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brendan
Member since: 02 July 2009
Location: South Dublin
No. of Reviews: 31
Status: Guru
Last Visit: 18 May 2013
Member since: 02 July 2009
Location: South Dublin
No. of Reviews: 31
Status: Guru
Last Visit: 18 May 2013
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86% |
Carluccio's CaffePosted on 22 May 2013
My first time in Carluccio's this morning, though I've walked past it many times. We had some time to kill on a Saturday morning and said we'd treat ourselves to a coffee/tea and a pastry. We were told at the counter that it was full waiter service and that our order would be taken when we were seated. Fair enough. We were promptly seated and brought the breakfast menu - all tasty stuff eg eggs Benedict, etc. But we were only there for a beverage and pastry. The waiter promptly took our order - cappuccino and raisin Danish for me and green tea and brownie for her. The waiter re-appeared a few minutes later to ask again what kind of Danish I wanted - he seemed to write it down when we gave the original order so not sure what happened there.
The food and beverages were both excellent (the brownie gets a particular commendation) and reasonably priced at €8.45 given the pleasant surroundings.
The only hiccup we had was that the waiter who served us only gave us €8.45 change out of a €20 note (I'm presuming he read our check wrong and gave us the "cost" rather than the "change" back as listed on the receipt). When this was was pointed out he quickly rectified the problem. One waiter, two (minor) issues, perhaps he had too much fun the night before! Hence the 3 stars as opposed to 4.
Would go back for lunch or dinner to check out the "real" food.
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JD's SteakhousePosted on 01 August 2012
Three of us visited on a wet Tuesday night and didn't expect much atmosphere at 6.00pm. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find four tables already occupied and a nice buzz in the place. For starers we opted or buffalo wings with blue cheese dip ... gorgeous and plentiful. For mains two of us had the rib-eyes cooked to perfection (med. rare) and one had the fish and chips - all accompanied with beautiful fries. An apple pie and a wonderful banoffi completed the meal. Excellent service complimented the tasty good value food. It was ourfirst, but not last, time there. Recommended.
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Indian BrasseriePosted on 06 July 2012
We have been here a number of times, sometimes on a coupon and sometimes full price and we have always enjoyed the food. Most recently we dined on a Groupon coupon giving us a main course each with rice or naan bread for €18.00. We added a starter each and an extra naan and we came out well full. I had the Mirchi Vada to start (pepper stuffed with spicy potato in a pakora-like batter), one for those who like it hot and spicy and my partner had Vazhuthananga varuthathu a well spiced (but not hot) fried aubergine dish. My Gosht Laal Maas had tender lamb in a sauce thick with freshly ground spices (green and black cardamon, cumin, fennel and dried chillis were all accounted for) and it was hot as advertised. My partner went for the mild Koh-E-Awadh, another lamb dish but this time with cream, fenugreek, almonds and cloves among its components. Each main came with a very generous portion of pilau rice and we shared a tasty crisp naan bread. The only disappointment was that they had no wine in 500 ml carafes as listed in the wine list.
For our two starters, two mains with rice, a naan bread and a lassi drink each the total came to €35 including tip (remember that we did have a voucher). The food in the Indian Brasserie is quite different from a lot of the generic Indian restaurants that are out there - no tikka masala, korma, madras or vindaloos here. What you have instead are freshly made dishes with individual spicings from regions of India often not well represented. The staff have always been friendly and attentive and I would recommend a visit here, even without a voucher.
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Bistro SpicePosted on 19 May 2012
First visit last evening. We were dining on a voucher which entitled us to starters, mains, sides, dessert, plus tea/coffee. I started with a prawn puri which didn't look great but tasted fantastic - a good number of prawns in a (very) hot sauce served on a puri bread. The prawns and sauce were very tasty but the puri was more like a chappati, i.e. flat, not puffed up like puri should be, but still a fine platform for the dish. She had Bonda, which was a lightly spiced and battered potato cake served with coriander and tamarind sauces - beautiful.
Mains for both of us was lamb, always a good test of an Indian restaurant. Both our dishes (mine a medium/hot Lamb Rampuri (billed as hot, but not quite) and hers Neelgiri (should that be "Nilgiri"?) Gosht) had very lean and succulent lamb as the main attraction and each dish was well spiced with whole spices and completely different in flavour - but both equally good. These were served with boiled and pilau rice as advised on the menu.
