C
coolaboola
Guest
Hiya folks,
Can anyone recommend a nice restaurant in Dublin? I'm using my 'old favourites' to death at this stage and would like to try a few new places but am fed up at paying good money to restaurants that turn out to be a pile of cruddy arsebiscuits. All suggestions welcome!
BTW, (to start the ball rolling and all), my 'old favorites' include:
Talbot 101, Talbot St. D. 1:
Cool because: Menu varies weekly (as does art displays on walls), good food, nice atmosphere (buzzy bistro), decent service, good value, decent house wine, good veggie selection (not a veggie myself but not a hard-core carnivore either - like a choice)
Sucks because: Need to book well ahead (always a good sign I suppose). Non-smoking area surrounded by smoking area (what's that about??? Thankfully doesn't usually cause a problem) And their Thai veggie curry sucks!
Cafe Bar Deli, Sth. Great Georges St., D.2:
Cool because: Lovely food (of the pasta/pizza variety), good value, decent wines (again good value), nice atmosphere (v. like the old Bewley's whose premises it inhabits), no need to book ahead (they don't take bookings).
Sucks because: Service sometimes spectacularly bad, seats near stained glass window at back infested with flies (ugh! Thankfully rest of place ok), non-smoking area far, far too small (but lovely if you can get a seat there), menu quite limited (but they do have daily specials), pasta not fresh (i.e. dried pasta ... cheaper but tastes it)
Poco Loco, Parliament St., D. 2:
Cool because: Cheap and cheerful mexican(-ish) food, full licence, great for a big, happy, noisy gang of people.
Sucks because: Well, food isn't exactly gourmet but its grand and theres plenty of it so who cares, pass the beer!
Roly's, Ballsbridge, D. 4
Cool because: Yummy, yummy food.
Sucks because: V., V. expensive! And the last time we went their (wedding anniversary - strictly a special occasion place due to price), despite requesting a non-smoking table in the booking, we were seated smack, bang in the middle of the smoking section with little by way of an explanation or apology when we complained. As you might have guessed by now I'm really big on the non-smoking thing, nothing pisses me off quite as quickly as someone lighting up within a stone's throw of me (and thanks to being the proud owner of a mad dog who's addicted to playing 'catch', I can throw a stone pretty far). A single whiff of cigarette smoke will have me in a fouler humour that a cat in a bucket of water ... grrrr! But that's a whole other topic ... Suffice to say that any restaurant that doesn't adequately respect and cater for its non-smoking clientle gets a big thumbs down. (Now, why is Roly's still on this list again???)
Eden, Meeting House Sq., Temple Bar, D. 2
Cool because: Well, only been here once but what yummy food! (How unusual for a Temple Bar eaterie!) Nice, airy atmosphere.
Sucks because: Again, another place to break the bank if you're not careful. Full of 'beautiful people' - alas I'm not one of them ... enough to make one feel pretty unpretty!
But great for eye-candy I suppose.
Odessa, off Wicklow St. (opp. Stag's Head), D. 2
Cool because: Eggs benedict and Kir Royale!
Sucks because: Just about everything else but the eggs benedict and kir royale just about make up for it. If you haven't a booking (and I'm still unclear as to whether they take bookings or not - I've tried to book and been told they don't and then turned up and been refused a table because its been booked!) don't bother trying to get in on a Sunday morning as its packed to the rafters - try Saturday instead.
Avoca Cafe, Sulfolk St. D. 2 (above Avoca shop):
Cool because: Lovely food in stonking great portions, lovely bright, airy premises.
Sucks because: Only open during the day (no evening opening), Brunch menu v. limited (go for lunch instead), can be a bit crowed and a wee bit expensive for lunch food.
I've a list of no-gos that's at least as long again but as some bear once said, lets accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and don't mess with mr. in-between...
Gimme your suggestions!
coolaboola.
Can anyone recommend a nice restaurant in Dublin? I'm using my 'old favourites' to death at this stage and would like to try a few new places but am fed up at paying good money to restaurants that turn out to be a pile of cruddy arsebiscuits. All suggestions welcome!
BTW, (to start the ball rolling and all), my 'old favorites' include:
Talbot 101, Talbot St. D. 1:
Cool because: Menu varies weekly (as does art displays on walls), good food, nice atmosphere (buzzy bistro), decent service, good value, decent house wine, good veggie selection (not a veggie myself but not a hard-core carnivore either - like a choice)
Sucks because: Need to book well ahead (always a good sign I suppose). Non-smoking area surrounded by smoking area (what's that about??? Thankfully doesn't usually cause a problem) And their Thai veggie curry sucks!
Cafe Bar Deli, Sth. Great Georges St., D.2:
Cool because: Lovely food (of the pasta/pizza variety), good value, decent wines (again good value), nice atmosphere (v. like the old Bewley's whose premises it inhabits), no need to book ahead (they don't take bookings).
Sucks because: Service sometimes spectacularly bad, seats near stained glass window at back infested with flies (ugh! Thankfully rest of place ok), non-smoking area far, far too small (but lovely if you can get a seat there), menu quite limited (but they do have daily specials), pasta not fresh (i.e. dried pasta ... cheaper but tastes it)
Poco Loco, Parliament St., D. 2:
Cool because: Cheap and cheerful mexican(-ish) food, full licence, great for a big, happy, noisy gang of people.
Sucks because: Well, food isn't exactly gourmet but its grand and theres plenty of it so who cares, pass the beer!
Roly's, Ballsbridge, D. 4
Cool because: Yummy, yummy food.
Sucks because: V., V. expensive! And the last time we went their (wedding anniversary - strictly a special occasion place due to price), despite requesting a non-smoking table in the booking, we were seated smack, bang in the middle of the smoking section with little by way of an explanation or apology when we complained. As you might have guessed by now I'm really big on the non-smoking thing, nothing pisses me off quite as quickly as someone lighting up within a stone's throw of me (and thanks to being the proud owner of a mad dog who's addicted to playing 'catch', I can throw a stone pretty far). A single whiff of cigarette smoke will have me in a fouler humour that a cat in a bucket of water ... grrrr! But that's a whole other topic ... Suffice to say that any restaurant that doesn't adequately respect and cater for its non-smoking clientle gets a big thumbs down. (Now, why is Roly's still on this list again???)
Eden, Meeting House Sq., Temple Bar, D. 2
Cool because: Well, only been here once but what yummy food! (How unusual for a Temple Bar eaterie!) Nice, airy atmosphere.
Sucks because: Again, another place to break the bank if you're not careful. Full of 'beautiful people' - alas I'm not one of them ... enough to make one feel pretty unpretty!
But great for eye-candy I suppose.Odessa, off Wicklow St. (opp. Stag's Head), D. 2
Cool because: Eggs benedict and Kir Royale!
Sucks because: Just about everything else but the eggs benedict and kir royale just about make up for it. If you haven't a booking (and I'm still unclear as to whether they take bookings or not - I've tried to book and been told they don't and then turned up and been refused a table because its been booked!) don't bother trying to get in on a Sunday morning as its packed to the rafters - try Saturday instead.
Avoca Cafe, Sulfolk St. D. 2 (above Avoca shop):
Cool because: Lovely food in stonking great portions, lovely bright, airy premises.
Sucks because: Only open during the day (no evening opening), Brunch menu v. limited (go for lunch instead), can be a bit crowed and a wee bit expensive for lunch food.
I've a list of no-gos that's at least as long again but as some bear once said, lets accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and don't mess with mr. in-between...
Gimme your suggestions!
coolaboola.