Dublin Restaurants

"Come in! Come in! Your dinner's poured out!" goes the old North Dublin joke. In truth, its description of Irish food as being best when hidden in soup wasn't so far off the mark. For years, "Irish cuisine" used to be nothing more than a convenient way of grouping potatoes and stout under the same heading. However, the days when critics bemoaned the pot luck of the Irish are for the most part gone. Today, be prepared to have your preconceptions overturned, and, on occasion, to be enthralled and very happily sated in the process. No longer does a pub crawl turn up a better meal than one in a fancy restaurant. Dubliners now forgo heading to the "local" to down a pint after work because they've made reservations at the newest eateries and hippest showplaces (of course, the pubs and the pints come later in the evening). These chowhounds are intent on enjoying the fruits of Ireland's gastronomic revolution, but Dublin's best chefs have been leading the charge.

Month after month, these euro-toques continue to come up with new and glorious ways to abuse your waistline. Roast scallop with spiced pork belly and au gratin cauliflower, all in a daring caper-and-raisin sauce? Sautéed rabbit loin with Clonakilty black pudding? Or a dazzling dessert like lavender jelly with Cooleeney Camembert sauce? As these dishes reveal, Dublin's top cooks are determined to take advantage of the fact that Ireland has some of the best "raw materials" in the world. Given that it is a small island on which one is never farther than an hour-and-a-half drive from the coast, it is not only its seaside restaurants that can claim to serve fish on the same day it's caught. In addition, the freshest Limerick hams, tastiest Cork crubins (pigs' trotters), and most succulent Galway Bay oysters arrive in the city every day. But since Dublin has become a magnet for immigrants seeking Celtic Tiger prosperity, the city is now hot with Indian curries, Thai chilies, and pan-Asian fireworks. Ethnic restaurants have blossomed—you can indulge your passion for superb French or Italian food one day, then enjoy Korean barbecue the next. This interest in far-flung food has heralded a new wave of internationally trained professionals who have stamped their own blás (Irish for "gloss") on traditional ingredients.

The one drawback of the new Dublin dining scene is the cost—the prices have been raised along with the quality, and it's not easy to find real value for your money. Many top eateries now offer affordable fixed-price lunch menus, which can be considered bargains for the cash-conscious epicurean. A recent welcome phenomenon has been the arrival of little, family-run Italian joints with great food, no fuss, and real coffee, all at a good price. The two Bar Italias on either side of the quays and the fantastically bustling Dunne and Crescenzi near Trinity are some of the best. The twin wonders of L'Gueuleton and Gruel have introduced Dublin to the joys of affordable, casual, but always classy French cuisine. Fallon and Byrne have introduced the deli/restaurant/wine bar, all-under-one-roof idea to great acclaim—and with quality, organic ingredients to boot. To the usual array of ethnic choices—including Chinese, Japanese, and Indian—Dublin is adding even more exotica, including Montys of Kathmandu, a Nepalese spot in Temple Bar, and the Korean Hop House.

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