The Restaurant Review Thread

[ghostface]

Might do Brookwood. Heard mixed reports but I haven't been. They get their steaks from Higgins in sutton cross and I have had a few steaks from there that have been great.

Good luck.

Was in Brookwood over the summer on work day thing. Thought it was really good and tables upstairs would be great for group of lads. Very nice craft beer selection if into that and pork belly starter was fantastic, can't really remember the mains!! Steaks seemed decent price too

[V for Vendetta]

just checking that people would be happy to switch to Friday 5th rather than Saturday 6th for the xmas dinner? not definite to switch just yet but checking in with ppl><

No afraid not. I vote for January if it makes life easier and the menus better.

[Raoul Duke III]

Dublin restaurants are on the absolute piss take with their Christmas dinner menu offerings.

Switch to January. We'll be welcomed with open arms and no trouble getting a booking. Plus proper menus and people have no Xmas-themed excuses. Winner all right!

[ionapaul]

just checking that people would be happy to switch to Friday 5th rather than Saturday 6th for the xmas dinner? not definite to switch just yet but checking in with ppl><

I can do the 5th if you change from Saturday night.

[HiCloy]

Dublin restaurants are on the absolute piss take with their Christmas dinner menu offerings.

Always do, unless you have a reason go in November/January, easier to arrange dates then too

[elbows]

Dublin restaurants are on the absolute piss take with their Christmas dinner menu offerings.

We do a lads dinner every Christmas for last 5 or 6 years.

1st Year Rolys - this was decent and not a rip off but long time since I have been and I had a run in with the manager one Sunday for lunch so wont be back.

2nd Year Mint - Unreal meal, best tasting menu I have had with the wine really bringing out the best in the food. Dropped €250 a head. They offered us a glass of champagne at the start and we thought that is a nice touch. until we got the bill €25 a glass.

3rd Year L'Ecrivan - Didn't do the tasting menu. Had to send back 2 of the mains as they were luke warm. No atmosphere in the place and it was half empty. They gave us a free drink and a guy I knew at the table next to us gave me a tip in Dundalk that won and paid for the meal.

4th Year Les Freres Jacques. Decent enough meal and reasonable value but not outstanding.

5th Year Greenhouse. Great meal. 2 things let it down though as the wines on the tasting menu were not great and the Cheese trolley was stationed close to our table and all you could smell was cheese. Food was outstanding. Dropped €150 a head.

Last Year Fade St. Social. Thought the tapas thing would work and had been a few times with her in doors but it was a complete mess. Would not go back in a big group.

This year - Haven't booked anything yet and the Christmas set menu for most restaurants is crap.

I would recommend going super fancy or cheap and cheerful. The ones in between are never worth it IMO.

Might do Brookwood. Heard mixed reports but I haven't been. They get their steaks from Higgins in sutton cross and I have had a few steaks from there that have been great.

Good luck.

[Raoul Duke III]

Might be an idea but i got dropped on the Col du Tourmalet after the 2nd date. English wasnt her first language so that play must have been torture for the poor girl. But maybe telling her pre date that i didnt want cubs(oh yeah i told her that) and the 12 years difference realization kicked in to her after the date(she was that much younger). The whole dating thing is a big lie really. You be a phoney you get found out eventually, you be truthful your signing your death warrant early. Theres no such thing as a good guy so whats a happy balance. The fact i cant be a phoney means im usually shot on the spot.

Need to play the whole 'let's talk about you' line there rounders!

An experienced operator like yourself should be able to gloss over such topics, ideally with some line like 'kids are OK - but I couldn't eat a whole one' then referencing it back to WC Fields, thus conveying a sense of literary sophistication and keeping her laughing (hopefully) which is the key in such scenarios. Get yourself a library of about a hundred quotes like that and you should be able to deflect all such bullets.

Mostly, keep her laughing. And keep pouring wine. And pay for stuff like you're a big shot. Wimmins like that.

[rounders123]

Great stuff Rounders. We should have a date review thread as well.....

