The Restaurant Review Thread

[Tar.Aldarion]

Go next door to Meet Me in the Morning and get the seitan kebab from Sova for €9.90, oh man it's fantastic. https://www.sovaveganbutcher.ie/ - Been turned away a few times when I had no booking, was full
Two Boys Brew beside my place in phibsboro is good. https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...ekend+menu.pdf - It's always ridiculously busy, not unusual for a queue of people waiting to be seated. Not sure if they do bookings.
I believe Brother Hubbard just changed their brunch menu too, https://brotherhubbard.ie/uploads/fi...2019-03-09.pdf

I go to veginity a lot too, obviously :P https://www.facebook.com/VeginityDublin/menu/

[Silver-Tiger]

I'd like Five Points. Enjoy everything on the menu. Worked beside the Fumbally for a couple of years and miss it.

Angelinas is the only Press up joint that i thought had decent food and pretty good value. Decent Brunch in there.

[Lao Lao]

Just on brunch, what are people's go to spots in Dublin? I think there is a lot of good places but I can't help but feel like the whole brunch scene needs a bit of a shake up.

Places on my list of go to places mainly include

Bibi's
Five Points
Beckitt & Bull
Two Pups
Fumbally
Little Bird
Union 8
Brother Hubbard
Meet me in the morning
Fia
Pidgeon House


All the above are very good but I can't help but feel a lot of the menu's are very similar, i.e. some sort of granola, some of sort of green eggs with either chorizo or black pudding, etc

Am I missing a trick here?

Yes, I know, 1st world problems!

[Lao Lao]

It's on in Forest Avenue.

Oops, probably should have clicked on the picture to open it to it's full size allowing me to read the whole article. I did think it was a bit odd that you'd be booking tickets to something in Manorhamilton

I had brunch in Two Pups a few weeks ago and it was pretty tasty. Have only been to Forest & Marcy once and it's a good while ago now but it was very, very good so sets up your night for good things!

[Silver-Tiger]

Manorhamilton is a bit grim so it seems like a weird location for it but hope it works out for them.

It's on in Forest Avenue.

[Lao Lao]

Noel, it’s described as Bastibles younger sister on Michelin, is it as good?

I think it's a bit unfair to compare them, they are two very different restaurants albeit owned by the same people. Clanbrasil house is going for the local neighbourhood restauarnt where as I think Bastible is trying to aim a bit higher.

The food in both is excellent. if I had to pick one over the other, Bastible would just get the nod but I'd be very happy to eat in either place

Both Clanbrassil House and Bastible are excellent.

I've booked tickets for this in a couple of weeks. Should be different. Looking forward to it.

Manorhamilton is a bit grim so it seems like a weird location for it but hope it works out for them.

[Dice75]

Not a restaurant as such but going HERE this weekend with a few couples. Anyone been?

Seems to be a tour, followed by grub and beer.

[Silver-Tiger]

Both Clanbrassil House and Bastible are excellent.

I've booked tickets for this in a couple of weeks. Should be different. Looking forward to it.

[Goodluck2me]

Went to Clanbrassil House last night with New Approach and KPNuts. Outstanding food. Put it on your list and get along.

Noel, it’s described as Bastibles younger sister on Michelin, is it as good?

[Lao Lao]

Restaurant : Host, Ranelagh Road, Ranelagh

Website : https://www.hostrestaurant.ie/

Price : €€€

I've been meaning to pay Host a visit since it opened which is probably about 18 months ago. Any night I've passed it, it's always been packed full and we've actually tried to book on three separate occasions, only for it to be booked out each time. The fact that it is practically on our door step, often meant that even though we wanted to try it out, there was always a feeling that we could go anytime so we never really made sure we got a booking in place, until this weekend. We were meant to head out west but with the weather being utterly shite, we decided to stay in Dublin and we decided it was far beyond time to hit up Host. The only booking available was for 5:45 on Sunday. This wouldn't normally be a time we would take but the wait had gone on too long, the booking was made.

Host is quite a minimalist type of place but it also feels quite cosy and there is a buzzy atmosphere without it being loud. We had seats at the bar which looked directly into the open kitchen where we could keep a close eye on our food being prepared. The staff were very relaxed and laid back but at the same time, very attentive and on the ball, it just seemed like they were very well polished at what they do.

