I had seen the name Le Bon Crubeen crop up in reviews in newspapers and magazines and once or twice it came up on a groupon site. To be honest I’ve never really thought of Talbot Street as a dining destination. When I think of Talbot Street I think of when I was a kid going to buy wallpaper with my mother in Gerry Keanes, or should I say going to carry wallpaper home. And of course not forgetting the shopping highlight that is Michael Guineys.

From Le Bon Crubeen Website

The interior of the restaurant is nothing like you would expect. It is warm and inviting with a large bar running down one side.  It’s also divided into sections which afford you a bit of privacy.  Off the main dining area there is another room and then another section upstairs.  It’s comfortable and well laid out, well apart from the toilets which are a bit of a trek down towards the kitchen, but then again, when you do get to them, they are quite fancy indeed.  Hand lotions and little towels to dry your hands and spotless clean.

From Le Bon Crubeen Website

It as about 5.30 on a Saturday evening when we stopped by to try it out. Although we didn’t have a booking they were happy to seat us with the proviso we vacate the table by 7.30.  Menu’s were promptly given and the staff were efficient and friendly.  We had a great little corner just to the left of the door, perfect for when you want to have a bit of time to yourself.

Getting priorities right we put in a drink order.  I drink white and he drinks red so the only solution is a bottle each, so thats exactly what we ordered.  To be honest we were both gasping for a drink and weren’t overly bothered about what it was. The white, a French Sav Blanc was fresh and fruity at €26. The red, an Argentinian Malbec I’m told was smooth with hints of blackcurrant at €26.

Red & White Wine

We opted for the Early Bird/Pre Theatre Menu which was two courses for €19.95 or three courses for €21.95.

Early Bird Menu

For mains I went with Lemon and Thyme Infused Chicken Supreme served with Bubble and Squeak and Sweetcorn Puree with green beans. The chicken was moist and tender but maybe a little dull to the tastebuds. The Bubble and Squeak however was a bit on the dry side but still edible. The beans and puree were a good match and I cleaned my plate.

Lemon & Thyme Infused Chicken Supreme

Himself went for the Dry Aged 8oz Steak ‘Au Poivre’ (€5 supplement) with Slow Roasted Tomato, Watercress, Chunky Chips and Peppercorn Sauce.  Now that all sounds quite appealing to me.  The delivery of it however was very disappointing, as you can see from the picture below.  The Slow Roasted Tomato and Watercress were a little limp to say the least. The steak was all quite fatty, but was cooked as requested which was blue. Overall it didn’t quite hit the mark.

Dry Aged Steak

Desserts I’m happy to report faired out much better. Mine, White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake with Tequila and Lime ice-cream. Three words to describe it. DELISH – PLATE CLEANED.

Cheesecake

His was the Choc Chip Bread and Butter Pudding with Creme Anglaise. Also a winner and the plate was cleaned.

Bread & Butter Pudding

As it turned out, himself knew the manager Mark (quite a character, in a good way) so we were treated to a complimentary cheese platter and delicious cocktails. A perfect end to the evening. I won’t lie we were slightly tipsy leaving. All in all the bill came to about €98 which when you consider half of it was made up of bottles of wine it’s not too bad.

Cocktails

Cheese Platter