We finished with one (prepacked) dessert and an indian (spiced) tea which were both fine.
We enjoyed our early meal in a buzzingly full restaurant at 6pm and they should be complimented for their BYOB (no corkage) policy (Offy conveniently next door).
While this trip was on a voucher, we look forward to returning and paying full price for great food in a cosy atmosphere served by smiling faces. Recommended.
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FXB MonkstownPosted on 10 May 2012
We visited Monkstown to eat in a nearby restaurant on a rainy sunday but finished up in FXBs as the other place had a queue. We were not disappointed with our second choice. We shared a substantial starter and had two mains for a very reasonable price. The service was warm and friendly if a little eccentric (they were playing Christmas carols in April!). Both our server and the manager came over to check that we were happy with our food. Haven't been there yet for dinner but would recommend it for lunch.
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L'Officina by Dunne And Crescenzi (Dundrum)Posted on 10 May 2012
The food is generally pretty good here. We shared an anti-pasta between us at €10.50. They used to bring this out on a large wooden platter but now bring it out on a smallish dinner plate. Methinks the portion has shrunk as well as the plate. Good selection of italian meats and preserved vegetables with some bread. Tasty and a good starter for two persons. We both had the lunch special of linguini with seafood (vongole and prawns) and cherry tomatoes. A filling and well seasoned dish at €14.50. So with tap water and no service charge our lunch came to just shy of €40.00. Not cheap, but good value for what we had.
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Avoca HandweaversPosted on 10 May 2012
We dropped down to Kilmacanogue for the bank holiday monday at 12 noon thinking it might be reasonably quiet. Wrong! it was thronged with visitors most of whom, like ourselves were there for lunch. The choice is a bit overwhelming but we settled for a slice of nut loaf with three salads out of a choice of about seven. The plate was groaning with the amount of food on it. Total for two of the same was just under €25. Filtered water with lemon and ice is gratis. I went back for one of their legendary desserts, a pavlova at €5.40, that we shared - it was more than two standard desserts in size and absolutely gorgeous. Great value and great food. Try to go early for lunch or you may face a wait for a seat.
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Baan Thai (Leopardstown)Posted on 10 May 2012
We visited as a group of 4 and kicked off with the two mixed platters (€21) which consisted of almost entirely deep-fried food (prawn toast, chicken wings, spring roll, prawn in batter, chicken satay and won ton). There was only 3-items per person which made this quite an expensive starter. The individual items were between average and good - nothing exceptional. The mains we had were excellent, jumbo prawns, prawn and squid yellow curry (tender squid), chicken with cashew nuts and a lamb curry which was beautifully spiced with kaffir lime leaves. Desserts were banana fritters and a mediocre banoffi - well, you don't come to a Thai restaurant for the desserts!
With two bottles of house red the meal came to €160 - not cheap, but good value for what we had. The restaurant was humming when we arrived at 7pm on a Friday evening and was still busy as we left at 10.30. Service was friendly and efficient. Look forward to a return visit.
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Chi Asian RestaurantPosted on 03 February 2012
Dined here on a Groupon voucher which gave us two mains, two sides and two (generous) glasses of wine for €29.00. We added two starters, squid rings in batter with chilli salt and pepper for me and vegetable spring rolls for her. The squid was tender plentiful and tasty while the spring rolls were declared just OK. For mains I had a Vietnamese prawns in sweet plum sauce with a side of fried rice and she had chicken with lime. It has to be said that the two dishes were too similar (with the exception of the sauces). Both had large slices of onion, red and green peppers and chunks of pineapple and lacked any great authentic flavours. Maybe it was our choice of mains but I felt that they used the same base vegetables for both our dishes. That said, the dishes were filling. Overall we enjoyed the evening and would go back , but would try different mains to see if they can produce authentic asian flavours.
