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    Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
    Quite the coincidence there Tar. I am en route.

    No hipster bullshit please.
    It's class for us normal neat eaters too I've been many times
    airport, lol

    Comment


      Reported you all for trolling.

      Comment


        Decided on Robuchon for Monaco...2nd foray into the two star world. Excite.

        Comment


          Originally posted by Tar.Aldarion View Post
          Sorry, hipster to the max.
          % of wait staff with beards = ~90.

          not overly impressed, review will follow once I've eased myself back into civilisation
          "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

          Comment


            you were warned, chef has beard.

            Comment


              Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
              % of wait staff with beards = ~90.

              not overly impressed, review will follow once I've eased myself back into civilisation
              You're wrong.
              airport, lol

              Comment


                Originally posted by Tar.Aldarion View Post
                I have also never eaten the same thing twice there.
                Not much of an accolade mate.

                Originally posted by tara

                Dessert was some way to finish the meal with a bang, best dessert I've ever had, echoed by all as they started ordering from the vegan menu. It was a Berry and apple "crumble", oat praline, dark chocolate, vanilla spiced cashew cream, candied blood orangettes, blackberry sorbet, highbank orchard syrup.
                The berry spicing along with it's warmth was perfect, people sat there with stunned faces with the food in their mouth. Most impressive chef I have to say. Some quality for a 3 course meal made up within a day.



                Those three courses came to a paltry 24 euro. A nice Spanish wine, cask cider and whiskey brought that to 50ish. A steal really.
                Better than banana we pretend it's chocolate mulch?
                I bet they tell all the vegans that they just printed and came up with the menu.
                X can be anything, any number, that is what’s CRAZY about X.
                Because X doesn’t roll like that, because X can’t be pinned down!

                $ Free Travel Credit with Airbnb $

                Comment



                  Restaurant Name
                  : Dax

                  Location: Pembroke Street Upper, D2

                  Website: www.dax.ie

                  Price Range: €€€€

                  Have been meaning to put this review up for a while now but never got around to it. I was here at the end of January with herself for our anniversary.

                  I had devised a cunning plan with her mates to fool her into thinking that she was going to dinner with them to a different restaurant with a cheap Groupon voucher one of them had got as a present. However, when the clock struck 7:30, I was there to collect her instead of her mates. She was kept in the dark to where we were going until we were literally outside Dax and I had to ensure a bit of abuse (she hated being tricked) while we had pre dinner G&T's in O'Briens but it was well worth it.

                  I had booked the 7 course tasting menu or as we were later informed, they call it the 'Surprise Menu' with matching wines.

                  We arrived on time for our booking but our table wasn't quite ready so we sat out at the bar and had a glass of Prosecco each. After about 10-15 minutes we were brought to our table where we were given water and some bread before the food arrived.

                  The bread was clearly freshly made and was delicious. I always think it's a good sign of what's to come if a restaurant can churn out fresh in house cooked bread and on this occasion I wasn't disappointed

                  Once the bread was dispatched, we were given a small appetizer as we finished off our Prosecco - Ham hock deep fried in breadcrumbs with pickled carrot and onion. It was only the size of a bon bon but it was absolutely divine - I could have eaten a bag of them

                  Our first official course was Pan Fried Foie Gras, Sweet Mustard, Pickled Salsify, Cured Pork Cheek and was served with a Chenin Blanc. This was fabulous. I've never had Salsify before but apparently, it's the next big thing as I've seen it in about half a dozen other places since

                  2nd course was Seared Castletownbere scallops, cauliflower puree, caper and raisin, saffron and mussel sauce served with a Viognier. I know scallops tend to divide people but I love them and these were cooked to perfection. The combination of the puree and the mussel sauce was amazing. I could have eaten a plate of that on it's own

                  3rd course was Roasted Quail, Leg Ballotine, Carrot and Five Spice served with a Pinot Noir. This was the highlight of a list of highs. For the leg ballotine, they had shredded a confit leg of quail, mixed it five spice and carrot, molded it into a ball shape, fried it and then stuck the bone back in so it looked like an upside down lolly pop on the plate. It was heavenly. I could have eaten about a dozen of these on their own and gone away a very happy man

                  4th course was seared stone bass, caramelised onion, potato Lyonnaise, oyster mushroom served with a Chardonnay from Burgundy. I've never eaten stone bass before I love fish in general and this was no exception. The caramelised onions were also fantastic. I make caramelisd onions on a regular basis and mine don't come anywhere near this standard

                  5th course was smoked venison haunch, salsify, red cabbage, salted pear a Pickled Walnut served with a Spanish Monastrelle. The venison was was tender, perfectly pink to my liking, it was like cutting through butter with a hot knife

                  6th course was dark chocolate fondant, salted caramel, banana ice cream and i can't for the life of me remember the wine it was served with but I do know that the wine was drunk quite happily and I had to use all my will power to refrain from picking up the plate and licking it clean

                  7th course was a mature Irish & French Cheese plate served with a cold Grenache. The cheese was Epoisse, Coolea & St Nectaire and this was the only course that I had a slight problem with. I do not like cold red wine. i don't care what they do in France (well I do care what they do in France) but with cold red wine, they are just wrong, wrong, wrong! The only other complaint and it is minor is that I find cheese boards on tasting menu's to be very small. Ok, I'm a tough customer as it's the 7th of 7 courses and the chef probably thinks your about to burst but I love cheese and I want to eat it!

                  The service was very good and the waiters were both friendly and attentive. The maitre d' was very charming and he spent a good 5-10 minutes talking to every table. Normally, I wouldn't be into this as it's often forced chit chat but this guy was a pro, he was able to chat to you like an old friend and you were happy to chat to him and have a bit of banter with him

                  7 courses, wines pairings, two glasses of Presecco plus tip came to €320 and while you wouldn't do it every weekend, it was completely and utterly worth it

                  8.5 / 10

                  Comment


                    My meal at the weekend cost 300 euro less than the above, however I loved it

                    Had a 4 course pop-up meal at the yoga hub up camdon street. 20 euro, bring your own wine.
                    I brought Lindemans Bin 65 2012. The facebook page has uploaded photos so I can add them to the description of the dishes.

                    First course was seaweed chowder with blanched samphire. It's been a long time that i ate something "fishy" tasting but thoroughly enjoyed, veg was soft but crunchy, which is how they should be.



                    Next up was courgette and pepper "boxty" with lime and chive and lime cream cheese (fake ofc, probably made from nuts, god knows, delicious anyhow). Ah this was beautiful, I wish to have it again now drool, pomegranate is my favourite food this year, just pour it onto everything please. Fennel and almond slices were nice in salad for a change.