Might be an idea but i got dropped on the Col du Tourmalet after the 2nd date. English wasnt her first language so that play must have been torture for the poor girl. But maybe telling her pre date that i didnt want cubs(oh yeah i told her that) and the 12 years difference realization kicked in to her after the date(she was that much younger). The whole dating thing is a big lie really. You be a phoney you get found out eventually, you be truthful your signing your death warrant early. Theres no such thing as a good guy so whats a happy balance. The fact i cant be a phoney means im usually shot on the spot.

[Raoul Duke III]

Surprise us.

[shrapnel]

Mutbs?

and you call yourself a poker player?

Monster under the bed syndrome

[V for Vendetta]

Great stuff Rounders. We should have a date review thread as well.....

[Lord Sir Banter]

Mutbs?

[rounders123]

Restaurant Name: Pizza E Porchetta

Lococation: Clanwilliam Terrace, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2

Website: www.pizzaeporchetta.com/

Price Range: €€€ (but better value for pre theatre)

So was bringing a young lady on a date to the Lir theatre as part of the tiger fringe punching way above my weight, theres no other way though. So on the way home from work one afternoon i hunted up by pizzaeporchetta on Clanwilliam St. close by to the venue on Pearse St. I liked the cut of its jib from the outside and booked the pre theatre later. The pre theatre turned out fantastic value with 2 starters 2 mains, 2 sides, a bottle of vino and tea/coffee for €50. Didnt realise a bottle of wine was included when booking so a nice bonus.

I figured we would be seated outside with the recent weather so good and the womenz always seem to want to sit outside by default it seems but the weather had closed in this particular nite so gave the lady the option and she voted inside like i hoped. Judging by the outside on the earlier scout i couldn't believe how much seating there was inside as it looks very small from the outside which prompted me to book. When i reserve days in advance then on the day i confirm my attendance. This should be a rule because you're not reserving a table with a cc like you would a hotel so basically the no shows can potentially hold up the show for others. On the other hand restaurants especially gastro pubs and especially for afternoon reservations shouldn't put reserved notes on tables without furnishing it with more info. Like 'reserved for 3pm'. Because in a full pub if other people know they are going to be/have to be well gone by 3pm they can always say ''listen i know these are booked but I'll be out of here after ive eaten''. Some of these pubs put the reserved notices on the tables hours before the reservation which is maddening. But thats besides the point here.

Once inside, the place struck me as classier than initial impressions. And the guys that serve and greet seem like they have a vested interest in the place which instantly shone through and rubbed off on all staff. Throught the evening they worked swiftly and efficiently like a team on a catamaran. All knowing what they were doing with an awareness of those around them.

Had the house meatball starter about 5/6 small meatballs arriving in a spanish type tapas like dish were totally class especially the tomato and basil sauce. We both went for that with her pulling up after 3 with the mains in mind but i didn't have that kind of discipline. Yet to the eye i approached the last 2 as if i could take it or leave it but by jasus they were all going down and ill worry about the main when it comes. However on the main i chose an iron off the tee ordering the margarita pizza opting out of a more fantastical pizza thus lessening the likelihood of wanting to fart during the theatre or get gut rot which can occasionally strike after pizza so always thinking ahead but in hindsight mutbs thinking. Think she went for the smoked chicken ravioli and gave it a thumbs up aswell as the starter. I can never go for ravioli or pasta dishes at all, they dont even look appetizing to me.

Apparantly they shipped in this clay oven that heats to 650 degrees or something impressive sounding and it was class when it arrived. You can certainly see the difference from the frozen boxed ones which i shunned years but the memory of those pizzas never really leaves you. I wouldnt be one for white wine as its all the same really but her choice of pinot grigio was going down a treat and the chat was going great. So great that even when someone came over with a new course or to take away plates she chatted on. I think thats the difference with us guys. We tend to button it slightly when staff hover, half in respect of the server but mainly because we dont want them to hear us phoneys going on like we are this civilized all the time. In all the stupid surveys ive heard and read I've never heard the % of a mans gentlemanliness in a restaurant versus that of the same guy later out on the street but id hazard a guess it increases 20-25% in a restaurant.