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BD SpicePosted on 18 July 2011
We had a table booked for 6 on a Sunday evening and although the car park of the Eden Pub downstairs was busy, we were the only two in the restaurant. I started with chicken shashlik, which was suspiciously like chicken tandoori, though tasty all the same. My partner had the vegetable pakora which was OK. For mains we had a chicken chili masala and a chicken karai with pilau rice. Both dishes were distinctly different, well spiced with plenty of heat and tasy. The only disappointment was the chicken which was over cooked and dry. Dessert was a quite good chocolate fudge cake of the frozen variety. We were on a coupon deal that offered the 3 course meal and a glass of wine each for €30 for the two of us, which was terrific value. I'm not sure I would have been so happy had we paid full price given the way the chicken was cooked. I should mention that the service was excellent and the waiter did ask how we found the food and promised to relay our comments back to the kitchen. Would like to go back and give them a second chance to show me that they can cook chicken properly.
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Amerta Chinese RestaurantPosted on 05 June 2011
Had lunch there on Sunday of June bank holiday which was our first visit to this restaurant tucked half way down Clifton Avenue in Monkstown. There was only one other couple in the restaurant while we were there but the service and food were great. The first floor dining room is spacious and nicely decorated and we had a table by the first floor widows. We were offered a set lunch menu at €10.99 and a buffet menu at €12.00 and the waiter told us that the buffet menu was better value, which it certainly was - though a 3-course lunch for €10.99 is still pretty good value. We opted for the buffet and had starters of tasty spring rolls, sweet corn and chicken soup, and mains of sweet and sour chicken and szechuan chicken (nice chili heat!). We could have ordered further starters and mains but we were nicely full after just three courses. Tea/coffee was also included but we passed on this. The bill (excluding optional service charge) was just €24.00 for the two of us - terrific value for good food in nice surroundings. It should also be stated that Amerta lists their Irish suppliers of meat, fish and poultry together with their phone numbers (in case you want to check), which makes us feel good about the food we're eating as well as supporting Irish businesses.
Will definitely return.
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SabaPosted on 22 May 2011
We met with two friends here at 7pm on Saturday night and the restaurant was already very busy when we arrived. our friends had a table booked some weeks in advance and we found ourselves adjacent to a large birthday party of twenty-something girls who were quite lively. In fact our major complaint with the restaurant was that we just found it too loud overall to have table conservation among ourselves. Maybe its an age thing but when we go out to a restaurant for a night it is to enjoy good food and conversation in a convivial atmosphere. While the food was generally OK, if not somewhat overpriced given the quality, and the service was attentive and friendly (although the waiters had to shout to make themselves heard above the din) the atmosphere resembled that of a busy city centre bar than a restaurant (not a table cloth in sight). Great if you like that sort of place but just not my cup of tea.
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The Arch BistroPosted on 17 May 2011
Our second visit to The Arch and our first time having the Early Bird. We were three and arrived at 6.00pm to a restaurant with just one other occupied table.
There was a reasonable (for an early bird) choice of four starters and four mains. For starters two of us had a cream goat's cheese starter with beetroot and pear sauce while the third person had a warm chicken salad. The only negative comment related to the goat's cheese starter which lacked a goat's cheese flavour - otherwise starters were well presented and tasty.
Mains selected were fish and chips, chicken supreme and roast cod with capers and olives. Again all nicely presented and enjoyed by all. My only issue was my fish and chips which comprised quite a small portion of fish and chips with a small tub of tartare sauce - I was hoping for a slightly more substantial portion and was still hungry when I finished my main. So I had the apple and blackberry crumble for dessert (as did my fellow diners) which was served piping hot in a ramekin with a little jug of quite good custard on the side - delicious!
For the three of us the three course dinner (with no bar drinks) came to €54 in total excluding tip. Reasonable value in this day and age. The restaurant was still
almost empty when we left at 7.30 on a Thursday night, so there was a lack of atmosphere. But overall (with the few caveats mentioned above) , satisfied with the food
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Gong Chinese RestaurantPosted on 10 December 2010
We had lunch here on a snowy Sunday in December and there was only one other table occupied during our time there - so the place was a little low in atmosphere. We had the lunch special which offered a selection of starters and mains followed by tea or coffee for just €11.95, which is surely good value, even in these straightened times. For starters (between three of us) we had spring roll, barbecued spare ribs and a chicken and sweetcorn suit - all perfectly serviceable. For mains we had shredded squid with beansprouts and chili, fried prawn in black bean sauce and sweet and sour chicken - all with fried rice. The mains were tasty and of good-sized portions for lunch - my squid was particularly tender. Lunch for three for a shade over €35 is hard to grumble about - particularly when the food was tasty.
