Patrick Russell

This week’s @sundaytimesireland review: @soleseafoodandgrill, of which we write “Sole has just docked on a new street having doubled its footprint, added a third more staff and packaged itself up for private dining with a trio of new group spaces.

On paper it’s a clever repositioning — where South William Street was the epicentre of city centre cool ten years ago it has now jumped a street back to Drury, where Sole has rerouted its entrance.

However, we do wonder whether seafood towers, €178 caviar flights and Dom Pérignon, Krug and Cristal on ice completely jars with Drury Street’s hip, casual vibe.”

The review is already online on The Times app and website 📰 Less

🗞️ Pick up a copy of the @sundaytimesireland today for our latest restaurant review: @hellovada — ur boujie cafe now does dinner with picky bits and exciting wines! 🍽️

We write “while it can be pretty busy on weekdays, it’s the queues snaking around the corner on weekends that demonstrate the popularity of Sarah Boland’s no-reservations daytime spot (which opened last October on an unassuming corner where Stoneybatter meets Smithfield) but, personally, we think it’s the recent addition of bookable dinners - on Fridays and Saturdays - that stands to be the real making of Vada, led by head chef (formerly of Kai) Hannah O’Donnell @hannahbanana_chef…”

Must orders: the Marmite nuts, the Yukhoe beef tartare, the chicken karaage, the @andarlfarm pork fillet with peaches and charred corn and the spud ends!

The wine list is all @winesdirectirl and we suggest three other similar “neighbourhood cafe by day, designer restaurant by night” spots across Ireland in the If That, Then These sidebar 📰

#foodcritic #dublinfood #dublinrestaurants #dublinbrunch #gastrogays Less

This week’s @sundaytimesireland review, in print today: @brightonroad18 in #Foxrock, in which we pose the question “have we all but lost restaurants perched above shops?”

“In an era of crazy key money and obscene rents and rates while prime spots set snapped up like prized turbot or blue fin tuna intercepted before ever making it to market, spaces like these are the restaurant equivalent of a granny flat, a compromise and, while economical, mostly invisible. However even as an endangered species they remain the sign of a vibrant and bustling neighbourhood…

While ground-floor perches are prime real estate sometimes the best stuff is sequestered upstairs. A benchmark of such is found on Brighton Road in Foxrock, a brilliant bistro (formerly Bistro One for 30 years) which is currently sailing successfully into its fourth decade in-situ and reminding us of two key lessons: the classics never age, and it’s always worth looking up…”

Across two visits - one midweek and one Sunday lunch at either ends of summer - we tried everything from crab on toast, spring rolls, vol au vents and chicken schnitzel to pan-fried hake, pork chops, roast beef and banoffee… it’s clear to see how this space has been so locally loved for over 30 years

#irishfood #dublinrestaurants #foodcritic Less

🤤 DUBLIN DELISH — Space Jaru 🥢🔥

Craving bold Korean comfort in Dublin 8? Head to @spacejaru on Meath Street — the brand you may have seen on supermarket shelves. I went for the chicken dakgalbi: tender spicy chicken with kimchi rice, seasonal banchan, edamame, and a fried egg. Visit at lunch and you’ve got a properly flavoursome, hearty bowl for just over €15. 🌶️🍗🍚

Swing by for lunch or dinner and taste why this spot is buzzing.

Tune into Dublin Delish on @98fmdublin every Tuesday at 12:15pm for more mouth-watering spots across the capital — and follow @gastrogays for all the tastiest tips and foodie finds! Less

🥙 Had a cúpla Berlin-style kebabs @chiyadublin for this week’s restaurant review in @sundaytimesireland and find mega-sized, generously packed, properly loaded Berlin-style döner on dreamy pide which, for under a tenner, may just be among the best value in the entire city? 🇹🇷🇩🇪

Two years ago in the same pages we reviewed sister spot @reynadublin and write “While Reyna zones in on Turkish specialities and is sympathetic to the traditional Turkish-style kebab shop (set in the former Iskanders property the other end of Dame St) Chiya follows the German interpretation, most popularised in the city of Berlin, of Turkish kebabs served with a distinct German accent…

Theoretically a lighter affair with more sandwich real estate given over to salads and various sauces while the proteins pivot more crowd-pleasing (chicken, beef and halloumi) than leaning towards lamb or offal… The main difference, however, lies in the bread — Turkish pide with a fluffy, chewy middle but a crisp exterior, baked in a big boule, quartered and then sliced through the middle to fan out in a triangular shape allowing the utmost surface area to layer, fill, stuff and top.”

