EASY EATERIES
Tuesday 24 November 2009
Everyday eateries, casual dining, and special offers, is what the restaurant world is all about at the moment. We all still want to be able to eat out as a matter of course, but even those who can still afford to splash out are not prepared to go mad any more. The casual dining operation can do very well right now.
Olivetto Restaurant, an Italian style enoteca, opened a little while ago at the Pavilion Centre in Dun Laoghaire. Owned by David Larkin, who started the Real Gourmet Burger chain right next door, there is a very large counter area and also a long communal table, but the prized tables are to the front by the window. Olivetto offers a good range of antipasti €7.50/€9.50, pizzas, pastas, and risottos €11.50/€16.00 and a small selection of “Carne/Pesce” – meat and fish - €19.50/€22.50. You can just have an antipasto platter and a glass of wine, or go the whole hog as we did because we were trying it out. A blackboard special of a tiny tiny half quail (€7.50) came delicately arranged with a couple of fig sections, onion compote and drizzled with olive oil and Balsamic. They did charge €1 extra for bread to go with it which I thought a bit unnecessary. Salumi Misto (€9) with olives, basil pesto, salami, pate, Parma ham, Braesola, coppa and dressed rocket, was generous and came with bread. Linguine with mussels and clams to follow at €14.50 was lovely, as was a very well executed panfried halibut (€22.50) on zucchini carpaccio, mushrooms, beans and pancetta. We shared a nice Tortino di Ricotta (€6.50) with cream. With a bottle of Candido Salice Salentino (€26), water €3.50, a glass of Chianti (€5.50) and optional service our bill came to €105.60.
L’Officina, part of the Dunne & Crescenzi stable, has opened in the new Arnott’s at the Jervis Centre. On the first floor at the top of the escalator, it is a purple velvet cocoon in which to rest your feet and regain your sanity after shopping. Here they do all the Dunne & Crescenzi stalwarts of pastas, salumi and cheese platters which have proved so popular in Dublin in recent years. I had the antipasto misto (€11) which had mortadella, salumi, Parma ham, marinated aubergine, artichoke, yellow peppers, sundried tomato, olives and cheese. Brendan had lasagna (€12) and, with a glass of Nero d’Avola €5.50) and Pino Grigio (€6.50) and optional service, our bill came to €38.50. A very handy spot.
Seagreen in Monkstown is a “luxury lifestyle emporium” which has the rather cute Ellen’s Tea Rooms to the rear of the store. Green, blue and white, painted bentwood chairs with marble topped tables make it a pleasant spot for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea. It opens at 8.30 a.m. weekdays and is proving popular with mothers who, having dropped their kids to school, and had the obligatory power walk in the sea air, gather for coffee and a croissant. They also do other breakfast items such as organic scrambled eggs at €7.50 – add Jane Russell’s organic sausages for €1 extra, or bacon for another €1. At lunchtime you can have a good seafood chowder at €6.95 or a steak sandwich with onions and garlic butter in crispy ciabatta with French fries for €13 – you can take this away at €10.50. They also do a nice chorizo, chick pea and bean stew, a warm salmon and couscous salad, or warm marinated chicken tenders in Teriyaki sauce topped with a mango lime and coriander sauce - all at €10.50. Last time there I had a lovely comforting Fish & Fennel Bake (€12.50) with chunks of salmon and cod on a base of onion and fennel topped with fresh fluffy potato, Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs, served with a mixed leaf salad. Brendan had lightly battered cod fillet (€12.50) with a big bowl of thin frites, and salad. With a glass of red wine (€5) for Brendan our bill came to €30. They also have a great range of freshly pressed juices and smoothies €4.75/€5 – try the Creamy Black Banana or Bangin’ Blackberry – that will put pep in your step!