My Profile
Ciara
Member since: 11 August 2008
Location:
No. of Reviews: 44
Status: Guru
Last Visit: 29 March 2012
Member since: 11 August 2008
Location:
No. of Reviews: 44
Status: Guru
Last Visit: 29 March 2012
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96% |
Le PlanchaPosted on 01 May 2012
Went here party of 2 adults & 2 children on a Thursday night so was able to avail of the all night early bird offer. Food was excellent both kids and adults and even the youngest cleared their plate. Restaurant is tiny so will go back minus the kids for a longer more relaxing evening. I gave it 5 stars for value as were there midweek and had the all night early bird offer. It would be a good bit more expensive at the weekend but really good food so hopefully it will be worth the next visit!
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Gotham SouthPosted on 11 May 2010
It's still only early days and Gotham South could be a great addition to an area crying out for a good family restaurant, however I don't know if they will be able to charge 'town' prices and get away with it. Good pizzas, (maybe a little light on the cheese on the Gramercy), nice anti pasta plate, big enough for 2 to share as a starter. Would benefit hugely from a reasonable 'all in' kids menu ie starters/drink, main and dessert for a reasonable price, as really that's the kind of destination it is. they have done a lovely job on the restaurant itself, lovely and bright & airy. If they tweak the menu and offer real value for money they will do really well hopefully.
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AnandaPosted on 15 March 2010
This is my new favourite restaurant, had a faultless meal from start to finish! The tastes literally explode in your mouth and the presentation and service are excellent. Scallops, guinea fowl, rack of lamb and monkfish all outstanding. Can't wait to go back to try everything else as it all sounds so good. It isn't cheap but worth every penny, however the early bird sounds like a great deal. This place deserves a star!
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The Dining RoomPosted on 15 March 2010
The €25 meal is excellent value, with generous portions and good choices, that are also on the a la carte menu. The lamb shank stew however was disappointing as it looked insipid in colour (cafe late colour.... not very appetising) and the 'gravy' it was swimming in was like something out of a packet. The risotto was lovely and the truffle tart was very good too. The cheese plate was also a little poor with cheese freezing cold straight out of the fridge with very little selection given the price. Lovely room and plenty of buzz but choose wisely!
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Bon Appetit BrasseriePosted on 15 March 2010
Went with a group for the 7 course tasting except we were divided up into different tables which we weren't expecting. Overall the food was very good, however like other reviewers I think being charged for coffee/tea and petit fours is a bit rich and water very expensive and keeps coming. The tasting wine at €35 is not good value as the amount you are given in the glass is very small, and personally I dont like chardonnay or dessert wine and these were 2 of the 4 wines we got. I would probably try the Bistro but I could think of better ways to spend the amount I did that night.
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The Goat Bar & GrillPosted on 10 December 2009
Slightly better than pubgrub but certainly not restaurant standard if that in any way describes dinner here with a large group recently. The apte was actually really good to start but weirdly served with garlic bread. The rack of lamb was tasty although some in the group had very fatty racks with little or no meat, mine was quite good but accompanying veg were really bad overcooked cauliflower/brocolli/carrot combo and tasteless mash. And the cheese cake was still frozen in the middle!
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l'Ecrivain RestaurantPosted on 10 December 2009
My first visit here for a christmas lunch with friends and I was largely underwhelmed and light in pocket after.
Duck liver parfait to start was average, have had better in much cheaper establishments. Tasted the scallops and they were nice enough. Mains of venison was okay, not as melt in the mouth as I was expecting, served in a 'cheffy' way but lacking the wow factor I would generally expect in this calibre of restaurant. Ice cream for dessert was nice, again no great taste exposion. Considering the strong price and reviews I was expecting a lot more, which I've had in a lot less expensive restaurants.
It is a lovely room and staff are very attentive.
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Peploes Wine BistroPosted on 10 December 2009
Once again another excellent meal in this restaurant. Always a fantastic atmosphere here, with food and service to back it up. The pate served with the antipasta is delicious. The pies are a nice choice for a lunch rather than steak which is always hard to pass here.
All in all one of my favourite places.
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ely winebarPosted on 10 December 2009
Was a little disappointed on this visit, with a group of about 12 people. The chargers are always great as a starter to share. The service was a bit patchy and the mains were very hit and miss, steaks generally overcooked from the order and a burger in the party nearly raw it was so undercooked. Pricey enough given the overall experience.
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Chez Max (Baggot Street)Posted on 10 December 2009
The mixed cheese and meat platter was delicious and the small size more than enough for two people to share as a starter, so much so that I was quite full by the time the mains came. Duck confit was alright, not as crisp as I would like and the lentils were a small bit tastless. The boeuf bourgignon (?) was very ggod, hearty and filling for a cold winter night. Dessert selection not up to much so we skipped, also partly because the atmosphere was a little lacking.
