Town Bar and Grill brings a welcome New York flavour to Dublin, writes Tom Doorley.
If you visit Town Bar and Grill's website - and it's not a bad idea as you can preview the menu and the wine list - you get a flavour of what this very new Dublin restaurant is about. In the admirably minimal introduction is a claim that this is the kind of place you are more likely to find in New York than here. This is dangerous. In my experience, restaurants which tell us they'd be more at home in some far-off place more sophisticated and exciting than dear old Ireland are assuming that we're such pathetic, backwoods hicks, we'll be sufficiently impressed to make a booking. In reality, lots of these restaurants would be more at home in Ballybunion or Bettystown.
Of those that lean convincingly towards New York, there are Frank's and Shanahan's, which occupy opposite ends of the price spectrum. How the latter can charge such prices, be so popular and still - allegedly - unprofitable, I can't imagine. And now there is Town Bar and Grill, whose website claim is amply justified.
The team behind the restaurant is chef Temple Garner and mâitre d' Ronan Ryan who, until recently, formed the backbone of the Mermaid Café. The premises is the former Bruno's, in the basement of Mitchell's (to whom we should be wishing a happy 200th birthday).
Prices are average for Dublin, with starters hovering around €9, mains firmly in the 20s. But the standard of the grub is definitely superior. And the wine list, of which more anon, is not just well chosen, but contains some of the best value in town. Add to that a pleasantly unfussy environment, friendly service, keenly-priced bar food, and you have a very welcome addition to the eating options in the capital. Give it time and it may well become unbearably fashionable.
Mind you, a colleague tells me that she had a less than happy experience there: slow service, a house wine out of stock and the substitute dearer than the original. Perhaps there are teething troubles. My own experience, however, was good.
There are times when I have a sybaritic seizure and yearn for some very good, but essentially simple food, accompanied by a bloody good bottle of wine. And, happily, my most recent fit coincided with my visit to Town Bar and Grill. What I wanted was good, uncheffy food with plenty of flavour, and that's what was delivered. My own nosebag comprised exquisitely tender, melting, chargrilled squid with crisp, zesty salad, and a 10oz rib eye steak - smokily seared outside and exquisitely rare within - with buttery mash and crunchy greens. This is confident food - straightforward, unpretentious, functional - but delicious. The companion's spatchcock quail were tender and moist, but pleasantly crisp. How come grilled quail so often appear to have been steamed? This is a meat that needs crispness. The accompanying figs glazed with balsamic vinegar supplied just the right amount of sweetness, with a little shiver of sour.
Osso bucco with saffron risotto à la Milanese is one of the world's great dishes. It's also weird and wonderful, in that a rich meat dish of braised veal on the bone is served with a buttery, cheesy rice dish. And it works. In theory it shouldn't, but it does. Part of its secret, of course, is the garnish, gremolata. This stuff is grated lemon rind mixed with very finely chopped garlic and parsley and nothing else tastes the same. It cut the richness, but at the same time deepened the flavour. Again, this was simple dish but one that took care and time; the result was outstanding. Tempted as we were by bitter chocolate and orange panna cotta, we settled for a couple of excellent espressos.
Town Bar and Grill is different and, yes, it is more like something you would find in New York than back in the auld sod. Its reliance on very classic Italian cooking, its avoidance of "red sauce" cuisine, the fact that it actually has a grill and that it's used, and its comforting informality all add up to something very new and welcome for Dublin.
Our bill came to €115.75 for two courses each, and a pretty hefty bottle of wine (€45.95). I have paid considerably more for a considerably lesser experience. There are cheaper options. Lunch is €19.95 for two courses, €16.95 for one, while the bar menu features fresh pasta for €9.95 and Caesar salad for €6.95.
Town Bar and Grill, 21 Kildare Street, Dublin 2,
, 01-6624724
WINE At last! A list with a point, i.e. Ronan Ryan's love of Italian and American wines. Our extravagant Ridge Lytton Springs Zin (€45.95) is very keenly priced, likewise Felsina Chianti Classico (€39.95), which we nearly ordered. House wines at €17.95 include Alpha Zeta Garganega and the rich, oaky A Mano Primitivo. Montaudon's very decent Champagne is €29.95 for a half-bottle, €55.95 for a full one, and there's an excellent Prosecco for €29.95. Add to that a range of Lustau's fabulous sherry; Cline's Ancient Vines Zinfandel (€39.95) Selvapiana Chianti Rufina Reserva (€33.95) and you have plenty of reasons to keep going back.