My Profile
Jim McConway
Member since: 22 March 2008
Location: South Dublin
No. of Reviews: 21
Status: Guru
Last Visit: 18 May 2012
Member since: 22 March 2008
Location: South Dublin
No. of Reviews: 21
Status: Guru
Last Visit: 18 May 2012
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70% |
Roly's BistroPosted on 20 May 2012
Excellent ambience and good choices in the menu. Service does require improvement as it was a little slow. The food was good quality but not exceptional. Much better than average. Recommended, would visit it again in the future.
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Kandu Catering @Sandyford House Cafe BarPosted on 08 December 2011
My wife and I visited Kandu and were surprised that it was part of a pub. We had purchased a Grab One voucher some two months previous and it was a three course meal based on the a la carte with an extra €2 for a 10 oz sirloin and €4 off the filet steak surf and turf. We were given a set meal with a considerably reduced choice from the deal we had purchased. It seems that as further Grabone vouchers were issued, the offering became less and more restrictive. When I drew this to the waitress's attention after several discussions the deal which we had purchased was fully honoured. This is a cautionary experience for would be voucher purchasers. Apart from this issue which could have dampened the meal the only other issue was that the wine list choice was quite limited and suprisingly they did not have the first wine we chose. The waitress was ver profficient and the food was extremely good. My prawn starter was excellent and my steak was very good and cooked exactly as requested. My wife had a salad for both courses and was very happy. This restaurant is quite understated and with such good quality food should do well. I would recommend it but again if you are using a voucher you need to know in advance what you have committed to. The deal may change.
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La Dolce Vita - The ChasePosted on 25 November 2011
My wife and I visited this Italian restaurant on a Thursday evening. Car parking and access was good. Restaurant is modern and spick and span. Only a small number of clients. Room was hospitable and reasonably warm. We ordered from the a la carte and the food quality was excellent. Only one issue concerning my wife's ceasar salad - there was no parmasan cheese on it and the waiter did not offer it and we had to ask. The food was better than average and service was excellent. The menu choice for main courses is a bit limited if you exclude the enormous choice of pizzas. We will defnitely be back. Recommended.
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Saagar Indian RestaurantPosted on 23 November 2011
As per the Dealrush voucher claiming an award winning restaurant we were expecting good food and a hospitable evening. The voucher claimed to give €50 off the a la carte prices.
The table cloth was linen and covered partly by a smaller paper covering. This left the linen partially uncovered and there were several stains on the uncovered parts. The linen cloth over my knees was also badly stained with food and the linen tablecloth on the adjoining table had a large coffee stain. The decor in the restaurant was dilapidated. There were many stains and marks on the walls and the restaurant could do with re-decoration. The restaurant was quite empty.
We placed our order - two king prawn starters, a main chicken tandoori dish for my wife and I had a tandoori mixed grill for myself. The food was dry and not very appetising. The starter prawn dish had an oily rancid taste. We ordered coffee and asked what choices they had - all they had was normal coffee and we were told their coffee machine was broken and they could not provide anything else. The coffee came with some cold milk - no chocolates; no offer of any refill. The wine was not properly chilled and no cooler or wine bucket was proffered. On request the waiter said that they had none.
I asked for the bill and this is when matters really went awry. The bill presented to us was scribbled with many crossings out and quite unprofessional. Many of the prices were much higher than the menu price.
The manager came over. He said that with a voucher he increased the prices. He insisted on the full amount billed. He said that he would lock us in the restaurant if we did not pay the full bill as presented. In the end he grudgingly conceded that he was wrong on on the price and we left.
I have since taken the matter up with Dealrush and they have agreed to reimburse the total cost of the meal. I could not recommend this restaurant and positively encourage would be diners to go elsewhere. The standards are low and the management extremely poor and unpleasant. Be warned
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Bianconis RestaurantPosted on 11 June 2011
We visited Bianconis on a Saturday night at 7pm.
The restaurant amounts to one very long corridor and is totally lacking in character.