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OdessaPosted on 24 August 2009
Went her on Friday night and while it was nice to be out in town, I was a little disappointed after reading all the really good recent reviews. We shared nachos to start which were good enough, could have had a bit more cheese. We then moved onto a selection of 'fivers' ordering 3 with a view to ordering more after. These seem like good value on the face of it, but really chips and dips is just chips with 2 sauces for a fiver, hardly ground breaking, the prawns pil pil are delicious but a bit of work invloved de-shelling them, but they kind of have to leave them intact to make it look as if it is good value, you only get 6 (tiny when de-shelled) prawns. The falafel was not my cup of tea at all, too dry for me. Grand for a quick bite, but not for a special meal.
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The Fern House Cafe at Avoca KilmacanoguePosted on 20 March 2009
Love the Fern House cafe. As a venue it is beautiful, bright, airy and interesting. The food and service make it much better value than the rest of the Avoca, and no hassle with long waits and clearing tables yourself.
Antipasta loveley to share as starter, calamari, buurger, morrocan plate, all delicious...I could go on. Can't wait to go back.
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Ristorante Rinuccini RestaurantPosted on 03 March 2009
Went here on a weekend away in KK last year. The restaurant was pretty full when we were there so the atmosphere was quite good and the service didn't suffer as a result. Food good, but nothing particularly special for the prices though.
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Harrys Mediterranean Cafe & Wine BarPosted on 02 February 2009
Have only ever gone here for lunch and I have to say it would not be a place I would really consider for the evening for some reason. Lunch is good enough value, although if you are in a hurry go somewhere else. Chicken burgers are good, although there is something about the beef burger that I do not like at all, maybe a herb/seasoning etc... not pleasant for me. Only alright.
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Cafe Mimo (Dundrum)Posted on 27 January 2009
Had breakfast here recently, not the best breakfast in the world but not the worst either. The bacon for the french toast was hard (like previously cooked then reheated) but the toast was nice. Service is not great especially when they get busy, it's a bit all over the place. Coffee was dissapointing too.
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GleesonsPosted on 27 January 2009
Lunch here is very popular and if you don't get in early you won't get a parking space in the car park. I tend to just have soup/sandwiches (average) for lunch or the chicken/bacon caeser salad (get the dressing on the side as they always put too much on). The hot menu is good but probably a bit too much for me for lunch.
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Pearl BrasseriePosted on 27 January 2009
I went here for a lunch before Christmas and I can't wait to go back. The food was amazing and I love the restaurant itself with all the alcoves etc. I went for completely different things than I would normally and was delighted. Prawns for starter, delicious, baked cod with parmesan crust also delicious and all I had room for was a scoop of ice cream. Very good value for such good, well executed food, I will be back.
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Harrys Cafe BarPosted on 27 January 2009
I have been here for lunch a few times and for an afternoon coffee. The food is generally quite good, the service depending on how busy they are can be sporadic. The thai soup has good flavour but a bit too much aubergine and not enough chicken for my taste. The one problem I have with it, the ventilation system must be rubbish as my clothes always smell of kitchen afterwards.
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Alexis Bar And GrillPosted on 08 January 2009
Have eaten here a couple of times and have always had a good meal. Fish and chips was excellent with 2 large pieces of fish and good homemade chips. No complaints from the others eating haddock tart and chicken. Also french onion soup is excellent, a meal in itself. Service was a little scatty, but I'll put it down to proximity to Christmas and staff wanting to get the holidays.
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Gourmet Food Parlour Dun LaoghairePosted on 12 December 2008
Have had a few take out sandwiches from here.... great selection and more recently decided to sit down and have lunch. The spanish omelette was tasty, but served with just one small salad and lettuce was I felt pricey at €10. The soup is always really good and homemade, and the soup and half sandwich is a much better deal. Generally delicious but not cheap.
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Indian SummerPosted on 11 November 2008
Went on a festival night, so there was a set tasting menu on €35 or €40 with half bottle of wine. The atmosphere was great with dancers and nearly a full house. The selection of 4 starters were excellent, I would have eaten all of them again. The main courses were a little disappointing with the chicken dish having cuts of chicken on the bone rather than breast, also was lentil, fish and lamb but between 4 people they could have been a little more generous in portion size. Plenty of rice and naan bread and then dessert inlcuded too.
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Milano (Dundrum)Posted on 11 November 2008
Went for lunch one saturday with the two kids, it wasn't very busy so the service was very attentive. They were very good with the kids bringing colour books and pencils and a kids menu which at €8.50 is very good value for what you get, the two kids had one kids meal between them which was ample (although one of them preferred my pasta and tucked into it!) I had the pollo pesto which was only alright. The dish was piping hot yet the inside of the food was only lukewarm, I think I'll go for pizza the next time.
