Where to Dine - Dublin - page 79

19 Wicklow St., Dublin 2. & 01/677-7583. Main courses € 4- € 10 ($4.80-$12).
MC, V. Mon-Thurs 8am-7pm; Fri-Sat 8am-10pm. Bus: Any city-center bus.

Mimo Cafe MODERN CONTINENTAL Take a
shopping break at this chic little cafe in the tony Powerscourt Town-
house minimall. It's a wonderfully classy and surprisingly budget-
minded place to stop for terrific salads, pasta dishes, and inventive
sandwiches. Plop down in one of the leather sofas or armchairs, and
order the tasty salad of marinated flat mushrooms, piled high atop
a bed of crisp green beans and Parmesan shavings with lemon-and-
thyme dressing, and served with toasted ciabatta (bread). Or go for
the warm goat's cheese crostini with caramelized figs, wild honey,
and beetroot dressing. Everything is yummy and nicely presented. A
piano player is a civilized touch on Thursday and Friday afternoons.
Powerscourt Townhouse, Dublin 2. & 01/674-6712. Main courses € 8- € 10 ($9.60-
$12). MC, V. Daily noon-5:30pm. Bus: Any city-center bus.

Value

4 Fitzwilliam Square/Merrion Square Area
VERY EXPENSIVE
L'Ecrivain FRENCH This is one of Dublin's truly excep-
tional restaurants, from start to finish. The atmosphere is relaxed,
welcoming, and unpretentious, and chef Derry Clarke's food is
extraordinary. You can dine on the garden terrace, weather permit-
ting, or in the chic dining rooms. Each course seems to receive the
same devoted attention, and most consist of traditional “best of
Irish” ingredients, prepared without dense sauces. The pan-flared
wild sea bass with mango and red-pepper dressing and the entrecôte
with caramelized onion are perfectly prepared and elegantly pre-
sented. Clarke's roast Barbary duck, served with honey and thyme
navet and smoked bacon-infused mashed potatoes, is legendary. Of
the out-of-this-world desserts, the crème brûlée here may be the best
outside of France. The two-course lunch menu presents a particu-
larly good opportunity to enjoy fabulous food without breaking
your budget.
109 Lower Baggot St., Dublin 2. & 01/661-1919. www.lecrivain.com. Reservations
required. Fixed-price 2-course lunch € 30 ($36), 3-course lunch € 40 ($48); fixed-price

4-course dinner 42 ($45-$51). 10% service

charge. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Fri 12:30-2pm; Mon-Sat 7-10:30pm. Bus: 10.

€ 65 ($78); dinner main courses € 37- €

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud FRENCH Ireland's most
award-winning restaurant (including two Michelin stars) is
ensconced in elegant quarters at the Merrion Hotel. The menu fea-
tures such dishes as roasted West Cork turbot, honey-roasted quail,