We had a meal voucher for €60 and was offered a set meal for €25 less the dessert and a glass of wine. The voucher value was clearly overstated by the management in view of the set menu pricing.
The restrictions pertaining to the voucher were not highlighted properly when purchased. We have reviewed the meal as if we had paid the full prices.
My wife had a cheese starter and I had the pate which were OK but nothing exceptional. Main courses - salad and fish dish. Again both were reasonable quality food but nothing exceptional. Service was extremely slow and quite poor and well below the standard one would expect. Ten to fifteen minute wait between courses.
Red Sicilian wine at €29.50 was good quality wine.
Overall very poor atmosphere, appalling service and just about OK food. Medicocre experience at best, not recommended. Definitely Will not be back.
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Victoria Asian CuisinePosted on 30 May 2011
I have been a regular at this restaurant and up until recently could rarely fault it for food quality and value.
The wine menu is better than average and they have some excellent wines of the month on occasion e.g. Petis Chablis for €20.
The all you can eat meal was a steal for their clients but that is now in the past. Quality is good but the pricing is very high and exceeds even the leading Chinese restaurants of Ballsbridge and Donnybrook.
A good dining experience but no longer true value for money. If money is not an issue it is an excellent dining experience.
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Shanai Indian CuisinePosted on 30 May 2011
Shanai has deteriorated significantly over the last few months to an extent where we no longer go there at all. We went back the odd time to see if it was back to its previous high standards. Often when one chose a course they returned to say that they had none. The final straw was about four weeks ago they no longer serve any alcoholic drink anymore. They did not advise us when we sat down or when we ordered the food and asked for the wine list. After delivering the starter they told us that they were not serving wine anymore. No explanation no reason proferred. Having suffered the declining standards in the hope that this would improve after this we no longer visit this restaurant. I do however wonder how they remain trading in the present difficult economic circumstances.
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Bloom BrasseriePosted on 30 May 2011
My wife and I ate at Blooms on a Saturday night. We had a Living Social voucher which was redeemed without issue but we had trouble booking and were asked to come earlier than planned. We were sat at a small table with little space around it. The restaurant was not as busy as would expect for a Friday and the atmosphere was just OK, decor quite modern but not impressive. We both ordered glasses of the house red which was Spanish and which was somewhat acid, of poor quality with very little aftertaste.
For starters we both asked for the Foie Gras which unfortunately was not on the menu this night although that was one of the principal reasons we booked this restaurant and appeared in their value pricing . We were told that they had taken it off for a change. We noted that there was no equivalent substitute starter on the menu. We both then elected to have the carpaccio of duck which was very nice but the portion was quite small. (30 gms) The butter arrived before our starter but the bread arrived just after our main courses were delivered. I had the rib-eye which was an excellent piece of meat and cooked exactly right. My wife had the sea bass which was also very good. We were not offered any vegetables with our meal save potatoes. My chips were overdone, quite blackened and not very nice. The service was extremely patchy and the restaurant was understaffed for the number of clients. The extent of the wine list was reasonable but many of the wines were higher priced by 30% more than they should have been for the standard of the restaurant.
In conclusion the restaurant whilst serving some excellent food failed to deliver overall. With the great choice available in Dublin there is better to be had for less money and with much better service.
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Bistro MartelloPosted on 28 May 2011
I visited Bistro Martello on a Saturday evening at 7 pm having booked it some days before. The restaurant was almost empty when we arrived but within 30 minutes it was almost full and visitors were being turned away, Portions were quite small but very tasty. My wife had hake and I had a steak and both were excellent. My son had the seafood stew and it was good whilst my daughter had a double starter as a main as she is vegetarian and the choice for her is severly limited as between the starters and main courses together there is only two options. It was an OK experience but not wonderful as our table's location was in the middle close to the door. The overall experience was better than some but not exceptional. I will probably not return as there are other restaurants with a better atmosphere and price level for what was delivered.
