Hard to believe we're here again. 2016 seems to have disappeared in a blur of bad news, and bizarre political events. On a positive note however, it was a stand out year for Irish restaurants.

The relentless improvements in the standard of Irish restaurants over the past few years has been staggering. Dublin now boasts a broad and diverse array of top quality places to eat, and I managed to get to most of them this year. Having said that, two of the best meals I ate this year were outside of the capital.

The year started with yet another superb dinner at Bastible. This has become one of my favourite places to eat in Dublin. If the cooking continues to evolve at the present rate, it's my tip for Dublin's next Michelin star.

Likewise, my top pick from 2015 Delahunt , continues to produce some of the most consistently excellent food in the capital. I finally got around to trying Luna and loved the style of the room and theatre of the service. Their old school, proper lobster spaghetti will live long in my memory.

Old favourites Pig's Ear, Etto and China Sichuan proved that they are still very much relevant, and right on top of their game. This is no mean feat for long established restaurants in the current market. I enjoyed truly excellent cooking in all three in 2016. It's not hard to see why it's so difficult to get a table in any of them.

First time visits to Craft and Locks in 2016 proved equally successful. Both are excellent examples of modern Irish cooking. Quality produce, light cooking with imaginative flavour combinations, and beautiful plate dressing.

Clockwise from bottom left - Locks, Craft, Bastible, China Sichuan.

Brunch

We eat out more for bunch than any other meal. The bar seems to be raised continuously in this area, as it becomes the busiest service of the week for many restaurants and cafes. As well as regular haunts 3FE, 250 Square and Sister Sadie, we enjoyed superb brunch dishes at Brioche and Richmond in 2016. Both are firmly in our sights for return visits for dinner.

Craft and The Coburg have deservedly built up great reputations for brunch, and are regularly full as a result. Although they are both very different, I know that I can depend on a great meal in either. There's a lot to be said for consistency.

One 2016 newcomer has become a firm favourite, however. Fia in Rathgar is a small, low key cafe that ticks a lot of boxes for me. The menu is short, the dishes are imaginative, delicious and really well executed. In addition, the staff are some of the most genuinely hospitable you're likely to encounter anywhere, and their coffee is killer. Their 6oz flat white is the perfect brew for me. More places should get on board with this size cup. I believe there are some dinner events in the pipeline too, and I'm very excited to see how far this kitchen can push themselves.

Beyond The Pale

We managed to escape from Dublin a few times in 2016 and despite the odd inevitable bad experience, we enjoyed some seriously impressive food.

Two Cooks is a small wine bar and restaurant, nestled on the banks of the Grand Canal in Sallins, Co. Kildare. It embodies many of the fundamentals that I love in a restaurant. The room and the people are unpretentious, yet quietly assured. The cooking is superb, and attention to detail is evident in every element of the food and service. I hope the people of Sallins realise how lucky they are to have such a gem on their door step.

Perfect Sunday lunch at Two Cooks, Sallins.

Without having properly researched the length of the journey, we drove to Baltimore in West Cork for an overnight last Summer. Suffice it to say we won't be doing that again! However, dinner at Mews took the sting out of our odyssey.

Set in a charming old coach house with thick stone walls, the restaurant has undergone a beautifully judged refurbishment over the past year. The ethos of the restaurant is to use top quality local produce served as close to it's natural state as possible, garnished only with ingredients which naturally accompany them. The whole local, quality, seasonal schtick is over used and abused these days, but I can honestly say that I've never encountered ingredient quality like this anywhere in Ireland. I've certainly never seen it in Dublin.

Instead of a menu, guests are presented with a list of produce which has been sourced that day. When world class ingredients like this are in the hands of a chef with the pedigree and talent of Luke Matthews, the result is always going to be special. I'd make a return journey for Vincent Collins' tomatoes alone. Seriously.

What these guys have achieved in such a short space of time is very impressive, and has surely not gone unnoticed by Michelin. If I was to be critical, I'd suggest the whole experience needs to lighten up a little. I shall watch with interest how this project evolves.

In October, we headed towards Kilkenny looking forward to lunch in one of our favourite restaurants in Ireland. It had been almost five years since we'd eaten at Campagne . Since then, they've been awarded a long overdue Michelin star.

I can happily report that the whole experience is better than ever. The room looks fresh as the day it opened, the service is as warm and focused as always, and the food is an absolute knock out.

Garrett Byrne's cooking is unashamedly classical, and all the better for it. Big, complex flavours are expertly judged to deliver dishes that manage to be rich and utterly delicious, yet light and sophisticated at the same time. I'll never tire of eating at Campagne, and will definitely not leave it five years before returning.

The Best of 2016

It's never easy to pick a favourite meal or restaurant, especially in a year packed with so many stand out dining experiences. Any one of the last three I mentioned would fit the bill. However, seeing as I titled the post "Best of..." , I suppose I'd better nail my colours to the mast.

In my round up of 2015, I mentioned how I was most looking forward to the opening of Forest & Marcy in 2016. Everything about the project appealed to me and when I finally got around to eating there, it exceeded my already lofty expectations.

Over the three meals I ate there in 2016, I recall only one or two dishes repeated. This is testament to chef Ciaran Sweeney's talent, and ambition to keep innovating, despite the obvious space limitations. There was a four month gap between my first and last meal. The progress and ambition was tangible.

The tasting menu, priced at €39 is an absolute steal for cooking of this standard. In addition, the wine list is superb and showcases plenty of natural wines, which make perfect partners for this style of food. Expertly judged service lead by the wonderful Grainne Bates ( lovely blend of relaxed & friendly, yet professional & knowledgeable) rounds off the whole experience. It's often difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes a great restaurant, but whatever that X factor is, they have it in spades at Forest & Marcy.

So that was 2016. It feels as though we covered a lot of ground last year, yet there are so many boxes left un-ticked on the wish list. Canteen in Celbridge is top of that list. The couple of times we tried to get into The Greenhouse last year, fate conspired against us. Hopefully we can put that right very soon. Likewise, we never made it Galway or Cork City. Both are long overdue a return visit.

There are plenty of new openings to try in Dublin too. Once Hang Dai has bedded down, I plan a visit. We're big fans of The Pig's Ear and are looking forward to trying their sister restaurant, Mr. Fox. Also, the newly opened Ember in Milltown looks like an interesting addition to an area devoid of decent dining options. I'd like to say a trip further southside to Heron & Grey was on the cards, but apparently they are booked out until August. We live in hope.

I can't remember a time in the restaurant business here, when there was so much diversity and quality throughout the country. With new openings showing no signs of slowing down, the future looks very bright indeed.

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