[Review] Sprezzatura, Grantham Street, Dublin 8

Sprezzatura is the latest entrant into the Dublin dining market, and even after just one visit, I'm confident that it's going to go the distance. Semolina pasta is freshly made onsite every day and sold along with a selection of small plates at what can only be called crazy low prices. Every dish is under €10 and at these prices, it's going to be packed.

Located in the premises of the former Grantham's cafe, it's a stones throw from Camden Street, and a multitude of various corporate offices who will surely appreciate having a good new lunch spot. The restaurant is  in the minimal style, and split across two rooms. The first room is centred around a large communal table and high seats, while the other room holds tables and booths. The furniture is what I term "plywood chic", a style which supports the quick and cost-effective fit-out of new restaurants.

Penne pasta with Toonsbridge ricotta and nduja

[Review] Ristorante Romano, Capel Street, Dublin 1

A few months ago, I saw an article from Tom Doorley that caught my interest. It featured Ristorante Romano, an old school Italian restaurant on Dublin's Capel Street, a restaurant that I had passed by many times without ever taking any real notice. I trust Tom's opinion, and when he uses words like   "brilliant" and "best pasta", you pay attention.  so I made a mental note to visit whenever I was next in the vicinity.

I'm not going to beat about the bush when it comes to the interior. It's basic and it definitely hasn't seen any hipster influence. Owner Romano Morelli is a cycling lover and there's a bicycle frame hanging in the dining room, along with various cycling-themed photos. But that's as eccentric as it gets. Even the menus are simple laminated cards that show the wear and tear of having passed through many hands. 

But as you read the menu, you will find your eyebrows rising slightly. Prices are very definitely in the affordable range, and as far as I can see, the a la carte prices haven't changed since at least 2011. It gets even better in the wine section, where the most expensive bottle, a Chianti Classico, clocks in at a not-so-hefty €23, with most bottles listed at €18. A 500ml carafe of red or white house wine will set you back a mere €10. 

Bruschetta

[Review] Caffe Amore, South Georges Street, Dublin 2

This is going to be another quick mini-review. I simply don't have a lot of time available at the moment to write lengthy detailed reviews. And given the fact that lunch at Caffe Amore was also a quick daytime affair, it feels appropriate. 

Caffe Amore is on South Great George's Street across from the junction with Fade Street, and I had passed it many times without fully clocking it. But one Saturday morning when walking past, the daily specials board caught my eye. And so my lunch plans were made. Caffe Amore opened in 2015, when Neapolitan Luli Montagne realised his dream with the help of Lino and Marino. And ever since then, it's been serving up pizza, spritz and other Italian favourites. 

We take a small table in the compact dining room, from where we can see the open kitchen. Italian pop radio fills the little dining room, and there's an immediate sensation of Italy, even though I can see Dublin passing by outside. Two glasses of fresh and crisp Verdicchio Castelli di Jesi  (€7 each) complete the transformation from Dublin to Italy.

Daily specials at Caffe Amore

[Review] Rosa Madre, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Italian food is one of those things that pleases all, which can delight immensely, yet rarely delights in its common Irish form. An Italian restaurant is usually the safe, crowd-pleaser option, where even people who like "shteak and veg" will be satisfied. We have a huge amount of Italian restaurants in Dublin and in Ireland, but only a handful standout as offering something a bit more special. Especially when it comes to restaurants in the depths of Temple Bar, the most tourist-friendly spot in the country. 

Temple Bar isn't the immediate location that springs to mind when you're looking for good food. However, locals know that some gems do lurk in amidst all the cobblestones and diddle-eye music.  When you think of Italian food in Temple Bar, you would not be blamed for thinking of takeaway pizza slices. But bright lights can shine in the dimmest of corners, and Rosa Made on Crow Street is one such spot.  

Half a dozen Irish oysters

[Review] EATily Pop-up, Parliament Street, Dublin 2

What does an award-winning chef do when faced with the challenge of developing a new restaurant bang in the middle of Dublin city centre? If you're Oliver Dunne, former holder of a Michelin star at Bon Appetit, you launch a very time-limited pop-up while thinking about the more permanent presence.

