Eat Your Way Around Ireland

Dizzyblonde · 14-06-2021 10:34pm #1

With restaurants beginning to open up again and a lot more people stying in Ireland for holidays this year it seems like a good time to have a thread for countrywide restaurant recommendations.

So, let's kick off with Black Sheep's post from the Here's What I Had For Dinner thread

Black Sheep wrote: »

I wasn't quite sure where to put this... I'm surprised there isn't a dedicated restaurant reviews thread (Or was there one, and it fell out of use?)

I was lucky enough to do a tasting menu at the Cliff House (Waterford) since restrictions allowed it again.

The Cliff House has had a Michelin star for a number of consecutive years, and when the original head chef, Martijn Kajuiter, was there it was one of the first places that really opened my eyes to how enjoyable fine dining could be.

This was my first time eating there since Ian Doyle replaced Kajuiter... Not sure if Doyle is actually in the kitchen, he's the executive chief and I think there's possibly a different head chef in there most of the time. Doyle came back to Ireland from Stockholm restaurant Oaxen Krog, which actually has two Michelin stars. I had high expectations.

They've eliminated any a la carte options, now everyone is on the tasting menu, which remains 8-10 courses depending on how you count. The price has dropped, but perhaps to facilitate that the course sizes have dipped.

In terms of the food, I felt it was a little disappointing. Like Aimsir they have really opted to put Irish ingredients to the fore, which is wonderful in many ways, but several courses felt a little like it was more a case of showcasing their flexibility and creativity versus putting the absolute best plate of food they could on the table. Although Kajuiter had a reputation for being a bit of a wild man in terms of what came out of the kitchen, I think it was predominantly in a visual sense, his ingredient choices and flavour combinations were quite classical. It was still Michelin starred food, but there were no stand out courses and a general lack of the "wow factor" that you expect with a tasting menu from a Michelin starred chef. Probably the closest I came was the duck course, where we were served a phenomenal sliver of Comeragh mountain duck. Probably the best prepared duck I've ever had.

To an extent it's a question of my personal preferences, but the wine pairings were also frustrating. In an effort to be a bit different I think they stretched too far. There was a gin-based mixed drink early on in lieu of a wine, then two light red wines in a row, one of them with a fish course, and the dessert courses' pairings were also a bit too maverick for my taste... An aged cider from Stonewell for one, and a Riesling for the other. Maybe I'm becoming a bit staid in my tastes but I guess I'd suggest they went a bit too far out there in their choices.

I would suggest those who have eaten in JP McMahon's Aniar (Galway), and in Aimsir (Kildare) might get the most out of a meal like this, in terms of which other Michelin starred Irish restaurants it was most akin to.

Gloomtastic! · 15-06-2021 1:25pm

I've been wondering where to post this and I think this place would be perfect.

Was recently travelling on the M1 towards Dublin and called into the Castlebellingham Service Station for something to eat. Decided to go with ChopStix and had their Sweet & Sour Chicken with Noodles to go.

The Noodles tasted awful. Just a really unpleasant taste to them so I gave up after a couple of forkfuls. The S&S Chicken pieces, apart from the sauce, didn't taste of anything really.

Worst thing I've eaten in a long time. Avoid! :mad:

15-06-2021 1:30pm

Pink's Cantina and Grill in Waterford

Was there over the weekend and the food was exceptional. Fine sized portions at hospitable prices.

The place is like something you'd come across on holiday - very, very unique for Ireland.

furiousox · 15-06-2021 1:36pm

Nancy's Barn in Clonmany Donegal is really nice.
Sherpa in Buncrana is a nice Indian restaurant.
D'Vine and Simonas in Drogheda both very good.

dxhound2005 · 15-06-2021 3:53pm

There are 213 pages of Drogheda Restaurant Reviews in the Louth forum (Regional, North East). Only 2 pages of Dundalk Restaurant Reviews, no recent activity.

I don't know if these reviews are a feature of other County forums?

Dizzyblonde · 15-06-2021 4:01pm

dxhound2005 wrote: »

There are 213 pages of Drogheda Restaurant Reviews in the Louth forum (Regional, North East). Only 2 pages of Dundalk Restaurant Reviews, no recent activity.

I don't know if these reviews are a feature of other County forums?

Yes, I think most regions have restaurant reviews but it's good to have a general one here in the Food forum

HeidiHeidi · 15-06-2021 4:07pm

If anyone is touring around NW Donegal (and why wouldn't you??!!), I can recommend Teach Coll in Magheraroarty, overlooking the beach and islands - the food is just gorgeous, it's great value. Lovely pints too!

