The Restaurant Recommendation Thread

Imagine the queue!

IrishBelle wrote: »

I will definitely give Bunsen a go, but the menu looks extremely limited. I really like Coqbull, and they offer a lot more plus the staff are brilliant imho. If I was with a group of people, Id rather bring them somewhere the menu was a little more expansive. But ill reserve judgement until i try

Its an entirely different eating experience though, Bunsen is more of an upmarket fast food offering, its for something quick to eat not a 90 min 3 course meal.

Mentioned in d'Echo today - Six new restaurants coming to Cork city.

I'd heard the phrase 'melt in the mouth', but never expierienced until I went to Bunsen on Saturday. Far and away the best burger I've ever had, but the ease with how organised everything works blew me away. Arrived at the door and the place was jammers. 30 seconds later, the served had my number in his iPad, and I had a text saying where I was in the table queue, and 10 mins later I got another text to say a table was ready. The menu is beautifully simple and on a business card, so hard to go wrong

Market lane is always my favourite. Good for groups too! A few veggie options and I'm sure if they don't have any lactose free options (which they most likely do) they will sort it in advance.

I was thinking Market Lane probably sounds good too. They are very accommodating, so I think if someone needed to swap for a lactose free side, or something it wouldn't be an issue at all. I have a lactose intolerant family member who would agree! I'm not veggie, but I often have veggie options in there because they are very inventive and tasty.

pwurple wrote: »

Jacobs on the mall, market lane, orso, blackrock castle and cafe paradiso would all be good for restricted diets.

Orso not so much for a larger group though, as much as I love their food.

On a different note I went back to the Meatball Place a few days ago as I'd heard good things since my first visit. I wasn't impressed just after they opened and sadly I am still not impressed.

Got a sub and fries combo (parmagiant or something similar?) and the sub itself was just sad. It was maybe half the size of a 6 inch subway, had a single chicken dipper, a hefty amount of mozarella and a tiny amount of tomato sauce on it. Fries were ok I guess.

Went to Bunsen on Monday night with high expectations but ended up being decidedly underwhelmed.

We were waiting about 40 minutes for a table which was expected and not an issue, the texting system is fabulous and it's great to not have to sit there waiting.

I found the burgers to be sloppy, thrown together messes. The buns weren't toasted and were soggy, with their contents spilling out from the grease when picked up.
I know it isn't a restaurant and it's more of an up market fast food joint but the prices were expensive considering what we got.
For two burgers, two chips and two soft drinks it came to nearly €30 and I've honestly enjoyed burgers from the chipper more than the one I had there. It was all very average.

Service was okay, they made a slight error on our order which is to be expected in the first week of trade so I wouldn't let this reflect on my over all opinion of the place.

I'll give it another try in a couple of months when they're more settled but based on that visit alone I wouldn't return. I will say that I love the Dublin branch though!

As a side note, in our brief hour there I saw 6-7 people I know so I can definitely see it being 'the place to be' for my fellow twenty somethings. I've never had that happen to me in another restaurant.

WhiteRoses wrote: »

Went to Bunsen on Monday night with high expectations but ended up being decidedly underwhelmed.

We were waiting about 40 minutes for a table which was expected and not an issue, the texting system is fabulous and it's great to not have to sit there waiting.

I found the burgers to be sloppy, thrown together messes. The buns weren't toasted and were soggy, with their contents spilling out from the grease when picked up.
I know it isn't a restaurant and it's more of an up market fast food joint but the prices were expensive considering what we got.
For two burgers, two chips and two soft drinks it came to nearly €30 and I've honestly enjoyed burgers from the chipper more than the one I had there. It was all very average.

Service was okay, they made a slight error on our order which is to be expected in the first week of trade so I wouldn't let this reflect on my over all opinion of the place.

I'll give it another try in a couple of months when they're more settled but based on that visit alone I wouldn't return. I will say that I love the Dublin branch though!

As a side note, in our brief hour there I saw 6-7 people I know so I can definitely see it being 'the place to be' for my fellow twenty somethings. I've never had that happen to me in another restaurant.

Went in there yesterday evening. Had a cheese burger with everything. I was surprised at how restrained it was. You could almost call it sparse in terms of toppings - which I actually prefer to to the disintegrating Burgers (which I used enjoy) of Son of a Bun. I have to say I found it excellent.

It's saucy out in terms of price... e.g. 4.50 for a nice but certainly not generous chocolate milkshake (always found SOaB's to wildly inconsistent).

They're definitely finding there feet in terms of work flow, but that's understandable. They need to figure out a space for people who are taking stuff out as well.

Called into Cask last night and eventually managed to snag some seats at the bar. It's clearly still experiencing being the "new thing" with lots of people seeming to be calling in just to check it out. We had several cocktails - the Poachers Pie, the punch and the José O'Reilly were all good but the Orange is the New Black was just weird. Food wise, the large charcuterie board was good as were the pork belly bao buns.

All in all, it's a gorgeous looking spot with a really nice style. It did feel more bar like than cocktail bar.

got 2 bunsen double cheeseburgers over paddy's day sessions and both delicious. both medium which is a nice bit of pink, better than the last 2 times in dublin in temple bar where i asked for medium and they were both well done. still nice but missing something. so bunsen cork now nearly better then Dublin!



boojum is definitely NOT as good as Dublin or Galway. you could tell by the staff, they were just a bit sloppy making up the burrito. like all the sour cream and cheese stuffed down one side and meat the other, i'd to break it up and mix it up. small things like that, they'll be easily fixed over time.

Mumha wrote: »

Any one been to Rachel Allen's new restaurant yet ?

No, but have a booking for Sunday.

Rhinohippo wrote: »

La Calavera. That's the Mexican? Is it expensive?

Much nicer than any of the spots in the city IMO. I don't think it's any more expensive than the others? €6.50 for a burrito maybe. Sweet potato fries with the chipotle mayo are savage too.

I'd love to try Rachel's but definitely it's odd that there's no pricing on the website. Can't wait to hear some feedback here!

Not strictly speaking a restaurant review as we weren't eating, but stood holding my wallet at the bar of Cask for 10 minutes the other night, while a barman made cocktails right in front of me, and about half a dozen other staff criss-crossed behind the bar, with no-one even glancing at me! I left. It wasn't that busy, got seats at the bar immediately. I don't expect instant service in a bar that serves cocktails but jeez, someone should have the courtesy to nod, make eye contact or let me know that they'll be with me shortly!

Malari wrote: »

Not strictly speaking a restaurant review as we weren't eating, but stood holding my wallet at the bar of Cask for 10 minutes the other night, while a barman made cocktails right in front of me, and about half a dozen other staff criss-crossed behind the bar, with no-one even glancing at me! I left. It wasn't that busy, got seats at the bar immediately. I don't expect instant service in a bar that serves cocktails but jeez, someone should have the courtesy to nod, make eye contact or let me know that they'll be with me shortly!

bugs the bejesus out of me, surely a good barman/woman should be able to acknowledge your presence and just a nod will reassure you that you're not forgotten.

Malari wrote: »

I'd love to try Rachel's but definitely it's odd that there's no pricing on the website. Can't wait to hear some feedback here!

I thought someone earlier had mentioned that a Smoker and a BBQ pit was installed there, but the menu on their website doesn't appear to contain what I thought it would.

Nonoperational wrote: »

If you read any of the interviews with her she is very much going for fresh simple food done well.

I expect it to be fresh and well done. And simple can be great but that doesn't have to translate into what are a dull and uninspired choice of offerings. I've no interest in going there after seeing the menu.