So a good aul hubub atmosphere on a friday nite with room for more. Toilets in pristine condition despite no urinial which i found surprising and reckoned the good condition of the lav was likely on account of the earliness of the evening and the gentlemanliness peaking at 30% higher than normal.

For casual dining i found it a little gem and id rate it 9/10 for the trio of the overall experience, the quality of the food and staff attitude.

**Footnote: The play 'The Reckoners' turned out to be a disappointment poor i thought. On these fringe festivals their purposefully short synopsis never leaves you fully knowing what your in for. It turned out to be a real fast paced introspective dialogue between 2 actors the whole way through and was akin to a monologue than anything. Cant blame the 2 actors who performed to a tee but jasus it was grim enough and hard work to sit through for us and you need a bit of levity in a play otherwise what's the point unless your a psychotherapist always having the sniffers out for the grim life.

[DeadParrot]

Very sexist that other female members of IPB not included. Feckin lads night outs. Us wimmin might like nice food too yanno...

I'm organising a competing event in zaytoons

[MrsFlushdraw]

Is this a lads night?

Of course, but we might make an exception for Tara if she wants to come along.

Very sexist that other female members of IPB not included. Feckin lads night outs. Us wimmin might like nice food too yanno...

[rounders123]

Good work GAB. MrsV wants me to confirm if this is a wagless event. I'm saying it is as she'll cramp my shiny shoe style but I think she fancies another cut off rounders!! I don't know what he did to deserve it!

Jaysus, it was a one-sided TKO last time. Think he gave up speaking near the end and accepted his fate.

hahah i was off the bridle, i made a fatal mistake early of calling her favorite band shit(even though i never heard of them) just to test her. I love a woman with a bit of spirt i do i do. The look on RDIII's face when i did that before he side-winded away to look for someone to hide behind, i knew i was a goner. Think she still enjoyed the exchange seeing as VforV and RDIII clearly know not to lock horns EVER. All good craic though.
Might rustle up a couple trip reports soon.

[ionapaul]

Can't make the dinner this year, gutted Have the work Christmas do that night. Might meet ye for the early drinks if allowed.

Still on for most other dinners organised of course, and as it is likely I'll be moving into a new and more spacious gaff later in the year, fully plan to organise a proper home game over the winter months.

[Fiery Wasabi]

Restaurant Name: Asador

Lococation: Haddington Road, Dublin 4

Website: www.asador.ie

Price Range: €€€€

asador; masculine, noun: grill, roaster, spit

I've seen this place but never felt like going in. I've been told about their chicken wings as being the best in Dublin by some distance. For some reason I always imagined it was an Indian Restaurant. It turns out I was wrong.

Well lit interior, a cocktail bar in the centre if you wish. Tables could potentially be a little close together but there are plenty of booths and you should be fine, some areas of the restaurant look a little cafe style. Menu was substantial, wine list the same. Definitely something for everybody.

To start I had ribs which were just as you would expect. Decent, tasty, succulent, lots of flavour. I had to skip the wings as they were not gluten free but the portion that say across from me did look exceptional and I wished I could have tackled them.

It seems an Asador is essentially an indoor barbeque - check out the website and you will see some shots. I went up to the pass for a look and it was full of charcoal and wood. This is a pretty genuine effort at something complimentary and different.

For main I had a Sirloin served with mash, corn on the cob, green beans, salt and pepper. Across the table was a fillet with chips. Both steaks were cooked perfectly to order. I kid you not that my steak was off the charts. The meat was high quality, properly aged, perfectly cooked and well rested before serving. I am on record as saying before that I season my steak with Salt, Pepper and a drill of spuds - I urge people not to splash pepper sauce or whatever else on top and instead wallow in the sweet buttery softness of a beautiful steak. The asador adds great flavour to the steak. I was stuffed but I could have went in again.