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KoishiPosted on 03 August 2010
We visited Koishi on a Friday evening with two friends who were first timers to Japanese food. When we arrived at 7.00pm we were the first guests and the restaurant was quite quiet (no music). The pleasant waitress brought us a complimentary bowl of steaming edame beans with homemade pickle while we decided what to order.
We ordered sushi and sashimi a few items at a time so we could gauge what our friends could and couldn't eat. As one of the friends is coeliac the waitress advised what could and couldn't be eaten and was able to provide her with gluten-free soy sauce.
The quality of the tuna and salmon sashimi was particularly good, The octopus was a bit watery - possibly from previously being frozen. The nigiri sushi, maki and hoso maki rolls were all pretty good and nicely presented.
Washed down with green tea, which was discretely replaced when the pots were empty, we had a pleasant evening. As the restaurant filled up with a few noisy tables the atmosphere improved.
To eat your fill you will leave a bit of a dent on your credit card if you are very hungry when you go - good sushi is never cheap in Ireland. However, this is good sushi and, as such, is good value for money.
A final word about the two kimono-clad Japanese waitresses who were very helpful, professional and friendly.
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China SichuanPosted on 03 August 2010
This was our first visit to the China Sichuan in the Forum, Sandyford since it reopened after being closed for a few months. We popped down for lunch and parked in the Beacon South car park (3 hours for free 3 minutes walk from the restaurant).
They have a nice good value lunch menu (2 courses for €15.00) and we had €2.50 off vouchers from their website which were valid until end of July. The choice on the lunch menu isn't extensive, but there should be something to suit all tastes.
We had Bon Bon Chicken and Spring Rolls to start and Sweet and Sour Chicken and Prawns in Black Bean Sauce with boiled and fried rice for mains.
Quality and flavour of the food was excellent (I asked for extra chili with the prawns and they duly obliged) and the portions were more than ample for lunch time. Service was friendly but professional and the owner was attentive to all the customers.
We look forward to trying their evening menu soon and the early-bird looks particularly good value.
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YO Sushi (Dundrum)Posted on 06 April 2010
Having eaten in Yo Sushi in Paddington, London last week where we found the food excellent in quality and value we decided to have lunch in the Dundrum branch yesterday. The first thing that surprised me was that the dishes on the conveyor did not have time stamp stickers on the lids so I wondered how the staff know when to remove unsold stock.
The next thing that surprised me was how much more expensive the Dundrum branch was. For example, the most expensive (grey) dish is €6.75 in Dundrum while it is L5.00 in London - given an exchange rate of 0.88 that should be L5.68 in Dublin (19% more expensive in Dublin). All the lower-priced dishes are also significantly more expensive in Dundrum.
We had a miso soup which was very good, piping hot and at €2.00 for unlimited refills excellent value.
I tried a chicken yakisoba which I had cooked fresh in front of me last week in Paddington and was superb there. Unfortunately it was a disaster in Dundrum. A bowl of bland noodles appeared with dried out chicken bits on top, some of which were barely lukewarm. I brought this to the attention of the manager when we were paying and he apologized and explained that the Dundrum store did not have the facilities for cooking hot dishes to order and the hot food is prepared in a kitchen elesewhere in bulk in advance and stored in holding ovens for up to two hours. This explained the dried out chicken sitting on the noodles.
Although we were there for peak lunchtime the choice of sushi on the conveyor was quite limited when compared to their menu.
I also had a squid salad (good, nice spicy sauce) and some salmon sushi (also good). Between the two of us we had six dishes a filtered tap water (€1) and a miso soup. The bill came to €31.25 (the manager downgraded the chicken yakisoba to blue from purple because of my comments).
In conclusion, if you stick to the sushi it is generally good (though pricey). Could not recommend the hot dishes though.
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RasamPosted on 12 February 2010
Went for the early-bird special last Monday. It was our first time at Rasam and we had heard a lot of good things about it. We arrived at 6.15pm and we had the restaurant to ourselves though a number of large groups arrived not long after. Service was friendly and prompt and the food was up to the reported standard,
I had the Pork Ke Sooley to start (very different from any Indian starter I had previously - but very tender and tasty) and she had the Galinha Cafreal (spicy chicken pieces, again very tasty).