Host do small plates for sharing (although some can be order as a bigger portion for just yourself) and the menu is broken up into different sections of antipasti, pasta, mains, sides and dessert. The menu is quite small but contains enough to keep you happy and not leave you hungry.

We opted for a chefs menu @ €37 a head which consisted of two antipasti, 2 pasta, a main course, two sides and a dessert.

The antipasti dishes were Dressed Crab and Radish Bruschetta & Burrata, marinated aubergine and mint. The crab and radish was incredibly fresh and almost zingy and the burrata, well the burrata was rich and creamy as burrata is and went perfectly with the aubergine.

The pasta dishes (they make their own pasta on site every day) were Venison Ragu Tagliatelle & Pumpkin Cappellacci & Walnuts. The Ragu was luxurious while the pumpkin parcels were sweet and delicious.

I could have eaten all of each of the first four plates on my own had Mrs Lao Lao not been there and had to have an inner fight with myself to graciously portion the food out 50/50 rather than sneakingly divvy it up 60/40 in my favour. What can I saw, I'm a true gentleman

For main, we went with the Yorkshire Pork Chop and Salsa Verde and sides of Roasted Onions & Peppers & Broccoli, pistachio cream and toasted walnuts. The pork was grilled in front of us and it was mouth wateringly good. The Salsa Verde was excellent with it and the sides were good enough to eat on their own sans meat.

To round everything off, we opted for the Chocolate Pot, Blackberry and Crumble which was just perfect, the chocolate was a delightful mouse with some crumble and a few blackberries perched on top. As Mrs Lao Lao is shedding for the wedding, I took it upon myself to eat approx. 85% of the dessert. Like I said, a true gentleman...

The whole event was washed down by what seemed to be a never ending bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley @ €36

Throw in a bottle of sparkling water and a coffee and the total bill came to €117 which we felt was very good value for what we got.

We left two hours after we entered, very happy and just at the right level of fullness. There was still room for us to head a few doors down the road to the outdoor area of The Exchequer and settle in for a good few nightcaps.

It took about 18 months to make it to Host, I'll definitely be back before 18 months rolls around again.

[Lao Lao]

Yeah, I was there last year and food was very, very good.

[Jibzzzz]

Not a review but the cured meat and sherridans cheese board accompanied by a couple of bottles of red from Piglet is a fine way to spend a Thursday.

[Tar.Aldarion]

Tasting menu at veginity for my veganniversary!



Starting off strong, loved the pan rolls!



On to the first of the mains. Delicious, okra and pumpkin curry! This dish worked really well, a good bite to the pumpkin, a mild sauce with the tempura okra, really complementary.



This was easily the best of the savoury food! Hot and sour "vish" and tofu curry, wambatu moju (what?), kale mallung (you're making things up by this point guys), sour lime pickle (really jarring at first, loved it by the end), tomato turmeric coconut dahl, raisin and cashew rice.

Damn it was so good. Get this! It may sound like the menu is having a stroke but it's the best!



Look, how is this fair? How can I be expected to go back to normal desserts after having a massive TILE of amazing desserts? Still, we want plates! This was the highlight of the night. Everybody in the place was just staring at it when it came out.

The photo doesn't do it justice so here's a weird gif, massive, amazing, and got to be the best dessert I've ever had. I mean look at that thing.

Places so often fail at desserts for me, they make it too healthy or raw or some crap, make it decadent like this monster please. #saynotofruitsalad

Warm date bibbikan pudding with semolina and raisins, salted coconut caramel and ginger icecream.
Wattalappan cashew palm sugar biscuits, Earl Grey ice cream.
Sri Lankan love cake with pineapple and coconut salsa, rose water-pineapple sorbet. I loved that cake the most, so good. Also that mystery pudding thing in the corner with a biscuit in it.
Pairing each bit with a different sorbet/icecream. There was some sugar sauce on one of those ice creams that was next level, I think it was coconut sugar.
Cost €40 each which was really decent I thought, actually free as I won the meal but ya know.

