Restaurant Review - Morrison Grill
Tuesday 19 March 2013
We’d had a great cocktail each in the new Quay 14 Bar, been looked after by amazing bar staff, and were now seated in the Morrison Grill, on a low backed banquette in a Siberian draft. As the evening progressed, the tempo music was raised, and looking out to the Liffey I said to dining companion, Interior Decorator Jane Beer, “what does this feel like” – and we both chimed in unison “the car ferry”. A better class of car ferry you understand!
There was a time when people thought they would never see the Berlin Wall come down, let alone a female Russian Oligarch buying a hotel “down the quays.” The Morrison Hotel was developed in 1998 by the late Hugh O’Regan and decorated by John Rocha, with perhaps ironic foresight, in an East meets West design. Bought last year from NAMA by Russia’s richest women, Elana Baturina, it has been relaunched after a €7m refurbishment. Rocha’s influences are still evident but they have cleverly opened up the ground floor facing Ormond Quay creating one big bright bar and restaurant lending a much more inviting accessible feel from the street.
The Morrison Grill area itself is defined by low back curved banquette seating and features “Dublin’s first iconic Josper Grill Oven which combines air, fire and charcoal at temperatures reaching 500 C.” Ex Pichet Chef, John O’Leary, is at the helm and the menu is described as “refined rustic”. It is a carnivore’s delight! Starters €8 - €12 included a Charcuterie Board of house terrine, cured duck, potted beef brisket, liver pate, ‘slaw, pickles and toast. Braised beef brisket featured again in a salad, as does Steak Tartare, and Pork Holstein. Jane opted for Cromane Bay mussels (€10) and myself for risotto of smoked haddock (€8). Both dishes were visually ace, the mussels having orzo pasta, pea, bacon, chilli broth and rustic bread, however neither was warm enough. The mussel dish was overpoweringly ‘salty’ and the risotto with ‘soft hen’s egg’, and aged Parmesan, was light on haddock, lacked depth of flavour, was too cool and too sloshy.
Like toys for boys, steaks are the thing here, and not cheap, offering ribeyes 8/16oz at €29/€45; 250 gr Beef Rump €25 and 200 gr Flat Iron steaks €24. Using cheaper cuts as opposed to sirloin and fillet is trendy but I thought that was also supposed to be reflected in the price on the plate? However, Jane’s 8 oz ribeye, with Sumo chips, roasted onion, and Iona Farm peppery leaves, was superb- rare, succulent - a joy. I was disappointed with the Pescetarian offerings overall. As a reviewer never eats the same as their guest, I was left with chicken – ehh - roast cod – I hate, risotto –been there, homemade pasta – or the ‘catch of the day’ slip sole fillet. I would expect a Russian Oligarch’s eatery maybe not quite to have caviar but to have a decent Dover Sole on the Bone, Oysters, Dublin Bay prawns, the odd Lobster - seeing as Dublin is awash with them - fish at that level. “Tom Lynch’s pork” was a decidedly delicious pork belly – but at €24 for belly pork not cheap. It was with divine mustard mash, cabbage, lentil and turnip mostarda, but again the mash et al were luke warm. Asking for some hot mash, the waitress took the plate away and on return whilst still delicious, the initial fresh ‘sheen’ was gone off the pork.
Desserts at €7.50 were all up a pop also for nowadays, however Pedro Jimenez crème brulee, with a little dish of iced espresso and a pistachio biscuit was superb – sinful and rich as Croesus! Jane’s ‘Sundae’ was adorable having salted caramel icecream, candied peanuts and popcorn, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. We washed all of this down with a divine bottle of Sacred Hill Traminer Riesling at €30 – the cheapest bottle of wine being €26.
Having said all that, we really liked the place and hopefully they will ‘heat up’ these problems. Our bill with wine, mineral water (€5.50), two coffees (€6) and service was a hot €139.50.
The Morrison Grill
The Morrison Hotel,
Lower Ormond Quay,
Dublin 1.
Tel: (01) 887-2400
FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT