Category Archives: Food

Brookwood – A New York Style Steak House

I was recently invited to try out the new Sunday Roast menu at Brookwood on Baggot Street. As it turned out the Sunday Roast was such a roaring success that by the time I arrived at 6 p.m. they were completely sold out. That’s probably a really good sign. I did get to see it being delivered in all its finery to the table next to me which happened to be Carol from Gin & Griddle. You can read her review here. It’s also really good value at €32.50 for a half roast which serves 2 people or €60 for a full roast which will serve 4/5 people. It does of course come with all the trimmings, mash, roast veg, gravy etc. I’ve already booked to return and try it out.

Getting over that little hurdle was eased by the arrival of some wonderful cocktails which are half price on Sundays. H had the amazing looking creation below which is their signature cocktail which is incredibly refreshing and served in quite a novel way. It’s Hendricks Gin, Cucumber Syrup and black pepper.

The Terry
Hendricks, Cucumber
Syrup, Black Pepper

I opted for the Champagne Mag which was an equally tasty mix of champagne with cherries.

Champagne Mag
Champagne, Cherry
Bitters, Maraschino Cherries

The menu at Brookwood is a whos who of steak and seafood. They heavy hitters like fillet and rib eye mixed with the more delicate prawns and mussels are all present and correct.

For starters I opted for ‘Posh’ Potato Skins which were three very ample potato skins with a mix of fillings including bacon and cheese and salmon. The were served on a marble slate with an accompanying garlic mayo dip. While the flavours were excellent and very tasty, they were very slightly over done on the outside.

Potato Skins

H had the Brookwood Salad which was light and tasty with a zingy dressing that was just perfect for a starter. I suspect I’ll try it myself on a return visit.

Brookwood Salad

For main course we both opted for the 10oz Rib Eye steaks. H had his served blue which is just a bit too much alive and kicking for me. I opted for medium. Both were cooked exactly as requested and were excellent. Mine was the right amount of pink and very tender. H’s, well it was still alive so I wasn’t trying that. The steaks are served very simply with just some roast tomatoes to the side.

10oz Rib Eye

We ordered some hand cut chips and seasonal greens to accompany the steaks. All of which were extremely tasty. The greens not over done and still having a nice bite to them. H had garlic butter with his while I opted for Béarnaise sauce.

Hand Cut Chips & Seasonal Greens

As if we weren’t full enough we decided to give dessert a shot. H went for the mouth watering sticky toffee pudding which was just gorgeous with a very generous serving of rich toffee sauce.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

I went for a firm favourite of mine which was Banoffe and the slice was so big I wasn’t even able to finish it. It had a nice thick base and lashings of cream on top.

Banoffe

We also opted for a scoop of ice cream to accompany our desserts. Little did we know that a scoop of ice cream in Brookwood is actually a dessert in itself. It came with a little jug of syrup and small bowl of hundreds and thousands which I hadn’t seen in years and thought were a really great detail.

Ice Cream

While our dinner was complimentary it doesn’t sway my review. The positives of Brookwood I felt were many. The food could not be faulted. It was cooked as requested and delivered by staff who I can only say were exceptional. From Sophie who greeted us at the door to Anna who served our food and the friendly bar men who made our cocktails. Good service in my opinion should be recognised and I have seperately complimented Brookwood via email on their staff.

The surrounds are comfortable and a lot of attention to detail has gone into them. It has the swagger of being Gatsbyesque without being over the top. I do have to say however the tables were too close together and it was difficult to get in and out from my table. Also on the Sunday I was there a group were playing and while they were excellent I felt the upstairs dining room was too small to have such loud music as it was difficult to have a conversation at times. That feedback again was given to Brookwood via email who welcomed it graciously and confirmed they were trying a number of musical options until they found the best fit for the space.