[Goodluck2me]

We are planning my post championship celebration/misery trip. seeing eddie vedder in a castle at Borolo at a food and wine festival then to modena for osteria francescana. I have been very lucky to travel to a lot of places, my best meal ever is still at geranium in copenhagen but Italy is truly a magical place for the imagination. not even france captures the essence of indulgence and food porn as italy does imo

I had the unfortunate experience of eating at Geranium for a 21-course lunch with a hangover, the food was incredible I just couldn’t enjoy the first 7-8 courses. Had I known we were eating there I’d have been in bed at 8pm the night before, but c’est le vie. Really want to go back there, puts Noma to shame.

[Trippie]

Osteria Lucio is a great spot. Placed ourselves in their hands with the 'Big Lucio' tasting menu and they delivered in style. Squisito!

We are planning my post championship celebration/misery trip. seeing eddie vedder in a castle at Borolo at a food and wine festival then to modena for osteria francescana. I have been very lucky to travel to a lot of places, my best meal ever is still at geranium in copenhagen but Italy is truly a magical place for the imagination. not even france captures the essence of indulgence and food porn as italy does imo

[Raoul Duke III]

Osteria Lucio is a great spot. Placed ourselves in their hands with the 'Big Lucio' tasting menu and they delivered in style. Squisito!

[Raoul Duke III]

i wouldn’t be so sure, old spot isn’t to everyone’s taste by the standard is better overall I think.

I like La Cave for a great value step back into 90s Paris.

and the best value wine list in central Dublin!

[Silver-Tiger]

+1 for the Old Spot Sunday Roast Beef.

Haven't had a better Sunday Roast in town. The Arch Bistro that sat on top of the Glenside pub did a fantastic one and was a great restaurant too. Sadly couldn't keep the doors open.
Bastible is meant to have a super Sunday lunch.

Ate in Michael's Mount Merrion again on Sat. Top Top Top seafood.

[Goodluck2me]

Better than the Old Spot?

i wouldn’t be so sure, old spot isn’t to everyone’s taste by the standard is better overall I think.

I like La Cave for a great value step back into 90s Paris.

[Denny Crane]

The Sunday Roast is excellent. Otherwise a bit of a "we will take advantage of our location" vibe about it.

Better than the Old Spot?

[dobby]

The Sunday Roast is excellent. Otherwise a bit of a "we will take advantage of our location" vibe about it.

Bah. Booked in for a Saturday before going to cripple of innishman at the gaiety.

[dobby]

Has anybody eaten in Fire restaurant at Mansion House? Care to offer an opinion?

[NewApproach]

Ha, mine is to become better at reading hand strength when half cut!

TY for organising, a highly enjoyable evening as per usual.

[Lao Lao]

I've also decided my New Years resolution will be to stop putting all my money into the pot on the river with the second best hand in Omaha...

[Lao Lao]

The Leoville could have done with been open for another hour but it was still very good

Meerlust was very good. It has aged excellently. Will be a challenge to save my 2013 bottles until 2025!

[Raoul Duke III]

what was the best bottle had?

The Leoville Barton 1996

Although the Meerlust 2007 was drinking extremely well. Poor GAB had to restrict himself to a few sips which made it taste all the better.

[shrapnel]

WP Lao Lao on your organisational skillz, excellent evening.

The Aquarium sandwiches the low point of the culinary portion of the night.

what was the best bottle had?

[Raoul Duke III]

The roulette drinks break is a novel addition to the poker experience.

.

Although our friendly waitress eventually gave up on the pretence after some heavy tipping and just left the G&Ts for us to collect and bring back to the poker table.

[Denny Crane]

The roulette break is a novel addition to the poker experience.

[Raoul Duke III]

WP Lao Lao on your organisational skillz, excellent evening.

The Aquarium sandwiches the low point of the culinary portion of the night.

[Denny Crane]

on da way

[Lao Lao]

Strewelpeter is out for tomorrow night, Have PM'd HJ

[Lao Lao]

Any plan for tomorrow BTW - Mulligans pre?

Just sent a PM there a few minutes ago

[ionapaul]

Any plan for tomorrow BTW - Mulligans pre?

[NewApproach]

Sorry to hear Eoin, sounds like she was a warrior. RIP.

I’m able to make it on Thursday.