                    The main dish was Irish tempeh stew with "bacon" colcannon mash (smoked tofu cubes and smoked walnuts) with braised red cabbage and raisins.




                    Desert was almond flummery with rasberry couli and some sort of homemade honeycomb thing.



                    That for 20 euro was stealing, the thievery adding to my self-satisfaction.
                    Pretty nice place to have a meal too, considering it is generally a yoga club.

                    Comment


                      Dinner by Heston

                      Restaurant Name: Dinner by Heston

                      Location: Mandarin Oriental, Knightsbridge

                      Website: http://www.dinnerbyheston.com/

                      Price Range: €€€€€

                      After almost a month I am finally getting round to typing this up.

                      Tony surprised me with the London trip for the 7th anniversary of us being together and the first part was going to see Kooza (Cirque du Soleil) at the Royal Albert Hall and then on the Friday night we had a dinner reservation at Dinner by Heston. I was happy to read that it was not that formal and the dress code was relaxed.

                      I was very surprised to see the very inconspicuous entrance with the name in white against white and not showy at all. The girls were dressed in these long black kimono type dresses. We were shown to a table to wait and given the cocktail/drinks menu and a bowl of nuts which I didn't want to eat as I didn't want to take even the edge off my hunger!
                      We were the first taken into the restaurant and we have a table round at the window side and looking right at the kitchen which was amazing for me but not Tony as I spent most of the night watching the chef's in action

                      I opted for the Meat Fruit which I found just beautiful. I wish I had asked for an extra bit of the toast as I ended up smothering it onto what I had and it was overkill and made me feel a bit ick thinking about it afterwards.
                      Tony went for the Salamagundy which was chicken oysters, salsify and marrow bone. It was nice too. We both tried a bit of each other's courses.

                      SPOILER


                      SPOILER


                      I ordered for my main the Spiced pigeon with Ale & artichokes. This was the 3rd time I have eaten pigeon and it was a class apart from the other two times. The bird was lovely and pink and was just sublime.
                      SPOILER


                      Tony went for the Hereford Ribeye with the mushroom ketchup which at first surprised me as you can get steak anywhere and I was thinking it can't be that special. When the plates arrived, my dish as I suspected looked amazing but I found the presentation of Tony's a bit lacking. The steak was the nicest I have ever tasted and I have eaten many a steak in my time. The triple cooked chips were ok but nothing special. They were served with Tony's steak.

                      SPOILER


                      I went for the Tispy cake as recommended for dessert an Tony went for the Sambocade. The thought of a goats milk cheesecake didn't do anything for me but I know Tony loves his cheesecake! My dessert was amazing and the only thing that stopped me enjoying it to the full was the fact I was pretty full at this stage and couldn't imagine finishing it. I did give it a good try though and got there in the end.

                      SPOILER


                      Tony's cheesecake was fantastic and I have never tasted one like it. The cheesecake was flavoured with Elderflower and apple and there was perry-poached pear inside.

                      Just when I thought I could eat no more there was a little shot glass with a chocolate ganache in it. I almost had to force it down as I didn't think I could manage another thing but it was beautiful and was not going to let it go to waste.
                      SPOILER


                      It was an amazing experience. The staff were fantastic and there was not one thing they didn't know about the food and I asked a LOT of questions. They did not mind me taking pictures of the kitchen and a couple of the chef's obliged for the photo-call

                      SPOILER




                      Tony also had a little surprise for me which was a special cake of a chocolate cake with a mandarin flavoured ganache which had a popping candy base. It was beautiful and we had it the next morning as we were both too full to even think about it on the night. Luckily we had a fridge in the hotel room.

                      SPOILER


                      Neither of us are big drinkers and I had a glass of champagne with my meal and Tony had a non alcoholic cocktail with his.The total bill came to £220 and was worth every penny.

                      That is us done a 1 star and a 2 star. Looking to see what 3 star we can go to next
                      Last edited by MrsFlushdraw; 16-03-15, 20:39.

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by Gimmeabreak
                        despite it looking pretty damn nice the steak does look a little underwhelming, not sure it stacks up alongside the meat fruit for presentation and originality?
                        Very underwhelming. It was pretty much just sitting on the plate on it's own. I added the sauce before Gillian took the photo. There was also a lot more fat on it than I expected. It was cooked and tasted superb, but presentation and the amount of fat was a big let down.

                        Comment


                          Originally posted by Flushdraw View Post
                          Very underwhelming. It was pretty much just sitting on the plate on it's own. I added the sauce before Gillian took the photo. There was also a lot more fat on it than I expected. It was cooked and tasted superb, but presentation and the amount of fat was a big let down.
                          It's a rib-eye by the shape of it? Supposed to be fatty as that's what brings most of the flavour.

                          I don't know if there's much you can do to 'present' a steak: it's a lump of meat
                          "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                          Comment


                            Restaurant in Paris

                            I've been forced to pay for a hoiliday for my kids to Disneyland Paris. We're heading over with another family with young kids. My mate is as impressed with the holiday destination as I am. For forking out ridiculous money for 4 nights, myself and my mate have been given a pass to get a boozy lunch in the centre of Paris one of the days.

                            Any recommendations?

                            The last restaurant we were at was L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in London in November.

                            Something along those lines would be great.

                            Cheers

                            Comment


                              Originally posted by Gimmeabreak
                              I was in Shanahans last night, it seems to me that each time I go in the blonde manager type woman is becoming more and more surly.
                              You have that effect on women alright.
                              "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                              Comment


                                Mrs turned 30 there recently by way of a present I decided to take her on a surprise trip to Monaco. Decided to do it properly and thankfully had a few quid to spend on it by virtue of the fact that we go out about 3 times a year nowadays.
                                Flew into Nice on Friday and I had booked a helicopter from the airport to Monaco which went down a treat. I’d never been in a helicopter before and I thought it was class. Flying along the Med with the Riviera out the left hand window is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.

                                We were staying at the Hermitage which is the number 1 ranked hotel on Tripadvisor and was damn luxurious. I prefer contemporary hotels but she likes the classic stuff and I was pleasantly surprised. Amazingly efficient and friendly staff and the room was spotlessly clean. Everything in the hotel was extortionately expensive. We saw a half bottle of wine sitting away from the mini-bar and thought maybe it was complementary…no, no...€40. An Aussie guy I was chatting too mistakenly sent his shirt for laundry instead of ironing and the cost was more than the value of the shirt.

