnity and agreed that they were not in fact cooked to order. Replacements arrived after a while and were medium at best, in somewhat intemperate mood we did our best to force them down - it was nice meat, our enjoyment of it was just ruined by the ineptitude of the kitchen.

                                                                                                                  I foolishly ordered dessert, a cherry and almond pie. It was burnt, which kind of encapsulated the meal itself. Espressos were watery. The bill was €138 which was an outrage (any place worth its salt would have taken the mains off the bill, at the very least). We headed off to the Old Stand and tried to drink away the memory of a thoroughly bad meal (their house gin is Bombaby, wp). Some old guy tried to sell me a pack of playing cards which was about the best part of the evening.

                                                                                                                  F&B market themselves as foodies, this might be acceptable in the case of the food hall on the ground floor and also the wine bar but the restaurant has gone to the dogs. Avoid with extreme prejudice.

                                                                                                                  2/10
                                                                                                                  Not beng used to fine dining besides a odd zaytoons should you not have kicked up a fuss?
                                                                                                                  Like a steak not cooked to order seems very poor and frozen chips in a supposedly decent restaurant is a load of balls too.
                                                                                                                  Pie being burnt fuck paying for it.

                                                                                                                  Now in my experience no business will take money off for crappy service- product unless a fuss is kicked up.
                                                                                                                  Is it different in a restaurant?

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                                                                                                                    Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
                                                                                                                    . Service was overly attentive and got a bit annoying, on more than one occasion our three-quarter full water glasses were refilled. Why?
                                                                                                                    usually means the boss is a prick and staff are afraid to get caught doing nothing
                                                                                                                    airport, lol

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                                                                                                                      Rock Lobster:

                                                                                                                      Mini starters were really nice, especially the posh fish fingers, but I couldn't figure out if they were calling them 'Titbits' by mistake or not. Lobster was nice, but cold. GF's steak was very nice. Truffle & parmesan chips were lovely but calling them an 'upgrade' and then sending them out in addition to the regular chips is baffling stuff. The table water tasted like cucumber which was horrendous. Nice place and nice staff.

                                                                                                                      The end.

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                                                                                                                        Restaurant Name: Damascus Gate (with Chez Max there too)

                                                                                                                        Location: 10 Upper Camden st, Dublin 2

                                                                                                                        Website: To staunch to have one

                                                                                                                        Le Tour of eating and drinking

                                                                                                                        The day started early with 2 primary goals, to eat and drink well all day long. It started with a decidedly French flair as we swung off Lord Edward St onto the cobbles to Chez Max situated at the mouth of Dublin castle gates with the aim of only a light lunch with such a long day ahead.

                                                                                                                        This place strikes you quickly as a truly authentic French cafe from top to bottom. It’s also so pleasantly hard not to feel like an extra in Rene Artois café and once immersed makes you forget you are actually in Dublin. Once you commit and take your seat to the uninitiated(me) the menu looks difficult and leaves you no easy outs if your under prepared and feeling buffeted around the menu between Aumoniere de Crotin de Chavignol, Tartine Provencale. Despite this and against the odds us Dubliners feel we need to act like its all water off a ducks back and not let anyone least not the waiter know that your schuffering in much the same way you don’t want to give off to a rider who rides upsides on the Les Diablerets assent. Basically you don’t want them to see your ‘schuffering’ as Sean Kelly would say.

                                                                                                                        The French waiters try to help but the French accent leaves you feeling more like a domestique without epo. Fear not as after eating here I would assure you no matter what you choose to order it would likely be class. It was only meant to be a light lunch as there was much drinking ahead so myself and the brother were never going to delve too deep. We both had the Soupe du Jour which was onion soup with white pan and shared a small cheese platter of Camembert, Bleu d’Auvergne, Comté, Reblochon, Ste Maure which was a sophisticated and significant platter id call large and leaves you pleased you didn’t actually order the large. You really would want to be some hungry cheese eating surrender monkey to order the large.