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harbor bar and grillPosted on 13 May 2011
Visited the Harbor grill at lunchtime Friday 13th with a friend using ta Citydeal voucher. A bad day for food. The restaurant was empty and had little atmosphere. There were many staff around but with a quite uncaring attitude the service was still quite poor. We both had the steaks. I ordered a medium -rare steak and my friend a medium well done. Needless to say I got his steak and he got mine. Unfortunately in the meantime he had ate some and had poured a food supplement and the pepper sauce over his steak and that was that. To mix up two steaks in this way is quite unacceptable. The chips were quite overdone. On the positive side the two glasses of wine - one white and one red were of a good size and were both palatable. The steaks were of excellent quality and very tasty but cooked incorrectly destroyed them. In summary, what could have been a very good meal turned into a no so meal because of the careless and uncaring staff. If they could be watched and get their act together you could have a good meal.
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RasamPosted on 20 November 2009
My wife and I have dined at Rasam typically four to five times a year.Our recent and last visit was at the end of October 2009 at circa 8.45 pm. It was a total disaster. Our visit a year ago was quite an excellent dining experience. In between the standard whilst good was not up to this superb standard.
Perhaps we caught the restaurant on a bad day but the problems were all capablke of being addressed by changes in policy and service levels.
The internal environment has not changed and is very nice but when the restaurant allows 21 month crying toddlers to sit at the adjoining table with their parents this is not a good start and created a stressful venue with little atmosphere. This policy needs to change!! The service was also not up to the usual standard experienced and quite poor. The food was also Ok but nothing like prior standards of excellence exhibited at this restaurant. Food portions were somewat small. Overall extremely dissappointing and we have decided to delete Rasam from our list of regular restaurants and will not be visiting them again anytime soon.
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Yo Thai (Mount Merrion)Posted on 03 December 2008
Excellent quality meal although the evening was somewhat disappointing. My wife and I visited with the intention of having the early bird menu which is available up to 6.45 pm. This early bird menu was extremely basic and as a result we felt that we had little choice and elected to go a la carte. The restaurant was quite empty. The roast duck dalad at €12 was good value and the Japanese starter combination at €17 was very tasty but it was a bit small. The stir fried scallops were excellent - a bit pricy at €24. The wine list was reasonably priced but had little choice. Overall cost for two was €134.70 including a fixed tip of 10% = €12.20. This was nowhere near the budget we intended spending and reinforces the fact that one should be more cautious before planning an early bird meal. The food was extremely good, the atmosphere poor and the service just adequate which in itself is poor for a restaurant which was so quiet. If it was busy I would anticipated substantial delays. I would consider revisiting for a retry on their lunch menu but not for the early bird menu.
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One Pico RestaurantPosted on 18 November 2008
Brought my wife out for a special dinner.
The service was excellent and the restaurant had a wonderful atmosphere.
The food was superb with one exception -the sea food was not as fresh as it should have been.
Though the experience was extremely good this was somewhat of a downer. The wine list is superb with an excellent choice. Pricing is on the high side. An expensive meal nonetheless.
I will go back and give it another try as it is worth the visit.
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Seasons RestaurantPosted on 17 November 2008
The food and service presented in this restaurant is up there as one of the highest standards of cuisine available in Ireland. The tasting menu (when available) is truly superb. A guest is also permitted to choose dishes from the Cafe menu and this works out well if one of the party just wants a great steak.
To visit this restaurant is quite an experience and is a truly exquisite dining experience. The tables are very well separated. The wine list is superb. The only problem is the price which does not permit me the extravagance more than six times a year. At other times I patronise the Cafe which is also excellent but does not have the same food range as Seasons. Highly recommended for the occasional celebration. Have a glass of wine in the piano lounge before you dine - a truly relaxing experience.
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Tulsi (Dundrum)Posted on 17 November 2008
The food presented at this restaurant is of poor quality and unappetising. Too much sauce and insufficient meat and vegetables.
The restaurant appears to overly focus on its take away service to the detriment of seated guests. Service is poor and long waiting times experienced. Prices are low but I guess you get what you pay for. Not to be recommended.