They've just started doing takeaway, so I don't know what the schedule will be for getting back to full indoor dining - but well worth checking out if you're in the vicinity.

Also, the Rusty Oven behind Patsy Dan's pub in Dunfanaghy has really gorgeous sourdough pizzas.

Both are very busy when at full tilt, so booking necessary.

Black Sheep · 15-06-2021 5:57pm

The Rusty Oven is exceptional... The queues are ferocious if you don’t book ahead. But it’s a great setting, it has quite an unusual boho feel to it. The pizza is light and flaky but has some of the elasticity of Neapolitan style, works great.

From there I would recommend Batch in nearby Falcarragh for high end coffee, brunch and treats. It’s as if Two Boys Brew (Phibsborough) was up and transplanted to Donegal.

Incidentally, I think there should be a restaurant review master thread in this forum. The idea of a regional thread in each separate forum is not practical. Easy to follow, post in and enjoy one big thread... But no one is going to go from sub forum to sub forum. Threads like that in multiple forums won’t all get the traffic to survive, either... Whereas a super thread here would live forever

Coopaloop · 15-06-2021 6:15pm

Sligo....Coach Lane @donaghys in sligo town is a really good place to eat. Also, sherwood lane in celbridge, kildare, only opened during lockdown, so only had the chance to eat takeaway, but it was amazing.

Mystery Egg · 15-06-2021 9:24pm

Black Sheep wrote: »

Incidentally, I think there should be a restaurant review master thread in this forum. The idea of a regional thread in each separate forum is not practical. Easy to follow, post in and enjoy one big thread... But no one is going to go from sub forum to sub forum. Threads like that in multiple forums won’t all get the traffic to survive, either... Whereas a super thread here would live forever

That's what this thread is

Black Sheep · 15-06-2021 10:39pm

Mystery Egg wrote: »

That's what this thread is

Yes, I could have been clearer- I mean that it’s a positive development!

Chimac (Angier St, Dublin)...

Deliveroo order of a double sized “good good” chicken burger, chicken nuggets with toffee Siracha sauce, fries and a cucumber salad. All travelled better than expected.

I’m a sucker for this cheese sauce and Korean style fried chicken business. It’s a “sometimes food”, though, as the Cookie Monster would say.

Tree · 16-06-2021 12:26am

We got wanky chips and curry in Spanish Point, Co. Clare. The Armada hotel has some food trucks outside. Chips were decent and the view was great.

Dizzyblonde · 16-06-2021 9:12am

Tree wrote: »

We got wanky chips and curry in Spanish Point, Co. Clare. The Armada hotel has some food trucks outside. Chips were decent and the view was great.

:pac:

Toulouse · 16-06-2021 9:35am

Black Sheep wrote: »

Yes, I could have been clearer- I mean that it’s a positive development!

Chimac (Angier St, Dublin)...

Deliveroo order of a double sized “good good” chicken burger, chicken nuggets with toffee Siracha sauce, fries and a cucumber salad. All travelled better than expected.

I’m a sucker for this cheese sauce and Korean style fried chicken business. It’s a “sometimes food”, though, as the Cookie Monster would say.

I was really excited when this place opened up, even more so because they use free-range chicken but was very underwhelmed when I went. My chicken burger was dry because the coating they use had come away from the meat and some of it had come into direct contact with the oil. The burger as a whole was bland. The nuggets had a strange texture and were greasy. Maybe we got them on a bad day considering your review but that visit certainly put paid to any return trips.

tscul32 · 16-06-2021 1:59pm

I ate in The Greenery on the coast road in Malahide last night - food was fabulous. Seafood pasta with mussels, prawns, cod and salmon. I'm usually not a massive mussel fan but they were delicious.

Black Sheep · 16-06-2021 2:04pm

Toulouse wrote: »

I was really excited when this place opened up, even more so because they use free-range chicken but was very underwhelmed when I went. My chicken burger was dry because the coating they use had come away from the meat and some of it had come into direct contact with the oil. The burger as a whole was bland. The nuggets had a strange texture and were greasy. Maybe we got them on a bad day considering your review but that visit certainly put paid to any return trips.

It's interesting you say that, I've a friend who has eaten there a few times and felt they are really inconsistent in terms of what they put out. He recommends Happy Endings as a good alternative (I like them too, but I don't find them markedly better than Chimac).

I've gotten takeaway from Chimac three times and was happy each time. However, now that you say it, on one or two of the nuggets there was the fault you mention - the coating had come off and the chicken was a little rubbery in that area as a result of overcooking.

For me a large part of why I like this is the cheese sauce, I'm not joking when I say I will go anywhere that is offering this with some kind of spicy chicken option.

