As with most years, 2017 had it's ups and downs. On the downside for me, I've neglected my blog to such an extent that I can barely justify calling it a blog any more. On the upside, that means I've been very busy. Likewise, the Irish restaurant scene had yet another bumper year, with plenty of excellent new openings, and personally for me, some outstanding dining experiences. However, not all of the new openings are worth getting excited about, and we've also lost some great places over the past twelve months. So overall, a bit of a mixed bag.
Let's kick off on a cheery note. My first restaurant meal of 2017 was at Mr. Fox. I knew before going that any venture involving the guys from The Pig's Ear was going to be good, but I was genuinely blown away by the flavours. A year later I can still clearly remember the deep fried baby leeks with whipped smoked eel. January was the month that kept on giving, and the first of several visits in 2017 to Forest & Marcy proved that these guys never rest on their laurels. Inventive, clever, imaginative, and always delicious. The brilliant Bastible also continues to go from strength to strength, and for me, is one of the most underrated kitchens in the country. Another first in January was a trip to Canteen in Celbridge. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant. The honesty, talent and attention to detail that goes into every element of what these guys do, is the essence of what I love about the restaurant business. Their sourdough is worth the journey alone, and the effort they put into poaching a perfect piece of sparkling fresh fish for their kid's menu, should be a lesson to all restaurants about how to cater for children. We loved it so much that we returned on Christmas Eve, and it was even better than before. If you haven't been to this restaurant, make 2018 your year to put that right.
Clockwise from bottom right: Mr. Fox, Canteen, Forest & Marcy, Bastible.
The spate of new openings, coupled with rising rents and general overhead inflation, took it's toll on too many good restaurants last year. I was sad and surprised to hear of the demise of Brioche in Ranelagh. Likewise Seapoint, Harry's in Bridgend, and Fenn's Quay in Cork. More recently, Super Miss Sue has closed it's doors - a first for any restaurant from the John Farrell stable. Nick Munier's Avenue Restaurant also succumbed to the pressures of operating in Dublin City Centre. Some very experienced chefs and restaurateurs involved in those ventures, so new comers should should be under no illusions just how difficult it is to survive in this business. For this reason, I always make a point of supporting established restaurants I enjoy, as well as trying out new places.
My old reliables proved as good as ever in 2017, and long may they continue to thrive. I've lost count of the number of years I've been eating in Juniors and they smash it every time. Their food is always delicious, tunes are spot on, and the whole place oozes charm. There are days I crave the heat and savour of China Sichuan's food, and on those days nothing else will do. I like the new wave of casual Sichuan restaurants concentrated mainly in Dublin 1, but for me, Kevin Hui's flagship is the original and the best. I've been eating at Delahunt since it opened and to date, I haven't had a fork full I didn't enjoy. Consistently excellent cooking, and now also a cool cocktail bar upstairs for a cheeky preprandial. There isn't much I can say about Etto that hasn't already been said. Deceptively simple dishes, with huge flavours and a generosity which always leaves me feeling that all is well with the world. Likewise, our annual pilgrimage to Campagne in Kilkenny delivered the usual mix of stellar classical French cooking, coupled with perfect hospitality. Craft and Locks continue to set the bar for neighborhood dining, and it's great to see them both so busy. One of the most enjoyable nights out I had last year was a dinner with friends in Tapas de Lola. Great company, tasty food and some of most genuinely hospitable service I've experienced in a long time. There's a difference between service and hospitality, and it's rare to see both done so well.
Clockwise from bottom right: Clanbassil House, Campagne, Juniors, Delahunt
There were so many new openings last year, that it was was impossible to get around to all of them. Of those I missed, I will definitely be trying Old Street in Malahide in the near future. Of the ones I managed to get to, the best of them was Clanbrassil House. In a similar way to Etto, the food is deceptively simple but delivers a big flavour punch. There are still a few wrinkles to be ironed out, but I can see this becoming a regular haunt. The Press Up Group continue to expand relentlessly, and have multiple new projects in the pipeline to add their existing stable which includes Angelina's, Sophie's, Dollard & Co., The Stella, and Union Cafe amongst others. They have also recently taken over Residence on St. Stephen's Green. These guys do style really well, but for my money, their food offering lets them down across the board. I was also disappointed with Ember in Milltown. I had high hopes for this one, but it failed to live up to it's billing. I still haven't made it to Host or Nightmarket in Ranelagh, but hear great things about both, and plan on putting that right in the near future. Likewise, I've heard so much positive stuff about Fish Shop that I intend on visiting very soon.