EATily, located at the former Fiorentina premises on the corner of Dame Street and Parliament Street, is the result of a collaboration between Dunne and chef Aaron Carroll, formerly of Casadelmar in Corsica and Dunne's own Bon Appetit. Dunne  has long been a proponent of Italian food, and one of the finest meals I've ever enjoyed was his celebration of La Pergola in 2013. With a name that's confusingly close to New York's "Eataly", the concept at EATily is simple. It's a fixed price menu for three courses, with cichetti (little bites), tea/coffee with petits fours and a bottle of house wine. Wine upgrades are available at an additional cost.

Pre-dinner Negroni cocktail at EATily

We enjoyed a brief catch-up with Graham Dunne, Oliver's brother and more than capable front-of-house-man, as we relaxed with two fine Negronis, from a short selection of Italian-inspired cocktails. The selection of cichetti (an Italian phrase for small plates or bites, originating from Venice) were a welcome warm-up. Crisp grissini with ricotta and pesto, glazed roast Chantenay carrots, hummus and finally olives. We decided to go with the bottle of Sicilian house white wine, which turned out to be a very enjoyable dry, minerally wine.

[Review] Sunday Pizza and Cocktail at Osteria Lucio

A short post this week, but it's one definitely worth sharing. Every Sunday, the new(ish) Osteria Lucio offers a pizza and cocktail special for €20 and we duly visited to check it out.

Some of you may be a little confused by the transition of the former Pizza e Porchetta into the new Osteria Lucio, In short, Chef Ross Lewis, from Chapter One, has partnered with Luciano Tona to take over the restaurant and gradually transform it with their own personal definition of Italian osteria cooking. 

Eating in a restaurant located underneath a DART bridge is an interesting experience, with the occasional overhead rumble. The low arching bridge adds a slight touch of cool claustrophobia which never quite departs during the meal. This feeling wasn't helped by the fact that the restaurant was largely empty, even at 1.30 on a Sunday lunchtime. The tempting €20 pizza and cocktail offer clearly needs a bit more broadcasting. 

Interior of Osteria Lucio

On the Sunday we visited, the special pizza featured fennel salami, ricotta, dill and fennel, all partnered with a Spicy Bloody Mary cocktail. We decided to have one special pizza, which we partnered with a salami, chili and honey pizza. Once prepped and placed in the oven, the pizzas were both ready in literally a few minutes, complete with thin crispy bases. After leaving the pies for a few minutes to cool and solidify somewhat, we tucked in our napkins and pulled the slices apart. 

Both pizzas were superb - the usually strong flavours of fennel were muted just enough on the special pizza, while the addition of honey to the salami and chili pizza added a little touch of difference. The only weak point was the Spicy Bloody Mary, which to be honest, wasn't very spicy.

Spicy Bloody Mary at Osteria Lucio

Fennel salami, ricotta, dill and fennel pizza

Osteria Lucio, Malting Tower, Clanwilliam Terrace, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2
Tel: +353 (0)1 662 4198
URL:  osterialucio.com
Twitter: @luciodublin

[Review] Pizza E Porchetta, Clanwilliam Terrace, Dublin 2

Last Sunday, while sipping a Negroni in the new Pizza E Porchetta, I reached for my phone to take the usual mandatory picture. But instead of using the standard iPhone camera app, I went for Hipstamatic instead, resulting in the photo below. I downloaded Hipstamatic years ago, but rarely use it, so I don't know why I chose it for this particular shot. 

Of course the dominant photography app is Instagram, but I've never even downloaded the app. I don't quite know why. I love to take pictures, whether they are quick snaps on my iPhone or more serious efforts on my DSLR. My laptop is overflowing with pictures, while more are stashed on an external hard drive and others reside in my Dropbox. I upload some of my better efforts to Flickr, but never Instagram. I groan when I see people posting Instagram links on Twitter as I know it means a veritable Ice Age will pass while the photo loads. I think it's just not for me (and I'm OK admitting that!).

A mean Negroni

Anyway, back to Pizza E Porchetta, which is located on the site of the former Bar & Bistro. A large pizza oven radiates warmth as you enter through the glass doors, while the space underneath the bridge arch has been roofed in cream (easily removable in case the CIE inspectors need to check out the bridge). Uplights add even more gentle warmth and the whole space feels insulated and cozy. 