From www.brookwooddublin.com

Dining Room Details

Bathroom Details

Private Dining & Meeting Room

Upstairs Dining Room taken from www.brookwooddublin.com

Downstairs Dining Room taken from www.brookwooddublin.com

Brookwood Dublin

141 Baggot Street Lower

Dublin 2

Ph: (01) 661 9366

Havana Tapas Bar – Brunch with Pink Mimosas

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On Sundays I’m usually too hungover to get out of bed. Following a fairly dry Saturday night I woke up early, refreshed and eager to do something. Bored of the usual fry up for breakfast I opted to take advantage of a Dining Room voucher I had bought a few weeks back. For a mere €20 Havana on Georges Street were offering Sunday brunch for two with a choice of Mimosa or Pink Mojito to wash it down. I booked a table for 1 o’clock and made my way in.

It was fairly quiet when we arrived, but then again I suppose 1 is early enough for kicking off brunch. First things first we were offered a choice of Mimosa or Pink Mojito. Two Pink Mojitos were ordered and promptly delivered while we browsed the menu. The Pink Mojitos were very refershing and just screamed Summer is not gone yet. As you can see they were pimped out in cocktail brollies and slices of lime. Delicious.

Pink Mojitos

The brunch menu was split into five differant sections. Eggs & Tortilla, On Ciabatta, Salads, Steak & Wings and Paella. I opted for the striploin steak sandwich on a warm ciabatta with sundried tomato pesto, mixed leaves and hand cut fries.

Striploin Steak on Ciabatta

It looked great and was served on a wooden chopping board. While it was very tasty I would have liked the steak to be a little more on the rare side to really bring the flavour out. In saying that I ate everything.

H went for the Eggs Benedict with hollandaise, crisped serrano ham, pequilo sauce and hand cut fries. His was certainly the better dish of the two. The pequilo sauce had a pleasant sweet taste without being too spicy. The poached eggs themselves were cooked perfectly and made me declare that I was going to start poaching eggs. That hasn’t happened of course.

Eggs Benedict

Delicious

The restaurant has a very nice relaxed feel about it with lots of nice interior touches and has been around since 2000. It originally was housed in Camden Market but moved to Georges Street in 2005.

Interior Detail

For the bargain price of €20 we were both stuffed after our meals so didn’t opt for anything resembling dessert and satisfied we made our exit. I probably would return to Havana and try a few of the other brunch items, so thats a good sign.

If you like the review feel free to give my Facebook page a like Here

Havana Tapas Bar

Georges Street

Dublin 2

Tel: (0)1 400 5990

Twitter: @Havanatapasbar

San Lorenzos – Lunch On Georges Street

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I have been hearing about San Lorenzos for quite some time now. It has been hyped as offering mouth watering food and being the hippest place to hang out in town. Is it? Well lets see.

First of all I have to admit I follow San Lorenzos on twitter and they are a restaurant that engage extremely well with their customers. They don’t just bombard you with picture after picture of what they are serving. They vary the content. They respond quickly. They tell you about what music they play and they are excellent at offering competitions for Sunday Brunch, or #brunchofchampions as its more commonly known.

They serve Modern Italian with a New York twist. The surroundings feel very New York and quite minimal which is no bad thing. There are red leather seats that run down the sides of the restaurant and Tiffanyesque lampshades add a splash of colour. Clean lines and simple. It’s sparse without being dull.

Interior

Myself and H visited on a Thursday evening at 6p.m. The greeting at the door was warm and we were quickly seated. The restaurant was already starting to fill up at that stage. Clearly a very popular destination. Glasses of water were poured and menus handed out. Getting down to business we ordered two Gin & Tonics to start off with. They were as expected very refreshing with slices of lemons, limes and fresh mint leaves.

Gin & Tonic

For starters I went for Pan Fried Gambas in white wine with garlic and chilli. They were served in the shells on a slice of thick bread which was soaking up the sauce. Perfectly cooked and so tasty. The picture below speaks for itself.

Pan Fried Gambas

H went for the Char Grilled Asparagus which came with a poached egg, shaved parmesan and hollandaise sauce. I made sure I tried it. The hollandaise was some of the best I’ve had and the asparagus was tender and the right amount of crunchy at the same time. Both plates were cleaned.

