RESTAURANT REVIEW - MULBERRY GARDEN
Wednesday 01 June 2011
In an episode of the TV Show ‘Frasier’, the irrepressible Crane brothers have a stab at opening a restaurant where, midst first night high jinks, the mythical food critic, Gil Chesterton, arrives blathering “I don’t usually review on first nights but I made an exception for you - and brought along 12 other food critic friends.” And so it seemed as we arrived into the new Mulberry Garden to find two other critics already ensconced! There we were, Paolo Tullio in one corner, Myles McWeeney in another, and finally yours truly …. No pressure Chef!!
I had quite forgotten what a lovely space occupies the former Ernie’s Restaurant of yore, subsequently Poulot’s. Tucked away in a laneway in Donnybrook Village, this mews like restaurant, is clustered around a sweet little courtyard garden. I did have reservations about the somewhat unusual concept of Mulberry Garden but I was quite won over. That said, it does depend on maintaining a degree of excellence that will titillate and draw the punters.
The concept is startlingly simple. You might say it is a pop up restaurant of sorts in that it pops up only three nights a week for dinner, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, offering a 3-course Table d’Hote menu at €40 sporting just two starters, two mains – one meat, one fish, dessert or cheese. The menu is to change each week and majors on Irish Artisan produce. Surprisingly, they have an extensive wine list from €22 extending up to a Chateau Gruaud Larose 2eme Cru Classe St. Julien 1991 at €160, plus loads of cocktails, specialist whiskeys and spirits.
The venture of Brian Lennon, of the popular Eatery 120 in Ranelagh, with business partner Laura Peat, John Wyer, ex L’Ecrivain, is Head Chef. “Our Producers This Evening” is listed on the back of the menu and for us professional chompers it could only be ‘one of each course’. A French style domed glazed pie filled with rare breed shoulder of pork rose to the occasion. It sat on homemade sauerkraut in a grainy mustard veloute with white beans, tarted up with a party dress garland of watercress, adding colour and a crisp fresh contrast. Perfectly poached free range hen’s egg was sitting on Jack McCarthy’s black pudding, sprinkled all over with ‘hundreds and thousands’ like crushed brioche and hazelnut crumb, tweaked with a grilled scallion and Jerusalem artichoke veloute, and was certainly no wallflower either. Both were delicious, as were breads with nettle butter, and it hit us MG had real possibilities.
Succulent pink roast breast of Skeaghnore Free Range Duck on braised butterhead lettuce, with Gubbeen bacon, roast potato puree and melt in the mouth caramelized baby onions, more than kept Brendan amused. Wild Atlantic Hake had lightly smoked new potato slices, mini towers of sweet organic beetroot topped with slivers of zingy tasting radish, and was napped with capers and brown butter - also cracking. Thought went into all of these dishes and the divil was in the detail.
A slick looking slice of pistachio cake “could have been heavier on the pistachio element” said one of the male critics – men are so difficult! With pistachio praline, and an apple concasse topped with a scoop of yogurt and fennel sorbet, I didn’t see much left on the plate. Sharply presented Irish Artisan Cheeses – Ardrahan, Glebe Brethan, Crozier Blue, Killeen Goat’s – were with red onion marmalade, Granny Smith Apple and Lannleire Irish Honey puree – with feather light ‘wavy’ homemade rosemary crackers.
The atmosphere was good, some sort of hip cool music was billowing out, and the lights were dimmed, if they keep the food at a really interesting level – this could become a hot spot. Brendan liked that you know what you are going to spend before you sit down – I countered that it does command a certain spend – but it was value for money. It felt a little like a supper club – lovely staff.
With a bottle of Rolf Binder Hales Shiraz 2008 Barossa Valley (€34), water €3.95, and optional service, our bill was €130.
Mulberry Garden,
Mulberry Lane,
Donnybrook,
Dublin. 4.
Tel: (01) 269-3300
FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON MAY 29 2011.