She had the Lal Maas and we both agreed that this was excellent,with flavourful lean tender lamb and a piquant but not overtly hot sauce. My Tandoori Butter Chicken was requested "hot" and came appropriately spicy but still allowing the sauce flavour to shine through.
Both main dishes had plenty of gravy but were a little short on meat.
A single bowl of pulao rice accompanied our dishes and this could have been more generous. A naan bread cut into quarters accompanied the rice.
While portions of meat and rice could have been a little more generous, this is a budget priced early bird, so I don't want to make too much over this apart from hoping that if we had ordered a la carte that portions would have been more generous.
We declined the included tea/coffee and thoroughly enjoyed the food.
Our only criticism was that we paid €4.95 each for two 330ml bottles of Heineken, which, if my arithmetic is right, comes out at €8.52 per pint. I feel that this represents poor value at any time not just in the current economic climate. Come on guys, let us enjoy a reasonably priced beer with our meal like you can in most Indian restaurants in the UK.
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The Counter DundrumPosted on 30 January 2010
We dropped in about 7:30 after a late afternoon film thinking that we would get in an out pretty quickly. As all tables were taken we chose to sit at the counter where we were promptly given menus. We had two made to measure 1/3lb burgers, fries, onion strings and sweet potato fries. We waited for or food, and we waited and we waited. When a couple sitting at the counter beside us, who came in after us were served I asked when we would be served and were told it was on its way. The mains arrived 5 minutes later without the side orders. We were told they would be right there. I was practically finished my burger when the sides did arrive. The waiter apologized and said he wouldn't charge us for them.
The burgers we had were quite tasty as were the fries and onion strings. Be warned that their side dishes are very big and one portion will more than serve two adults. I had a glass of milk which must have been close to a pint in volume and served nice and cold. Value is pretty good considering the size of the portions.
Not too keen on the cheap plastic plate that my food was served on which had a tendency to go flying off the plastic counter top every time I tried to cut my burger.
The atmosphere in the restaurant doesn't encourage one to linger - somewhat industrial with harsh lighting and tables quite close together. But I suppose it is a burger joint after all.
Their one big problem is slow service - I would be very reluctant to go here if I wanted a quick bite before a film, or after one for that matter.
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The Goat Bar & GrillPosted on 11 December 2009
Met with two friends for an evening meal last Wednesday. The pub was relatively quiet but they seemed to have quite a few serving staff on the floor. We were served by a friendly lady who explained the specials and seemed to enjoy her job - not always something you find in waiting staff. We just had main courses - two of us had the homemade burger, which was very thick and tasty but perhaps just a little greasy. The accompanying salad and chips were pretty good. The third member of our group had the sea bass special and had no complaints. With one coffee, two pints of lager and a sparkling water the bill came to €50.00 inc. tip. Not gourmet food but good pub grub.
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AnandaPosted on 05 December 2009
Last night, we were out again, this time at Ananda's, with friends. Had a great night. Service was poor, though - one girl in particular had too much attitude and not enough customer care - she handed me the menu before I even got a chance to sit at the table, and didn't offer to take our coats. And when we told her we hadn't yet decided on our desserts, she nearly flicked her hair at us before turning her heels! No tip was left. What do you expect! But the food was good - my prawns were a tad overcooked, unfortunately, but her's were perfect (she had the seafood curry - prawns, white fish and a crab claw in a rich spicy bisque). My starter was delicious - guinea fowl with a coriander and lime marinade, and a yogurt and pomegranate side sauce that complemented it well. And 3 chips (I originally thought there were only 2, so finding the 3rd one under the breast of guinea fowl was a bonus!). The place was packed. The decor is gorgeous. Pity about the service. We've been there other times and the service has been perfect (the waiters there are generally more attentive than the waitresses, I find.)