[The Aul Switcharoo]

I'm afraid I'm gonna have to cancel. My aunt is receiving palliative care and prob won't last the next couple of days. Pretty busy at home with a big family so can't justify going to Dublin for a piss up. Enjoy

Less than an hour after posting and she has passed. Managed to last 38 years with MS until 67, beating cancer twice and a stroke, to still be coherent and talking until the end. Got to see her grandkids grow up to. What a struggle to stay here

R.I.P

[Lao Lao]

I'm afraid I'm gonna have to cancel. My aunt is receiving palliative care and prob won't last the next couple of days. Pretty busy at home with a big family so can't justify going to Dublin for a piss up. Enjoy

No problem, thanks for letting me know - Sorry to hear about your Aunt.

New Approach, you're next up, are you OK to go Thursday?

[The Aul Switcharoo]

Got side tracked by the pub last night

People in alphabetical order are

1) Denny
2) Gimmeabreak
3) Hectorjelly
4) ionapaul
5) New Approach
6) Raoul
7) Strew
8) The Aul Swith
9) V

I then used random.ord (pic below) to sort 1-9 and we get the following

Lao Lao
Strew
Ionapaul
Denny
V
The Aul Switch
Raoul
Gimmeabreak

With reserves of New Approach and Hectorjelly

I'm afraid I'm gonna have to cancel. My aunt is receiving palliative care and prob won't last the next couple of days. Pretty busy at home with a big family so can't justify going to Dublin for a piss up. Enjoy

[Lao Lao]

My contribution to the vino pool for Thursday night

SPOILER

[balfejohn]

Restaurant The Gallery Church bar

Reason. Christmas voucher been used

First time in this pub in a couple of years, night out with the boss

Starters
Black pudding and glazed hens egg with apple sauce and bacon bites (not great with fancy names) for myself
Wife went for the Dublin bay mussels in cream sauce
2 very good starters
Mains
Both been vegetarian(not) we went for steak medium to well done complete with mushrooms onions garlic potatoes and a Bernese sauce
Very tasty
Deserts
Lovely apple crumble with bean vanilla ice cream for myself
Good wife went for the chocolate brownie with ice cream
One glass of house wine and a few bottles of peroni made it a very nice night out
Night only cost €120 based on voucher and a few bob won on the nags in limerick

Not great on these reviews but a nice place with a nice atmosphere
Will be back

[Lao Lao]

Got side tracked by the pub last night

People in alphabetical order are

1) Denny
2) Gimmeabreak
3) Hectorjelly
4) ionapaul
5) New Approach
6) Raoul
7) Strew
8) The Aul Swith
9) V

I then used random.ord (pic below) to sort 1-9 and we get the following

Lao Lao
Strew
Ionapaul
Denny
V
The Aul Switch
Raoul
Gimmeabreak

With reserves of New Approach and Hectorjelly

[Lao Lao]

We've 9 people for 7 seats so presume fairest way is to draw names. I'll do it later tonight

[luckforsome]

...Whilst the thread is active, anyone have any suggestions/tips for restaurants in Reykjavik that won't Rob me?...I've heard they are stupidly expensive for even ordinary dinners...

[Mickey Rosa]

Won’t make it this year gents but enjoy. Was in VK the Friday before Christmas and it was as good as ever.

Might see a few of you at Noel’s gig on the 19th.

[Strewelpeter]

In

[Iago]

Iago will probably fly back for it.

going to miss it by 3 weeks. Boo and/or hiss.

[Raoul Duke III]

Nearly a 100% retention rate?

Iago will probably fly back for it.

[The Aul Switcharoo]

Missing Strewelpeter. Possibly afraid of my amazing drunken cash game skills

[Denny Crane]

Nearly a 100% retention rate?

[V for Vendetta]

I’ll go on the list please.

[ionapaul]

In as well if there is space.

[Hectorjelly]

In

[NewApproach]

I’m in

[Denny Crane]

Inski

[The Aul Switcharoo]

I shall attend

[Raoul Duke III]

I'm in you filthy animal.

(Will bring a good bottle )

[Lao Lao]

HHE January 2019 Outing

The first HHE outing of 2019 will take place on January 10th in Vintage Kitchen, Poolbeg Street.

