Restaurant Guide

Irish Steve

A little gem since the staff changed and the menu was updated.

It used to be a coffee shop, but has now evolved into a full restaurant, and we've just had an excellent meal there, good starter, excellent main course and well made desserts.

So, where am I talking about.

Zorro Bistro in Ratoath, Co Meath, in the courtyard opposite the Church.

Evenings are from Wed to Sunday, and we will be going there again, for all sorts of reasons, the main one being that the food was excellent and well presented, and excellent quality.

LCD

Prego in Kenmare. Excellent pizzas, risotto & pasta. Desserts bit crap though. Nice relaxed atmosphere in the place.

AsianDub

Pig's Ear Nassau Street. Quality food and service.

Lord Trollington

Ate in The Farm Restaurant on Dawson Street on Saturday. Opted for the early bird menu, 3 course for €24 I think it was.

Genuinely cannot fault the place. The food was prepared perfectly and was amazing. The staff were excellent.

Big thumbs up.

LCD

Stopped in here for their 3 course €20 menu. Nice restaurant though a bit lacking in atmosphere. Food was good & an excellent range of choices on the menu. Staff really good.

Tar.Aldarion

Lord Trollington wrote: »

Ate in The Farm Restaurant on Dawson Street on Saturday. Opted for the early bird menu, 3 course for €24 I think it was.

Genuinely cannot fault the place. The food was prepared perfectly and was amazing. The staff were excellent.

Big thumbs up.

Just booked here, 6 vegetarian mains, I feel overwhelmed with choice. Sounds delicious there.

Firehen

Recently went to Thornton's in The Fitzwilliam Hotel on Stephen's Green.

We went for the pre-theatre menu and it was a massive let down. The portions were tiny (even for a top end restaurant), and the food was average. The dessert in particular was nothing better than I'd make myself at home.

I've since spoke to others who've had similar experiences with their pre-theatre menu. I don't know if their other menus are similar quality, but I won't be in a rush to go back to find out. I'd recommend almost anywhere else in Dublin for better value for money.

ajmorno

One of my favourite restaurants at the moment is alexis in dun laoghaire great value and top notch presentation too. Anyone tried damson diner in town?

Kooli

diddlybit wrote: »

Has anyone tried 777 yet? There was a really good review of it in the Times and I really want to try some good Mexican food.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/2012/0225/1224312270656.html

I've been there with a friend, and I really wanted to hate it (it is sooooo wanky), but actually the food was pretty amazing, as were the cocktails. The side order of corn is like crack, I had to order a second portion.

However, I then tried to book a table for 8 people. Here's the procedure - you phone to check availability. If there is availability, you can't book on the phone. You then go to their website and download their booking form. Which is a PDF you can't type on. So you have to print that, fill it out then either scan it and email it back or put it in the post!!! I presume you just keep your fingers crossed that the booking is still available for you (because I presume you won't be the only booking they told it was 'available' for). And you also put your credit card details on the form, because if anyone doesn't show up you are charged €30 for them. Sending credit card details over email???? Genius idea!!!

Needless to say, we booked elsewhere...

BoardsMember

ajmorno wrote: »

One of my favourite restaurants at the moment is alexis in dun laoghaire great value and top notch presentation too. Anyone tried damson diner in town?

Damson is really good, you wont be disappointed. It's casual eating, you kind of order lots of bits and pieces, or that is how we did it. Nice staff, very tasty food. It's quite cool - not a value judgement, one way or another, just lots of cool types in there. I went on date night with her indoors, and she's been abck with the girls. Great cocktails there too actually!

Bateman

Tried Terra Madre the other day, the new Italian on the quays. Beautiful pasta and portion sizes not too big. Free glass of wine as we were waiting a while for a table. Thumbs up and will definitely be back

the beer revolu

Lovely new little South Indian vegetarian café and take away called Iyer's has just opened up on Pope's Quay, Cork just by the foot bridge.
Had lunch there yesterday. Food is really fresh and good - a real light touch with Indian flavours. Very limited menu at the moment and to be honest I hope that doesn't change too much. It is very reasonable too and it's very close to home for me!:D I can see me being a regular there and I hope it does better than the last few occupants in that premises.

Whispered

dudara wrote: »

Chapter One is a great experience

I know you posted this a while ago but I wanted to ask. We were planning on booking a table here, but the only table available in the foreseeable future is a mid week. Is it worth it? Usually prefer to go out weekend.

Also, my husband is worried he'll leave "that posh place" still hungry. Is that something I should worry about.

MissFlitworth

Whispered wrote: »

I know you posted this a while ago but I wanted to ask. We were planning on booking a table here, but the only table available in the foreseeable future is a mid week. Is it worth it? Usually prefer to go out weekend.

Also, my husband is worried he'll leave "that posh place" still hungry. Is that something I should worry about.

