Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EATING
CHEZ MAX €€
( 01-661 8899;
www.chezmax.ie
;
133 Baggot St; mains €13-20; from 10am Mon-Sat; all city centre)
Fol-
lowing the success of its sister restaurant by the gates of Dublin Castle, this version of
Chez Max has taken pretty much the same formula (brasserie-style dining room, authentic
French cuisine) and thrown in a tree-filled yard for extra measure. And it works a treat. If
you're looking for a top-notch midrange bite, this could be the one.
FRENCH
RESTAURANT PATRICK GUILBAUD €€€
FRENCH
( 01-676 4192;
www.restaurantpatrickguilbaud.ie
;
21 Upper Merrion St; 2-/3-course set lunch €40/50, dinner mains
€38-56; 12.30-2.30pm & 7.30-10.30pm Tue-Sat; 7 & 44 from the city centre)
Its devotees have long
proclaimed this exceptional restaurant the best in the country and Guillaume Lebrun's
French haute cuisine the most exalted expression of the culinary arts, an opinion that has
found favour with the good people at Michelin, who have put two stars in its crown. The
lunch menu is an absolute steal, at least in this stratosphere.
The food is innovative without being fiddly, beautifully cooked and superbly presented.
The room itself is all contemporary elegance and the service expertly formal yet surpris-
ingly friendly - the staff are meticulously trained and are as skilled at answering queries
and addressing individual requests as they are at making sure not one bread crumb lingers
too long on the immaculate table cloths. Owner Patrick Guilbaud himself usually does the
rounds of the tables in the evening to salute regular customers and charm first-timers into
returning. Reservations are absolutely necessary.
L'ECRIVAIN €€€
FRENCH
( 01-661 1919;
www.lecrivain.com
; 109A Lower Baggot St; 3-course lunch menu €35, 10-course tasting menu €90,
mains €40-47; lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat; 38 & 39 from city centre)
A firm favourite with the
bulk of the city's foodies, L'Ecrivain trundles along with just one Michelin star to its name,
but the plaudits just keep coming. Head chef Derry Clarke is considered a gourmet god for
the exquisite simplicity of his creations, which put the emphasis on flavour and the use of
the best local ingredients - all given the French once over and turned into something that
approaches divine dining.