                                We had no dinner plans the first night and walked around for a bit but being Friday most places were full. We returned to the hotel and thankfully there was a table in the restaurant there which is called Le Vistalmar and has a Michelin star.
                                Started off wobbly with very poor bread and super expensive wine (in the end we got a bottle for €65 which retails for €28 so did alright!).
                                We got the 3 course seasonal menu for €68 and I had some sort of shrimp starter and the mrs. had a mushroom pie…overall I’d give them 5/10. We both had squab for mains which was excellent and I would give it a solid 8/10, and finally we both got the most amazing deserts I’ve ever seen/eaten. They were by far and away the best thing about the meal and came as a real shock! They were the only thing I took pictures of, see below. The bill came to €210. We finished off with a 22 euro Bombay and Tonic overlooking the harbour.

                                SPOILER


                                SPOILER


                                The second night we were booked into the 2 star Joel Robuchon at the Metropole. (He has the most Michelin stars of anyone) We got there at 7:30 and my hopes were elevated pretty quickly. The bread was fantastic, but it was overload as I was still browsing the menu, picking wine and the amuse bouche arrived at the same time.
                                The amuse bouche was a foie gras reduction with parmesan foam and it set a great tone…so buttery…I could have eaten a bucket of it.
                                They do a tapas kind of thing there as well as the conventional menu, so we got 3 starters. The first was seared foie gras and it was the nicest foie gras I’ve ever eaten. The second was something called Roseval, which is a cold dish consisting of potato, foie gras and a dose of black truffles…again very nice, and lastly we got quail stuffed with foie gras with truffle mash and it was great.
                                For main she has the fillet of beef which she said was fab and I had lamb cutlets and nearly cried when they were all gone. For desert I got something based on pears and I was very disappointed particularly given the previous night’s desert. She had some coffee and chocolate based concoction and it was reported to be good but not outstanding.
                                On the way out they gave us a gift of a lemon cake in a really fancy looking gift bag which was a really nice touch. Overall the bill came to something like €330 including service (we had 2 glasses of wine each). Its well worth its 2 stars and I’d be back there in a flash if I ever manage to rise to power in a small nation and oppress them all. They just need to poach the pastry chef from across the road.
                                Attached Files

                                Comment


                                  Went to the Elephant and Castle last night and it was so bad I had to write about it here. I only got out of bed at 10pm so our options were pretty limited. I ordered fillet steak and my companion got the steak sandwich. I asked for it medium rare, she for rare. They managed to get the order in reverse, which I only realised half way through the meal. The steak was fine, but it came with a stupidly large lump of inedible potato. It looked like a slab of butter and tasted uncooked. They gave us complimentary desert due to the steak mixup. Good selection of beers but other then that it was very dissapointing.

                                  Comment


                                    Originally posted by Hectorjelly View Post
                                    Went to the Elephant and Castle last night and it was so bad I had to write about it here. I only got out of bed at 10pm so our options were pretty limited. I ordered fillet steak and my companion got the steak sandwich. I asked for it medium rare, she for rare. They managed to get the order in reverse, which I only realised half way through the meal. The steak was fine, but it came with a stupidly large lump of inedible potato. It looked like a slab of butter and tasted uncooked. They gave us complimentary desert due to the steak mixup. Good selection of beers but other then that it was very dissapointing.
                                    In fairness going to E&C and deviating from the wings is amateur hour.

                                    Comment


                                      Originally posted by thechamp87 View Post
                                      In fairness going to E&C and deviating from the wings is amateur hour.
                                      Was in the Rustic Stone the other week and got the wings in there for starters. I think they were the best wings I've ever had. Place was decent overall but the wings were a standout, which probably isn't the best review of a place!!

                                      Comment


                                        Was in Forest Avenue on Saturday night.

                                        On the whole very good. I will do a review later once I have my notes in front of me.
                                        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


                                          Restaurant Name: Forest Avenue

                                          Location: 8 Sussex Terrace, D4

                                          Website: www.forestavenuerestaurant.ie

                                          Price Range: €€€

                                          Review:

                                          I booked here for our Anniversary after hearing only good things.

                                          The restaurant's head chef is John Wyer who previously worked in L'ecrivan and also was head chef in Mulberry Garden and having experienced his work in Mulberry on numerous occasions I was pretty sure the meal was going to be very good.

                                          We arrived a little early and we had to stand at the bar which is right by the door and is not a great place to wait as there are no seats. All the front of house staff were dressed as hipsters which made me uneasy. Despite my initial hesitancy I decided I would need to interact with these people in order to get a drink. To my surprise the young lady who took my order was very friendly and welcoming and apologised on numerous occasions for us having to wait for our table.

                                          I ordered a white port with fevertree tonic which was very refreshing and the Mrs had a glass of prosecco. About 10 minutes passed and we were shown to our table which was right beside the open Kitchen which I thought would be interesting having experienced the chef's table in chapter one.

                                          The menu was a five course tasting menu and I decided on getting the paired wine while the Mrs. stuck to Prosecco. She opted for the vegetarian option.

                                          The 2 starters were set and there was a choice for both main and desert/cheese board.

                                          I had an option of Turbot or Fillet of Beef which came medium rare I was informed. I chose the Beef but the Turbot looked good also.

                                          The first wine was a prosecco which I got 2 glasses of to wash down the 2 snacks they brought. A comte cheese filled puff pastry bite and a chicken liver parfait crisp. Both were lovely and the prosecco was ok.

                                          The first starter was a salad of beets, smoked milk curd, bresolla salted beef, chicory, blood orange and fennel washed down with an Alsace Pinot Blanc. Both the starter and the wine were ok but not amazing but the bressola was very good. I think a nice Alsace Reising would have worked better but what do I know.

                                          The second starter was Sprouting Broccolli, Soft Egg, Salsify, Wild Garlic, Gnocci & Field Mushroom. The wine was some white wine blend (too many grapes varieties to remember) from the Languedoc region. Every element of this dish worked and the wine suited perfectly 10/10 dish. My wife loved this dish also.

                                          Out for a quick vape and check everything was alright back at Chez Bows and back in for the main.

                                          The wine for the main was a listan negro from Tenerife. I had never heard of red wine from Tenerife before and was pleasently surprised. Very rich taste and perfect for the fillet of beef. The beef came out perfectly cooked accompanied by a short rib, onion, celeriac and cabbage. I took my time with this dish and enjoyed every mouthful. Mrs had some vegetarian dish which she enjoyed.

