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Neil Shanahan
Member since: 28 February 2012
Location: North Dublin
No. of Reviews: 14
Status: Connoisseur
Last Visit: 02 May 2012
Member since: 28 February 2012
Location: North Dublin
No. of Reviews: 14
Status: Connoisseur
Last Visit: 02 May 2012
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36% |
Fallon and ByrnePosted on 04 May 2012
A friend and I ate here on Wednesday last and enjoyed a thoroughly enjoyable meal. We chose from the Early Bird Menu which is available all evening on weekdays. I had the Asian Pork Belly Salad and he had the Roasted Pepper Soup with Basil Creme Fraiche. My salad was flavoursome without being astounding. Some of the pork belly pieces were 90% fat. His soup was of a very high standard with a slight kick of roasted chillies being welcome as it added to the dish. We both had the Ribeye Steak with Bearnaise Sauce and Fries. The steaks were cooked exactly as we ordered them (medium) and the meat was of high quality. We both enjoyed the dish immensely. For dessert, he had the Knickerbocker Glory which was very nice if extremely retro. My Chocolate Parfait was a bit of a disappointment to be honest. It was average at best. The staff were on top of things, there was a buzz about the place even on a Wednesday night and the value on offer was excellent.
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7 (Seven) Social RestaurantPosted on 27 April 2012
Nice little quirky place. We were here for lunch. Food was good. We both had the soup which was nettle and vegetable which was substantial and quite flavoursome without being mind blowing. I find that soups thickened by potatoes seem to be slightly bland unless there has been great stock used. But that's just my taste. I had the chicken and pear slaw sandwich. My Dad had the paprika peppers and sweet pickle sandwich which he claimed was very tasty. I thoroughly enjoyed mine also. Soup and a sandwich is 10 euros but portions are large. Coffee was very good if ridiculously small. Muffins were a big let down. They were certainly fresh and homemade but lacked any of their intended flavours. My blueberry and elderflower muffin was only a blueberry muffin by the same token that Michael Jackson was black. It had no flavour at all. Neither did my fathers which was orange and dark chocolate. Both are usually strong flavours but very little was present in his. Nice place. Bit tight. Slightly too much style over substance. Service was friendly and attentive.
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Charming NoodlesPosted on 27 April 2012
Food was very good. We chose from Recommendations section. We decided to have Diced Fried Pork with Green Beans and Battered Prawns with Chilli. The prawns were lovely and fresh and the batter wasn't the usual gloopy stodge you usually receive in similar establishments. The pork dish was simple and flavoursome. Value was quite good. The two dishes, boiled rice, fried rice and two Budweisers which came in a can was roughly 35 euros. I'll try their wide selection of noodle dishes the next time I visit and I will definitely return. Service needs to sharpen up though. We were waiting to order too long and the place was only a quarter full. The waitress was too busy spray cleaning tables. Complimentary prawn crackers you receive after being seated weren't fresh. Took ages sorting out our simple bill also.
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M & L Szechuan Chinese RestaurantPosted on 21 April 2012
This is an excellent find, tucked away off O'Connell Street. Choose from the Chefs Recommendations. Whelk with scallion and ginger was delicious and fresh, beef in medium spicy sauce was also flavourful and dry beef with chilli and nuts was fantastic and a true szechuan dish. It would bring a tear to any man's eye. All this with 2 beers and 2 boiled rice came to approximately 40 euros. Ridiculously cheap. By the way, 3 dishes for 2 people is too much. We were stuffed and bloated. Eyes bigger than our bellies. Staff were helpful, attentive and pleasant. The majority of customers were Chinese which I take to be a good sign of authentic ethnic food. If I could have any minor whinge it would be serving the bottled Chinese beer in a small glass when it is ridiculously flat.
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Le Bon CrubeenPosted on 10 April 2012
Used to be a regular place for me to visit as I live nearby. However, the change in pricing strategy and the menu has ensured that will no longer be the case. It used to be extremely good value. So much so, it was a unique restaurant and what I considered a gem. Now it is simply a restaurant providing reasonable value. It is certainly not unique and has repositioned itself amongst a number of competitors. Quail with risotto was not a good dish and not very filling. Duck confit with red cabbage was very good but was 2 euros cheaper on a previous visit. The menu prior to Christmas was exceptional in simple yet flavourful bistro food. It is now trying to be more sophisticated and more expensive. This may mean more profit per visit but it will certainly mean less repeat visits per customer. I waited for 10 mins to pay my bill. The barman stood there, looking at me whilst cleaning drip trays and never bothered to take my bill or get a member of the waiting staffs attention. The room was empty and there was nobody to serve. Not a big ask to walk 10 yards and call a waiter.