The comfortable interior

The menu is dastardly simple at Pizza E Porchetta. As the name suggests, there is pizza and there is porchetta. There is also a selection of starters, salads, pasta and desserts. We order a Negroni (€8.50) and Elderflower Fizz (€7.50) as aperitifs, then sit back and wait for the magic to happen. 

His parma pizza, made with San Daniele prosciutto is excellent (€14.00). A thin, light crispy base has little touches of char from the oven, and is topped with rocket, cherry tomatoes, shaved parmesan and prosciutto. Although I cannot sample the base for myself, the little bits of topping I sample are simple and perfect. I'm told that gluten-free pastas are also available and they are looking into the possibility of gluten-free pizzas, although that will be somewhat trickier due to the need to avoid cross-contamination.

Since he chose pizza, I chose porchetta (€19.00). Pronounced "pork-etta", it's essentially a boned and rolled pork joint, seasoned with layers of herbs. In a piece of divine coincidence, I had seen a porchetta being prepared on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives just a few days beforehand, so I was anticipating the salty crackling and juicy interior. And I wasn't disappointed, especially with the crunchy, sticky crackling. Essentially this was roast pork with potatoes and apple sauce, but sometimes a meal is much more than the sum of its parts.

Parma ham pizza

The eponymous porchetta

We sat back for a while before ordering dessert, taking it all in, and trying not to stare too much at the ex-Irish rugby star seated near us. We were warned by the friendly waiter that the panna cotta had not set properly, but that didn't deter us in the slightest, and it was still creamily good (€6.00). I particularly liked that the white chocolate was not throughout the panna cotta but instead came as a thin base.

Raspberry & white chocolate panna cotta

Despite only being open a short wet week, Pizza E Porchetta is already a polished affair, which is no surprise given that it comes from experienced Dublin restauranteur Ronan Ryan. I suspect that it's also going to be a good spot for potential celebrity spotting and word is spreading rapidly on Twitter. This means that it's probably also going to be inundated with the beautiful people (grits teeth). Ah well, when something is good, it's not going to stay a secret for long.

Proper Italian restaurants are often simple to the point of pain, and that is a good thing in a world which is sometimes too full of choice. In Pizza E Porchetta, the choice starts with meat, pizza or pasta. Simples. Sit back, sip a Negroni and munch on a crispy pizza. La Vita e bella

Pizza E Porchetta, Clanwilliam Terrace, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2.
Tel: +353 (0)1 
URL: www.pizzaeporchetta.com
Twitter: @pepspizzeria

[Review] Gallo & Galetti, Wilton, Cork

When I suggested to my younger sisters that we have a Sunday lunch at Gallo & Galetti, I nearly had the hand taken off me, particularly by my still-in-college, sibling. Taking that as a sign of approval,  I arranged a table at Gallo & Galetti, conveniently giving me the chance to check out the new restaurant from Cork chef, Brendan Cashman.  Cork has missed Brendan since he closed his Augustines restaurant (formerly located in the Clarion Hotel), and people wondered where and when he would reappear. The answer has turned out to be Gallo & Galetti, an Italian restaurant

Despite being located in a drab little shopping centre across a busy road from Cork University Hospital, the interior of Gallo & Galetti is smart and fresh, with dark greens, bare stone walls and simple line drawings. Either it was a quiet Sunday or Cork eats late, as the restaurant remained largely empty during the course of our meal. While Himself is very much accustomed to the mandatory photography session at the start of every meal, my family still find it a novelty and I'm sure we amused the waitress with our food posing.  

Interior at Gallo & Galetti

My starter of pan roast sea bass with grapefuit and citrus segments (€9.00) was exceptional. Crispy salty fish skin contrasted wonderfully with the soft sharp juicy citrus, although it possibly could have benefited from less citrus segments. His portion of calamari fritti, or fried baby squid, came in rings, served in a "newspaper" cone along with a garlic, lemon and dill aioli served in an adorable pink "Le Crueset" style pot (€8.00). It was simple but spot on. However, all eyes at the table were on my middle sister, who had ordered the mussels (€8.50). They came piled mountainously high, dressed in a tomato, chili and basil sauce. She was still slurping up the tasty sauce long after the rest of us had cleared our plates. 

