Our Latest Great Place To Eat - The Unicorn
Thursday 29 January 2026
The haunt of the media, politicians, spin doctors, and glamorous ladies about town such as the late beautician Bronwyn Conroy and gossip columnist Terry Keane, its long Saturday lunches, which most often kicked off and finished up in The Horseshoe Bar of The Shelbourne hotel, were legendary. Over bottles of Barolo and shoestring spaghetti, the mixum-gatherum flirted and frolicked with much table hopping and the essential exchanging of gossip.
Today, it’s owned by restaurateur and chef Kristan Burness and it’s still the popular city social hub it always was.
Ensconced at a neat table for two, in what my friend the fashionista, described as Charlie Haughey’s table – back to the wall facing out in an alcove where he could see and not be seen – we were quickly brought two glasses of Prosecco, a welcoming opener, with divine focaccia.
Perhaps I was on a roll with memories of its former life but the menu reminded me of the song from the musical Cabaret, ‘Twosies Beats Onsies But Nothing Beats Threes’, sporting a threesome each of Starters, Pastas & Risotto, Main Courses, and Desserts.
The fashionista kicked off with a special of fine chunky prawns grilled with n’duja, while I had Capesante – perfectly seared West Cork scallops, retaining the essential moist interior, paired with crisp rondelles of Hick’s black pudding and blobs of silky apple sauce.
Eschewing Tuscan white stew with rabbit and garganelli pasta; vitello – loin of mild fed veal, with spinach & salsa verde and mash, and pollo alla cacciatore, we chose Ligurian zuppe di pesce, and risotto con funghi et tartufo.