                                          Satisfying meal so far and enough room for dessert. Didn't fancy the cheese so opted for the sweet.

                                          There was a 10 year old port with the dessert which was good.

                                          The dessert was a truffle custard and other things that didn't matter. The Truffle did not work in the custard. I had a couple of spoons and had some of the rest of the dessert. I wish I had gotten the cheese board now.

                                          Then Petit Fours came with our 2 teas. The Petit Fours were more like mini desserts and one was lovely and one was not (a deconstructed rubarb crumble)

                                          Disappointing end to what was on the whole a very good meal.

                                          The service was excellent and all dishes and wines were explained to us in detail.

                                          However sitting next to the kitchen we experienced the chef's frustrations at his helpers inability to perform seemingly simple tasks (in his eyes). The fucks, idiots and the odd cunce did not add to our dining experience.

                                          The bill came to €190 including a decent tip.

                                          I assume they change the menu every week (similar to Mulberry) and the odd gripe aside I would recommend going there.
                                          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


                                            Dined in the Winding Stair. Very disappointing, especially given the way the waiter talked everything up as being 'the best in Dublin'. Avoid imo.
                                            "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                            Comment


                                              Where would be recommended for lunch in London tomorrow that wouldn't require booking?

                                              Comment


                                                Originally posted by NewApproach View Post
                                                Where would be recommended for lunch in London tomorrow that wouldn't require booking?
                                                if you go down to the Borough Market (basically under London Bridge), you can have a good wander around eating stuff or if you choose, there are lots of casual enough spots in the vicinity

                                                Vinopolis worth a look too very close by. Have spent a few happy afternoons in there.
                                                "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                Comment


                                                  Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
                                                  Dined in the Winding Stair. Very disappointing, especially given the way the waiter talked everything up as being 'the best in Dublin'. Avoid imo.
                                                  They were client's of mine a few years ago.

                                                  They had great food about 4/5 years ago but was already going downhill the last time I went around 3 years ago.
                                                  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 Raoul Duke III View Post
                                                    Dined in the Winding Stair. Very disappointing, especially given the way the waiter talked everything up as being 'the best in Dublin'. Avoid imo.
                                                    Originally posted by elbows View Post
                                                    They were client's of mine a few years ago.

                                                    They had great food about 4/5 years ago but was already going downhill the last time I went around 3 years ago.
                                                    Pretty much what Elbows said. I've only eaten there twice. Once in 2009 and the food was amazing. Next time I was there was late 2011 and there was a noteable difference in the quality of the food. Haven't been back since

                                                    Comment


                                                      Yeah I read that post last night and was surprised but it's been a long time since I was there. I don't understand how the new place they opened underneath is doing so well, initially I put it down to novelty but any time I pass it it's still packed.

                                                      Comment


                                                        Here again last night can't stress how good it is. http://www.ballymoreinn.com/
                                                        Jayzus, Sheila! I forgot me feckin' trousers

                                                        Comment


                                                          Heading to the Greenhouse restaurant this evening. Any budding sommelier care to recommend a good red?

                                                          Comment


                                                            Originally posted by CountingCrows View Post
                                                            Heading to the Greenhouse restaurant this evening. Any budding sommelier care to recommend a good red?

                                                            http://www.thegreenhouserestaurant.ie/winelist.pdf
                                                            Had the Shiraz/Voignier blend that went well with the main. The reisling was fantastic though for starters
                                                            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


                                                              Few pics from last night...















                                                              Last edited by CountingCrows; 10-04-15, 11:12.

                                                              Comment


                                                                Originally posted by CountingCrows View Post
                                                                Few pics from last night...















                                                                Had the same meal there a few weeks ago. The passion fruit soufflet was off the charts.
                                                                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


                                                                  Agreed, best dessert I've ever had.

                                                                  Comment


                                                                    Man restaurants these days are obsessed with foam, get over it lads.

                                                                    Comment


                                                                      Broke my rule of going out less often but to better places. Mrs insisted we go out for my birthday. Ended up at Bon Crubeen. Dreadful.

                                                                      Comment


                                                                        Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
                                                                        It's a rib-eye by the shape of it? Supposed to be fatty as that's what brings most of the flavour.

                                                                        I don't know if there's much you can do to 'present' a steak: it's a lump of meat
                                                                        It's a Heston Blumenthal place.
                                                                        It should look like a perfectly formed mini cow or Woody from Toy Story
                                                                        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

                                                                        Comment


                                                                          Originally posted by zuutroy View Post
                                                                          Broke my rule of going out less often but to better places. Mrs insisted we go out for my birthday. Ended up at Bon Crubeen. Dreadful.
                                                                          Adding 'any hipster-looking place' would serve you well too. Mrs D going to The Larder on Fri, saw website and prophesy grave disappointment.
                                                                          "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                          Comment


                                                                            Heading here on Wednesday for lunch.

                                                                            Discover the world of Chef Pierre Gagnaire, his restaurants Pierre Gagnaire, Gaya, Piero, his gift card shop, exceptional products. The meeting place for gastronomes!


                                                                            First 3 star I've been at so am expecting greatness

                                                                            Comment


                                                                              Originally posted by Gimmeabreak
                                                                              Restaurant Name: Ananda

                                                                              Lococation: Dundrum

                                                                              Website: www.anandarestaurant.ie

                                                                              Price Range: €€€

                                                                              I was in the area and decided that a look at the early bird menu would be in order. The menu is brief but I think there should be something for everybody on it.

                                                                              A generous portion of poppadoms with a selection of 4 different chutneys was our initial offering.

                                                                              To start I had lamb kebab with red pepper tapenade and some form of mustard relish. This was a generous portion and tasted just right with the perfect amount of heat and spice.

                                                                              For main I had Old Delhi style chicken with Tikka masala sauce. This was a supreme of chicken sitting in a creamy masala sauce. This was served with rice and naan. Plenty of food and plenty of flavor. Only slight issue was I thought there was a little too much sauce.

                                                                              I wasn't able for coffee or desert. The whole lot came to €48 for two people and represented decent value.

                                                                              Setting is very nice, a solid 9/10 there. The staff and service were exceptional and score an easy 10/10. Food was top class and plentiful and surely an 8/10. The price was also very agreeable. All in all there is plenty to recommend about Ananda - if you haven't been then you should go along when you have the chance. I know I will be back before long.
                                                                              Ate here last night with herself after a fruitless search for a particular suit in Louis Copelands. I may be hitting up the clothes make the man thread soon in panic mode.
                                                                              Anyway, herself saw this place on the telly recently and remembering the comments here I graciously let her choose where we dined.
                                                                              Sadly we missed the early bird and were on the al la carte. A brief discussion favored against the €50 a head tasting menu (€85 with wines) and we decided to plow through the menu and get something that we would not usually order from the local take away.