Booking is made for 8 people and I'm obvious taking one of the spots so there is 7 places ups for grabs.

As with previous years, there will probably be drop outs so will also take a reserve list.

Booking is made for 8:30 so suggest we meet in Mulligans for a pre dinner tipple from 6:30 onwards.

[thechamp87]

They'll be glad you tipped in cash.

Tips at the Ivy restaurant: Following the money

[Lao Lao]

Restaurant Name: The Ivy

Location: Dawson Street, Dublin 2

Website: https://theivydublin.com/

Price Range: €€€

Review:


We were given a voucher as an engagement present and despite reading the reviews that were out there, decided we would give it a spin as with a €200 voucher, it would cost us nothing.

We rocked up to our 9pm reservation bang on time and after having our coats taken were brought straight to our table. The tables were pretty tight together and looking around, there was a lot of groups of women with a few couples dotted about the place, definitely no lads out for dinner sans partners. The place was LOUD! Loud colours, loud from the noise of people talking and really, really loud music being pumped out, I wasn't sure if I was in a restaurant or a late bar. It was actually hard to hear herself across the table at some points.

Our waitress was one of those people who are a little zany, slightly over familiar and really annoying to be honest. While topping up peoples water at the table next to us, she dramatically lifted the bottle by the very top of it, threw it straight up in the air, caught it at the very end and then poured with a smug smile on her face at how great she was, she wouldn't have been out of place in a Cirque du Soleil show.

Anyhow, we ordered a G&T each while we were looking at the menu. The gins came over fairly promptly , delivered to the table by somebody other than our waitress. We tried to order a bottle of wine at this point but the new waitress seemed a little surprised by this and seemed a bit lost so I repeated the order 3 times and very clearly pointed out the wine we wanted on the menu. She nodded and went off. The pricing on the wine was OTT for me and definitely didn't resemble any value whatsoever.

Waitress number 1 re-appeared and we ordered our food, I went for the crispy duck salad to start and herself went with the tempura prawns. Rather oddly, we both decided to order steak for mains, I'm not sure why we both went with it but we did. There was also a side of chips and Sprouting broccoli, lemon oil and sea salt ordered.

Starters arrived and to be fair, they were OK, nothing to write home about but nothing to really criticise either. Although, we still didn't have our wine by the time we had finished our starters. Our waitress again popped up from nowhere so we enquired about the wine. When we explained who we ordered it from, she laughed, 'Ah, she hasn't a word of English, she'd have no idea what you were ordering, sorry about that, I'll get it for you now' - This I found to be absolutely bizarre but I held my tongue.

Mains arrived and it was here that I realised that I shouldn't have ordered steak. My medium was at best medium well and bordering on well. Mrs Lao Lao's was ok but they were just a little bland. Chips were chips and the broccoli tasted good with the oil and salt.

After this, we still decided to order a dessert and to be honest, I've completely forgotten what I ordered. It was something chocolatey and it was stodgy and heavy and again average.

We got the bill and was rather surprised and slightly horrified that it came to €211. I hadn't really been looking at the prices when ordering the food but on review of the bill, there was a glass of wine on there that we didn't order (they took it off when we queried it) plus you had to pay an extra €3.95 each for a sauce with the steak. So for a main, it was 32.95 for a 7oz fillet plus 3.95 for the sauce plus 4.50 per side, so just the 41.40 for a main course each! When the glass of wine was taken off, the bill came down to €201 odd so we handed over the voucher with another €25 in cash and headed for the door.

If I were to given another voucher for The Ivy, I'd use it to light the fire rather than sit through that again.

[Lao Lao]

I've eaten in Sophie's twice, both times when I wasn't in charge of organising the night. Once was a best friends birthday and once was a mate over from the UK who I hadn't seen in quite a long time. Otherwise, I would have made excuses and not gone.

Both times, the service was pretty crap and the food was at best average and that's been kind.

I'm pretty certain that if you asked the owners, they'd openly tell you that they have no interest in the food side of things and are all about trying to make it a destination place to go where people want to be seen, got to get an insta snap sitting on the swings! The really sad part is that anybody who really wants to be seen there is a bint of the highest order. Over the top prices for mutton dressed as lamb, we are well and truly back!