In the top 1% of restaurants in the Capital ? No, I think with respect that is a statistical blip. Crow Street is good, in parts very good, but needs a couple of corners smoothed off in order to reach the dizzy heights, in a...very competitive market place these days.
Aine and Jennifer, and a couple of others whose names I didn't get, were superb. Attentive, patient (we needed this!) and quietly efficient. Top marks here.
The starters were lovely - I had the smoked salmon jobbie with some tasty little dabs of some sauces or other. A winner. Soup was fine and I think others went pate - anyway, we were happy out at this point.
Mains disappointed - the chicken burger you could get in a lesser establishment, it had little refinement or cheffiness, which here you ould expect. Me auld mate Micky and I had the hake and, lovely though it was, I nearly had to put on me glasses to find it among the spuds and florets. All very tasty, all well-balanced, all beautifully cooked - just too small. Meagre portions went out with nouvelle cuising yonks ago, lads.
Final complaint - the wine. A Tempranillo at 32 sand a Pinot Noir from Languedoc at 36, that's a fair auld whack for vino at the one sittin g. And neither was up to it. Wine makes up a criticial part of meals at the best of times, even more so at these tariffs. I'd advise further study and tastings, folks, to get a better spread of prices and a better class of product.
And yes, I know how hard it is to get a new venture up and running in Dublin catering these days AND how precarious an existence it can be financially - just suggesting a couple of tricks that might, might make life more enjoyable for the customer and more sustainable for these ambitious and very welcoming young owners/staff.More
