Restaurants

mikeybhoy

Not sure if this is just a Dublin thing but I have noticed that in nearly all the restaurants I've been in lately have upped their prices whilst quality has very much gone downhill.

The food has gotten very poor and bland in a lot of places must be using cheaper ingredients whilst upping prices and the service isn't generally great either.

I ordered a Coke for example recently and it was out of one of those gun thingys as opposed out of a bottle or can didn't even taste like real coke. This used to be a decent restaurant up until recently. Another place I went to recently was absolutely freezing they clearly didn't want the cost of turning the heating on at least the food was warm but still very bland.

It's a shame I used to enjoy eating out but if all he restaurants I used to like have all gone to sh1t I won't be in a hurry. Anyone why this is or is it just me?

Caranica

Hard to comment without knowing where. I've mainly eaten in Asian cuisine restaurants lately and the food has always been great. Soft drinks in bottles or cans.

odyssey06

Prices seem to have gone up across the board.

From scanning menus seems to be a much narrower menu \ variety on offer.

Was in local Pakistani restaurant recently in D5 and the service was excellent, background music at right volume, temperature fine. Had an ok selection of wine by the glass starting from €6.

Food was nice, still running early bird. And early bird is only midweek.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120309050#Comment_120309050

Taza?

One of the best kept secrets on the Northside, tbh.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120309071#Comment_120309071

ix-nay on the aza-tay!

Caranica

Menus shrank after the lockdowns and early bird menus all but vanished. Eating out can be expensive now but it really depends on where you go. Vote with your feet and your wallet.

Wishbone Ash

There was a time when any restaurant/cafe doing a full Irish breakfast always included tea/coffee in the price but, post Covid, it seems to be extra almost everywhere now.

Travel is good

The Mad Hatter in Prussia St. Dublin 7, includes the tea/coffee, about €8 for the small breakfast. It’s across the road from Tescos. I also love the Baxter and Greenes, 3rd floor in Dunnes, Henry St, the tea/coffee is included in the special offer breakfast price (€5.25 for 5 items).

Yes, I’ve noticed the lack of early birds/lunch specials. I think some places are having problems recruiting staff, hence the bad customer service in some places. I was talking to the owner of a city centre cafe and he said the bad service was a big problem.

Travel is good

Thanks to odyssey06, that Taza looks lovely. I think you’ve helped to increase their business. It’s great to hear about a genuinely good place with EB/lunch special.

John_Rambo

I have a few restaurant clients. Ingredients have increased massively in price since the Ukraine invasion (we can see that in our own shopping receipt) & there's a real problem with staff... chefs, kitchen porters & waiting staff. Trying to recruit & retain staff is issue with most of my clients in all sectors.

Edit.. Taza have opened in Raheny too.

mikeybhoy

Get that but not an excuse for decline in quality. I don't mind paying more if the quality is the same standard as pre covid but it isn't. Even simple things like spray gun Cola being served as opposed to proper Coca Cola in a can or bottle.

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343697#Comment_120343697

What restaurant was that? It's a fairly unusual set up for a regular one, was it a large bar that does food?

I certainly haven't seen much of a change in quality in any of the restaurants I frequent, just a price increase and I'm not seeing any change in suppliers or ingredients in the ones I work for.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120345705#Comment_120345705

Dublin City centre Italian restaurant. Chefs must change regularly in this place because it can be very hit and miss and the menu seems to be different everytime I'm there. Now it wouldn't be somewhere I'd go all the time but if I'm in town doing a bit of shopping or the like this where I'd usually go.

John_Rambo

A changing menu is a good thing (usually) but you're spot on about chefs changing, that's a problem at the moment and results in the steak you had three weeks ago and loved being completely different when you visit the next time. I'm creating chefs playbooks for restaurants to try and keep consistency with the revolving doors.

And... to further bolster your points I have in the last two days heard bad reviews on restaurants by regulars who would be fairly loyal devotees so I stand corrected, it seems some may have dropped quality.

But, believe me, it's hard to make money in a restaurant these days.

mvt

Bell Pesto cafe in James St includes excellent coffee with it's full Italian breakfast,well worth checking out.