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Restaurant Review - Weafer & Cooper

Restaurant Review - Weafer & Cooper

Thursday 27 October 2011

 

Glasthule Village in South County Dublin has had a real awakening with the arrival of Weafer & Cooper, an all day modern Italian style eatery, very much along the lines of Jamie Oliver’s ‘Jamie’s Italian’ neighbourhood restaurants which are opening apace around England. ‘Jamie’s’ is all about simple rustic food at affordable prices in a good buzzy atmosphere and Weafer & Cooper’s had the same feel, although, along with very nice looking pizzas (€10/€14) there is a touch here of the United Nations in the food. The hand behind the stove is no novice being one Eleanor Walsh ex “Eden” Restaurant, Mackerel at Bewley’s, and CafeBarDeli.

Living nearby, I had been watching the redevlopment by local man Brendan O’Hagan of this particular block of small shops, originally a dry cleaners, a dress hire service and a boutique. However, I was not prepared for the size and urban coolness of the place which is on two levels. Red bricked walls set the tone, with a deli counter and a banquette seating area in the front section and, on the lower level to the rear, a wood fired pizza oven and kitchen. I can just see this place hopping from breakfast through lunch and evening with a menu that swings through brasserie style dishes to pizzas with a sort of united European ease that would satisfy Sarkozy, Merkel and Berlusconi, and would fit in well in David Cameron’s neighbourhood of North Kensington convincing him he was a true European!

Walsh has brought some of her former kitchen team with her including Zoltan Molnar from CaféBarDeli, Ciara Macken front of house, and a Master Baker, Darren Harris, has joined the team. Starters €5/€13 had toasted sourdough with black pudding and Cashel Blue cheese, whilst crab salad came with an Indian spiced mayo. Walsh’s favourites feature such as Smokies – an Eden stalwart – and mackerel – although I thought its popularity might have waned with her! Mains were €12/ €16 apart from a sirloin steak at €22. The current passion for chuck is acknowledged with a half crispy roast buttermilk chicken coming with Asian slaw, whilst posh fish n’ chips, beefburgers, and gourmet sausages with creamy mash and onion gravy, all looked good at neighbouring tables.

Panfried mushrooms (€7) with thyme, garlic, and crème fraiche were handsomely seasoned and delicious on toasted sourdough. Duck rillettes (€8) proved as superb as they were substantial in a sealed preserving jar, served on a slate, with delicious spiced pear chutney and caramelised walnuts, and two slices of a dark treacly type bread. The devil is often in the detail and all of their chutneys are rustic and homemade and I loved them.

Eschewing shoulder of pork with spiced red cabbage, apple Calvados sauce and creamy mash as well as beef and stout stew, Mary had a special of seabass (€16) with fries instead of the billed cous cous. I enjoyed a chicken and chorizo stew (€14) which had a good piquant flavour. The bowl was filled with hearty peppers, chick peas and smoked paprika sauce, but the menu should say that the chicken is on the bone – a drumstick and a chunk of the back hind quarter - as a lot of people, women particularly, expecting boneless chicken breast might find it too rustic for the delicate tastes and brilliant white teeth of South County Dublin!

Mary followed up with an Affogato (€3), icecream in coffee, and we shared a perfect trio of cheeses with a cracking fig compote, grapes and crackers at €8. The wine list offers an Italian Tonnara red or white at €10 for 50cl and then after that it is €20/€25 upwards. We tasted the Tonnara white but found it a bit sharp so moved on to a bottle of Antonion Ceresa Pinot Grigio 2010 at €25 which fitted the bill perfectly. <ep>

It was their first night open to the public so, all in all, they coped very well with the demand. I can see myself slipping down there for breakfast……lunch…dinner …dead casual with an element of frisson…

Weafer & Cooper,

71-73 Glasthule Road,

Glasthule,

Co. Dublin.

Tel: (01) 231-1971

www.lucindaosullivan.com

THE UNEDITED VERSION OF ARTICLE WHICH FIRST APPEARED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON OCTOBER 23, 2011.