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Mao Restaurant (Dun Laoghaire)Posted on 11 November 2008
Have been a regular of here since it opened and generally speaking the food is consistently good, if not creeping towards the pricey end. Chicken satay starter is always a winner and I find it hard to get past the Malaysian chicken which is so tasty, but when I am less hungry the lemongrass salad does the job (although this feels lees substantail and therefore hard to justify the maincourse price it has).
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Marios (Ranelagh)Posted on 16 October 2008
I would never have gone into here in a million years except I was meeting someone and this is where they suggested, to me it just doesn't look enticing from the outside. Had the special pasta for lunch with the sauce which was really tasty on but the chicken was a bit grisly, which turns my stomach. Nice coffee, OK service... only alright, wouldn't be in a rush to go back.
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Itsa4Posted on 01 October 2008
The food here is generally tasty and good quality but for lunch it is on the pricey side. The chicken burger is delicious but at €18, would really want to be special! Same kind of price for a chicken caeser salad which you can generally get for a fiver less. It is nicely decorated with good seating and booths for small groups. The toilets are communal though, which I hate.
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Cafe FreshPosted on 24 September 2008
Salads are delicious and I could eat the hummus all day, a really good genuinely healthy vegetarian option. Selection is good too and reasonably priced for such a central location.
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The Step Inn Lounge RestaurantPosted on 16 September 2008
Popped in for a quick lunch today. It is typical bar food and typical prices for same. The service was very good, as the salad I got had a big chicken breast on top which I moved most of on to another plate to get the the salad, the girl came over unprompted and asked was there something wrong with it. Most places don't seem to care so I was impressed by that. I will try the burgers the next time as they seem to get good mentions.
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Avoca HandweaversPosted on 15 September 2008
The Fernhouse Cafe is fantastic. Everything from the food, presentation, the room itself all make this an excellent place for a long lazy lunch. I love the salad bar in the main part but the queues and wait aren't ideal on a busy weekend with kids, so from now on I'll be booking the Fernhouse instead, it makes life so much easier and is not that much more expensive either. The antipasta is amazing and the homemade chips are worth going for in their own right!
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The GablesPosted on 15 September 2008
I went back for dinner and had an excellent meal. It seems to be a completely different restaurant from the breakfast/lunch trade. The meal was excellent from start to finish and staff were very friendly and attentive. The portion sizes were very generous and the crostini was very tasty. The tuna was cooked to perfection (just seared) where so many other places seem to overcook it, and the steak was cooked as ordered (again a rarity). All in all it was a very good meal, with a great atmosphere and I will be back.
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L'Officina by Dunne And Crescenzi (Dundrum)Posted on 12 September 2008
Popped in to get a take out to bring to a friends house for a light lunch. Waited the best part of 15 minutes for 3 minestrone soups (which came in small coffee cups) and was given just 3 small slices of toasted bread with it, when I had asked for a small ciabatta loaf. Was charged €18!!!! I was actually so late and shocked I didn't say anything, the worst part was, the soup was bland with no seasoning. In fact I am still speechless.
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The Stillorgan OrchardPosted on 10 September 2008
I eat lunch here a bit as it is quick and if you get in on time, the parking is good. I live nearby so before it was ideal for a few drinks in evenings with pub grub, but given the menu has not changed in years and is the same all day, I would not bother anymore. I agree with other reviews that it needs a shake up, but it is pretty packed most lunches so you can see why they don't bother. Standard pub grub, nothing special and probably strong prices for what you get (how much is a bag of frozen chips and a breast of chicken etc...). The tiny chicken caeser salad is a rip off €9.95 (should be called the 'diet option'!), the fact that you can get a chicken caser wrap (with pretty much the same amount of salad in it) with chips & the wrap for the same price, it doesn't stack up.
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The Wishing WellPosted on 05 September 2008
Good pub grub for the price you pay and attentive staff (must have been asked did I want coffee by 4 different people!). Good carvery and toasted ham & cheese sandwiches with real carvery ham in them.
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.JPG "Govindas (Merrion Row)")
Govindas (Merrion Row)Posted on 03 September 2008
Not really what I expected as I thought it would be a very healthy option. It was more reminiscent of a college canteen with everything just slapped onto the plate together. The special was mousakka which was very greasy, the veg were over cooked & soggy and not spicy as described. Greasy, stodgy, winter comfort food, not to my taste.
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Sheehans Cafe BarPosted on 01 September 2008
Good after work spot for a few drinks and typical bar fare. Tasty, quick, moreish and probably very bad for the cholesterol! Good attentive floor staff, constantly milling around. Upstairs is nicer than downstairs.
