The Ormond Wine Bar
Friday 05 March 2010
“You can sit anywhere”, said the Latin looking chap in the stripey jumper and Hugh Grant floppy hair, cursorily giving the unset table, we had hesitated beside, a brush down with his hand. We were in the Ormond Wine Bar, close to Capel Street Bridge. The front room has sofas, paintings on exhibit, and a general lounge around feel. To the back is a flash blue lit glass staircase curving down around an enormous crystal chandelier to a basement, where they sometimes have salsa music. We continued into a vast area with brick walls, a pub style mahogany bar, antique dining tables and chairs, and open kitchen. A vintage chic melange! We were seated by the wall at a console table, giggling hesitantly as we sat in state, one at each end, at a distance from one another.
This is a huge space to fill, it was early in the week, and there were less than a dozen people there. The bar was unlit and it felt very cold and barren. The waiter cum meeter greeter, the only person out front, told us that it belonged to Michael Smith, publisher and owner of Village Magazine. We ordered a bottle of Rioja Artuke Crianza 2006 (€24.50) which “he couldn’t find”. I settled on a second choice, whereupon he turned up triumphant with the Artuke – a very nice wine – declaring “it is the very last one” – we were indeed privileged!
Starters €4.50/ €8.50 included a trio of oysters, French Onion soup, mussels with a creamy curried sauce, and a Toulouse sausage and white bean cassoulet. Brendan chose spicy lamb meatballs (€4.50), four ‘marbles’ with a blob of Tzatziki – a bit spartan. Prawn cocktail (€8.50) was picture perfect in a tall white wine glass, greenery topped with a good amount of tiger prawns in a mayo which lacked a bit of zing, but overall was good value. We had received a dinner knife and fork each, canteen style in a paper napkin. Brendan approached the bar where two young lady customers were perched talking to ‘Mr. Jumper’. “Could she have something to eat the prawn cocktail with?” Brendan asked. “There’s a knife and fork on the table” said Miss Smart Ass No. 1 sticking her nose in. “You can’t eat a prawn cocktail with a knife and fork”, said Brendan. “What about her 5 digits”, said Miss Smart Ass No. 2, flexing her fingers in the air. “That would be very messy”, replied Brendan politely. Mr. Jumper left them and brought down a dessert spoon! “Would you ever go and get a teaspoon”, I said, no more messing!
Eschewing mains of cod with crispy potatoes, lentils and caper dressing, and rib eye beef, I had duck breast (€18.50) billed with sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Brendan had “pork fillet belly” (€16.50), and a side order of baby potatoes (€3.50) which were sauteed Spanish style. The portions weren’t big but the food was excellent. Somebody knows what they are about in the kitchen anyway. The pork came with a perfect little black pudding roulade, a memorable rosemary mousseline, and apple puree. My duck was three little slices of delicious pink breast with diced sweet potato – no butternut squash. I couldn’t even going to go there! I quickly ordered more potatoes.
It all seemed slightly mad, apart from the food, but with a glass of wine we began to laugh at the eccentricities. We shared an excellent Tart Tatin (€5.50) topped with icecream. “I didn’t have Foie Gras”, I said to our friend, on receiving the bill. “I couldn’t find Prawn Cocktail on the Cash Register so I just hit a button”, he said agreeably! Yes, it was €2 cheaper. “Where were you before here”? I asked him. “No where - I’m a builder – drying linings”, he laughed, pointing to the ceiling, “there’s no work in building anymore!”
Our bill with optional service was €92.80. The food is good, the service bizarrely dotty, but not uncharming, and we did emerge laughing, which is not a bad thing in these days.
The Ormond Wine Bar,
6 Ormond Quay Upper,
Dublin. 7.
Tel: (01) 874-9778
THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON 28TH FEBRUARY, 2010.