                                                                              For starters I had;
                                                                              Tandoori Jhinga which is Tandoori jumbo prawns, carom, salted lime & avocado Kashimbiri. Absolutely incredible. I honestly cannot remember having a nicer starter. I could rave for days about these, the size, presentation, the taste the complexity of flavours. I was simply unreal and highly recommended.
                                                                              SoontobeMrsDP had Vathu Travancore: Duck two ways. Smoked tikka & crisp potted-leg & apple cracker, orange, chilli jam. Again the presentation was top class and given the speed in which is was devoured, I guess she enjoyed the taste. I was left a smidge of smoked tikka and again, taste was top class, I never got a look in at the rest.
                                                                              For mains I had Keema Salli Pao: Young Wicklow lamb meat hand pounded with black cardamom, fresh fenugreek & red onion masala, home baked Pao (bread)
                                                                              I was a little surprised at this as red onion masala was just diced onion.
                                                                              The Pao was delicious, putting me in the mind of brioche buns. After speaking with the waiter, he advised me on putter eating etiquette for this dish (pour in the onion, squeeze the lemon and add the accompanying sweet and hot chillis and just dig in) .
                                                                              Tremendous stuff altogether.
                                                                              Herself had
                                                                              Jardaloo Murgh:
                                                                              Free range chicken breast simmered in onion & tomato masala with soaked apricot, salted caramel & straw potatoes with Lemon rice.
                                                                              This was expertly done, if a little sweet for my palate but herself enjoyed it until the heat got too much for her sensitive nature. We wrapped it up and brought it home (it will be perfect after a few pints tonight) as in all honestly it was too good to waste.
                                                                              For dessert I simply had the petite fours (€3 bargain) as I've not much of a sweet tooth and the lady had
                                                                              Rose Kulfi: Rose & flavoured eggless ice cream, Rose gel, Mango meringue, coconut shell
                                                                              This was a knockout, a homerun. Possibly the nicest presented dessert I've ever seen and it tasted (the teeniest bit I had) divine. Paula could not stop raving about this and was very close to tears of joy eating it, it was a remarkable thing to witness.
                                                                              The petite fours was a small panna cotta, a chocolate ball, a biscotti & a macaroon.
                                                                              All well made and presented with my personal fave the panna cotta.
                                                                              I had a few tiger beers and herself had a glass of a very serviceable chardonnay during the meal and we fairly rolled out of there happy and sated with a bit for later.
                                                                              Total damage was €115 ex tip and we will be back again. I am intrigued by the "ridiculous" monkfish mentioned earlier in the thread.
                                                                              Highly recommended.
                                                                              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

                                                                              Comment


                                                                                Restaurant Name: Pierre Gagnaire

                                                                                Lococation: Rue de Balzac, Paris

                                                                                Website: https://www.pierre-gagnaire.com/en#/...aison_Gagnaire

                                                                                Price Range: €€€€€€€

                                                                                Michelin Stars: ***


                                                                                After forking out close to €2000 for a five day holiday for the kids Disneyland Paris, myself and a buddy of mine were given permission to head off for a boozy lunch in Paris on a Wednesday. I was given a carte blanche to organise it co I elected to give this place a go.
                                                                                Looking at the menu online, I was somewhat concered that there was no prices associated with the dishes. A sure sign we couldn't afford it. Fuck it.

                                                                                When we arrived we were greeted by the staff and offered some water as we were led to our table. We had legged it down the Champs-Élysées as we were running late so maybe it looked like we needed some water.

                                                                                The room was small emough - maybe 30/40 covers max. All but 2 tables were full and this was about 12.45. We had a substantial table for two of us and had plenty of space around us. We were offeered another drink (gin and tonic) and then the waiters arrived with the menus and the set lunch menu. At first glance, I thought I was seeing things but on closer inspection my worst fears were conformed. The cheapest starter on the menu was €160 - yep, €160. The main courses ranged from €270-€380 each. Bugger. The menus were closed and we moved along to the set lunch menu. Prices were a lot more respectable. €85 each or €115 with a glass of wine and a water.

                                                                                I asked for the wine list and the sommelier brought over a substantial book - about as thick as a bible. To my surprise the wines were very well priced. We went for a 2011 Alphonse Mellot - Satellite Chavignol Sancerre at €103.

                                                                                To start, we were goven a nice amuse bouche. A selection of savory bites that were arranged on our plate like a piece of art. Very tastey indeed, but no pictures I'm afraid.

                                                                                Next was the starters - a selection of 5:

                                                                                Raja Clavata (thornback Ray) skate wing rubbed in hibiscus jelly; celeriac ravioli and lemon flavoured with Colombo - wasn't mad about this the hibiscus was a bit strong

                                                                                Green crab bisque; eggplant, beef marrow, grated Mimolette Cheese - this was excellent and there was loads of it

                                                                                Ice-cream Blanche spiced with cardamom served like a lassi. Gariguette strawberry juice - the strawberries tasted like tinned strawberries - it was a bit like a sorbet - nto sure what it was doing there

                                                                                Raw cooked clam, smoked Legine fish, Castlefranco salad, veil of vegetables - How the fuck can you have a raw cooked clam? - anyway it was very nice

                                                                                Croustillant of farm chicken, split pea puree - crispy chicken - very nice



                                                                                For mains it was:

                                                                                Liver mousseline, cream of salt cod flavoured with parsley chlorophyll, thorny artichokes and flat beans - this just tasted 'green' which is a funny way to expain it but that's the best I could do. The mouseline was lie a poor mans fois gras. Still very nice though

                                                                                Thin slices of fat duck, sweet onion syrup perfumed with carob molasses. - without a doubt the best thing all day. Absolutly gorgeous



                                                                                Another bottle of wine...

                                                                                Finally dessert which came with a 'pre dessert':



                                                                                Then a selection of desserts:



                                                                                At €85 euro each, we felt well fed, well watered and completely satisfied. Pierre Gagnaire himself came out of the kitchen and spoke with us. (We had no idea he would be there and were a little starstruck). A really excellent meal - extremely good value.

                                                                                total bill came to €430. this included 2 bottles of wine, 2 very expensive G&Ts, a coffee and a bottle of water.