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Jimmy ChungsPosted on 25 October 2009
Not fine cuisine. But incredible value for money. Had lunch there today for two persons - cost €19.80. Where else in Dublin can you get an all you can eat buffet for under a tenner? The starters were varied - satay chicken, vegetarian spring roll, spicy ribs, bbq ribs, onion rings, chicken maryland, battered squid, won tons. Not all of them were terrific (the veg spring roll seemed to be stuffed with scrambled egg??), but everything else was tasty. They had two soups - chicken and sweetcorn and my favourite Chinese soup hot and sour which I had. It was thick, tasty and spicy hot with plenty of egg and crisp vegetables, as good a hot and sour as I've tasted.
Tried the Singapore noodles, cantonese rice and chow mein with a variety of pork vegetable and chicken dishes. The quality was up to good take away standard. For desert they let you loose with the whipped ice cream machine and in addition to the standard banana fritter with syrup (which I had two portions of) there were a selection of desert cakes and fresh fruit - really something for everybody.
The restaurant was much nicer than I imagined and the service was friendly and attentive. If Jimmy Chungs can offer a damned good buffet for under a tenner one wonders at the profit made by the chinese restaurants that charge over a tenner for a starter or €25 for a main course (sorry rice will be an extra €2.50 with that!). Well done Jimmy and keep up the good work.
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Dobbins RestaurantPosted on 26 September 2009
Four of us booked for a Saturday night early bird special @ €25 for two courses. We had apertifs, two bottles of wine and starters, mains and desserts and the bill came in at €200 inc. service, so no complaints on the value front. The food on the other hand got a mixed review, with some of the dishes being better than others. I had their seafood sausage starter which was a bit bland and had a slightly greasy taste to it. My pork belly main was excellent. One of the other diner's found her fish main somewhat underwhelming - Hake Tempura with curry oil. She described it as essentially fish and chips without the chips. The fish was lovely, with mushy peas but the curry oil was nowhere in evidence. The duck was praised by one of our group and puddings were generally well met. We had a booth across from the serving hatch and the buzz in the restaurant was good. The waiters seem to have a tendency to top up your glass with over-zealous frequency. My glass was topped up a second time within 5 minutes and I hadn't drank from it. Perhaps a little eager to sell you an extra bottle of wine?
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Il FornaioPosted on 26 September 2009
Prices need a reality check. Had lunch here with my wife last Saturday. We've been here a few times before and always enjoyed the food, but the prices are not value for money. Remember, this is not an upmarket restaurant, more a cafe environment with simple tables and chairs along an L-shaped serving counter. We paid €17 for a smallish dish of ravioli with a walnut sauce which came unaccompanied - no salad or bread. The food was tasty, but this was lunch on Saturday (there was only one other person eating at the time we were there). €5.50 for a small side order of roast potatoes with rosemary also was pricey. My main of mixed cold meats was good, but I think €8.50 rather than €12.50 would be closer the mark. With a 500ml bottle of water lunch cost €40.00 inc tip - too much considering the portions and surroundings. A similar meal in a comparable establishment in Rome would be in the region of €25.00. The food is good but won't return until they get their pricing right.
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Aprile RistorantePosted on 21 August 2009
For a midweek treat we dropped into Aprile's for the first time last night. Really funky decor - touch of the Austin Power's perhaps but certainly not dull. They make good use of the first-floor space by employing interesting lighting and crisper tones (predominantly black and white). The menu is fairly standard Italian fare, mainly pizza and pasta, with a number of fish and meat dishes added. Specials are noted on a high level blackboard that could easily be missed, and weren't mentioned by the waiter. Skipping starters, we had a pizza Napoletana and a ravioli with ricotta and spinach filling as our mains. Both were competent if not exceptional. Service was prompt and professional and the bill, with two small bottles of water, came to €33.50 exc. tip. I would be tempted to try one of their specials next time rather than pasta and pizza. There was a good buzz as we were leaving about 8.15 and I imagine it being booked out at weekends. A good neighbourhood restaurant to have.
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Indian SummerPosted on 20 August 2009
Four of us went for dinner at 6:30 last evening and entered through the new front entrance which leads into their new wine bar. To pass into the restaurant we had to go down a short linking corridor past the kitchen and was-up area - not ideal. We had their value meal which was €23.50 for any starter and main course inc. rice and nan. I had the fish starter, which I found a bit dried out. Others had the seekh kebabs, corn and potato patties and chicken tikka, which were all good. My main was chicken chettinad (hot, spicy and excellent), Others had lamb dishes and a fish dish and all tasted unique and pretty good. Inc a house red cost €120 inc tip. An enjoyable night.
