Restaurateur Ryan bites back

THE SOCIAL NETWORK:Ronan Ryan (pictured) is opening a restaurant called Bite next weekend, on the site of the old George's Bistro on South Frederick Street in Dublin.

“We’re going to have a soft opening on Thursday and open to the public during the weekend,” he says.

His business partners on this occasion are MCD’s Brian Spollen and Anthony Mooney.

Spollen promotes the Trinity Ball – the trio are certainly in the right part of town to pick up that trade.

Ryan describes his recent stint at La Stampa as a “rebound”. He maintains he was just getting over running Town Bar Grill, which he had been involved with since 2003.

He says Bite will specialise in fish and chips and cocktails, although it will do chicken and vegetarian too.

Apparently the fish and chips will be very fancy, and the restaurant – complete with a downstairs bar – will open for lunch, dinner and late-night bites until 1am.

“It will be €12 per person and nothing like the old days,” he says.

Meanwhile, Ryan still has his sights set on bigger things. “I will be opening a mainstream restaurant somewhere later this year. I’m still looking at sites.”