                                                                                Would I go again - in a heartbeat. Although I don't think I tipped them so I mightn't be welcomed back.

                                                                                9/10 (there's always room for improvement)

                                                                                Comment


                                                                                  Restaurant Name: Pigeon House Clontarf

                                                                                  Location: 11b Vernon Avenue

                                                                                  Website: www.pigeonhouse.ie

                                                                                  Price Range: €€

                                                                                  Review:

                                                                                  The Pigeon House is open about 3 months in Clontarf and is housed in the old Les Ami building. Inside, they haven't changed much structurally but the place has had a complete make over and it looks very nice. It's a very laid back, contemporary seaside feel to it and there is a bit of a nautical vibe off it even though there is not a nautical piece in sight.

                                                                                  A couple of things I picked up on very quickly was

                                                                                  The tables were nicely spread out. They weren't miles away from each other but you didn't feel like anybody was on top of you. It's something that really bugs me about restaurants that cram in as many tables / seats as you can (Rustic Stone being a very bad culprit)

                                                                                  The chairs were very comfortable and were aesthetically very well designed

                                                                                  Every staff member was very friendly and always smiling. They all came across like they really enjoyed working there, in a very genuine way

                                                                                  So, onto the food. The menu isn't huge consisting of only 6 starters and 6 mains but I still found it quite difficult to pick as I would have happily eaten anything that was on offer

                                                                                  I settled for the Duck Liver Parfait, Pear & Raisin Chutney with grilled Sourdough while herself went for the dressed crab, radish, avocado and crisp bread. The Parfait was excellent and the dish also came with some type of slaw which went perfect with the chutney. There was also enough bread to match the amount of parfait in the form of two large sourdough slices (one of my pet peeves is not enough bread with parfait/pate!)

                                                                                  The crab was very fresh and had a really nice zingy sauce with it. Only one thing weird about it was that it came out in a ridiculous over sized bowl which made the dish look very small when in fact, it was probably a normal sized portion

                                                                                  For mains, she went with the rump of lamb served with mash, peas and a pea puree while I opted for the burger. Now, a burger is not something I'd normally order in a restaurant. For me a burger is more of a pub grub dish but I was totally sold by the description of "28 day aged smoked beef burger, smoked applewood cheese, beef tomato, onion relish on brioche buns and skinny fries" and I wasn't disappointed. Apart from my own homemade burgers (clear bias) it was probably one of the best burgers I've ever had.

                                                                                  That being said I did have a little bit of food envy as the scrap of lamb I got to taste was absolutely divine and was met with smiles, 'ummms' and nods of approval after every bite

                                                                                  At the end, we were both sadly too full to even look at the dessert menu so settled up the bill. Including a bottle of wine (NZ Sav Blanc @ €37) the total bill came to €95 which I thought was very good value.

                                                                                  From there, it was only a two minute stroll around the corner for a night cap in The Sheds

                                                                                  A solid 8.5 / 10
                                                                                  Last edited by Lao Lao; 14-06-15, 14:38.

                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                    Pretty sure someone already posted about the Hop House\Kimchi Korean place on Parnell Street but echoing the thumbs-up. Distinctively different to other Asian cuisine but good. Well worth a visit if looking to extend food horizons a bit.
                                                                                    "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                      Definitely gonna pop in there, I'm not too far from it.

                                                                                      Off to Chameleon this evening.

                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                        Guilbaud's on Saturday. First nice dinner out since March. This will complete the Dublin Michelin star tour!

                                                                                        Comment


                                                                                          Was in Etto last week. Food was decent. Good wine by the glass selection. Restaurant is very cramped though.
                                                                                          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


                                                                                            Pity someone couldn't have recommended a nice restaurant in Douglas, because I can't fucking find any here lol
                                                                                            Her sky-ness
                                                                                            © 5starpool

                                                                                            Comment


                                                                                              thread seems to be perking up

                                                                                              Went to Super Miss Sue during the week, nice to have a dedicted fish place in town - nothing special though and you will do better pretty much anywhere in Howth. tbh, I think their takeaway is better than the restaurant - they do great scampi and chips for a tenner.

                                                                                              Waitress was really nervous, dropped my espresso all over the place. Clearly my resemblance to a young George Clooney was unnerving.
                                                                                              "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                                              Comment


                                                                                                Originally posted by Lao Lao View Post
                                                                                                Restaurant Name: Pigeon House Clontarf

                                                                                                A solid 8.5 / 10
                                                                                                Echoed by Mrs DIII, thought it was excellent and she would be a far harsher critic than I. Good addition to de Nortsoide.
                                                                                                "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                                                Comment


                                                                                                  Reporting live from Pigeon House. Slow going.

                                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                                    Originally posted by zuutroy View Post
                                                                                                    Reporting live from Pigeon House. Slow going.
                                                                                                    Sunday lunch the world over. It's not meant to be otherwise.
                                                                                                    "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                                      Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
                                                                                                      Sunday lunch the world over. It's not meant to be otherwise.
                                                                                                      It is when 2 of the party have the attention span of goldfish!

                                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                                        Iannelli's Irishtown

                                                                                                        First thing first is that Dublin is such a great city and im proud of it. So many buildings we can take for granted. My own favourites are lanes and my favourite is Dame Court. Leading from Dame St to Dame lane is such a great lane and not just because it had a bookies half way up it and a couple of pubs on the other end even though this helps. A warm quiver runs through me every time i havent walked through this lane in a while. Another gem is Crampton Court which leads from Dame st beside Brogans pub/Olympia theatre to Essex st beside Connelly book shop. The view from Brogans out the window to the lane i could look at all weekend as Rosin Ingle would say. But no i couldnt watch it all weekend actually because i would feel the need to go somewhere else during the weekend and would be worried what the bar staff would be thinking of me gazing out the window to the lane all weekend.

                                                                                                        What about the food you say?. You dont worry about that for a while.

                                                                                                        Now Irishtown heres a real hidden gem in Dublin and i mean it. It has somewhat of a reputation but all i can see is good as gold crusty characters. There is a cluster of pubs within betting docket throwing distance in a twilight zone of V shaped one way streets that if you arent fully compos mentis you could look silly walking up and down trying to find somewhere you were in just half an hour ago doing your best act that you actually know where your walking even though you havent a scoobie doo even if your only a couple of drinks in and i should know i was that self appointed prize pup going solo.