I skipped desert and coffee as I didn't want anything thieving the lingering flavours from my tastebuds. I worry that I am suffering from recency bias but this was easily better than Shanahans and I am struggling to think of a better steak - Goodmans in London the only credible danger. I will not hesitate to return and I am hereby proposing this venue for the Horsehead Elite Christmas party. The service was very efficient and friendly.

Wings €8, Ribs €12, Sirloin €27, Fillet €33, Beans €4, Corn €4, Malbec €36 - Total €124 - very reasonable.

This rates a solid 9/10 with me pulling it back ever so slightly on interior and ribs whilst being good pretty much just served a function rather than wowing or coming up to the same level as the main course.

Go people, go forth to Asador and eat steak.

Following on from GABs review, and considering we were in the area, myself and Smurph had lunch here today. We ordered from the express lunch menu.
To start we shared the chicken wings which were the nicest either of us have ever had. Simply to die for.
This was followed by the pulled pork Bap for me and the char - grilled chicken for smurph.
The food was so good, we couldn't even speak over lunch.

Thanks to gab for recommending this place, and to anyone thinking of going to the Horsehead Elite Christmas party, get in quick. ....9.5/10

[Strewelpeter]

Nathy and Myself will go if there is room

[Hatedajacks]

Isnow,Myself and Downtown in

[Raoul Duke III]

Good work GAB. MrsV wants me to confirm if this is a wagless event. I'm saying it is as she'll cramp my shiny shoe style but I think she fancies another cut off rounders!!:

Jaysus, it was a one-sided TKO last time. Think he gave up speaking near the end and accepted his fate.

[V for Vendetta]

Good work GAB. MrsV wants me to confirm if this is a wagless event. I'm saying it is as she'll cramp my shiny shoe style but I think she fancies another cut off rounders!! I don't know what he did to deserve it!

[kpnuts]

[Raoul Duke III]

way way better than Gauchos imo. I'd imagine it is kinda similar in every way other than the execution (Asador do it better) and price (Gaucho shake you by the ankles).

Ah yeah, Gauchos is one for the expense account. I did bring V there by mistake once.

[Raoul Duke III]

In.

Is this place like Gauchos? Sounds potentially quite similar.

[Lord Sir Banter]

Is this a lads night?

[Iago]

Sounds good GAB count me in for the Christmas dinner obv.

+1 sounds great, will have to make a trip beforehand though. Too long to wait

[V for Vendetta]

Sounds good GAB count me in for the Christmas dinner obv.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

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[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

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[mocata]

+1 Asador is lovely, great value early bird in it too. I thought it had been mentioned here so didnt throw up a review, must have been on a food blog.

[Denny Crane]

Restaurant Name: Sabor Brazil

Location: Pleasants Street, Dublin

Website: www.saborbrazil.ie/

Price Range: €€

I was highly skeptical about a 7 course tasting menu for two for €100, but plenty of positive reviews made me break my long standing rule of avoiding dinner vouchers.

Stepping in the door and you feel like you're intruding on someone's sitting room, and spotting the stairs hidden behind a curtain removes any doubt that yes you're in someone's small house.

I was about to order two caipirinha's when they arrived complementary. This set the tone for the evening, processco on arrival, sake with the sushi, port with the cheese board, reasonable wine menu. It's a real struggle to spend money in the place and with a tiny number of covers I don't know how they keep the doors open. Early on I spotted another table being served the beef course and I was surprised at the portion size, it easily could have been a main somewhere else

The "palate stimulation" was one of the more peculiar starts to a meal I've had. A slice of orange, a grain of salt, a piece of banana, along with a few other titbits all arrived on a slate. But it did give a glimpse into what was to come.

I wont go into detail for the other courses, they were tasty if unremarkable. I actually had to have a quick look at the menu online for a recap (the liberal boozing didn't help).

The cheese board was unusually (disappointingly?) the standout course, just due to the sheer selection and accompaniments - slightly biased here as I had the full run of it to myself.

The desert ended the meal on a bum note unfortunately.