Char Grilled Asparagus

For main course I went for Slow Roasted Pork Belly with a warm salad of marinated artichokes, white asparagus, new potatoes, rocket and salsa verde. The pork was so tender it melted in my mouth and was actually very filling. The salsa verde actually worked really well with it and was a nice change from the usual apple based offering you find with pork. I didn’t manage to finish it but I did have my eye on dessert so was subconsciously keeping space for that.

Slow Roasted Pork Belly

H opted for the Barnyard chicken breast wrapped in Proscuitto with creamed sweetcorn, asparagus, roast potatoes, rocket and lemon. Again it looked great and the taste was a roaring success with the chicken moist and tender. He pretty much licked the plate clean.

Barnyard Chicken Breast

Then came dessert. New York Nutella baked cheesecake with chocolate brownie ice cream for me and Pecan Pie with salt caramel ice cream for H. Mine was outrageously good. The kind of thing you would order as a final meal on death row. The cheesecake hadn’t quite set and was a little on the melted side but that didn’t take from the taste.

Nutella Cheesecake

The Pecan Pie was probably less successful, but then again it didn’t really stand a chance next to mine. It was just a little dry for my liking. H had serious dessert envy so I did let him try mine considered he looked at it so longingly.

Pecan Pie

Overall I was very impressed with San Lorenzos. It met all my expectations and lived up to its hype. The staff were efficient and friendly and the food was excellent and really they are the only two components that matter with a dining experience. There was also a great atmosphere and a nice mix of music. One thing I did find interesting was that the toilets were unisex and the washhand basins have a view into the kitchen. Clearly they have nothing to hide and are turning out great food and I will be back again as I have my eye on #brunchofchampions.

If you like the review feel free to give my Eat Drink Run Fun Facebook page a like here.

San Lorenzos

South Great Georges Street

Ph: (01) 478 9383

Email: info@sanlorenzos.ie

Twitter: @sanlorenzos

La Ruelle Wine Bar

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Nestled on Joshua Lane which is just off Dawson Street (across from Mansion House) you will find La Ruelle wine bar. I’ve probably walked by it a hundred times and never knew it was there. It was only when it came up on a Grab One voucher that I heard of it. The offer was three tapas and two glasses of wine for a mere €16.

So on a Friday evening after a few pints in Kehoes I headed around to La Ruelle with a friend in toe to cash in my voucher. The venue itself is quite small but thanks to some clever decoration looks deceptively large.

There is a small bar area with a selection of wine just inside the door and the main seating area runs around to the right of that.

Entrance

Bar Area

Seating Area. Picture from: http://www.laruelle.ie/index.aspx

The tapas menu has all the usual suspects on it so we opted for Warm Spanish Croquette, “Beshoffs of Howth” Sautéed Tiger Prawn and Pisto. Excuse my photos, for some reason they all have a reddish tinge off them, I think it was the lighting or the few pints I had in advance of taking them !

Warm Spanish Croquette

They were, funnily enough warm, creamy and actually delightful. I know it’s tapas but four was just no enough for me.

“Beshoffs of Howth” Sautéed Tiger Prawn

It’s hard to go wrong with prawns and I’m happy to report that La Ruelle served up some tasty ones. Perfectly cooked.

Pisto

The Pisto I’m sorry to say wasn’t great. It was all a bit too mushy for me inluding the asparagus which was wilted to within an inch of its life.

The voucher came with two glasses of wine so we opted for Sauvignon Blanc, Croix des Vents, Languedoc, 2011. Light and crispy and a bit too easy to drink which ended in us ordering a full bottle (€23).

Sauvignon Blanc, Croix des Vents, Languedoc, 2011

We also decided to opt for the large Artisan Charcuterie Selection, which was plentiful at €15.95 but lacking in its variety.

Artisan Charcuterie Selection

The service was good, the food was probably just ok, the overall atmosphere was lacking a little and the wine, well the wine was great but it is a wine bar afterall. Despite using the voucher which was for three tapas and two glasses of wine we still managed to rack up another €55 on top of that. I don’t think I would be rushing back to be honest.