                                                                                                        Do they have food there?. What did i tell you only a minute ago dont bleedin worry about that for now. Now there is something you need to know about Irishtown if you want to fit in without causing to much of an alert amongst the locals. Dont seem to eager or act too mannerly. I tried that once and got away with it but the best method to adopt is walk slowly to the bar like you only half mean it and ask for a drink without saying please and you wont raise the suspicions of the locals that you are a detective or anything. ''Got any of that whatdoyoucallit?'' will do just fine.

                                                                                                        The outside of the Irishtown house betrays what lies within. Inside they have 2 screens showing ATR and RUK simultaneously. I was glad i pulled a stool in this locale. One local was heard saying ''Theres too much bleedin racing on'' and quite frankly it wouldnt be the same without these fellows speaking their mind. When the barman was idly roving around collecting emptys i told him i liked the way the pub had both racing channels on simultaneously to which he replied ''pfftt there would be bleedin murder if we didnt''.

                                                                                                        Iannelli's take away is one of the finest Italian chipper take aways in D4 situated within beer sodden crumpled betting docket throwing distance from the Irishtown Inn and is run by i presume the Iannelli family. You must be warned that there is a €5 minimum spend for credit cards to be accepted. The acid test of a bona fide Italian chipper is when you order a few items where chips isnt one of them yet they throw a few chips in anyway and Iannellis is no exception. If you order a spice burger and a sausage in batter and you find no chips inside let that be a cause for concern. Its not to be angle shooted though as they have it angle shoot proof as they dont throw enough chips in there for you to see and say ah thats grand that will do me. They throw a small amount in just to whet the appetite as if to say ''Were sorry you couldnt afford chips but my father always had a tradition to help those in need and i must continue the tradition and you really should have chips anyway so i am compelled to put some in''.
                                                                                                        The Iannelli men take the order and cook the food but its the Iannelli woman than comes to do the money collect and salt&vinegar offer at the end of it. The Iannelli men dont get mired up in the monetary transaction of things.

                                                                                                        Comment


                                                                                                          Hard to follow up straight after a Rounders review but anyway, here goes...


                                                                                                          Restaurant Name: Camden Exchange

                                                                                                          Location: 72 Camden Street, D2

                                                                                                          Website: http://www.camdenexchangedublin.com/camdenexchange.html

                                                                                                          Price Range: €

                                                                                                          Review:

                                                                                                          The building that hosts the Camden Exchange used to be the set of the TV show RAW and in life imitating art, it's now a proper functioning restaurant.

                                                                                                          We had been talking about going in for a while but never really got around to it until yesterday, when I arrived back from a lads overnight trip to Carlingford, a bit hungover, slightly tired and not in the mood for going anywhere too fancy.

                                                                                                          Yesterday was a reasonably bright (almost sunny) day so maybe that made it worse but as soon as you walk into Camden Exchange, you realise just how dark it is inside

                                                                                                          The layout is not like most restaurants. There are some normal tables and chairs but there is also a lot of couches and armchairs with tables put in front of them

                                                                                                          The 'kitchen' is also quite gimmicky in the fact that it is an old truck converted into a kitchen to signify their street food menu

                                                                                                          The staff are laid back and friendly and the music could easily have been downloaded from the TXFM playlist, which is not a bad thing.

                                                                                                          The drinks menu is split into three sections, wine, beer and cocktails. The beer menu looked pretty decent but due to the aforementioned lads overnight trip away, I couldn't face any of it. The cocktail menu perplexed me. A lot of places I go to lately that serve cocktails seem to be trying to outdo each other with cocktails on the menu that I've never heard of before. Call me old fashioned but what's wrong with an old school classic? Another thing that gets up my goat, is messing around with a classic and Camden Exchange are guilty of this with their 'Gin Garden Mojito' No, no, NO!!. Mojito's are made with rum, end of!

                                                                                                          With all the above in mind, I picked a Pinot Grigio from the very limited wine selection but at €27.50, I was disappointed with what we got, it was really bland and tasteless and you probably could have bought better for circa €10 in a bog standard off licence

                                                                                                          Onto the food.

                                                                                                          For starters, I had their 'Camden Exchange Van Sausage Roll with Apple Ketchup' and herself had the Whipped Farm Fresh Chicken Liver Pate, Toasted Sourdough, Red Onion Confit.

                                                                                                          Now, I have to admit, sausage rolls are my guilty pleasure, even if it is a Spar/Mace effort (even though the Applegreen ones are way better) and this sausage roll surpassed them all, this was up there with a serving from Lolly & Cooks - I wolfed it down

                                                                                                          Sadly, the pate wasn't great, it was quite watery which is pity as no restaurant should be getting something like this so wrong.

                                                                                                          For mains, I had the mezze board of moroccan lamb kofta, beet yoghurt, hummus, pickled red onion, toonsbridge feta cheese & olives with flatbread while she opted for the 3 x mini soft tacos of spiced hake goujons, chipotle mayo, avocado, slaw, pickled red onion & coriander with both of us opting for a side portion of chips

                                                                                                          Credit where credit is due, both mains were very tasty and were great value at €8 each. The portions weren't huge but by the time we had finished, we were both nicely full

                                                                                                          It's clearly not a fine dining experience and it's not trying to be either. For value for money, it's very good but it's just trying too hard, especially when it says the following about itself on their website

                                                                                                          The Camden Exchange is all about the exchange of ideas and we believe in providing all our customers with a FUN, CREATIVE and INCLUSIVE environment.

                                                                                                          and

                                                                                                          It's not About Us, it is ABOUT YOU – if you have any ideas or artistic inspirations let us know.

                                                                                                          The bill including a sparkling water came to €35 until we noticed they didn't charge us for the wine. Even though it was pretty crap wine, I'd feel guilty not paying so the revised bill came to €62.50

                                                                                                          It's not somewhere I'd be rushing back to but I would eat there again in the future as it's nice to have informal, cheap, value places to eat. I'd also say the student population would lap their shit up in their droves

                                                                                                          RDIII, on the other hand, would probably have an apoplectic fit and start to foam at the mouth due to the hipster nature of the place.

                                                                                                          6 /10

                                                                                                          Comment


                                                                                                            Originally posted by rounders123 View Post
                                                                                                            First thing first is that Dublin is such a great city and im proud of it. So many buildings we can take for granted. My own favourites are lanes and my favourite is Dame Court. Leading from Dame St to Dame lane is such a great lane and not just because it had a bookies half way up it and a couple of pubs on the other end even though this helps. A warm quiver runs through me every time i havent walked through this lane in a while. Another gem is Crampton Court which leads from Dame st beside Brogans pub/Olympia theatre to Essex st beside Connelly book shop. The view from Brogans out the window to the lane i could look at all weekend as Rosin Ingle would say. But no i couldnt watch it all weekend actually because i would feel the need to go somewhere else during the weekend and would be worried what the bar staff would be thinking of me gazing out the window to the lane all weekend.