Was the best meal I've ever had? No. Would I be a rush back? No. But the service for the 4 hours or so was brilliant, very personable and they were clearly really enthusiastic about what they were doing. I'd recommend it for a once off enjoyable evening but not for any exciting cuisine.

[Tar.Aldarion]

Ever send stuff like this to the restaurants? Friend does it for everything, one of the most read reviewers in ireland now haha.

[Raoul Duke III]

Is 6/10 generous seeing as nothing really lived up to expectation?
Obv regarding the hot stove.

Service was excellent and I do admire their aspirations. It's actually frustrating as they are not far off being very good indeed.

Is 6/10 generous seeing as nothing really lived up to expectation?
Obv regarding the hot stove.

[Denny Crane]

I've been there a couple of times and always went away thinking it didn't live up to expectations or intentions. Their menu suggests a keen eye on margins so I'm sure they'll have a lot of time to improve.

[Raoul Duke III]

Restaurant Name: The Hot Stove

Location: Parnell Square

Website: here

Price Range: €€€€

I have been fond lately of positing the theory that there is no longer any need to go to the Southside of Dublin for good food. The Northside already has the best restaurant (Chapter One), the most ethnic diversity (Parnell St and environs) and the best fish (Howth). We also have the most handsome heroin addicts, the most crooked politicos and the wittiest muggers. In search of validation of this theory, I booked myself and Mrs DIII into the Hot Stove last night. This place has been open for a year now and has established itself, allegedly as one of the city's finer dining venues. Bravely located on the shittier side of Parnell Square, it's within 30 seconds of the Rotunda's front door should you suffer an obstetrical emergency over your starter.

We rolled in to a classy basement joint, well laid out without any of the creeping sense of claustrophobia which many of Dublin's downstairs diners frequently engender. The likes of Pearl could learn a thing or two about lighting from this joint. I would have grabbed a pre-prandial drink at the very inviting bar but Mrs Duke's hunger brooked no argument and we requested immediate seating. The highly efficient but unfortunately hipster-ish maître d' showed us to our table where we were quickly presented with menus that although short, promised much in terms of ambition.

An alarmingly green amuse-bouche was swiftly produced - pea soup with pasta and an onion foam. To me, this should always be a dramatic statement of intent from the kitchen, something that screams the chef's personality and prepares your taste buds for the repast to follow. The Hot stove missed their mark with this one as it was merely pea soup with the merest hint of burnt onion and an overly salted ham gnocchi floating in a sea of peagreen ennui. 'Boring', we decreed and turned our hands to the bread of which sourdough and brown were on offer. Both were competent without being outstanding in any way. Sigh.

Surely starters would turn the tide? Mrs D's chicken liver and foie gras parfait was possibly the most bland rendition we've ever come across and a real betrayal of the ingredients. I fared better with my mushroom and parsnip raviolo, earthy mushroom flavours dominating a perfectly cooked raviolo with a piquant parsnip foam. Score one for the kitchen. The wine list is a curious affair and I suspect that no trained professionals were allowed anywhere near the selection process. I picked a Montepulciano as the least offensive option and it proved a decent option, although I suspect at €33 the mark-up was of obscene proportions.

I went for the 'Organic Ballinwillin Wild Boar Slow Roasted Shoulder' for my main. I thought this was a brave thing to put on a menu and I can't ever remember seeing Irish wild boar here before. It came with some baby potatoes, pea puree, trumpets and, very interestingly, samphire - which is always something that I have associated with sea produce. I really wanted to be bowled over by this but couldn't shake off the feeling that it was merely a slightly gamier version of pork belly. I also thought it was a bit dry and could really have been helped by a sauce, of which there was none. Full marks for effort but this dish didn't quite hit the high notes for me. MDIII suffered a similar fate with her lamb, again promising much but not quite getting there. The black-face Achill lamb cutlet was unlike any other lamb I have ever tasted, really gamey and dense. We queried the hipster and he enthusiastically explained that this was due to the ageing of the meat, which sdone to older meat than we are generally used to and for longer. With both dishes nudging over that €30 price point at which you expect special food, neither of us felt that the execution matched the chef's ambition.