The speciality coffee boom shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Great new additions from 3FE alumni last year included Five Points and Storyboard. Quality coffee as you might expect, and delicious food to boot. The lads at 250 Square have also been expanding, opening Project Black in Ranelagh and developing a new roastery and take away in Terenure. The excellent Fia continues to light up Rathgar Road, and I shall watch with interest to see where their former chef and FOH end up. Dublin 6 really has gone from zero to hero in the last few years in terms of being able to get a decent brew. I've also enjoyed some tasty food and great coffee at Two Pups in Francis Street. My one gripe about most of the new openings however, is that they are starting to look the same. The menus all tend to fall under the category of "stuff on toast", and I'd like to see someone take a risk and change things up a bit. Oh, and if avocado could eff off for while too, that would not be a bad thing in my book.
Clockwise from bottom right: 250 Square, Five Points, Fia, Two Pups
I generally find it difficult to pick out the best food I've eaten in a particular year. Not so with 2017. Ten minutes into dinner at The Greenhouse in November, I knew that not only was this going to be the best meal I'd eaten that year, but possibly the best food I've ever eaten in Ireland. I've enjoyed Mickael Viljanen's food many times over the last 10 years or so, and it's been interesting to watch it evolve & mature to the pinnacle it has now reached. One criticism which was levelled against him in the past, was that there were too many elements on each plate. This is certainly no longer the case. There is now a restraint and confidence in every dish, that relies on stellar ingredients, cooked perfectly and garnished appropriately. There is nowhere to hide with this approach, and the end result is outstanding clarity of flavour. It was a special occasion so we opted for the tasting menu with wine pairings. Suffice it to say that every single morsel from the snacks & bread, all the way through to dessert was incredibly impressive. Highlights included a perfect mackerel tartare with caviar, an absolute stunner of an Anjou pigeon dish, and the best dish I ate in 2017 - a roast veal sweetbread with brown butter emulsion, black truffle and capers. This was an extra dish very kindly sent out by the chef, and managed to balance richness and luxury, with lightness and perfect acidity. Top drawer cooking. I've been fortunate enough to eat in many 2 Michelin starred restaurants over the years, and this was unquestionably for me a 2* meal. Whether or not the rubber man will see fit to award a second gong to add to one already held, remains to be seen. Special mention must go to the front of house too which was right up there with the standard of the food. The Greenhouse is a special occasion restaurant and naturally, food and service of this standard do not come cheap. However, they are currently running an absolute steal of a lunch offering - €32.50 for two courses. If you love good food and haven't been yet, give yourself a treat in 2018.
Some of the highlights from a memorable dinner at The Greenhouse
The best dish I ate in 2017: Roast sweetbread with brown butter emulsion
There are so many new restaurant openings planned for Dublin this year, that it's dizzying trying to keep up. I've narrowed down a few that really interest me, and there are others that I can live without. I've never really been a fan of The Ivy, and now that they are rolling them out like Starbucks, I've no inclination to visit the proposed Molesworth Street branch. Likewise, the aforementioned Press Up group do little to float my boat food wise, and their relentless expansion smacks of more quantity than quality. The new venture from the Etto stable excites me most. Una Mas on Aungier Street sounds like a place I will visit very regularly. The big fine dining opening of the year is Andy Mc Fadden's Glovers Alley. The images I've seen look like a spectacular transformation of a difficult space in the Fitzwilliam Hotel. I've enjoyed Mc Fadden's food in London, and he's assembled a top quality team for the new venture. There is no lack of confidence around the project, and I look forward to trying it out once it's bedded down. It's a long time since Monkstown has had a restaurant that I'd travel for, but I like Temple Garner's cooking and I'm interested to give Bresson a try. The classic French menu sounds very appealing, and I will definitely be heading south side in the near future. I'm intrigued by Colin Harmon's proposed new venture Gertrude. It has the potential to become that rarest of creatures...a good restaurant that serves good coffee. Finally, I enjoyed Luke Matthew's food in The Mews, Baltimore, and I will watch with interest what he and Robin Gill are doing this year in Overends restaurant at Airfield Estate.
The pace of new openings and scale of investment is truly staggering in Dublin at the moment. We will undoubtedly see some natural selection as a result. The same is happening in London, and top quality restaurants are closing down every week. We have a finite pool of diners, and despite the growing economy, there is only so much to go around. For that reason, my intention for 2018 is to keep supporting established businesses that I like, and I would urge everyone to do likewise. After Bewleys Cafe on Grafton Street closed down the first time, I remember thinking - if a fraction of the people who signed the petition to re-open it had been regular customers, would it have had to close it's doors in the first place?