What’s on offer?
Donnybrook Fair on Morehampton Road, Dublin 4, reopened last November with plenty of influencer buzz. Opened by the Doyle Family in 2001, it’s the original store in the group – there are now five. After 17 years it was sold to the Musgrave Group in 2018.
Rotisserie chicken is part of the new offering, currently available only in Morehampton Road. They use Manor Farm free-range chickens, which are cooked sous vide in their south Dublin kitchen - ensuring “extra-juicy meat”, they say - then finish them in the in-store rotisserie. It is available as a whole roasted chicken or in a build-your-own pulled chicken sandwich – served on Tartine sourdough or a wrap, with your choice of three fillings and a sauce. Monthly specials have included a Korean roast chicken wrap with Chimac Korean barbecue sauce, which adds sweetness and a mild chilli heat.
The handmade meals range is extensive; some of the dishes are par-cooked and can then be finished at home in the oven or microwave. Quiches with an all-butter pastry base are made in their off-site kitchen.
What did we order?
A rotisserie chicken, garlic butter baby potatoes, honey-roast carrots and a slice of leek and cheese quiche.
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How was the service?
Straightforward. The quiche is behind the deli counter, other items are in preheated or chilled units. Payment is at the till.
Was the food nice?
Yes. The quiche was notably good. The pastry was buttery and well cooked, especially on the base, which is crucial. The filling of leek and cheese was delicious. The chicken skin lacked crispness, and the outer meat was dry – like it had waited too long in the hot cabinet. Underneath, the meat was juicy. The baby potatoes and honey-roast carrots (30 minutes in the oven) were good.
What about the packaging?
The chicken came in plastic, and the other items were in foil trays covered in cling film, which is typical of how these dishes are generally packaged. So a mixture of single-use plastic, reusable and recyclable materials.
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What did it cost?
€26.90 for dinner for three people: rotisserie chicken, €14.95; baby potatoes, €3.95; honey-roast carrots, €3.95; and quiche, €4.95; less €0.90 as part of a “two for €7″ special on the vegetables.
Where does it deliver?
Takeaway only, at branch in Morehampton Road, Donnybrook. Open Mon-Sat, 7am-10pm; and Sun, 8am-9pm.
Would I order it again?
Yes, I’d get the quiche again. The rotisserie chicken is fine if you live nearby, but I’ve had better. I don’t think the sous vide step improves things.