Desserts were equally disappointing. I had the cheese board with five well-presented cheese but these were betrayed by the home-made crackers which were really poor. MDIII fared even less well with her chocolate fondant and coffee ice cream - the fondant being fine (if tiny) but the ice cream was an inferior example of the species. My LBV port accompaniment was fine, if somewhat on the stingy side. Damage was €165, including tip which is not cheap for a night out and I'm afraid that the dough could have been better blown to greater effect in any one of a hundred other establishments. I would like to be more positive as I think the Hot Stove is trying to do brave things in a brave location but sadly it is falling short. A few trips round the corner to Chapter One would show them the way..

6/10

[TonyCascarino]

I used to love this place but I stopped going when they took a personal favourite off the menu. The 20 euro early bird with starter and rump steak is excellent value. However, they took their best starter off the menu about a year ago. It was the only one there that matched the steak in terms of quality. Since removing this I haven't been back. I got the ribs one night and found them very disappointing. So the value has definitely disappeared now that there is no starter on there that matches the steak. The dish in question was a spectacular calamari salad. I asked why it was removed and they never said why. In relation to the inconsistent performance over the two nights, I think this is the most widespread problem with restaurants. A lot of places find it hard to consistently deliver time and time again.

I wouldn't put anyone off going though. I just haven't been back since they removed the salad off the menu. And I have to agree with GAB that the starters don't really match the mains. I found the service very good, especially the tall irish guy who is an excellent waiter.

[Denny Crane]

I don't understand the hype for this Woolen Mills business. Perhaps it's just it's novelty factor that has it doing so well as I just found it to be bland overpriced grimness. Much better off just sticking to their other joint in the Winding Stair.

[Raoul Duke III]

top quality fish in Dublin city centre - where?

not many fish places in the city in my experience

this one was pretty good

The Lord Edward is very Old Skool but good.

[iSnow]

Couldn't let it go, I think this has annoyed me way more than it should have. I called in there on my way home from work and spoke to the calamitous DM. tbf, he seemed genuinely concerned about the starters taking so long but he said the mains coming out so quick was perfectly normal, blaming it on Race Week in the town and needing a quick turn around. I'm not paying 100 quid for a quick turn around.

Anyway, he gave me a card and wrote his name and number on the back and said to come in again some night and he would look after me. He then ushered me out the door. I'm not gonna bother going back, next up on the search for a good steak in Killarney is Treyvaud's: http://treyvaudsrestaurant.com/menus/ .

I'm not gonna bother reviewing The Flesk, I think all these posts explain it.

Give me the card! I'll go in alone dressed like a goon, carrying a copy of Food & Wine mag and a notebook. We could do a livestream of him shitting himself but I think the humour may be lost on him.

[dobby]

Couldn't let it go, I think this has annoyed me way more than it should have. I called in there on my way home from work and spoke to the calamitous DM. tbf, he seemed genuinely concerned about the starters taking so long but he said the mains coming out so quick was perfectly normal, blaming it on Race Week in the town and needing a quick turn around. I'm not paying 100 quid for a quick turn around.

Anyway, he gave me a card and wrote his name and number on the back and said to come in again some night and he would look after me. He then ushered me out the door. I'm not gonna bother going back, next up on the search for a good steak in Killarney is Treyvaud's: http://treyvaudsrestaurant.com/menus/ .

I'm not gonna bother reviewing The Flesk, I think all these posts explain it.

[iSnow]

Lol, Matt is my Dad. I'll tell him you said hi

Apologies Jnr!

[dobby]

Sorry Matt, guy sounds like a fucktard.

Lol, Matt is my Dad. I'll tell him you said hi

[iSnow]

Oh god, the more questions you ask the more shit I remember the more horrible the experience becomes!

Sorry Matt, guy sounds like a fucktard.

[iSnow]

They probably had your picture up on the wall from the Horsehead Elite dinner and were exacting revenge for your filthy antics.

wp Brasserie 66

Pot Kettle Black.
I believe this one is entitled Dali's surrealist version of Countdown.