Black Sheep · 16-06-2021 2:12pm

Happy Endings (Aston Quay) did a 'pop up' today, they offered a menu of bahn mi sandwiches and some sides under the name Maggi's.

I dropped in for a gai yang chicken bahn mi. Chopped marinaded chicken thigh, house mayo, pickled red chillies, cucumber, lemongrass and served on a well-baked baguette, and got a side of lime and chilli slaw.

The baguette was what I'd hoped for, properly crispy on the outside but fluffy on the inside. For a moment when I was walking in I had a horrible fear that I was going to get a Cuisine de France effort, but ... no.

I've got no frame of reference for how "authentic" this is, or otherwise, but the fillings amounted to something nicely balanced in terms of having a good herbal, light flavour but still some punch from the chilli content.

What I would say is that the photo they are using to promote the sandwich is about 50% bigger and more aesthetic than the reality, which was fine but much more modest.

The slaw was also good but unremarkable.

Nine euro for the banh mi, can't recall what the slaw was.

Overall it was pleasant, but if they were to make this a regular part of the menu I wouldn't order again.

The service and friendliness at Happy Endings is one of the things that stands out about them. The chap at the front is there to sell their food and make stuff happen, he's not just "phoning in" his workday, which I like.

Toulouse · 16-06-2021 2:15pm

Black Sheep wrote: »

It's interesting you say that, I've a friend who has eaten there a few times and felt they are really inconsistent in terms of what they put out. He recommends Happy Endings as a good alternative (I like them too, but I don't find them markedly better than Chimac).

I've gotten takeaway from Chimac three times and was happy each time. However, now that you say it, on one or two of the nuggets there was the fault you mention - the coating had come off and the chicken was a little rubbery in that area as a result of overcooking.

For me a large part of why I like this is the cheese sauce, I'm not joking when I say I will go anywhere that is offering this with some kind of spicy chicken option.

Obviously not glad to hear they have issues with consistency but I am glad that some people might have had some good food. It really is a pity though.

I looked at Happy Endings but they don’t mention that their chicken is Irish and free range which is a must for me if I’m eating chicken so my next fried chicken experience will be Chicc (when I’ve finished re-visiting all my favourite burger joints

)

Gloomtastic! · 20-06-2021 11:22pm

If you fancy a quick trip out to the country….. We went out to the Anglers Rest in Chapelizod today. Eating outside in another world, 20 minutes from the centre of Dublin (on a Sunday).

https://theanglersrest.ie/

Food was very good, though the Black Sole with the potato was amazing. Unfortunately, Mrs G! had that. She gave me a forkful. On Father’s Day. :rolleyes:

Black Sheep · 21-06-2021 8:51am

Can't go wrong with black sole, in fairness, it's one of those fish where less is more and if the chef just lets it be itself then it can sing on the plate.

Had a few bites in Donegal recently.

Michaengelo's (Narin, Portnoo). This is actually a restaurant located in a golf club, which is a little improbable. The menu, at first glance, appears quite banal... Burgers, steak and so on.... But they can really cook. I've eaten here a number of times and the full menu has some very very good dishes like a crab linguini which is exceptional. They get a lot of small details right, even with the limited outdoor seating menu they are currently running. I had a burger and it was served up nicely moist and 'medium to well' cooked... Not red enough to have an older generation of Irish people sending it back as "red raw" but definitely avoiding the well done rubberiness common in a lot of places doing thick puck-style burgers. To start I had a seafood chowder that is amongst the best I have ever had.

Also:-

The Boathouse (Killybegs). Very much a seafood restaurant, as you'd expect from the setting. It looks out onto the harbour. I had another seafood chowder to start, and it fell into the regrettable error of overdoing the cream, to the point that it was ... A bowl of hot cream and fish. For mains I had a good but unexceptional halibut, mashed potato and black pudding dish. My dining partner had black sole on the bone, which I am told was very good, possibly the best black sole she has ever had.

I traipsed a good way through Donegal this year and last year, and although I would continue to recommend the likes of Batch (Falcarragh) and The Rusty Oven (Dunfanaghy), if people can get over the weirdness of eating in a golf club bar, I think my favourite is actually Michelangelo's.

Nancy's Bar (Ardara) is also superb in terms of its seafood offerings, and moreso the pokey bar setting, but it's currently closed.

For a sit-down meal with flashes of country brilliance, Woodhill House (Ardara) is also worth a look. Very warm service from the Yates family who operate it.

retalivity · 21-06-2021 8:59am

Black Sheep wrote: »

It's interesting you say that, I've a friend who has eaten there a few times and felt they are really inconsistent in terms of what they put out. He recommends Happy Endings as a good alternative (I like them too, but I don't find them markedly better than Chimac).

