RESTAURANT REVIEW - THE DINING ROOM BY CONRAD GALLAGHER
Wednesday 06 July 2011
A business alliance is like a marriage, and every bit as painful when it comes to the divorce! I think it can be said that the proponents in the latest cullinary alliance, ‘Head Chef’ Conrad Gallagher, and Louis Murray, at The Dining Room at La Stampa, have had more than their share of well documented business‘divorces’. Gallagher has been through Glasthule, Baggot Street, Upper Merrion Street, South William Street, the Fitzwilliam Hotel, London and South Africa, titillating and annoying people in equal measure, before returning like the prodigal son to open Salons des Saveurs in Aungier Street. Murray for his part has had a number of chefs opening with a fanfare in the magnificent room that defines La Stampa in an effort to revive its once hip status. To name but two, we had Jean Christophe Novelli who for one brief moment was a ‘novellti’ but his reign collapsed as fast as one of his souffles. Paul Flynn then wheeled up from The Tannery to set up ‘Balzac’ - from which I was ejected when I complained of the bad food – it too proved short lived! It took Mr. Murray some six months to phone me and apologise.
Funnily enough I think Mr. Gallagher might be the man for La Stampa. Over the top and colourful, as is the room, which has had a revamp remeniscent of the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, it is big and flamboyant enough to take his spirit and personality. His food is terrific, and he is older and wiser with a young family to support, and did a great job on TV3’s Head Chef – the right balance but taking no crap from the contestants - now they are doing a ‘celebrity’ version.
The menu has five sections - Starters, Shell Fish Bar, Mains, Salads and From the Grill. Gallagher tells me they are going to the market themselves to keep prices down. Starters €7/€12 included his stalwarts – Ketaifi crab cake with saffron aoili, Basque style stew with peppers, watercress and shaved fennel; duck rillette with foie gras terrine, beetroot puree, salad of pear and toasted pain d’epices, plus a wasabi cured salmon ‘pastrami’. The Shellfish Bar had Galway Bay oysters with cucumber, caviar, sherry vinaigrette at €12.95 for six, plus cocktails €9.95/€13.95 of crabmeat, shrimp, Dublin Bay prawn - or lobster at market price - €24.95 on our visit. Kicking off with a Bellini (€13.50) for Rena and a Caipirinha (€9.50), Rena started with a pretty and well flavoured risotto of soya bean (€9) with chorizo, calamari, rocket, chilli and Iberico froth. I had a whopper of a prawn cocktail (€12.95), sporting Dublin Bay prawns the size of my middle finger, on a combo of mesclun leaves, slivers of avocado and beetroot, plus Marie Rose and American style tomato and horseradish cocktail sauces to the side– it was the biz! <ep>
Mains €14.95/€24.95 included hearty French classics such as Gallagher’s signature daube of beef, confit leg of duck pie, organic chicken with duxelle, fricasse of asparagus and peas, flavoured orzo and Enoki mushrooms. Salads €12.95/€15.95 included goat’s cheese or smoked salmon. ‘From the Grill’ (€24.95/€29.95) offered 10oz ribeye, fillet, and sirloin steaks as well as a 16 oz T-bone. Lamb shank (€16.95) for Rena with a brace of butturnut squash quenelles of cous cous, morel mushrooms and peas, was melt in the mouth, whilst I pushed out the boat with the Dover Sole on the bone (a jaw clenching €39.95) with sauce choice of escargot with garlic and parsley butter, and a side order of al dente green beans and almonds (€3.95). <ep>
Desserts were €7.95 as was a good cheese board with fig marmalade which we shared. With 3 glasses of delicious Cote de Dura (€7.50) Sauvignon Blanc, water (€3) and 12.5% service charge our bill came to €156.66. A bit of a ‘Marie Antoinette’ but we enjoyed it. <ep>
There is a rapid fire 3-course lunch menu at €18.95 with a natty quartet of starters, mains and desserts. The Pre Theatre Menu is €22.95 with a quintet of choice at each course. Do I hear music? Let’s hope this marriage works! <ep>
The Dining Room by Conrad Gallagher,
La Stampa,
35 Dawson Street,
Dublin. 2.
Tel: (01) 612-7911
THIS REVIEW FIRST APPEARED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON JULY 3, 2011.