One of the contestants is Danny Dyer and the other is the ghost of some swiss cheese. Naturally the clock has melted and Danny's head has exploded whilst attempting to solve a particularly surreal crucial conundrum.

[dobby]

Great, he would actually appreciate the feedback.
It's a difficult one as we know what happened but testament to the fact that being a control freak in hospitality actually works. Was there a manager on duty? Were they active on the floor?

Yes, there was a DM on. Active? Hmmm, I saw him on the floor once. He spent most of his time going between the kitchen and the bar area.

Whilst in the bar area he would stand there polishing glasses and clearly getting in the way of an annoyed looking bar maid but she never let it show when she came to deliver any drinks. DM also turned off the lights with all his fuckin around behind the bar and stood there with a stupid smile on his face while everyone was looking at him like turn the lights back on numnuts. The only other time he was on the floor was when two lads in suits came in and he was fawning all over them.

Oh god, the more questions you ask the more shit I remember the more horrible the experience becomes!

[Raoul Duke III]

So you only mentioned the steak but not the soup/chowder or hurried service?

I was in Brasserie 66 a few weeks back for their lobster deal (2x Lobster and 2x glasses of prosecco for €50). Table was booked for 7 and requested back for 9pm. No hassle John-Joe, I'll be gone by 8:15 max says I.

At a quarter to eight he starts putting the skids on us and my rather tipsy dining companion was complaining that there was fuck all lobster in the dish so may she order the same again. Same again for me too John-Joe says I and the snide little feicker huffed and puffed but duely obliged. To twist the knife we ordered dessert and some cocktails. We left at about 9:20 at which point the waitresses were pissing themselves while our friend was getting all worked up.

This is the worst type of hospitality but you should speak or act up. It's not called the service industry for nothing.

They probably had your picture up on the wall from the Horsehead Elite dinner and were exacting revenge for your filthy antics.

wp Brasserie 66

[iSnow]

No, I mentioned everything about the food. Not the hurried service. By everything else I assumed she meant that bog standard choc cake and the beer I had. Actually the bar maid looked like the only one that had a clue.

I've found out in the mean time that a good mate of mine knows the owner so I an going to tell him so he can pass it on.

Great, he would actually appreciate the feedback.
It's a difficult one as we know what happened but testament to the fact that being a control freak in hospitality actually works. Was there a manager on duty? Were they active on the floor?

[dobby]

So you only mentioned the steak but not the soup/chowder or hurried service?.

No, I mentioned everything about the food. Not the hurried service. By everything else I assumed she meant that bog standard choc cake and the beer I had. Actually the bar maid looked like the only one that had a clue.

I've found out in the mean time that a good mate of mine knows the owner so I an going to tell him so he can pass it on.

[iSnow]

So you only mentioned the steak but not the soup/chowder or hurried service?

I was in Brasserie 66 a few weeks back for their lobster deal (2x Lobster and 2x glasses of prosecco for €50). Table was booked for 7 and requested back for 9pm. No hassle John-Joe, I'll be gone by 8:15 max says I.

At a quarter to eight he starts putting the skids on us and my rather tipsy dining companion was complaining that there was fuck all lobster in the dish so may she order the same again. Same again for me too John-Joe says I and the snide little feicker huffed and puffed but duely obliged. To twist the knife we ordered dessert and some cocktails. We left at about 9:20 at which point the waitresses were pissing themselves while our friend was getting all worked up.

This is the worst type of hospitality but you should speak or act up. It's not called the service industry for nothing.

[dobby]

Yes! In a great many places.

Name and shame.

The Flesk Restaurant in Killarney. It was recommended by a mate and I'd never eaten there before. Won't be back again.

The Smokehouse is another place I'll never go back to. I gave them two chances and they fucked up both times. The Flesk was just too bad to even entertain the idea of returning.

[Raoul Duke III]

Is this standard in some places?

Yes! In a great many places.

Name and shame.

