Lucinda O'Sullivan's Ireland

About The Restaurant

Roly’s Bistro hit the ground running in 1992 and it hasn’t stopped since. It was what Dublin needed badly; a busy bustling Brasserie doing cracking reasonably priced smart food. Everyone who was anyone and then some flocked there and have been doing the same every since. It has become a Dublin Institution and is in a great location. John and Angela O’Sullivan with Chef de Cuisine, Paul Cartwright, run the most amazing operation. Some of the dishes such as their famous Prawn Bisque and Kerry Lamb Pie and Fish Pie have been on the menu since the first day the opened but they couldn’t dare remove it or there would be a protest outside their doors. The main room is totally atmospheric and a place to see and be seen for long lazy lunches. We have had family celebrations – Confirmations, Communions, Birthdays, and just relaxing lunches and dinners in this great restaurant. Everybody just has great memories of Roly’s Bistro.

Paul Cartwright’s food is classically based, classy and absolutely delicious. Starters might have wild mallard fillet paired with roast pumpkin and a caramelised apple salad. Crispy Castletownbere crab wontons will be with spiced avocado salsa, lime and coriander dressing. A classic French smoked chicken and ham hock terrine will be with green bean and shallot salad and a wholegrain mustard mayo. A Caesar salad will be correct with Parmesan cheese shavings, garlic and herb croutons. There is the most delicious Prawn Cocktail that will have you dreaming of it for weeks afterwards.

Mains will include fillet of Irish beef maybe grilled with braised oxtail, mushroom and onion crustade, Port wine jus. A FranCo.Irish pairing of Confit of duck with colcannon, roast baby shallots, red wine jus and shallot sauce is very popular as is grilled fillet of hake with a soft herb crust, goats chese creamed potato, tomato and basil sauce. Roast fillet of monkfish is served with a ragout of mussels and clams in a vegetable broth and there is of course the favourite posh version of Fish ‘n Chips in a beer batter with mushy peas and Tartare sauce. Another stalwart of Roly’s Bistro is their prawns – and they will be Dublin Bay Prawns whether you indulge in them as a Prawn Cocktail or pan fried with garlic, chilli and ginger butter, with coriander scented wild rice. When it comes to vegetables, I love their Fennel Provencale and their Fondant Potato with garlic and rosemary.

Roly’s have a great value 3 course plus coffe Table d’Hote lunch with a really wide selection. You can also go a la carte if you wish. There is also a Table d’Hote dinner menu and a great value Pre-Theatre Menu as well as a great Sunday Lunch for all the family. Desserts are sinful.

I don’t have a sweet tooth but even I would be tempted with a Toblerone chocolate cheesecake with chocolate chip ice cream and fudge sauce. Vanilla crème brulee has apple and cinnamon muffins and an egg nog l’Anglaise. Roly’s have a House Wine as well as a dozen wines in their House Selection. They also have an extensive wine list which wll keep any wine buff happy. And, very importantly they have a wide selection of wines by the glass. Paris has the great brasseries La Coupole and Bofinger – Dublin has better with Roly’s Bistro.

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