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yamamori IzakayaPosted on 25 March 2012
The service here is always good and the oriental girls are very friendly and attentive. The restaurant is better used as a lunch time destination than a night time restaurant.The lunch menu provides more choice and more value. If eating from the dinner menu at night go for the udon dishes under specials. Both are excellent and very filling. I chose Singapore noodles last time and it was only average. I was also hungry after finishing it.
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Matt The Thresher Seafood Bar and GrillPosted on 25 March 2012
I came here having heard many good reviews about the establishment. Dublin has very few seafood restaurants for a coastal city and I was looking forward to my meal. The specials are the best options for a true representation of the restaurant. I chose the Mackerel in a chilli jam which was fresh and extremely enjoyable. The main problem I had was the amount of choices which were unavailable on the menu. It was bordering on ridiculous. I had a half portion of prawns from the starter section of the menu with the mackerel which also came with potatoes and salad. This came to a very reasonable 21 euro. The establishment was lovely and the Australian waiter was both helpful and knowledgeable. Service with his colleague was scattered to say the least.
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Taste of EmiliaPosted on 25 March 2012
This is a great place for a lunch whether you're alone or in company. The cheese and cold meat platters are wonderful and very filling. Do not order the large version of any of the platters if you are eating alone like I did! The regular size is sufficient. The large is for sharing. The place is slightly cramped but charming and the staff are very friendly and passionate about food.
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Hartley's RestaurantPosted on 25 March 2012
Went to Hartley's with my Dad last Thursday for the early-bird and enjoyed the meal immensely. My buffalo wings were delicious and plentiful and my Dad's goat's cheese salad was fresh, crisp and flavourful. Our mains were also simple, yet well executed and thoroughly enjoyable. I had beer battered cod,thick cut fries, minted peas and tartare sauce. He had roasted skate wing which he liked a lot and had never had skate before. The desserts were outstanding. We chose a chocolate fondant and a rhubarb crumble with ginger ice cream. Classic, simple and a great end to a meal. Staff were attentive if slightly over eager. Value was good for an affluent area of Dublin. I'd imagine the restaurant decking area allows for superb al fresco dining in the summer months also.
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CrackbirdPosted on 25 March 2012
Crackbird has now solidified itself as a favourite among the hipsters of Dublin. Originally a pop-up restaurant, it now seems to be a cash cow of a burgeoning eatery empire. My most recent visit was the first since it moved to it's new Dame Street residence. A half portion of buttermilk chicken consisted of a breast, two thighs and a drumstick costing a mere 9.99 euros. It tasted succulent and had not dried out in the slightest. I had the slaw side costing 3.95 and two sauces costing 2 euros each (you can get 3 for 5 euros). I picked the burnt lemon and feta dip which tasted great and worked well as a cooling agent as the other one I chose was a Habanero chilli sauce. It is ferociously hot. I would recommend choosing a less spicy sauce which still contains heat. The service was excellent as was the value. There is a buzz about the place and the atmosphere is good. I'm not a fan of the communal tables and don't try and share any secrets accross tables here because others are certain to hear. I was bored to tears by the woman sitting next to me talking about childhood friends with her companion. It's a little obvious, but I'd like to see some form of fries on the menu also. The croquettes aren't great.
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KC Peaches Cafe & Delicatessen (Nassau Street)Posted on 06 March 2012
The wine bar here is a quiet little place, suitable for a first date or a midweek meal when you are by yourself and want to relax. The ambiance is chilled and comforting. This is due to the soothing and simplistic interior and the unhurried yet attentive staff. The menu is very small and is not structured in the starter, main course, dessert fashion. Instead, they have adopted a policy of putting several appetizing plates which are varied in size, style and price together. These include a plate of cheeses, a simple colcannon and lamb shank. Myself and my friend found both the lamb shank and the colcannon delicious.The lamb shank was especially good. It was exactly what you would want on a cold winters night, Slow cooked succulent lamb, earthy root vegetables and a rich red wine and herb reduction. It is obvious that this is a wine bar first and foremost and the food is chosen for their suitability as accompaniments to the wide selection of wines they stock. The waitress, a Canadian girl from Vancouver is extremely helpful, friendly and easy on the eye.