I've gotten takeaway from Chimac three times and was happy each time. However, now that you say it, on one or two of the nuggets there was the fault you mention - the coating had come off and the chicken was a little rubbery in that area as a result of overcooking.

For me a large part of why I like this is the cheese sauce, I'm not joking when I say I will go anywhere that is offering this with some kind of spicy chicken option.

Chimac is poor, burgers are just a sloppy mess and portions are tiny.
I'm a big fan of Korean chicken, and Chimac is not that. Go to Kimchi on Parnell St or Drunken fish in the IFSC for actual Chi-maek.

notAMember · 21-06-2021 10:47am

For chowder, the best I've ever tasted in Ireland was in Bastion, Kinsale a few years ago. Perfect balance of fish flavour, very light on the cream. They have changed to more of a tasting menu setup since that, and won their michelin star a few of years ago. Well worth a trip.

They are working on a new menu for their re-opening soon, and it's one of my favourite places in the country. Really looking forward to it!

Dede in Baltimore, Co. Cork has a star now also, I haven't been yet, but it's on my list.

Ichigo Ichie in Cork city is another very special spot. The menu and textures can be challenging for european tastes, but always an adventurous evening of food there.

I'm not sure if it's the spectacular surroundings or the food I prefer here, but the Boathouse in Dromquinna is a beautiful spot. At the moment, they are accepting reservations from residents only, which is a shame. Hopefully next year there will be more availability

Black Sheep · 21-06-2021 1:47pm

retalivity wrote: »

Chimac is poor, burgers are just a sloppy mess and portions are tiny.
I'm a big fan of Korean chicken, and Chimac is not that. Go to Kimchi on Parnell St or Drunken fish in the IFSC for actual Chi-maek.

I've eaten in Kimchi a few times and I like it, it's a lot of fun. However, the menu, setting and model in general are totally different to Chimac, they're not competitors. Kimchi = old man pub with pints serving sushi and the korean dishes in fairly traditional asian restaurant style.... Chimac = upmarket chicken fast food place?

Chimac may borrow elements from Korean cooking but it's also not explicitly attempting to be authentic I don't think, despite the name!

I wouldn't agree on the portion sizes at all either, to be honest. I ordered a chicken burger the first time there and also some loaded fries, and could barely touch the fries. But I guess it's relative to what your expectations are about portion sizes.

Speaking of Kimchi though, for bibimap and korean wings Brothers Dosirak on Capel Street used to be decent, although I haven't been there in a while.

retalivity · 21-06-2021 2:35pm

Black Sheep wrote: »

I've eaten in Kimchi a few times and I like it, it's a lot of fun. However, the menu, setting and model in general are totally different to Chimac, they're not competitors. Kimchi = old man pub with pints serving sushi and the korean dishes in fairly traditional asian restaurant style.... Chimac = upmarket chicken fast food place?

Chimac may borrow elements from Korean cooking but it's also not explicitly attempting to be authentic I don't think, despite the name!

I wouldn't agree on the portion sizes at all either, to be honest. I ordered a chicken burger the first time there and also some loaded fries, and could barely touch the fries. But I guess it's relative to what your expectations are about portion sizes.

Speaking of Kimchi though, for bibimap and korean wings Brothers Dosirak on Capel Street used to be decent, although I haven't been there in a while.

Think Brothers Dosirak is gone unfortunately, it was pretty good and the main guy is a gent.

Patsy167 · 21-06-2021 4:13pm

Hillbilly's up in Rathmines is a better bet if you're looking for good takeout chicken

Black Sheep · 24-06-2021 4:21pm

Had a chance to try Benedict's, in George's Arcade, Georges Street, Dublin.

The menu is four egg sandwiches. There's a plain one with chives and 'breakfast sauce', one with bacon, one with salmon etc.

Served in a brioche bun, the eggs are the star of the show... Gently folded, golden and nicely seasoned.

Had my second dose of vaccine yesterday and I'm a bit out of it, I didn't quite enjoy this as much as I might another day, eggs are funny, they can be either very comforting or play into nauseau.

Dave_The_Sheep · 24-06-2021 4:39pm

I'll be in Kilkenny with a few friends in September, and we've Friday sorted in the Lady Helen, but looking for somewhere in Kilkenny town itself for the Saturday. We've narrowed it down to the Butcher steakhouse, Ristorante Rinuccini and possibly Petronellas. Any reviews from anyone down that way? I've heard good things from a few locals but always happy for more opinions.

