Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Darwin's Restaurant
Wednesday 26 February 2014
George’s Street, Fade Street and Aungier Street are within the hottest dining area of Dublin city center and it has to be said that when local butcher, Michael Smith, first opened it was pretty well a restaurant free zone. He recognished the factor that this was going to be the area and Darwin’s did so well that he moved to a bigger premises across the road which is its current location. The speciality is steaks but, if the specialty is steak, the rest of the food is also excellent and this restaurant since my initial visit has proved a tremendous success.
When I was there last, starters included a Soulard duck fois gras pate accompanied by spiced poached pears, melba toast and organic mesculin salad. Their naturally smoked haddock fish cakes were on offer, with a garlic and chilli infused aioli, pickled cucumber, red onion and balsamic pearls; whilst their warm butternut squash with chickpea and goats heese salad also caught my eye. In the end I went for the four spiced baby calamari rings which were delicious with a garlic & smoked chilli aioli, organic mesculin salad and a citrus dressing.
Brendan chose the pan fried tiger prawns with char grilled chilli and garlic oil,served with homemade bread, which looked just perfect.
With so much available for the mains it was really difficult to pick. They had several lamb dishes including an assiette of Wicklow lamb, half rack & eye fillet cuts with buttered mashed potato. They had a very tasty sounding Mediterranean Bouillabaisse with a selection of white fish, prawns, chorizo & baby potatoes. Finally, I picked the corn fed, Co. Monaghan breast of chicken, which was beautifully presented with a mushroom & smoked pancetta sauce and buttered mashed potato.
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