Web: http://www.laruelle.ie/about.aspx

3/4 Joshua Lane, D2

Boojum – Best Burrito In Dublin

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Boojum on Kevin Street is the second branch in Dublin and the fifth in Ireland of the Mexican burrito bar chain run by husband and wife team Karen and John. They now have branches in Dublin, Galway and Belfast.

I had read news of their opening on the Kevin Street branch on Twitter and figured that since I was a burrito virgin it was time I popped my Mexican cherry. So armed with lots of pre conceived notions about a burrito being a really spicy hard to eat food item I headed to Boojum on a Saturday lunch time.

The restaurant itself has a nice feel with lots of Mexican influence in the decoration.

Decoration Details

Seating Area/Lights/Loyalty Card

They are actually located in a really great spot to cash in on the DIT student market, with DIT Aungier Street and DIT Kevin Street being within walking distance. The menu works on a simple four step process. Choose what you want, what it’s filled with, add garnishes and then choose sides and drinks.

4 Step Menu

I went with a burrito of course and was offered a choice of mild to spicy fillings and a variety of types of rice. I like spicy foods but unfortuantely they just do not like me at all so it was great to have the mild option. The lime infused rice came with a mild filling of peppers and red onions. Coupled with pulled pork and beans and smothered in cheese and salsa verde, this was to be my first burrito.

A hefty looking Burrito

Where to begin

Boojum actually have a video on their website to tell you the easiest way to eat a burrito. It’s pretty much unwrap the foil and dig in which is exactly what I done.

Burrito Goodness

I have to say the burrito was just incredible. It was packed full of flavour and the fresh ingredients I watched the staff add to it really come through. The rice was bursting with the flavour of lime and the pulled pork was delicious. It was actually very filling.

Meat Fillings

Rice & Bean Options

My dining buddy H went for the tacos. As you can see from the picture below, they were piled high and loaded with various garnishes. Naturally I tucked into them also and can confirm they were very tasty. Crisp nachos with lots of fresh salsa, cheese and jalapenos.

Tacos

Towards the end of the plate we had more tacos than garnish so I sent H back up to the counter to ask for more. Initially one staff member was going to charge him €3.50 for the extra, which I would feel is way too much, but in the end a fellow staff member confirmed there was no additional charge. I’m not sure what their exact policy is on this, but given it’s a new premises and new staff I’m sure they will figure it out and make it clear to customers so I can’t really fault them for any confusion on this occasion and the added garnish was more than adequate.

Extra Garnishes

As an added bonus myself and H got some free beers with our meals as they were celebrating the official opening of the store the same day. Never one to turn down a free drink I welcomed a couple of bottles of Sol.

Sol with Fresh Lime

The staff were friendly and welcoming and were quick to offer guidance on choices available which I found helpful. There was also a steady stream of people coming in and out during my visit which is great to see for any new business. The Kevin Street branch is probably a little far from where I work to try another burrito at lunch but they also have a branch in the Millennium Walkway which is more central and I’ll be sure to visit again.

Friendly Staff

You can find Boojum locations here.

Flavours of Fingal 2014

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Flavours of Fingal takes place in Newbridge House and Farm. The two day event combines a mix of food, drink (non alcoholic), horticultural and agricultural attractions. Think Taste of Dublin without the booze, add in lots of sheep, cows, tractors and a huge bouncy castle and you have a family friendly day out.

Tickets for the event are priced quite competitively at €20 for two adults and two kids. That’s a bargain day out for any family. Newbridge House also has a permanent farm on site, all of which is accessible during the event so it’s a great opportunity for adults and kids alike to get up close and personal with the animals.

Ducks & Goats

Cows, Sheep, Pony

Owls & Hawks

There were also lots of animal related activities happening throughout the two days which included sheep shearing, sheep herding, horse and pony shows and a favourite of mine the dog agility show which was thoroughly enjoyable. There were quite a few rescued/shelter dogs competing which had been trained and were a joy to watch.

The Village Hall tent also hosted a great range of arts and crafts as well as some cookery demonstrations.

Arts & Crafts

The food is certainly not forgotten with everything from cupcakes to Beef Bourguignon on offer.

Cupcakes

Beef Bourguignon

Local Honey

Food Stands

Food Trucks

More Cupcakes !!

It was a scorcher of a day so perfect for the type of event that it was. I arrived at about midday and there were crowds of people enjoying food and music in the sunshine already. The event actually opens at 11 a.m.

Ice Cream

As I mentioned at the start there was no alochol served which was actually quite nice to see for a change. It gave the event a more laid back feel and I would assume was to appeal to a more family friendly market which it certainly did. I made sure I got into the swing of things for the day and sampled some food, met the animals and jumped on the tractor.

Tractors

My New Best Friend

All things considered it was well worth a visit. There is also an option to pay extra for tour of the very impressive Newbridge House. I’d visit again next year and maybe even round up some of the nieces and nephews to bring along. All the kids I seen there seemed to be having a great time and there wasn’t an iPad or Playstation in sight. There’s a lot to be said for getting outdoors!

Dietrichs Angels – Dinner Theatre At The Promenade Cafe

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A friend in work had given me a flyer for up and coming events at the Promenade Cafe along Windsor Terrace in Dunlaoghaire. They had an interesting mix of events running through until August. Everything from jazz to cabaret to opera.

Always willing to try something new I booked two tickets for the Dietrichs Angels supper and show which was being performed by Miss Truly DiVine. The tickets were €39 and included a two course meal along with the performance.

Upcoming Events

The cafe itself is a mix of pastal blue/greens and light coloured walls. It’s broken up into a number of eating areas and breakfast bar near the counter. Large glass windows along the front give sea views and there is also seating outside at the front.

Outside

Cafe Counter

Seated Booth

Our hosts for the night were the delightful Yvonne and Breffni who run the cafe. They were passionate and engaging and within minutes somehow managed to remember everyone’s name and considering there must have been about 40+ people there that was quite impressive.

We were prompty shown to our table for the night which had a place card with my name on it. A nice touch I thought. It was table service for the night as the cafe was essentially doubling up as day time cafe and a night time bistro, which it is perfectly laid out for. Wine was promptly ordered and poured and reasonably priced at €21.

Wine & Place Card

As mentioned the ticket for the evening included a set two course menu with two starters and two mains to choose from.

So we could taste all on offer myself and H (dining partner) ordered differant dishes. I went for the Broccoli and Emmental Soup to start and the Chicken with Tarragon for mains. He opted for the Duck Terrine with Quince Jelly and then the Salmon Fillet with Watercress Sauce.

Broccoli Soup

Duck Terrine

The Broccoli soup was nothing special. It was tasty, it was broccoli and the fresh brown bread went well with it. The Duck Terrine however was much better and although I finished my soup I eyed the other starter with some envy.

Between courses we were treated to a Movenpick Swiss Sorbet. I opted for the Raspberry one which was just gorgeous. I even traded spoonfuls with a lady at the table beside me who had a Pear one.

Raspberry Sorbet

My Chicken with Tarragon was ever so lightly over cooked. It wasn’t dry but it could have been more succulent. Nevertheless it was very enjoyable and served with creamy champ and seasonal root vegetables, all of which were cooked perfectly.

Chicken Breast with Tarragon

Althought I’m not a big fan of it, the Salmon I have to say looked fantastic when it came out. I always feel that it lacks flavour, or my palate might just not be sophisticated enough for Salmon. All I could taste was lemon but H tells me that it was cooked just right and full of flavour. I’ll go with that feedback.

Salmon with Watercress Sauce

We were quite full after starters and mains so skipped dessert in favour of another bottle of wine. Dinner ran from about 7.30 to 8.45 at which point our wonderful hosts made a short announcement to welcome us to the second part of the evening which was the song’s of Marlene Dietrich performed by Miss Truly DiVine.