Gloomtastic! · 24-06-2021 5:36pm

Black Sheep wrote: »

Had a chance to try Benedict's, in George's Arcade, Georges Street, Dublin.

The menu is four egg sandwiches. There's a plain one with chives and 'breakfast sauce', one with bacon, one with salmon etc.

Served in a brioche bun, the eggs are the star of the show... Gently folded, golden and nicely seasoned.

Had my second dose of vaccine yesterday and I'm a bit out of it, I didn't quite enjoy this as much as I might another day, eggs are funny, they can be either very comforting or play into nauseau.

I love this 'no choice' menu idea for restaurants. Do what you do really well and you'll be grand. Bunsen Burger is another. I was in Brussels a few years ago and went out for lunch. No menu, they just gave you the 3 courses of the day. Place was jammed.

(Don't get me started on Supermacs!) :rolleyes:

Tom Mann Centuria · 24-06-2021 5:49pm

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

I'll be in Kilkenny with a few friends in September, and we've Friday sorted in the Lady Helen, but looking for somewhere in Kilkenny town itself for the Saturday. We've narrowed it down to the Butcher steakhouse, Ristorante Rinuccini and possibly Petronellas. Any reviews from anyone down that way? I've heard good things from a few locals but always happy for more opinions.

Petronellas was lovely the last time I was in there, if you have any vegetarians/vegans in your party definitely go there (though if you're thinking of the steakhouse you probably don't!). It's quite quirky/intimate and good value for money. That'd be my pick (though I'm veggie, my family when they visit are all meat eaters and have all liked it there)

Rinucinni's is nice but not the cheapest, never eaten in the Steakhouse. Another couple of options, La Rivista is nice, and if you fancy a very reasonably priced Michelin star restaurant Campangne is lovely. Or Asian street food type place Aroi. There's plenty of others too, Kilkenny is blessed with a fair few nice eateries.

Dave_The_Sheep · 24-06-2021 5:56pm

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

and if you fancy a very reasonably priced Michelin star restaurant Campangne is lovely.

Been there several times alright, always excellent. I did hear that it might have changed ownership, any truth to that, do you know?

Tom Mann Centuria · 24-06-2021 6:11pm

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

Been there several times alright, always excellent. I did hear that it might have changed ownership, any truth to that, do you know?

Now that I don't know, but a colleague at work is the original owners friend so I'll ask next time I see her.

barneygumble99 · 24-06-2021 6:23pm

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

I'll be in Kilkenny with a few friends in September, and we've Friday sorted in the Lady Helen, but looking for somewhere in Kilkenny town itself for the Saturday. We've narrowed it down to the Butcher steakhouse, Ristorante Rinuccini and possibly Petronellas. Any reviews from anyone down that way? I've heard good things from a few locals but always happy for more opinions.

Rinnucinis is very good, way nicer than petronella. Butcher is good. Zuni is very good. Never eaten in Campagne. You could also try Lyrath, about a mile outside the city.

Toulouse · 25-06-2021 9:01am

Can totally recommend Campagne - always a great experience! Didn’t hear anything about new owners though.

Black Sheep · 25-06-2021 4:05pm

Social Fabric Cafe, Stoneybatter.

This is a nice little cafe that offers a menu mainly composed of cooked to order hot sandwiches and wraps. The one or two outliers on the menu are egg dishes that come in a box.

Prices are 7.50 and upwards but these sandwiches arey hefty blue-collar yokes, substantial to say the least. The cooking has some signs of the fancy new wave toastie thing that other places are championing, but it's overall fairly humble cooking.

I had a cuban toastie today... Chicken, ham, pork, pickles, mustard etc. 9.50. Sizeable.

I've also enjoyed their breakfast burrito and if you want a real gut-buster in terms of portion size the chicken cutlet sandwich is huge.

If compare it to Griolladh, which receives rave reviews, I think the cooking is on a par (TBH not sure Griolladh lives up to the hype). Somewhere like Meltdown probably is a bit more innovative in terms of its offerings.

Black Sheep · 28-06-2021 10:15am

Shouk, Drumcondra.

Probably the best Middle Eastern take out / delivery option in Dublin, in my view.

If you want a handy lunch then hard to beat their chicken shawarma. Comes in a soft but elastic pitta (Almost like neapolitan pizza dough), full of marinaded chicken thigh, salad etc. Had one of these for a lazy dinner last night.

For the hungry a great option is to order their large mezze, which gives you pitta, several salads and dips and a bag of falafel. Then add in something like Arayes - deep fried lamb mince in pitta - or grill your own steak at home and serve up with the mezze.