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The Queens BarPosted on 06 August 2009
We stopped into the Queens at 12:30 on the Bank Holiday Monday after a pleasant walk around the coast. The restaurant was quiet but we were invited to find a seat that suited by one of the friendly waitresses. We settled for two of their burgers (with cheese, crispy bacon, salad, relish and side salad) and asked for them to be cooked medium. The burgers duly arrived in about 10 minutes and they were cooked as requested. As burgers go these were pretty good, served in enormous soft baps. A more than adequate lunchtime indulgence. The two mains with one glass of milk came to €23.70 ex. service. Good value.
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Yamamori NoodlesPosted on 03 August 2009
Good, but not great. We arrived for lunch at 12.45pm on a Saturday and there were already a few tables occupied. Menus were presented as soon as we sat down and I went for chicken teriyaki stir-fry while herself ordered the lunch bento box. We also had an ebi gyoza and squid tempura on the side. Sides were pretty good though the squid was a little bit rubbery (but nice light tempura batter). My Terraki chicken was a "sizzling" dish which basically consisted of a sweetened soy sauce mix poured over veg and sliced chicken breast with a bowl of rice on the side. All OK but not what I know chicken teriyaki to be. The bento lunch box came with chicken on skewers, trout katsu (heavy breadcrumb batter, salad and rice and a competent bowl of miso. The meal came to €33.70 ex. service and, it was hard to fault it in terms of value. Unfortunately it was also hard to praise my main in terms of authenticity, though everything else was satisfactory.
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The Stillorgan OrchardPosted on 31 July 2009
First visit to the Orchard at lunchtime today. The wife and myself decided to head out for lunch as a treat and we drove to the Orchard. Suprised to find the car park full at 12.30 and suspect that some commuters may be using their facilities. We parked across the road at the closed Esmonde Motors garage. Good buzz in the place and decor was nice - bright and trendy, but warm and welcoming. We had just sat down when we were immediately brought menus. Good selection of lunchtime meals. I settled for beef lasagne with chips while she had open prawn sandwich. Both were very tasty. The wife asked for extra bread which came with a smile and no extra charge. Two mains plus a glass of milk came to €20.70. Feel we got very good value for money together with (untypical) friendly efficient service from Irish waiting staff. Will be bringing inlaws here next week and I think they will enjoy it.
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Bistro OnePosted on 02 July 2009
The wife's birthday was yesterday so we used that as an excuse to revisit Bisto One which we've been to a number of times before - sometimes just the two of us and sometimes with friends. One of the key points about Bistro One is their commitment to using local seasonal produce as far as is possible.
They had a number of specials on the menu that included brill and john dory and also a Plat du Jour of stuffed loin of pork (free- range saddleback pigs from Moyallen I was told when I asked for their provenance). The Plat du Jour was €19 and included a 250cl carafe of pinot grigio or merlot. The brill and turbot were about €28 as far as I can remember.
We started with a prawn risotto (me)(€12) and a caprese salad (her)(€10). The risotto had a rich flavor from, I suspect, a patient shellfish reduction over some time. The rice was just right, not too soft and mushy and the prawns tender and not overdone. A wonderful starter. The caprese salad consisted of baby vine tomatoes, sweet and ripe, accompanied by mozarella cheese and fresh basil. My wife enjoyed it.
For mains I had the Plat du Jour and wasn't disappointed. The tender pork loin had a great stuffing that had definite hints of lemon in it, some jus and apple sauce. It was accompanied by a trio of veg on the side (boiled potato, glazed carrot and cauliflower).
My wife had the fish and chips (€18), which I've had before myself which comes with mushy peas and tartare sauce. The fish was light and tasty.
(Some reviewers seem to think that chips are out of place in a Bistro. We were in the Corbieres region of France last week and had a wonderful lunch in Le Clos des Souquets restaurant in Fabrezan which consisted of a sublime cuisse de canard and frites!).
Choc fondant and Limoncello Creams with raspberry sorbet (€8.00) completed the meal. €104.50 including 750 cl wine and service charge. Good value for great food and always consistent.
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