MANIFESTO RESTAURANT REVIEW
Thursday 24 June 2010
Foodie types tend to be a tad sniffy of ‘ordinary’ Italian restaurants unless they are of the “new Italian” variety. However, go to any Italian restaurant and you will find them packed with people who just want good heartwarming grub sans any pretensions, a bottle of Chianti, and maybe a bit of outrageous smarmy charm from the Italian waiter!
Manifesto, an Italian restaurant in the centre of Rathmines, wasn’t any different when we arrived as walk-ins on a Tuesday night, for we just managed to get the last table available. Either the recession is over or they are doing something very right here, we thought. Inside the door is a big woodburning oven manned by what seemed to be the Maestro for, he not only was belted the pizzas in and out, but assiduously gave us the nod that we would soon be looked after.
The restaurant is long and narrow, with red brick walls and wooden beams. We liked the atmosphere as groups of co-workers, families, couples, young guys and girls, a few intelligencia types with books and scarves and, worse still, a couple of media types – were all chowing down and looking happy. You got the feeling throughout that there was real personal interest and attention to detail including really nice big glassware and good cutlery and linen table runners.
When it came to the menu, the Antipasti selection €8/€12 did strike me as being a tad pricey, with most starters being in double figures €11/€12, apart from Brushcetta Tricolore, chicken roulade at €8, and Aubergine Parmiggiana at €9. With their pastas €14/€21, pizzas €12/€15, and Secondi Piatti €17/€24, being reasonable enough, the antipasti struck me as a tad out of proportion – and perhaps a bit of a deterrent for some people in these times. Tagliere del Buongustaio (€11) for me was a good assortment of cold meats and cheeses served on an enormous board including Parma ham, Coppa, Mortadella, salami, fingers of cheese, and black olives. “Fagottino di Carpaccio con Champignons et Tartufo” (€11) were pretty substantial “faggottino – tied bundles” of raw beef filled with sliced mushrooms and more beef, tweaked with a tomato, julienned cucumber, and sliced champignon mushrooms – perfect for the real ‘Desperate Dan” beef man – and Brendan enjoyed them too.
Primi Piatti, Pastas, Risotto and Gnocchetti, included differing sounding dishes such as homemade potato and nettle dumpling with a ragout of mixed mushrooms and Italian sausage, or Cavatelli pasta made with chestnut flour cooked with Porcini mushrooms, prawns and red beans. Secondi Piatti included a Chicken, Duck, Seabass and Monkfish dish as well as an 8oz beef fillet and a sliced chargrilled ribeye dish, whilst there was a dozen plus pizzas of all varieties.
I opted for a summery spaghetti dish in a rich cherry tomato sauce with a half lobster at €21, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The lobster shell and claw were used as presentation whilst the little tail was chopped throughout the pasta. Pollo Manifesto (€17) for Brendan was a really tasty baked breast of chicken stuffed with spinach, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, served smothered in a sundried tomato sauce and with a side order of choice – in his case diced roast potatoes – all very nice.
Desserts were reasonably priced at €6 and we ordered Torta Ricotta et Pere – a “tart made with ricotta cheese infused with pear”. The term “tart” was loosely interpreted as we understand the word being thick creamy ricotta mixed with pear cubes sandwiched between two biscuits with a dipping section on the plate of cappuchino sauce.
There is a good selection of Italian wines from Salice Salentino to Barolo and with a delicious bottle Pio Cesare Barbera d’Alba (€29.50) our bill with optional service, which was excellent and attentive, came to €105.50.
Be careful when parking. We parked across the road on Leinster Square not realising that it was Pay Parking or Permits until midnight and not 19.00 hours as we assumed. €80 to be declamped sure made it an expensive night out for us.
Manifesto,
208 Lower Rathmines Road,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.
Tel: (01) 496-8096
THIS REVIEW WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON JUNE 20, 2010.
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