Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
a touch of haute cuisine to the lower edge of the trendy Temple Bar
district. The dining room evokes old Paris, with its dark-green-and-
cream backdrop. Start with something quintessentially French, such
as the duck confit or ballotine of foie gras served with toasted
brioche. The menu offers such entrees as Barbary duck with honey
and red-wine sauce and a thyme-infused noisette of Wicklow lamb
with gratin dauphinois. Chef Richard Reau is extremely talented
with seafood and shellfish dishes, such as pan-fried Dover sole with
lemon and parsley butter and grilled lobster flamed in Irish whiskey.
74 Dame St., Dublin 2.
&
01/679-4555.
www.lesfreresjacques.com. Reservations
recommended. Main courses average
35
($42). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Fri 12:15-2:30pm and 7:15-10:30pm; Sat 7-10:30pm.
Closed Dec 24-Jan 4. Bus: 50, 50A, 54, 56, or 77.
€
33 ($40); fixed-price 4-course dinner
€
The Tea Room
INTERNATIONAL This ultrasmart
restaurant, ensconced in the very hip Clarence hotel, is virtually
guaranteed to deliver one of your most memorable meals in Ireland.
This gorgeous dining room's soaring yet understated lines are the
perfect backdrop for Antony Ely's complex but controlled cooking.
A classic such as beef filet with red-wine
jus
is downright zingy when
served with arugula on a Dijon-infused potato-and-onion mash.
Likewise, the
saucisson
of salmon becomes up-to-date and elegant
astride teeny risoni pasta and chive dressing. Desserts, such as the
caramelized peach with rice pudding pie, are heaven-sent. Bono and
the Edge, of U2, are part-owners of the hotel, so the celebrity-spot-
ting quotient is always potentially high.
In The Clarence, 6-8 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2.
&
01/670-9000.
Reservations
required. Fixed-price 1-course dinner
€
31 ($37), 2-course dinner
€
41 ($49), 3-
course dinner
53 ($64). AE, MC, V. Mon-Fri 12:30-2pm; Mon-Sun 6:30-9:45pm.
Bus: 51B, 51C, 68, 69, or 79.
EXPENSIVE
Eden
INTERNATIONAL/MEDITERRANEAN This is
one of Temple Bar's hippest eateries, a cool minimalist dining room
with an open-plan kitchen and a vista overlooking Meeting House
Square. Eleanor Walsh and Michael Dirkin are two of Ireland's most
exciting young chefs, and here they offer a delicious menu of well-
thought-out food at reasonable prices. The food is influenced by the
global village, but there's a special penchant for Mediterranean fla-
vors—the fresh hake comes served with black olives, sun-dried toma-
toes, arugula (called rocket in Ireland), and pesto. On a cold day, opt
for an updated Irish favorite such as a paper-thin smoked loin of
pork (called kassler here) laid over an apple mash with port-infused
€