The only warning I would give about Shouk is that they run on their own time... If your collection time is 6pm then it's not uncommon to still be there waiting (along with everyone else) at 6:30 / 6:45. They seem to actually be a lot quicker if you Deliveroo, that's the only way I order from them now.

HeidiHeidi · 28-06-2021 6:39pm

Was in Kinsale for the last week - food highlights were at the Bulman pub (we ate dinner there twice), nicest calamari and fish'n'chips I think I've ever had, no exaggeration. Everyone raved about the food there.

We got amazing sandwiches for lunch out sailing from a small cafe, FoodU, beside the Trident.

Had a lovely meal in the Spaniard last night - rang at 8.15pm, galloped over before last orders for the kitchen at 8.45pm, and had one of the best chowders I've ever had, and great fish'n'chips again.

We had a terribly disappointing meal in the Trident one night. Less said about that the better.

As per the post above, Shouk in Drumcondra is amazing. I've only got takeaway from there a couple of times, but it's the real deal. The mezze platter fed me dinner for nearly 3 days!

Dave_The_Sheep · 06-09-2021 11:40pm

Based on a few recommendations in this thread, heading to Kilkenny and Restaurant Rinuccini on Friday, followed by the Lady Helen on Saturday. Really really looking forward to it.

Was out in Clifden there for a weekend a month or so ago, was in Mitchell's. Seafood place and while I was apprehensive (given it's a very touristy town) - it was very good to be fair. Far better than the hotel we stayed at (meals were paret of the deal). We were in Abbeyglen Castle and while the food there was grand, it was nothing special. Good without being anything to write home about. Would happily recommend Mitchell's though.

furiousox · 07-09-2021 6:42am

Ate at The Lemon Tree restaurant in Letterkenny recently and it was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had.

Great food, lovely decor, friendly and attentive service.

Highly recommended!

Lemon Tree - Home (thelemontreerestaurant.com)

HeidiHeidi · 07-09-2021 10:04am

I was back in Kinsale at the weekend, and we lucked out with getting an early table at The Black Pig - and OMG, it was absolutely gorgeous!!!

Best meal of any I've had in a long time, including all the other ones I raved about in Kinsale earlier in the summer (the Bulman runs them a close second, although we didn't eat there this time round).

Créme Brulée to die for 😍

pottokblue · 07-09-2021 10:17am

Fresh Perwinkles from Lissadell Sligo, simply yumyum

Black Sheep · 08-09-2021 6:44pm

I visited White Rabbit this evening, which has replaced Brothers Dosirak in their pitch at the back of an Asian Market on Capel Street.

Originally I was hoping to go to Dash Burger, in their new spot at 159 Capel Street, but they were closed... Can't find details on opening hours yet anywhere, their Instagram page is entertaining (a lot of caps lock posting by the owner) but no times / days yet.

Anyway, White Rabbit feels like a natural successor to Brothers Dosirak in that it's a Korean restaurant, but the menu is less traditional and more dirty street food orientated. They do a range of korean chicken, a k-chicken burger, a k-burger and a selection of cupbap, which are very similar to bibimap. A mixture of shredded vegetables on a bed of rice, topped with a fried egg, and served with a choice of non-traditional meat (I had korean chicken balls in hot sauce). The other element to the menu, and what was clearly the main draw for Koreans visiting, is a selection of home-made corn dogs... Sausage, sausage and cheese, cheese and potato etc. I have no idea if this is a common thing, that corndogs are big in Korean street food / fast food, but while I was there literally everyone else who came in just ordered various corndogs.

Price wise a cupbap is just under a tenner, but the korean chicken is pricier. Seems to be aimed at sharing between 2-3. A platter of korean chicken is 20 euro and the only way to get a smaller portion seemed to be to order korean chicken balls, size regular, for 8 euros.

Dave_The_Sheep · 09-09-2021 1:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117857097#Comment_117857097

Checked out the menu off the back of the recommendation. 13.50 for mushrooms on toast, anchovies for a fiver, Cauliflower Salad again for 13.50!?

That's pretty pricey. I mean I get it's a wine bar and not a restaurant but jaysus that's asking a lot.

HeidiHeidi · 09-09-2021 7:21am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117866213#Comment_117866213

Four of us ate handsomely (and we were starving) - starters, mains, some were sharing plates, and one dessert with 4 spoons - with 2 bottles of very nice wine and a few bottles of sparkling water for €50 a head (including a generous tip) - for food that good, that's value in my book. And the food was really, really good.

the beer revolu · 10-09-2021 11:20am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117866213#Comment_117866213

I think we're going to have to get used to these kind of prices. Food prices both at takeaway level and casual dining seem to have increased dramatically.