I was barely able to waddle out (and I most definitely do not have a delicate ladies appetite), the courses look deceptively small but there's 4 of em and you get petit fours with your coffee. Loved eating there, the staff were so nice, the room was lovely and the food was glorious. You can have a gander at the current menu
here to see if you'd like it

It has a reputation for being expensive, and you could make it very expensive if you went wild with the wine, but I have paid similar for food that wasn't nearly as nice. I think between 2 of us we spent €180 with wine, coffees & tip

grey_so_what

Whispered wrote: »

I know you posted this a while ago but I wanted to ask. We were planning on booking a table here, but the only table available in the foreseeable future is a mid week. Is it worth it? Usually prefer to go out weekend.

Also, my husband is worried he'll leave "that posh place" still hungry. Is that something I should worry about.

That's always the case there imo, I got a gift voucher for there and tried countless times to book a weekend night as going out midweek was not an option and EVERY single time we couldn't get a table - they hold out on weekend bookings for VIPs I was told "by a reliable source"

We threw out the voucher eventually and told the person who bought it not to buy any more (Our boss used to buy them for Christmas presents), which he didn't.

Tar.Aldarion

Wouldn't bother with places like that.

Whispered

grey_so_what wrote: »

That's always the case there imo, I got a gift voucher for there and tried countless times to book a weekend night as going out midweek was not an option and EVERY single time we couldn't get a table - they hold out on weekend bookings for VIPs I was told "by a reliable source"

We threw out the voucher eventually and told the person who bought it not to buy any more (Our boss used to buy them for Christmas presents), which he didn't.

In fairness, I sent an email asking if they had any Friday or Saturday evenings available for Feb or March and received a very polite email back.

We opened the diary for March & April on the 7th of January and I’m afraid all of the Fridays and Saturday dinner sittings went on that morning.
We do have pre theatre dinner available on Fridays and Saturdays throughout March and April if that is of interest? Then there are ample mid week dates available also. We also operate a cancellation list if you have a preferred date we can add your details to it?
We will be opening the diary for May & June on Monday the 4th of March at 9am- if you really want a Friday or Saturday evening I strongly recommend that you phone the restaurant on that morning.

They probably do hold out for the VIP's but who can blame them really. If we go we will be using a voucher, and will be sticking to a strict budget

Although, we can get a night B&B and dinner in a blue book place in Cork for about the same price, so I think we're going to do that instead.

the beer revolu

Whispered wrote: »

Although, we can get a night B&B and dinner in a blue book place in Cork for about the same price, so I think we're going to do that instead.

Where are you thinking?

Whispered

the beer revolu wrote: »

Where are you thinking?

http://www.ahernes.net/home.htm

dudara

Whispered wrote: »

I know you posted this a while ago but I wanted to ask. We were planning on booking a table here, but the only table available in the foreseeable future is a mid week. Is it worth it? Usually prefer to go out weekend.

Also, my husband is worried he'll leave "that posh place" still hungry. Is that something I should worry about.

We were pretty full leaving - we had multiple courses, bottle of wine, coffee & petits fours.

As for the mid-week - that's up to yourself. Will you drink, will it affect work the next morning. That's the basis I'd evaluate on, the restuarant will the same either night.

ajmorno

Whispered wrote: »

In fairness, I sent an email asking if they had any Friday or Saturday evenings available for Feb or March and received a very polite email back.



They probably do hold out for the VIP's but who can blame them really. If we go we will be using a voucher, and will be sticking to a strict budget

Although, we can get a night B&B and dinner in a blue book place in Cork for about the same price, so I think we're going to do that instead.

Ye chapter one is constantly booked out but it would be considered by many the best restaurant in the country. I've finally fit a booking there after many attempts for a Saturday at 8, I've been to most of the other michelin started restaurant and can't wait to try chapter one I'll be going all out with tasting menu and wine pairing

Brian

The Chapter One menu looks rather dull and unimaginative.

Whispered

Brian wrote: »

The Chapter One menu looks rather dull and unimaginative.

Yeah I can't afford to go either

:pac:

Random_Person

Brian wrote: »

The Chapter One menu looks rather dull and unimaginative.

Eat there and you will realise how wrong you are!

Brian

Whispered wrote: »

Yeah I can't afford to go either

:pac:

Haha, when you have audio and photography as hobbies, dining out is pretty cheap by comparison

Mr Simpson

Brian wrote: »

The Chapter One menu looks rather dull and unimaginative.

Its really not. The food is superb

Tar.Aldarion

Dunno if the veggie menu is worth 55e with the big one option but I'd like to give it a try some time.

dudara

Brian wrote: »

The Chapter One menu looks rather dull and unimaginative.

I think it's more a case of a simply written menu, rather than dull food.

ajmorno

Anyone been to the winding stair I've heard good things? The place looks really nice it's in an old book shop or library

Bateman

Have heard nothing but positive reviews of the Winding Stair and keep meaning to try it.

In European football, it's customary for the visiting team's visiting directors to dine with the host team the night before the game, and a couple of years ago Shamrock Rovers brought a Juventus delegation to the Winding Stair. It's highly rated.