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Bombay Pantry FairviewPosted on 03 March 2012
As far as the food goes, this place is sublime. The best Indian takeaway food in Dublin (alongside the other sister restaurants in the chain) by a considerable distance, All the lamb dishes are excellent with the Shashlik being a standout option in my opinion. It is just fantastic for takeaway fare. The chicken dishes also use quality meat rather than "rubber style" chicken which is the unfortunate norm for other similar establishments.
However, there are several annoying and very disappointing flaws. Firstly, the food is always freezing when it's delivered even though I live a mile away. Secondly, the level of meanness is bordering on scandalous The value meal is for chicken and vegetarian options only and does offer value to be fair. But if you want lamb or beef it is a whole different ball game. Main courses are not cheap. Rice is extra, dips are extra, appetizers are small and the most annoying of all, poppadoms are 2 euros extra. If you get them with a dip like Tamarind, Mint etc. its 3.50 for something that's free everywhere else. A takeaway meal consisting of two meals with rice for both and poppadoms with a dip is roughly 30 euros with no appetizers or naan bread. You can eat in several good restaurants in Dublin for a similar price nowadays and experience equivalent levels of quality. Great food. Ridiculously mean. It was also a point raised among friends recently who regularly spend considerable money on meals. Everybody agreed that it was the silly manner in which the Bombay Pantry tried to take every miserable cent from your pocket for a takeaway which vexed them. Nearly everyone had a positive opinion about the food. Lesson to be learned. Everyone can't be wrong. Closing at 10 is too early for a takeaway also.
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SabaiPosted on 03 March 2012
This is a simple review with a simple grievance. I have eaten in Sabai several times. The restaurant is comfortable and stylishly decorated both internally and externally. On the date mentioned the place was full and there seemed to be a good general atmosphere, if somewhat noisy. On this occasion I was there to collect a takeaway having rang it in 20 mins beforehand. I was given the takeaway immediately on arrival by the manager which was good. It consisted of a Beef Green Curry and a Chicken Yellow Curry which were very good without being spectacular, a Duck Curry which was mediocre due to the duck being tough from overcooking and a Pad Thai which was above average. The problem was that after spending 44 euros on a takeaway there was no sign of prawn crackers or anything added. When I tried to shame the manager into giving them to me by asking if the order came with them he just said "nah, they don't". Spending money on a good meal doesn't bother me in the slightest and it's not a case of trying to get something for nothing. It's a case of measuring how willing a restaurant is regarding value i.e. quality and to a lesser extent quantity for your money. I consider 44 euros to be a large amount spent on 4 takeaway meals and considering what competing restaurants are giving you when you spend that amount then Sabai needs to get its act together. If it was astounding you could possibly forgive them. Advertising it as cooking Vietnamese dishes is also incorrect. They do not cook authentic Vietnamese dishes. Calling the Yellow Curry, Ho Chi Minh Yellow Curry does not suffice.
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BoojumPosted on 28 February 2012
Firstly, let me state that I love this place and would visit approx. 2-3 times a month. It's a convenient stop on my way to or from Heuston This is largely due to the fact that you are fed and watered quickly and for a very reasonable price. The Mexican food is the best of all the taco joints in Dublin in my humble opinion. The shredded pork is sublime and the shredded beef is a close second. My preference is to have the three corn tacos and put different meats in each. I also get a different salsa for each (they vary in degrees of hotness). The staff are also quite friendly and organised for a busy little eatery. So, why have I given it 3 stars for both atmosphere and service? It's simple. The atmosphere is not going to get a high mark because its essentially a high quality fast food establishment and people just come to have their fill and rarely linger over their meal. It's just not that kind of place. No big deal there. The service downgrading is more serious and comes from something that can be avoided. It is also the reason I won't be eating here for some time. It is a pet hate of mine to see establishments close 10-15 mins earlier than their advertised time. Boojum close supposedly at 9 o'clock. So it really got under my skin when, arriving in shortly after 8.45 and I'm 100% certain of the time I was told they were closed. All the food was still out. None of the trays had been returned to the kitchen. Staff were still behind the counter and there were at least 8-10 customers eating. When you consider the food is eaten in roughly 10 minutes it annoyed me greatly. They could have at least offered take away which they provide. I hope they are not taking the attitude that because they are successful they can ease off and turn away regular customers at such a ridiculously early time. Bottom line: good food but need to appreciate their customers more. Their money can be spent elsewhere as was the case with me. Won't return as a point of principle for quite a while I'm afraid.
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