Fish and chips that was €8.50 pre pandemic is now €11 or €12. €10 sandwiches are becoming the norm.

Last week I paid €11 for two thumb sized (I don't have very big hands 😊) arancini with a bit of dressing. It was, without doubt, the worst value plate of food I've ever purchased.

Sadly, it seems that this is becoming the norm!

Dave_The_Sheep · 14-09-2021 9:10pm

So, an eventful weekend (it finished with a horribly stressful twenty or so hour search for a missing cat, happily we got him back) with two restaurants in Kilkenny is over and done with.

Ristorante Rinuccini was up first. They were unfortunately out of porchetta, because that was going to be nailed on, so I had very tasty scallop starter and a delicious black sole main. Partner got calamari and a cheese ravioli that was lovely. Three of us loved our food, one thought it was just OK, but I suspect that was down to bad menu choices on his part (his prawn main wasn't to his tastes). Wine was very nice. Four of us got three courses and two bottles of wine with an after dinner aperitif, came to just under three hundred including a tip. A little pricey, perhaps, but thoroughly enjoyable for that. Probably helped it was one of the first times back out again in a decent restaurant since this time last year.

Lady Helen up next, we opted for the nine course taster menu with the accompanying wines. It was all pretty top notch stuff, highlights were actually one of the amuse bouches which was a broth with mushroom and other bits and pieces in it (**** divine), the two mains (turbot and a squab pigeon dish, sauces on both were incredible) and a potato and truffle raviolo. Oddly with the wines, we only got the one red wine of the nine courses, one rose and the rest were varieties of white. I don't pretend to know much about wine, just we noticed it was odd - no complaints though, it all worked rather well together. Staff and presentation all to the level you'd expect at a Michelin star place. Would happily endorse without fear of giving a bad recommendation. Excellent stuff.

All in all a very enjoyable weekend, two very very nice meals and a stay in Mount Juliet (nice place). Expensive for sure, but not as if you'd be doing it often, nor have we been able to spend any money for the last year or so going out.

The One Doctor · 23-09-2021 9:32am

The Lime Kiln - Julianstown

Fantastic every time I go there. Reasonable prices, great food and good service.

LaLa - Balbriggan

Never knew this was here, it's amazing. Food is phenomenal, setting is gorgeous and staff are lovely. High-end cafe/brunch dining. Well worth a visit from anywhere in Dublin/Meath/Louth.

Black Sheep · 29-09-2021 12:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117892145#Comment_117892145

On the matching wines...

This is a pitfall of going with the sommelier's choices sometimes... Their vision for what is a good pairing might be at odds with what your tastes are.

I've had pairings where, as you mention, there was clearly a trend away from reds. Over several courses if the only reds have been quite light then I would be a bit sad about that. For me ideally I would be happy to see a lighter bodied red AND a more old-school full-bodied red.

Another recent pet peeve is where cider is substituted where traditionally there would have been a desert wine - a port, muscat or whatever. I've had two Irish tasting menus of late where the desert course was paired with an aged cider from an Irish producer. Both, respectfully, felt like a case of the sommelier restaurant "pulling on the green jersey" and show-casing local produce rather than going with the best option.

I still do opt for wine pairings more often than not, but there's definitely a case to be made for curating your own orders if they have a decent list of wines by the glass and you know what you're doing.

Black Sheep · 29-09-2021 12:37pm

We recently had dinner at Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen, which is fair to say must be the hottest fine dining ticket in town, and is likely to remain so for the next several years.

The Michelin Guide has already visited and considering Chapter One has a long history as a one star, and Viljanen had two stars at The Green House, it seems highly likely to me that it will be announced as receiving two stars. I say that based on the pedigree Viljanen had, but also based on how the food, service and ambience were (It's about all three after the first star).

We had the tasting menu at 150 per head, and I had the matching wines at 105. Of course it's expensive, but realistically I won't eat there again for a couple of years (Unless they reintroduce their excellent value pre-theatre menu). Personally I also feel it is "worth" it, and could even be considered "good value", but honestly this is subjective and depends on the person and their disposable income. It is a luxury expenditure for sure, either way.