                                                                                                                        The onion soup would be best described as divine. I can only imagine the nuances that went into making it and a delightful blob of by now malleable mozzarella was found on the base. The platter was a delightful on the eye range of cheese, Pate, walnut, grape, gherkin and what not which we took in turns to attack in what proved to be a successful 2 man breakaway on Col du Chez Max. The rest of the diners couldn’t regroup to mount any significant counter attack and were forced to take stock and let us go. One word of warning is that you require a certain level of dexterity to exit the latrine which consists of 1 toilet behind a double door. No urinal just a solitary jacks. The danger is you get boxed in by the door on re-opening it to get out and need to back up the side of the bowl with levels of back arc to have any chance but luckily I had the required level of dexterity to exit successfully. Its probably best if not a little undesirable for hygiene that the open kitchen is right outside the door but the double door probably just about saves them on that score. Toilet situation and location definitely takes away from the class of the place but why quibble with stage victory on Col du Chez Max.

                                                                                                                        If Col Du Chez Max was a mountain stage then stage 2 was a largely level though a bumpy individual time trial staged in the starting area of Dame Tavern. I had done my homework that this was the right pub to be able to watch the racing as there is so few in Dublin you can rely on without the request being like a big favour. True to the beta I collected they are right on top of the Attheraces to Racinguk remote traversal. Seems it’s a father/son combo who run the place. They are betting punters like us too and don’t let work get in the way of scurrying off to the bookies to get the loot on. It isnt the type of place one would go for decor or a cosy chat which im sure is more by design than by accident. Im sure women see the place as kryptonite which serves the hen pecked men folk perfectly. You just know the place is a sanctuary for the few steeped in Dublin regulars who inhabit the bar of the tavern and really is a respite away from their daily lives. Its quite an unusual pub for a Dublin pub, its like an Athy pub airlifted and placed in Dame lane.The reg’s treat the place as if they were at home where they couldn’t ever feel as comfortable in any other bar and in a certain way it was a pleasure to observe.

                                                                                                                        The racing got underway and during the course of the afternoon there was much punting and raucous finishes and soon enough the pub took a life of its own as it filled a little more. Punters ducked in and out of the place to scurry down the narrow lane to get bets on before staunchly watching their trusty steeds back in the pub(may or may not have been trusty).

                                                                                                                        After the racing wrapped up we set off in the direction of the final destination Damascus Gate. Before that we needed to take a detour to pick up a bottle of wine as Damascus Gate doesn’t have a bar licence but they happily have a bring your own policy with no corkage charge. So Fallon&Byrne wine bar was the chosen destination to pick up the bottle. Not as steady on our feet as when we powered up the Col du Chez Max we still shaped up enough not to draw too much attention from the upwardly mobile 30 something women who seem to be the demographic of the place we zig zagged through to get to the wine laden walls. Id say they would get the shock of their lives if they were brought to the Dame Tavern on a first date.

                                                                                                                        After bottle selection was executed we took in one last stop on Camden st in the direction of Damascus gate. Against the grain who im afraid to report that standards haven’t improved since my recently completed 1 year self imposed exile I placed on them for several breaches. This time we drank pints of bad tasting helles on tap from water stained glasses but determined not to be knocked off our merriment perch. A further 1 year self imposed exile(reduced from 2 on subsequent self appeal) began as soon as we left the bar and strode up the way until we reached the gates of Damascus. On entering we were richly welcomed by staff who accommodated my particular seating arrangement request. If possible and without being fussy you try not be seated in an area you will potentially be wedged between other parties on all sides. I like to either have a wall behind me or a window, wall or empty space to my left or right for optimal dining experience. You cant have other people haphazardly sitting on every side of you because I find you need a buffer in at least one direction.

                                                                                                                        Damascus Gate is a Syrian/Lebanese restaurant with an ace up its sleeve that we will discuss later. We arrived about 18:15 and at that time it was only sparsely populated. The waiter obliged with the uncorking of the wine and I was delighted he didn’t do the pour taste pour routine because not being their wine its not as if there could have been any recourse if it wasn’t to my liking. So the tester pour would have been a mistake I was happy he didn’t make.

                                                                                                                        Traditional Arabic music beamed out of the tannoy to set the scene. For starters I ordered Arys Admor which sounds like a selling plater at lingfield but was a kind of thinly sliced kebab meat in thin pitta bread parcels with essence of onion and tomato. I really enjoyed it and its not a starter that would put you over the top for the mains which Is always good. The brother had the Fatayr and claimed the were top drawer.

