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Restaurants |
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Uisce Restaurant, Hilton Hotel, Dublin 6
Uisce Restaurant is in the Hilton Hotel, on the banks of the Grand Canal near Charlemont Street. Manager Shane Downey and chef Chad Byrne have tried over the past year to make it more that just a hotel dining room, with innovative menus and prices. It’s fair to say they have succeeded.  The Wicklow Heather Restaurant, Glendalough.
Now here’s a surprising thing: the second most visited place in Ireland after Blarney Castle is Glendalough. You’d have thought then that it would have been as commercialised as the Ring of Kerry, but no. Thirty years ago there was the Royal Hotel in Glendalough, The Wicklow Heather restaurant in Laragh and you could get food in the Laragh Inn. Today, all those years later, the same list holds true. Nothing added, nothing lost. The Step House Hotel, Borris, Co. Carlow.
The Step House Hotel is a family run business that has expanded to become a very stylish boutique hotel, situated in the very pretty heritage village of Borris, in Co. Carlow. The Step House has delightful views over the Blackstairs Mountains and in their Cellar Restaurant, a brilliant young chef called Alan Foley. The Counter, Custom Burgers, Dundrum Town Centre.
The Counter in Dundrum Town Cenyre’s Pembroke Quarter has a novel twist on the gourmet burger scene. Paolo ventured there during the big freeze of 2010. The Boardwalk Bar and Grill, Lapps Quay, Cork
The Boardwalk is a large premises, and like it’s name suggest it is half bar and half restaurant. There is a really long bar that snakes around towards the back while the décor is modern contemporary with lots of dark wood and leather seats. Tables are well spaced and glass wear and linens are very high quality. This is an un-ashamed American style steakhouse, jumbo shrimp cocktails and steaks meet cocktails and pints. Le Bon Crubeen, Talbot Street, D1.
A fine menu, very good food and excellent value for money prices in Le Bon Crubeen more than soften the hassle of Christmas shopping for Paolo. The north city-centre isn't awash with restaurants, so Le Bon Crubeen is a very welcome addition. Long may it prosper. La Picolla Italia, Italian Restaurant, Carlow
Good Italian restaurants are like hens teeth in Ireland and La Piccola Italia had all the indications of being one of them. After an unfortunate rocky period, there is new management and Nicola Orefice (ex of Via Veneto) is in situ, and everything is good with this restaurant again. Good ingredients and careful and faithful preparation. The signs are good - you won’t find cream in the carbonara or garlic butter, but authentic food and a good wine list should keep you happy. Il Vicoletto, Italian Restaurant, Temple Bar.
This is one of the best Italian restaurants in the country, never mind Dublin. Authentic dishes, a lovely room and good service make this well worth a visit. Et Voila French Bistro, New Ross, Wexford.
The sunny south east seems to be turning very continental in the last few years. Wexford and Wicklow are home to some of the best French and Italian restaurants in the country. Et Voila French Bistro is one of the ones to visit for anyone planning a French odyssey in this part of the country. Cruzzo's, Malahide Marina.
You can't get closer to the sea without falling in. Fabulous room, suberb views and professional service make for a special experience. Even on a windy night in March, the views inside make up for the lack of sun soaked marina. Cinnamon Garden, Indian Restaurant, Ashbourne, Co. Meath
Cinnamon Garden is a restaurant that is striving to be the best. Aside from Rasam and Ananda, I really haven’t tasted Indian food any better elsewhere in Ireland. This coupled with really good service makes this one of the finds of the year. It’s funny really, but Ashbourne boasts two of the best ethnic restaurants in the country, our favourite Chinese, Eatzen and now The Cinnamon Garden. Well worth a trip. Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas bar, Galway
Spanish food has been underserved with most of the fusion offerings that have sprung up until now. Cava takes a great culinary tradition, treats it with respect and delivers Spanish food as it should be. Asian Palace, Thai and Chinese Restaurant, Carlow.
A little over a year ago, both myself and Paolo ate in a small Chinese restaurant in Bunclody called Peony Court. Outside of a handful of restaurants, including Eatzen and China Sichuan, the food was fabulous. Now part owner Catherine has opened a bigger restaurant in Carlow Town called the Asian Palace, where the food is equally as good. |
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Special Offers
 Treat your Mother to a Special Meal in Cruzzo this Mothers Day!
We are serving Lunch between 12.30 and 3.45pm with a Scrumptious Set Menu. Enjoy two courses for €23.95 or three courses for €28.95 per person.
In the evening, we choose from our delicious A La Carte Menu as we will be open from 6.30pm to 9.30pm serving dinner.
As a special offer, our Children Eat Free deal will be available throughout the entire day!
Enjoy a main course FREE at Brasserie Sixty6, when you both order a starter and main course. Available every night, except Saturday. And if you haven't tried their roast suckling pig, you are SERIOUSLY missing out!
Seagrass have brought back their brilliant tapas, only a fiver each, or 4 for €15. Every tuesday is byo wine evening. Phone 01-4789595.
One of the country's top young chefs is back, this time with Greg Murphy in Wexford's Taste Restaurant. Gotta be good.
This is one of the best deals we have come across, not least because the items on the menu are not what you expect on a cut price menu - duck, rack of lamb and good fish dishes all appear. Telephone +353 (0) 41 9835410 or e mail info@scholarshotel.com.
 Have You Tried? 
The Boardwalk is a large premises, and like it’s name suggest it is half bar and half restaurant. There is a really long bar that snakes around towards the back …  
The Step House Hotel is a family run business that has expanded to become a very stylish boutique hotel, situated in the very pretty heritage village of Borris, in Co. … 
A little over a year ago, both myself and Paolo ate in a small Chinese restaurant in Bunclody called Peony Court. Outside of a handful of restaurants, including Eatzen and … |