I won't go into great detail but make a few general comments:-

Chapter One's front dining room and the dinner service has been 'refreshed' and is very elegant and understated. The service is excellent, which is interesting considering that one of our servers told us she had only been working in the job for 6 weeks, having changed careers to become involved in fine dining and hospitality. As usual, it comes down to the restaurant likely investing in training and having very high standards and a culture of excellence.
The cooking will be familiar to those who visited Viljanen at The Greenhouse, some trademarks are here and there, like his use of smoked eel and sika deer. There are a couple of new elements too. I hear from a specialist fish producer he is putting pike on the menu, but it did not feature for us.
Instead of a single bread service they serve bread separately with a few of the early courses, with the bread matched to what you are eating.
The wine pairing was largely traditional and well-chosen, bar the misstep at the end in offering an aged Irish cider that is not the worst I've had but (for me) fell short of what could have been achieved by offering a more traditional choice of desert wine. Even the server, who was not the sommelier, seemed slightly dubious himself. He was a French waiter who passed on the tasting notes, which were that it was "a little bit sweet, a little bit dry", and he gave a gaulic shrug and commented that they "must not have known what they were making".

Undoubtedly worth two stars and in my view depending on your tastes this could be the best restaurant in Ireland, it is in the top three along with Aimsir and Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud.

If you like your cooking a little more new-fangled and conceptual I believe Aimsir might be at the top of the heap, followed by Chapter One and then Guilbaud's. If you prefer quite traditional fine dining then the order would be reversed. Chapter One is perhaps a bit of an accommodation between the two, Viljanen is innovative but this has strong old-school elements that will please everyone.

Black Sheep · 29-09-2021 12:45pm

For those who don't want to shell out on Chapter One can I suggest that we also enjoyed a very fine set menu in the following weeks at the nearby Mr. Fox.

Mr. Fox was a stand-out for us during COVID lockdown, their "dine at home" kits took us a while to get around to, but they were one of the strongest options available.

Their seasonal set menu is 62 euro a head and it more or less is a mini tasting menu, with several canapes served together, and then the rest over perhaps 4 courses. I cobbled together my own wine pairing with sauvignion blanc, two reds and a tawny port to finish.

The cooking is very good for the money, the bill was less than half the price of Chapter One. Is the food as good? Obviously not.

The setting in Mr Fox is a little jarring, I would describe the lighting as being bright enough that it's a bit like a nightclub at the end of the night. There's also a lot of wood and restored tile, without any soft furnishings, which creates quite a noisey and echoey space.

Gloomtastic! · 29-09-2021 1:14pm

Some excellent reviews there Black Sheep, thank you.

A few years ago, we were in Chapter One, there was a couple of diners near us who were a bit worse for wear and pretty loud. We mentioned it jokingly to the Maitre d' when he next came over to our table and he said that they've gone already! The skill to get two drunk guys to leave a restaurant where no other diners noticed was pretty impressive. Unfortunately, it was the highlight of the evening as the food was pretty meh.

Dave_The_Sheep · 29-09-2021 8:38pm

Undoubtedly worth two stars and in my view depending on your tastes this could be the best restaurant in Ireland, it is in the top three along with Aimsir and Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud

If you like your cooking a little more new-fangled and conceptual I believe Aimsir might be at the top of the heap, followed by Chapter One and then Guilbaud's. If you prefer quite traditional fine dining then the order would be reversed. Chapter One is perhaps a bit of an accommodation between the two, Viljanen is innovative but this has strong old-school elements that will please everyone.

I've been to Chapter One possibly half a dozen times, maybe ten, over the last fifteen years, and it's consistently excellent. I've also been to Aimsir and Guilbaud's once each. Of the three, I'd rate it Aimsir top for the "new-fangled and conceptual" as you say, Chapter One top for the traditional and I was actually very ... not quite disappointed by Guilbaud's but I certainly didn't think it lived up to it's two star reputation (and price tag). It was very very nice, don't get me wrong and I'd put it above the one star Lady Helen (just about) but I'd certainly rate Chapter One ahead of it (even back when). Aimsir/Chapter One would beat Guilbauds and the Lady Helen and both would beat L'Ecrivan which I really wasn't impressed with at all.

Side note on Michelin places, non Irish. Casamia in Bristol is one of the best meals I've ever had. Top notch from start to finish, including a tour of the kitchens.

We had the tasting menu at 150 per head, and I had the matching wines at 105. Of course it's expensive, but realistically I won't eat there again for a couple of years (Unless they reintroduce their excellent value pre-theatre menu). Personally I also feel it is "worth" it, and could even be considered "good value", but honestly this is subjective and depends on the person and their disposable income. It is a luxury expenditure for sure, either way.

For sure, and it's the attitude I take with these places. It's a complete luxury, not something you're going to be doing every week (or even every month or year) so I try to go all out when I do go. I'm lucky to be able to do so so I do try and appreciate that. That and I think these places are only going to get more and more expensive as society/climate changes result in the next few decades. Might as well enjoy them now while I can. I think Campagne in Kilkenny is the only Michelin star place I've been to where I didn't get an X-course tasting menu, been there a few times too. Works well though.

Eat Your Way Around Ireland

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