While the food is fresh, portions hefty and value stonking it’s the details on service (a free for all seating situation) and sourcing (no noticeable provenance to our eyes) that slightly dim the shine of this very welcome city centre newcomer providing exceptional bang for your buck 💶 Less

🇯🇵 This week’s ST review: @matsu_kildare, an izakaya and ramen restaurant that has found its new home in the most unlikeliest of settings: @stkevinsgaa @saints_bar_and_food_ in Kildare 🍜

We write “Ken Komatsu’s two-page menu tells two different tales. The left side is more traditional and Japanese, anchored by eight different styles of ramen alongside side dishes like karaage chicken and rice bowls. The right side is more pub-grub with a pan-Asian accent — think teriyaki chicken wings, spice bags, loaded fries, chicken katsu curry and stir-fried noodle dishes.”

We continue, “While the food is really tasty, the flavour that lingers on our palate is one of potential. Not just for Matsu, which has a bright and delicious future here, but for the industry in general. Just last week a Drinks Industry Group of Ireland report remarked that Ireland has seen more than 2,000 pubs close (nearly 25 per cent of the industry) over the last 20 years — an average rate of 112 closures a year.

St Kevin’s GAA club offers the ideal blueprint. Across Ireland, many pubs have kitchens going stale, while community spaces like GAA or rugby clubs could make room for start-up food operations like this — drawing in a wider audience or even an entirely new clientele. This model could be especially valuable for immigrants, who may struggle to break into the business, to build a restaurant from scratch, allowing them to share space, even part-time, and showcase incredible international cuisines that could tempt the Irish palate.“

Full review over at @sundaytimesireland Less

🍳 Serving Brunch in #Belfast is @neighbourhood.cafe ☕️

A firm favourite of ours and a regular stop for us whenever we visit the city, this is the first time we’ve had an opportunity to visit their forever home in the Cathedral Quarter. After a devastating fire and a relocation to Commercial Court, this is the destination for excellent coffee, great pastries and some truly creative and unique brunch dishes.

Plus it’s #dogfriendly - @hammyfrenchie was busy charming everyone as we ate 🐾

📍 Neighbourhood Cafe, 61-67 Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2 QH Less

🍕 CHECK OUT @getcharlies 🤤

A new pizza spot in #Belfast that you gotta check out. On our recent visit, we made a beeline for it as our first stop and boy oh boy @piguypizza’s new adventure did not disappoint at all!

📍 Charlie’s, 306-310 Ormeau Road, Belfast BT7 2GE

Belfast Pizza | New Opening Belfast | Pizza Slice Shop Belfast Less

This week’s @sundaytimesireland restaurant review: LASAIR, the reimagined (and relocated) @finnlough_dining in Fermanagh 🔥

In an unusual prompt from us in these pages, we heartily recommend making the most of a trip to @finnlough and spending two hours before dinner at the Elements spa trail, which we think is one of the best experiences of its kind in Ireland and both the self-guided, private spa trail (punctuated by different bothies in the forest) and the restaurant are open to non-residents to experience, so if your budget doesn’t extend to bubble domes and sleeping under the stars you can still experience some of the best aspects of this lakeside resort

We write “[Lasair, meaning flame or spark as Gaeilge] has a female-led kitchen overseen by the South African chef Kristin Reagon @kristins_creation, complemented by the Swedish restaurant manager @marion.falk running the floor, and Reagon’s eclectic, globe-traversing menu jumps from Japan to France, Korea to the Middle East, India to Africa, organised by tastes — salty, floral, bitter, acidic, umami and sweet — with each section offering a selection of smaller dishes to share. There is no set formula; choose your own dining adventure and design a makeshift tasting menu tailored to your preferences.”

We find the spark of something incredibly special in this resort restaurant, that if fanned in the right direction and tamed skilfully could well blaze a trail in the Irish food industry…

Read the entire review on TheTimes app or website or pick up a paper in print today 🗞️ Less