Lucinda O'Sullivan's Ireland

About The Restaurant

Bray was always a great desination for Dublin people on the day out – indeed, not just the day out: in the old days, they went there on holiday, all 12 miles or so from the city centre. The seafront was lined with guesthouses, and people would stroll along the promenade eating cockles and winkles. However, despite the cockles and winkles, it could never have been described as a foodie’s delight. Bray was clearly a town in need of a decent restaurant and it got it with the opening of Shelby’s Brasserie a couple of years ago on Main Street, at the Town Hall end. Don’t be deceived by the simple street entrance for this leads to a really smart upstairs restaurant. There is an open thread staircase, which I always find a bit dizzifying, but once up we were in a very sophisticated area with a wide atrium effect up through the second floor through which hangs a very big feature crystal chandelier. Michelle and Bert Egan have been a long time in the restaurant business. Bert cooks with a sure and steady hand providing really excellent great value food using the best of local produce. Michelle is very conscious of customer care and oversees their restaurant ensuring that everybody is happy when they leave Shelby’s. They have a selection of starters very keenly priced at €6 to include fresh seafood chowder; goat’s cheese tartlet served with roast red pepper jam; pork and sultana cakes with an apple and thyme compote and a Thai style fish cake. Moving up a few euros more but all under €10 you can have salmon, mussels and clams Mornay; crispy duck leg and mango salad with sweet chili and sesame aioli or perhaps garlic prawns with olive oil and chilli coriander served with garlic bread. When it comes to mains, there is also a selection of half a dozen dishes at one price, as I write, namely €13. This includes Beef Bourguignon pie; Shelby’s lamb burger with mozzarella and a tomato and fennel jam served with hand cut chips; smoked chicken and chorizo tagliatelle or breast of chicken supreme stuffed with feta cheese, basil and sundried tomato with basil crème fraiche. Moving upwards, but below €20, you might fance Tiger Prawns Galliano served with a chilli and ginger risotto cake. Breast of Barbary duck is with sweet potato and thyme mash served with apriocot and green peppercorn sauce. Fillet of hake comes with crushed baby potatoes and spinach with a classical pea bechamel sauce. Their steaks are a steal at €15.95 for an 8 oz and €18.95 for a 10 oz - both with peppercorn sauce and Boulangere potatoes. When we visited we were also brought a dish of very nice vegetables including Savoy cabbage and green beans and a big dish of pomme Parmentier style potatoes – deep fried cubes. Puddings are delicious I had Summer Berry Brulee with a chocolate chip biscuit and a half-moon arrangement of ripe sweet strawberries. Wines are available from €17.95. Shelby’s offers excellent value. When we got our bill, we made a quick escape in case they changed their minds…….

Special Offers

• Valid: 02/12/2011 - 01/12/2012

  Early Bird Menu ALL NIGHT, Every Night. Only €20/€22 for 2/3 courses.

• Valid: 02/12/2011 - 01/12/2012

  Any 3 bottles beer/cider for only €10 every night of the week.

• Valid: 01/02/2012 - 02/03/2012

  Sunday-Thursday. Two course menu Special only €17 All Night. Dishes change weekly.

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