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Shakira Indian CuisinePosted on 09 October 2008
The shabby decor of the restaurant and its bleak staircase give you an entirely negative view. We were tempted to walk away but are glad that we did not.
My wife had chicken tikka for starter which was very good. My lamb tikka was not as good. The tandoori mixed grill was excellent and at a very reasonable price. My king prawn tandoori was dissappointing - middling sized tiger prawns which were a little bit tough. I had a dahl to accompany the meal. It was excellent but at €7.95 this is a bit overpriced. The BYOB for wine with no corkage is a great bonus. The wine menu does not reflect any lower margin to reflect the purchasing alternative. Overall the restaurant represents good value for money.
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Reeves Restaurant & GrillPosted on 06 July 2008
Dined with a colleague on Saturday 5th July. Arrived at 8.30 pm without a booking and offered a table within 3 minutes. So far so good. My friend ordered vegetable soup for starter followed by a 10oz fillet steak...well-done . I had the Irish brie and smoked salmon followed by Tournedos Rossini. Service was quite good although the restaurant was quite full and several parties 12 +. My friends vegetable soup was very good and his steak was cooked as required but it was quite small and in no way did it start out life as a 10oz steak. My starter was extremely disappointing as in 2 out of the three cheese parcels I could find no smoked salmon. This dish is poorly conceived and not to specification as being sourced outside. I was informed that it was prepared in the kitchen which is difficult to explain - not even a smidgeon of smoked salmon. The Tournedos steaks were very good. €4 for a small side dish of vegetables. I have noted that the prices on the menupages web-site are some 5% less than charged at the restaurant. In my view the mains are somewhat overpriced. Initial bill presented for the meal was €280 as other guests food had been added to the table in error - actual bill €110. Clearly nobody is reviewing the bills before being given to customers. On balance some good features but I would not return to this restaurant as overall it is poor value for money..
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Monsoon (Stillorgan)Posted on 03 July 2008
This restaurant is a true find.
For starters, the platters for one are excellent with the usual choices but with incredibly tasty prawns. The tandoori jheenga - king prawns is exceptional. Both these are excellent value at €10.95. The lamb Kadhai is truly exceptional and is well worth the €16.95 price tag. Good choice of wines with reasonable prices for the quality offered.
Excellent service and atmosphere. Definitely a great Indian restaurant and worth a visit.
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FXB MonkstownPosted on 03 July 2008
Visited the Pub at FXB last night Wednesday 2nd July:
Excellent service. My wife had mainly salads - croutons not very good. I had prawns pil pil for starter which were quite rubbery and much overcooked - poor value at €8. I had a sirloin steak for the main dish which was excellent. Very good wines but they are a bit pricey. Steak pricing for an 8 ounce at this quality is a steal. There is room for improvement although overall it is very good.
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Toscana (Dun Laoghaire)Posted on 03 July 2008
I brought my wife to Toscana Dun Laoghaire on Tuesday 1st July for a main meal based solely upon reading the reviews on menupages.ie. We were sadly disappointed. It must be a record for bad value and poor service with a low food quality and medium to high wine prices - €24.95 for a wine readily available in an off licence for a lot cheaper. Despite assertions on their web-site there was little to choose from in regard to vegetables save onions. For starter, I had the prawns in filo pastry which were bought in ready made whilst my wife had a Caesar salad - bought in croutons, no bacon and a small amount of cheese which did not taste of Parmesan. For main course I had a rack of lamb which was served in individual chops covered by some sticky unpalatable brown sauce. The portion of sauteed onions was minuscule. My wife had a brochette of sea-food on a skewer at a price of €24.65 - a record for bad value for money. The facilities are quite shabby and toilets poor. Paper napkins and very poor service to boot. I shall never again make the mistake of booking a restaurant based on ratings alone. I noticed that most of the customers were eating pizza and perhaps the high rating reflect this rather than it being a traditional restaurant. Overall a highly priced and poor quality meal with poor service and ambiance.
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