She sang a mix of Marlene’s songs from her movies and cabaret shows. While I have to admit I didn’t actually know any of them, it was a very engaging performance and between each song we learned a little of Marlene’s life story. Miss Truly DiVine remained in character for the whole performance and walked in between the tables in all areas of the cafe ensuring that the entire audience felt part of the show. I have to say she was very entertaining. Unfortuantely I didn’t get any pictures of her at our performance but have included a couple below from her website where you can see her in character.

Stunning

Sultry

At €39 for a nights entertainment I can honestly say the Promenade Cafe was a great choice for an alternative Saturday night out. I would encourage you to visit one of their upcoming events to see for yourself.

Web: http://www.promenadecafe.ie/

1-2 Windsor Terrace
Dun Laoghaire
Co. Dublin

The Larder – Brunch

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I was lucky enough to win a two course weekend lunch for two people in The Larder on Parliament Street via a tweetseats competition. Sure I was all sorts of delighted with myself. Free lunch is a gift horse and I’m not one to look in it’s mouth. I promptly booked myself in for a sunny Sunday at 12.30.

They had mentioned ‘Red Chairs’ in the message they sent me but I had no idea what that actually meant. Low and behold the clue was in the name and they were in fact two Red Chairs. Not only that but the best seats in the house right at the front window perfectly placed for some people watching.

The Red Chairs

First impressions, well I was loving the red carpet (chair) roll out and the friendly greeting from the staff. The venue is narrow at the front and then opens out towards the back. It’s cool and airy and very comfortable. They have a varied range of wine and craft beers to compliment the food.

Wine & Craft Beer

I was on the water but my dining buddy tucked into a nice glass of house red, which I might add was a nice generously filled glass too. I’ve seen too many restaurants skimp on their pouring of wine but at €6.50 this one was more than adequate.

Red Wine

The lunch menu ranges from €9.50 for gourmet sandwiches up to €14.00 for hot dishes such as rib eye steak. They do also offer a Brunch menu which sounds very tasty indeed.

I opted for the Lamb Burger served with tripple cooked fries. I’ll be honest I have no idea what the difference is between fries cooked once, twice or even three times. Let’s just pretend it means they are extra special and I ate them all so it must be a good thing. The burger was huge and very tasty and came with a side salad. On a totally seperate side note and not a criticisim, the waiter did ask if I wanted some vinegar and it came in a tiny little ramekin. I’ve seen this plenty of times in restaurants and wonder why they don’t have a proper vinegar dispenser.

Lamb Burger

The other main course was the rib eye steak, again with the wonderful triple cooked fries. I didn’t dare taste the rib eye as it was cooked blue, which essentially means flash fried on either side to give it colour. I’m more of a medium man and anything less than that looks like cannibalism to me. The plate was cleared so I’m going to go out on a limb and assume it was exactly what my dining buddy wanted.

Rib Eye Steak

Suitably stuffed after the generous main course helpings we were fairly full but the desserts sounded too good not to eat. The waiter had me hanging on his lip (not literally despite me winking at him) as he described the Rasberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake to me.

Raspberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake

It was actually quite light for a cheesecake and the raspberries in it gave it a nice little tang on the tongue. It had serving of chantilly cream with it which complimented it perfectly.

The other dessert was much more impressive to look at I have to say. I had never seen Bread and Butter Pudding served that way before.

Bread & Butter Pudding

Naturally I tried a few spoonfuls for research purposes. While it was tasty, I thought it could have been a little warmer. Enjoyable none the less.

Winning a competition for lunch didn’t colour my view of The Larder at all. Overall I have to say the dining experience was a positive one. Its inviting and friendly and even the bathrooms have lots of really interesting touches.

Bathroom Details

I would like to go back and try the Brunch menu and perhaps have a few glasses of wine. If you do visit, I recommend the Red Chairs as the best place to sit if they are free.

Web: http://www.thelardercaferestaurant.ie/

8 Parliament Street

Dublin 2

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