                                                                                                            What about the food you say?. You dont worry about that for a while.

                                                                                                            Now Irishtown heres a real hidden gem in Dublin and i mean it. It has somewhat of a reputation but all i can see is good as gold crusty characters. There is a cluster of pubs within betting docket throwing distance in a twilight zone of V shaped one way streets that if you arent fully compos mentis you could look silly walking up and down trying to find somewhere you were in just half an hour ago doing your best act that you actually know where your walking even though you havent a scoobie doo even if your only a couple of drinks in and i should know i was that self appointed prize pup going solo.

                                                                                                            Do they have food there?. What did i tell you only a minute ago dont bleedin worry about that for now. Now there is something you need to know about Irishtown if you want to fit in without causing to much of an alert amongst the locals. Dont seem to eager or act too mannerly. I tried that once and got away with it but the best method to adopt is walk slowly to the bar like you only half mean it and ask for a drink without saying please and you wont raise the suspicions of the locals that you are a detective or anything. ''Got any of that whatdoyoucallit?'' will do just fine.

                                                                                                            The outside of the Irishtown house betrays what lies within. Inside they have 2 screens showing ATR and RUK simultaneously. I was glad i pulled a stool in this locale. One local was heard saying ''Theres too much bleedin racing on'' and quite frankly it wouldnt be the same without these fellows speaking their mind. When the barman was idly roving around collecting emptys i told him i liked the way the pub had both racing channels on simultaneously to which he replied ''pfftt there would be bleedin murder if we didnt''.

                                                                                                            Iannelli's take away is one of the finest Italian chipper take aways in D4 situated within beer sodden crumpled betting docket throwing distance from the Irishtown Inn and is run by i presume the Iannelli family. You must be warned that there is a €5 minimum spend for credit cards to be accepted. The acid test of a bona fide Italian chipper is when you order a few items where chips isnt one of them yet they throw a few chips in anyway and Iannellis is no exception. If you order a spice burger and a sausage in batter and you find no chips inside let that be a cause for concern. Its not to be angle shooted though as they have it angle shoot proof as they dont throw enough chips in there for you to see and say ah thats grand that will do me. They throw a small amount in just to whet the appetite as if to say ''Were sorry you couldnt afford chips but my father always had a tradition to help those in need and i must continue the tradition and you really should have chips anyway so i am compelled to put some in''.
                                                                                                            The Iannelli men take the order and cook the food but its the Iannelli woman than comes to do the money collect and salt&vinegar offer at the end of it. The Iannelli men dont get mired up in the monetary transaction of things.
                                                                                                            From the top drawer.

                                                                                                            Comment


                                                                                                              Rounders, I live and work in the area and always thought the Irishtown Inn was to be avoided at all costs!

                                                                                                              I might give it a spin some day and will definitely try the chipper!

                                                                                                              Comment


                                                                                                                Wandered into the Camden Exchange two weekends ago for post-dinner drinks and although it was quite nice, I realise I'm now too old and too uncool to spend time in such an uber-hipster den. Felt the same the last time I visited the South William Bar (last month at some point), the bar people had the most ridiculous facial hair and I'm sure I seemed like a granddad to them. Sad

                                                                                                                Prior to the Camden Exchange we ate in a restaurant called Damascus Gate further down Camden Street, almost in Portobello. It was excellent value, MASSIVE courses and very reasonable prices. It's also BYOB, which is great. I had some slow-cooked lamb curry-like main and my better half went for a vegetarian dish, both of which were just lovely. We also had starters so were unable for dessert, but each choose one of the exotic teas that were on the menu. Will be back.


                                                                                                                Comment


                                                                                                                  Also I meant to re-recommend The Old Convent near Cahir if anyone is looking for a quiet night away. Went again this year for the anniversary and the dinner is class. This time around it was actually too much food and we couldn't finish the 2nd desert. Actually could barely manage the breakfast the next morning.

                                                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                                                    Originally posted by eoghan104 View Post
                                                                                                                    Rounders, I live and work in the area and always thought the Irishtown Inn was to be avoided at all costs!

                                                                                                                    I might give it a spin some day and will definitely try the chipper!
                                                                                                                    It's the first time ive been and know it had that rep but it's been refurbishef and it's bright and friendly

                                                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                                                      I had one of the best meals I've had in Dublin in a long time at Taste at Rustic a few weeks ago. Menu was a bit confusing at first glance but was explained well (looking on their website this might have been changed since).

                                                                                                                      Probably the best sushi I've had here - the prawn nigiri was incredible. The coal roasted asparagus and sushi rice sides were very tasty. Also had the lamb skewers from the grill. Doughnut sticks for dessert were delicious too. Sat at the bar area so we could see them prepping all the sushi as we ate, interesting to watch. I got out of there for about €120 for 2 of us with 3 or 4 glasses of wine. Will be going back asap.

                                                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                                                        Originally posted by Lao Lao View Post
                                                                                                                        it's just trying too hard, especially when it says the following about itself on their website

                                                                                                                        The Camden Exchange is all about the exchange of ideas and we believe in providing all our customers with a FUN, CREATIVE and INCLUSIVE environment.

                                                                                                                        and

                                                                                                                        It's not About Us, it is ABOUT YOU – if you have any ideas or artistic inspirations let us know.


                                                                                                                        RDIII, on the other hand, would probably have an apoplectic fit and start to foam at the mouth due to the hipster nature of the place.
                                                                                                                        Confirmed
                                                                                                                        "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                                                                        Comment


                                                                                                                          Originally posted by zuutroy View Post
                                                                                                                          Also I meant to re-recommend The Old Convent near Cahir if anyone is looking for a quiet night away. Went again this year for the anniversary and the dinner is class. This time around it was actually too much food and we couldn't finish the 2nd desert. Actually could barely manage the breakfast the next morning.
                                                                                                                          I was there a few weeks ago actually. The missus used to work there and had raved about the dinner and the rooms.

                                                                                                                          I didn't see the rooms but had the tasting menu. Can't really remember much beyond the fact that while I thought it was really nice it wasn't quite at the level of say the meal we had in Thorntons that time.

                                                                                                                          TBF, at what? half the price you wouldn't expect it to be. Excellent value for good food in a nice part of the country I would say.

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