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Canal Bank CafePosted on 01 September 2008
The chicken wings really are A1 here and being honest, they are the reason I go! Although its been a while since I've had them, the portion seems to have seriously diminished in size (price is €12.95, so it should be a huge portion by rights) and when you are sharing them, you can get quite possessive!! The burgers are also excellent with the homemade chips, good relish and side salad. I've also had fish and chips here before and they are good too. Very accommodating with kids and price for excellent size pesto pasta €7.95 and one scoop of ice cream with sauce was €2 which I was pleasantly surprised with. Staff were really good too.
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Hartley's RestaurantPosted on 25 August 2008
Went back for lunch at the weekend which was a mistake with the festival os trying to get there and parked was a nightmare. We were late for our booking but they were very good about it. Meal was good, not quite as good as the dinner we had there but that was as much to do with us being late and frazzled! I do think it is better value for dinner than lunch though, fish and chips for €18 is expensive no matter how fancy the vinegar is! Service was not great but again I will give them the benefit of doubt given the weekend festivities. I will be back but I'll stick to the evening but I do wish they would get the airconditioning sorted as it was stifling again, I can't have been that unlucky that I went on the two hottest days of the year!
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The Hungry MonkPosted on 22 August 2008
Went with a group of six to the restaurant upstairs (have been in both bistro and restaurant many time). Nice greeting (bordering on a little bit false?) and seated immediately. Menu has not changed dramatically over the 10 years I have been going and whilst the food is excellent, I do think the prices are getting very strong. I had prawn pil pil to start which I think might have been €16 or €18 (it was a long night, can't remember exactly!!) which is very pricey by any one's standards. I had the pork for mains which I found very disappointing, especially in presentation, it was shaped into a large sausage and I think may have been boiled/poached as it was grey in colour, very unappetising looking. Wine selection as always excellent but again you are paying for it. I won't be rushing back to the restaurant but if I was in the area I'd go to the bistro.
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The Real Gourmet Burger - Dun LaoghairePosted on 22 August 2008
Had a baby sitter booked but didn't really fancy going out anywhere too fancy, so decided to pop in for bite to eat without the kids for a change. Put our names down and went for a half hour walk (thankfully just missing the showers). We were quite hungry so decided to share a chicken caesar salad to start with burgers to follow. The waitress said they didn't normally do separate courses but she would check with the kitchen and see if it was possible which it was. Salad was a nice size and tasty. Burgers that followed were delicious and they actually seemed to have changed the size bowls of rosemary fries from when I was last there to bigger! So we actually could have gotten by with just one portion between us, they were yum as were the burgers. Passed on dessert as we were well and truly stuffed! and all came well under €50 with soft drinks. Great family friendly place with the kids too for the mini burgers. Will definitely be back.
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YO Sushi (Dundrum)Posted on 19 August 2008
Had a quick lunch here today after a bit of retail therapy. Don't think I'll be back in a hurry. The food is only alright for the prices which I think are on the high side for what you get (it is effectively fast food after all). I am quite fuusy about fat on meat and their chicken and duck dishes always seem to be fatty and from dubious parts of the bird! Although it is quite healthy, I can think of better lunches for €10.
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Michaels Food & WinePosted on 19 August 2008
This is one of my favourite places for either lunch or dinner. I hadn't been for a while so decided on the spur of the moment to have lunch there. The menu had ever so slightly changed since I was last there and I swear one of the options must have been created especially for me as it had all my favourite anitpasti things (mini anti pasta, I think it was called). It was delicious from start to finish and topped off with a latte (wish they would get low fat milk in though!). Service can be a bit hazy sometimes depending on who's working but all in all worth the wait. Going back for dinner next week!!
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FXB MonkstownPosted on 11 August 2008
Went with a large group to the 'Pub' part of FXB's for an evening meal. I have eaten here several times over the last few years and have always thought it was good value and tasty. I obviously haven't been here for a while because when I used to go, I got the steak which was served with chips/potato, onions and mushrooms and sauce of choice. This time, despite the fact the price was the same I remember it to be (approx €17.95), no matter how hard I looked at the menu, there was no mention of the mushrooms and onions. This really annoys me, as I would prefer a restaurant to put their prices up rather than pretending to be good value. To buy sides of mushrooms and onions would be another approx €8 which for a pub is very pricey. Also got prawns pil pil to start for about €8 of which I got 4, only I was in a large group and not paying I would have said soemthing, but I sure won't be in a rush to go back.
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SalamancaPosted on 11 August 2008
I have been here three times in the last month (dinner once and 2 lunches) and have eaten well each time. Although I have to say, evening with a group is best for atmosphere and the type of food (tapas to share). Lunch menu is reasonable and good portion sizes, but what you miss is the tasting and sharing of everyone elses. Good value, again especially in a group where everyone shares. will go back but maybe not so much for lunch.
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