I joined my current employer approximately 4 1/2 years ago, along with 10 other great people. A lot of time has passed since, some of us have left and moved to pastures greener, while others of us remain. However, we still occasionally make an effort to get our intake group together, have some good food and catch up on our news.
Trying to get us all together in one place is harder than herding cats. Even if we all eventually manage to agree on a date, then the next problem of deciding a location remains. But, it must be said that the selection of Coppinger Row for the most excursion was probably one of the most pain-free decisions to date.
We gathered at Coppinger Row early on a Thursday evening. Even at this relatively early hour, the place was hopping. We were given menus on clipboards and ordered bottles of still and sparkling water (available unlimited for €1 per person with a percentage going to the Movember charity). The menu is full of fresh, tasty options and I chose the Garlic and Chili Prawns a la Plancha (€8/€11) for my starter.
Before my prawns were served, a little finger bowl of lemon water was placed quietly to one side, a sure sign that messiness was going to be involved. My starter arrived comprising 4 whole prawns covered in olive oil. There was no ladylike way to eat these beauties, so I simply got down to work, cracking off the heads and shells, making sure to mop up the lovely flavoured oil. These were nice prawns, plump and juicy, but I would have like a more intense oil, more strongly flavoured with rich garlic and chili. As it was, the oil tasted predominantly of, well oil.
For my main course, I chose the special of pan-fried fillets of John Dory served with baby new potatoes, tenderstem broccoli and sauce vierge (€21). This single dish combined so many of my favourites that I simply couldn't pass it up. I received two lovely fried fish fillets, served with crushed, fried potatoes mixed with broccoli. Also served on the plate were yummy little slow-roasted tomatoes and slivers of salty black olives. If the prawns had promised flavour, but had just not quite delivered, this main more than compensated. It was a delicious plate of summery, moreish flavours.
At this stage in the proceedings, we were all feeling pretttay good, probably due in no short measure to the copious amounts of wine we were consuming. I didn't choose the wine, but I do remember a lovely, light and fresh white wine.We decided to order some digestifs and 2 desserts to share amongst our table of 8.
The dessert menu was strikingly different to the main menu, with more unusual flavour combinations on offer. One of desserts chosen was a vanilla pannacotta, served with berry and coconut compote and some form of biscotti. When the plate arrived, it looked far too busy, containing all the advertised features, as well as some fig and other pieces of fruit. The pannacotta was beautifully set and refreshingly only slightly sweet. It had a lightly salted outside which contrasted nicely with the sweet compote. The biscotti were disappointing, tasting more of flour than anything else.
Overall, Coppinger Row was good. It's a lovely place to spend a summer's evening with friends, relaxing and shooting the breeze, while enjoying some good cooking. I also hear now that there is a 2 course lunch menu available for €10, which sounds very attractive indeed.
Coppinger Row, off South William Street, Dublin 2.
Tel +353 (0)1 672 9884
Twitter: @COPPINGERROW
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