Surf, turf and supper

Supper is served at The Shelbourne

It may be just around the corner from Leinster House but there are no signs of any choirboys singing for their supper at the Lord Mayor’s Lounge in what is arguably Dublin’s best-loved five-star hotel, The Shelbourne.

Open to residents and non-residents alike and served nightly seven days a week, from 7.30pm weekdays and from 8.30pm at weekends, The Lord Mayor’s Lounge Signature Supper menu includes the Shelbourne crab or lobster cocktail, a half dozen oysters with shallot vinaigrette and Tabasco, along with contemporary classics such as pan-fried slip sole meunière with samphire and beurre blanc. There’s a slow-braised short rib with smoked potato purée and roast Roscoff onion, or a half Lambay lobster thermidor with crushed saffron aioli, infused potato, spinach and shallot.

There are also platters and dishes designed for sharing, including a platter of Lambay lobster tail, coastal oysters, house turf-smoked salmon, Liscannor crab, Mullaghmore mussels and Atlantic shrimp, or the baked Saint-Marcellin cheese, beautifully creamy and served with crusty bread and a selection of charcuterie including chorizo, salami, mortadella and Parma ham.

Desserts tick the ‘favourites’ box too, including sticky toffee pudding, baked Alaska and sherry trifle. The Shelbourne Supper showcases wines and wine flights – little tasters – too, selected by award-winning sommelier, Nisea Doddy, plus a choice of the hotel’s very best cocktails. And you don’t have to sing for any of it. Live music is laid on from Wednesday to Saturday.

[ shelbournedining.ie ]

Rock lobster

Lobster lovers came out in force to sample seafood at its best at last year’s Lobster Festival at Dublin’s Suesey Street. If you missed out, the good news is that lobster is back on the menu throughout July and August in the super-relaxed restaurant, outdoor terrace and bar on the corner of Leeson Street and Fitzwilliam Place.

Head chef Gareth Naughton has created a new lobster menu, with five lobster dishes being added to the lunch and dinner menu. Dishes include lobster and summer truffle linguine, and a lobster BLT burger with truffle fries. The lobster and crab ravioli with caviar combines a selection of tempting textures while the lobster, mango and avocado salad or the lobster bisque with smoked Gubbeen cheddar toastie offers a classic comfort dish with a twist. And to wash it all down? A Lobster Claw Bloody Mary – claws with a kick.

Suesey Street is open for lunch from Tuesday to Friday, and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday.

[ sueseystreet.ie ]

Residence opens to nons

After almost 10 years as a private members’ club on St Stephen’s Green, Residence has opened its doors to the public for the first time. Now under new ownership, the townhouse in the heart of Georgian Dublin makes a great option for a range of business and leisure events, including cocktail evenings, casual dining, private dining or corporate lunches.

Opening hours have been extended and a new executive chef, Peter Byrne, is manning the cooker at its Restaurant FortyOne. Byrne spent six years at the helm of Sika restaurant, formerly Restaurant Gordon Ramsey, at Powerscourt Hotel Resort and Spa, and almost eight years as senior sous chef at Michelin-starred restaurant, Chapter One.

[ residence.ie ]

Where’s the beef?

Meat lovers are getting more than a mouthful at V'nV Restaurant at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Dublin, where executive chef Tommy Butler has gotten creative for carnivores. His new steak board for two is packed full of hearty and intense flavours and features a chargrilled Golden Vale 10oz Kansas steak, eight-hour braised beef croquettes and a slow-roast beef rib marinated in thyme and garlic. Tasty and comforting side dishes include parsley pomme purée, buttered corn on the cob, crispy house chips and a choice of pepper sauce and garlic butter. Nouvelle cuisine it ain't.

A modern and contemporary room blending dark woods, classic details and comfy booths, it’s a nice setting for a dinner with a colleague, preferably one with an equally hearty appetite and non-vegetarian leanings. The dish costs €40 for two people sharing.

[ radissonblu.ie/royalhotel-dublin ]

Cork cafe Perry Street eyes Dublin

Brian Drinan and Paul Coffey, owners of Cork-based cafe and restaurant chain, Perry Street Market Cafe, are on the lookout for suitable premises in Dublin. The pair opened their first outlet, a 120-seat cafe and restaurant, on the eponymous Cork city street, in 2013. It was quickly followed by outlets at North Point, on the Old Mallow Road, and at City Gate. The pair have recently established a commercial kitchen to centralise food production and further expansion, with Dublin next on the menu, should the right premises arise. "We'd love to open in Dublin and we're already looking around. The only problem is the rents there are huge," said Drinan.

[ facebook.com/perrystreetmarketcafe ]