[dobby]

Requested M, but was more on the MW side. Also, when I got close to the bone the meat was really tough, like I would have needed a hacksaw to cut it so I left a lot of meat either side of the bone.

I went to a lot of effort learning how to cook a steak properly so it really pisses me off when a pro chef can't do his/her job.

I know someone fucked up obviously but I did mention it to the waitress when she cleared our mains and her response was: But everything else was ok? I agreed and she went off with a big smile!

[iSnow]

Bad either way, any decent restaurant will give you breathing room between courses.

Yeah it really annoyed me. That's why I haven't reviewed it yet. I wanted to be calm instead of just ranting.

Yes, skin on both. Girlfriend actually had to scrape the skin off her soup. Chowder wasn't as bad. Also, when the "creamy mash" (described by waitress as creamy) came out it was crusted so it had obviously been sitting under heat or something for a while. Also the plates were absolutely roasting, way hotter than any restaurant I've ever eaten in. You couldn't touch them. Can't remember temp, it wasn't cold but with the plates being so hot I'm not surprised the meat wasn't cold.

And like eamonhonda said, I was looking forward to a little break between courses because Chowder was actually quite nice.

I can tell you now what happened.
Order hit kitchen and soup and chowder were thrown up under hot lamp where they developed a crust - disgusting. All the fucker had to do was spoon each out of a soup terrine and let the waitress know they were served. Waitress spazzed out and forgot about them but she's not entirely to blame. Pass chef should have noticed them sitting there and roasted her.

Steaks were cooked and I suspect the same guy on starters was in charge of veg/sides and placed them on pass where they developed a crust - disgusting.

Head chef prob asked about status of table. I could imagine the look of terror on the waitress' face when she realised she fucked up. The horror, oh the horror.

She lied through her teeth and probably said you were still slurping away while she snook the soup and chowder out of the kitchen. By this stage the chef is probably going mad and wrongly calling you a cnut. My question about temperature was more of a question regarding how you requested your steak to be cooked. Was it overdone?

Commis chef and waitress should be beaten with a hosepipe like the good ol days.

[iSnow]

Bad either way, any decent restaurant will give you breathing room between courses.

We all know this EH please keep up. We're trying to determine if it's a front or back of house problem or both.

[dobby]

not standard, it is bad service and it is something that really grinds my gears.

Yeah it really annoyed me. That's why I haven't reviewed it yet. I wanted to be calm instead of just ranting.

Valid question but was there a skin on the top of the soup and chowder and can you remember the temperature of steak you both requested?

Yes, skin on both. Girlfriend actually had to scrape the skin off her soup. Chowder wasn't as bad. Also, when the "creamy mash" (described by waitress as creamy) came out it was crusted so it had obviously been sitting under heat or something for a while. Also the plates were absolutely roasting, way hotter than any restaurant I've ever eaten in. You couldn't touch them. Can't remember temp, it wasn't cold but with the plates being so hot I'm not surprised the meat wasn't cold.

And like eamonhonda said, I was looking forward to a little break between courses because Chowder was actually quite nice.

[eamonhonda]

Valid question but was there a skin on the top of the soup and chowder and can you remember the temperature of steak you both requested?

Bad either way, any decent restaurant will give you breathing room between courses.

[iSnow]

I have a question for more experienced diners before I write a review. Fwiw, it's not gonna be a good review but I don't want to put up things that I didn't like but may be common practice.

Basically, went for dinner with herself last night and after ordering it took 25mins for starters of souup and chowder to arrive and when the girl took our plates she returned immediately with the mains. A sirloin and a t-bone steak. Is this standard in some places?

Valid question but was there a skin on the top of the soup and chowder and can you remember the temperature of steak you both requested?

[dobby]

I have a question for more experienced diners before I write a review. Fwiw, it's not gonna be a good review but I don't want to put up things that I didn't like but may be common practice.

Basically, went for dinner with herself last night and after ordering it took 25mins for starters of souup and chowder to arrive and when the girl took our plates she returned immediately with the mains. A sirloin and a t-bone steak. Is this standard in some places?