RESTAURANT REVIEW - CAFEBAR H - PORT HOUSE DUNDRUM -TAPAS TAPAS
Tuesday 01 March 2011
February is the month of the Seville Tapas Festival but, whatever about that, Ole! Ole! Ole! was alive and well in Dublin when we arrived on a Friday evening to the new Cafébar H at Grand Canal Plaza. The place was heaving with 20-somethings – mainly girls – and mainly too, we were told, from the nearby Google offices. Off duty and without their toys, white wine was the order of the day, the noise level was deafening! Cafébar H is owned by the Big H himself Harry Crosbie, who popped in whilst we were there and, to add further interest to the venture, well known chef Johnny Cooke was in the kitchen. Located in a modern unit, a great atmosphere has been created with Nubian torch bearing figures high on the bar counter, and very tall carved feature doors straight from a palacio or hacienda of status or some such! Spanish hams hang down from rails, a blackboards list specials, and an enormous illuminated H is suspended from the ceiling, perhaps so you will remember where you are by the end of the night! There are a couple of high tables and then a lot of small tables all packed tightly together – if it’s noise and buzz you want it’s here in spades!!
A dozen and a half tapas were €3.50 - €12.50 and included crab cakes with Romescu sauce; pimientos de piquillo with salt cod in a squid ink sauce; McH mini burgers with foie gras and truffle mayo; black bean stew with chorizo and morcilla sausage; the ubiquitous calamares, and chargrilled beef skewers with Sofrito sauce. Friend Carmen and I were packed in between two groups of girls, like Mammy and Auntie! We kicked off with pan con tomate y ajillo (€3.50) – flatbread with tomato and olive oil – and almonds (€3.75). Tapas at H came on rectangular white plates nicely garnished verging on a more modern than traditional style. Gambas al ajillo (€9.50) were average tiger prawns with plenty of garlic and oil – I reckon they work out at about €1 each! Boquerones (€5.50) came artistically stretched along the plate garnished with capers and marinated baby onions – nice but I would really like more of the anchovies. Croquetas del Dia (€8.50) were veal that day and proved three croquettes with pomegranate molasses. The waitress scrambled through the tables in the din and said, “Would you like to try the sweetbreads with truffle brochette.” I guess it must have been the noise because up arrived 3 more croquettes which seemed exactly the same. We then twigged that they were probably ‘veal sweetbread’ croquettes. Unfortunately we didn’t much like the flavor – on top of that €17 seemed an awful lot for 6 croquettes. With three glasses of Rioja (€15) our bill without service came to €54.25. I guess this would be really nice for light bites when less busy.
The Port House, who are already in South William Street, have opened a cracking spot in Dundrum Town Centre. Set in two old world converted cottages in the Pembroke Quarter this is more cantina restaurant style than bar – beautifully furnished retaining the old brickwork – beautiful cream leather seating and a great atmosphere. They have a really huge range of tapas €3 - €11 and platters €12.50- €15. Pulpo a la Gallega (€11) was a good bowl of the cephalopod in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt and smoked paprika whilst a “McFoie” Burger (€5.50) was absolutely divine slivers of fresh sautéed foie gras on warm Galician bread. Boquerones (€4.50) too proved a decent bowl of marinated anchovies whilst a thick tranch of tortilla Espanola (€4) was a warm comforting combination of potato and egg. We also had Pa amb Pernill (€3.50) which was toasted rustic bread with garlic, tomato, and topped with Serrano ham. With a large glass of Mas Rabell tinto (€8.80) and glass of PX Sherry (€6.25) our bill with optional service came to €48.05.
THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY, 27TH FEBRUARY 2011.