Restaurant Review - Lunch French, Italian and Irish style
Monday 25 July 2011
“It’s very cold in Perpignan”, said the friendly young French waiter – it was cold here too but I was so delighted to spot Marseillaise anchoiade on the menu, I smiled blissfully back. Surrounded by wine racks in the perfect oasis that is the French Paradox in D4 my heart was deep in South West France! Opened in 2002 by Pierre and Tanya Chapeau, importing wines direct from family owned wineries, cured meats, cheeses, fish and pates, for Francophiles this is the place to go for that true Gallic experience of traditional duck and pork cassoulet of South West France, any number of charcuterie plates, or indeed a tasting plate offering duck foie gras four ways. You might also fancy scrambled eggs with Black Perigord Truffle butter and toast –or a Camembert fondu - you can have them all here priced below €20 apart from the foie gras tasting plate at €39.
We ordered a tapas selection of three between us to start. My beloved anchoiade (€5.95) –a sort of tapenade but including anchovies, black olives and garlic - has me forever addicted to TFP – being three big quenelles of strong, salty, punchy and obstreporous puree– with a great kickback. Our friend from Perpignan “was delighted” when we choose a caviar of aubergine (€6.50) as he said most people didn’t know it – so I felt very cocky! It proved a sublimely silky and subtle blend served with toasted sourdough. A chunky robust Basque pate (€5.95) with cornichons and chutney completed the picture. Lunchtime mains included house made ‘tartelettes’ of smoked salmon, cheese or ham and peppers – two for €10.50 – or confit of duck leg with potatoes and red wine sauce, or the cassoulet both at €13.95. Sheila opted for a smashing free range egg omelette (€10.50) filled with Basque ham and cheese, fullsome and colourful, sprinkled with paprika, with a perky cockade of dressed frisee. A superb charcuterie plate (€12.95) for me sported rustic salami and cured hams from the Les Aldudes area of the Pyrenees, served with cornichons and a prune chutney. With two 18.75cl glasses of a delicious Domaine Fouassier Pouilly Fume 2008 (€9.70 ea), coffees (€3 ea), and optional service our bill came to €79.25. They have a lunch deal at €15.95 to include soup and a hot plat du jour. Love The French Paradox day or night.
Another favourite lunch spot is L’Officina in the Kildare Outlet Village - a hub of lovely Italian food and wines – antipasti plates €9.50/€13 and pasta dishes €7.50/€14. A visit here always makes ‘the day out ‘. Last time we kicked off with a glass each of crisp Gavi di Gavi (€8 each) followed by a cracking Antipasto Misto (€12) with Mortadella, two salamis, prosciutto, cheese, olives, marinated mushrooms, peppers, and artichokes. Brendan had a stonking great ‘Fagioli e salsiccia alla Toscana’ (€13), a robust dish of Tuscan seasoned sausage on Borlotti beans with a rich tomato sauce, which he loved. A brace of espressos (€1.80 each) and Cantucci Toscani (€4) - delicious Tuscan almond biscuits – added the ‘sweet’ touch. Our bill with optional service was €53.60.
The Copper Hen at Fenor, Co. Waterford, is a new restaurant over McHugh’s Pub, doing popular casual eclectic food. It’s a creamy loft style room which needs flowers and colour to add personality - of which it has plenty outside. Soup of the day with bread was €4, paninis and open sandwiches €7.95/€8.50, salmon and cod fishcakes or Thai green chicken curry at €10.50. Brendan had lasagna with fries (€10.50) pleasant enough but he felt it could have done with more Bechamel sauce and cheese, whilst I had a nice smoked salmon salad with a half dozen freshwater shrimps (€10) which they made up for me. They have a good wine list with lots by the glass and with two glasses of Agnus Dei Albarino (€7.25) our bill with optional service came to €39.00. <ep>
Lunch can be very civilised.
The French Paradox,
53 Shelbourne Road,
Ballsbridge,
Dublin. 4.
Tel: (01) 660-4068
L’Officina,
Kildare Outlet Village,
Co. Kildare.
Tel: (045) 535850
The Copper Hen,
Fenor,
Co. Waterford.
Tel: (051) 330300
THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY JULY 24 2011.