                                                                                                                        We noticed the place by now was packing them in and this is where I first noticed Maitre D’ Shep Proudfoot carrying an empty bottle of calor gas out the front and come back in with a full one judging by the well concealed exertion.

                                                                                                                        I ordered Kofta be alaben for mains and by now our bottle was getting dangerously low. I hadn’t countered for this because I thought by now we were parking the bus on the alcohol front and had our fill but it was going down so well and under the circumstances there was only one thing for it. Within view from the window I spied a spar so I casually slipped out and gingerly jogged across the road to pick up a replacement as it it never seems good out dining when the wine goes dry with food still on the table.

                                                                                                                        By now the place was really filling up and here was when Shep Proudfoot came into his own cutting newcomers off at the pass who entered but hadn’t booked. Including 2 blonde starlets he let go very professionally but I knew he was shaking his head inside with no sympathy towards them because they should have booked and by rights also have had their heads fully covered so proper order I suppose. Too focused again on my own selection I cant remember what the brother ordered as his mains but I didn’t hear any complaint. The Kofta be alaben was moumtaz, a word id learned pre meal to impress and change the mind of any would be staff doubters who considered us drunkel jackals. It was like a lamb meatball dish with a white sauce and rice done beautifully a kind of hybrid of fried and boiled.

                                                                                                                        From some additional beta I discovered previously it’s the only restaurant in Ireland with a Shisha bar!, the ace up the sleeve. After just finishing dinner and after a long wait before being offered coffee i beckoned Sheps top waiter over with a nod and put it to him that we will move on and free up the table if we can be ensconced in the shisha bar down the back with our coffees which was met with a grateful handshake and before we knew it we were hustled though the narrow gap of backed up chairs through the feasting throng feeling like Terry Waite and Brian Keenan as they were being sprung.

                                                                                                                        Id never been to a shisha bar before but this was class, the arabs don’t hold back when luxury is concerned. The wollen fabric couches were so soft and they had nice warm woollen rugs to go with it if one desired. The room is living room sized and like a private snooker room adjoined to the public snooker room but with glass doors just to indicate to the poor sods in the public area looking in that this is where they could play if they were any good. We were the only ones there and it just seemed so peacefull. I indicated to a busy Shep who emerged to fire us up the oul shisha. Although busy he was pleased we approved and asked us which flavour we wanted apple or mint before nipping out for a couple of cubes and came back and did some rudimentary setup on which I didn’t question. He gave us a brief demonstration after I told him I didn’t smoke which was my way of saying it was my first time at a shisha bar. After that it was plain sailing, it was like we were the kings of Mecca passing the shisha in the lap of luxury puffing away and hearing the bubbling water as you inhaled made you feel a better man, the louder the bubbles were heard the better the man you were. On the odd occasion a patron would free himself of the shackles of the girlfriend for s minute and would come in from the dining area to ask us whats what regarding the whole shisha bar thing and we happily passed on our new found knowledge. They had an envious look on their face as if they knew they would never get the go ahead off herself to partake. The girlfriends don’t like the guys having too good a time that’s the thing. One elderly woman came in and sat with us for about 15 minutes chatting before someone in her search party located her and persuaded her back to safety. Shep earlier told me when I enquired that you would get about 90 minutes out of it but the thrill had worn a bit after 40 minutes which was probably enough time to be fully inhaling smoke for even though its 100% non nicotine. To be honest it was like you actually get a hit from it but we agreed the alcohol was starting to kick in and put it down to that or maybe the smoke just heightened the alcohol, I dunno.

                                                                                                                        It was a pleasure of a meal and dining experience all round and the staff were great. But just to ensure our safe passage out of Damascus I fixed up with Shep for the shisha before emerging back through the throng of revellers amid music blasts from a mecca bazaar into the cold darkness of freedom before calling time on a good day out.

                                                                                                                        SPOILER
                                                                                                                        http://i48.tinypic.com/11983ti.jpg

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                                                                                                                          Brilliant, was hoping for a treat when I saw Rounderses name on the main page and wasnt disappointed

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