Restaurant Review - Basement Dining
Wednesday 15 November 2023
I’ve always loved basement restaurants. Whether over a long lunch or a late-night dinner, they lend that secret hideaway feel, cocooning and cushioning you from the real world. The clientele is always interesting too and tends to be the bon viveurs of life, eschewing stark trendy spaces in favour of la dolce vita. In fact, three of Dublin’s best restaurants are located beneath the magnificent Georgian houses of Dublin 2. All three are independently owned, and all have stood the test of time for a reason — they’re plush and lush, and, with the festive season approaching, they’re ideal for that special treat.
The witty John Healy from RTÉ’s The Restaurant, who’s GM at Suesey Street on Dublin’s Fitzwilliam Place, is always on the ball, and as he spotted us trundling downwards towards the entrance, he announced: “Here’s Lucinda,” before appearing and sweeping us out to their lovely covered terrace. The food, under the deft hands of Matt Fuller, is superb, and once we were suitably ensconced in a corner, friend Trish kicked things off with a fulsome tian of pearly white crab meat (€18) layered on smashed avocado and a pepper stew with dots of spiced-red-pepper gel.
lucindaosullivan.com
First Published In The Sunday Independent