What’s on offer?
3 Leaves started as a street-food stall and later opened as a modest restaurant in Blackrock Market in Co Dublin in 2016. Husband and wife team Santosh Thomas and Milie Mathews manage the kitchen and front of house respectively. Both have their roots in Alappuzha, Kerala, although Santosh was born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. You can see these influences in their restaurant menu, which also includes dishes from other regions of the country. A more concise menu is available online for takeaway on Fridays. It includes curries and a considerable number of vegetarian and vegan options.
What did we order?
We ordered dhal and sabzi, Laziz beef curry with rice, samosa with tamarind chutney, and aloo khatta metta chaat.
How was the service?
Service is smart. You turn up at the allocated time and your takeaway will be ready for you.
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Was the food nice?
Portions are generous. Three samosas filled with potato and peas are mildly spiced with cumin and nigella seeds in a crisp pastry, with a tamarind sauce as a dip. The aloo khatta metta chaat is delicious, cubes of fried potatoes are tossed in a slightly sweet sauce with tamarind and mango and sprinkled with chaat masala. The Laziz curry is an Avadh dish (from Uttar Pradesh) traditionally made with lamb. The 3 Leaves version has chunky pieces of beef in a savoury sauce flavoured with curry, black cumin and cinnamon, and comes with rainbow rice. The dhal is also a generous portion. It is made with a combination of chana and red lentils, Santosh’s garam masala (his mother’s recipe) and finished with tempered spices.
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What did it cost?
€55 for dinner for three people. Dhal and sabzi, €17.50; Laziz beef curry with rice, €18.50; samosa with tamarind chutney, €8.25; aloo khatta metta chaat, €10.75.
Where does it deliver?
It’s takeaway on Friday only. The pre-order click and collect service opens online on Wednesday evening at 7pm and closes when all the slots are full, so get your order in early.
Would I order it again?
Yes, it’s very tasty food, the portions are generous and each dish is distinctly different.