Pan-fried seabass with citrus

Calamari

Gallo & Galetti offer gluten-free versions of all their pastas (albeit for a €1.50 supplement) and I looked forward to the gentle spiciness of a bowl of penne all 'arriabbata (€12.00 plus supplement). Despite the annoying confusion of hairball lettuce on top, the pasta itself was rich and satisfying with just the right touch of creaminess. Unfortunately, the pizza isn't available in a gluten-free version, otherwise I would have snagged a decent portion of his pizza topped with crisp pancetta, semi sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella (€14.00). All I can say is that the thin, crispy base looked great to my longing eye.

Penne all' arrabiatta

Crispy pancetta, sun-dried tomato and mozzarella pizza

I've often despaired of Italian food in Cork, but Gallo & Galetti is delivering top notch dishes at pleasing prices. Browsing their Facebook page reveals a promotion offering antipasto misto with a selected bottle of red or white wine for a mere €20.00 on Tuesday - Sunday between 13.00 and 18.30.  

We dined at lunchtime, but it's worth noting that the menu expands in the evening to include typical Italian meat dishes. The simple wine list reads well with attractive pricing. All in all, Gallo & Galetti is somewhere to return to. Bellissimo!

Gallo & Galetti, High-Street Shopping Centre, Wilton, Cork
Tel: +353 (0)21 434 1095
URL: www.galloandgaletti.ie
Twitter: @ChefBrendanCash

[Review] Jamie's Italian @ Dundrum Town Centre

Jamie Oliver mania has hit Dublin hard with the opening of Jamie's Italian in Dundrum Town Centre. Twitter has been awash with fulsome praise for the food, the venue, the staff, and practically everything else.  I reckon that I won't be breaking any bad news if I reveal that Jamie himself won't be cooking the kitchen. The Dundrum location is an outpost in this popular chain of restaurants. As Jamie himself said back in June

That's not what I do. I pay for it, I pay people's wages, I choose the right people and really the only thing I do is write the menus, change the senior management and create a culture where people get a 40-quid meal for 17 to 21 quid. 

Like most people, I think Jamie is rather great. From his initial cheeky-chappy, moped-riding persona in The Naked Chef, he now campaigns vigourously for better food for school children and employs young troubled people in his Fifteen restaurants. He is one of the TV chefs that I can watch time and time again. I like his food as it's big on flavour and impact, but easy to make. I've eaten in Fifteen in London and liked it. But would the Jamie charisma translate in Dundrum? 

Two recent lunches (firstly by ourselves, and then with Mr. & Mrs. H) have given me plenty of material. On both occasions, we hit the restaurant early on a Saturday, seeking to avoid the queues that come later in the afternoon. God bless the Irish and their tendency to think that lunch doesn't start until 1pm. In an effort to prove the earnestness of the Oliver brand, a chef is hand making pasta in a little glass cubicle as we enter the restaurant. I wonder if they feel like an animal in the zoo?

The interior is retro cool with a polished concrete floor, white and dark red tiles and canteen style furniture. The walls of the split-level space are filled with foodstuffs both for consumption and for sale to take home. After all, this is Jamie-brand central. It's a cheerful and happy space that channels the Jamie approach.

So what about the food? A special of cauliflower and romanesco fritti was bland in it's deep-fried coating, while a butternut squash and ricotta bruschetta was bright and seasonal. I was puzzled when our server plonked two tins of tomato on the table, which turned out to be the base for a dolmen-like structure with my meat plank (a slightly meagre selection of cheeses & Italian meats, €8.75). Arancini, or risotto balls filled with gooey strings of smoked mozzarella and porcini mushrooms were decidedly moreish (€6.50).

Clockwise from top left - risotto balls, wild ragu pasta pipe, ricotta & butternut squash bruschetta and funky chips

Pastas were deemed rather good. A prawn linguine with shaved fennel, chili, tomatoes and rocket  was bright and flavoursome (small €9.50). Wild ragu pasta was rich and warming - a perfect pasta dish for cold winter days. All pastas are available gluten-free, although this isn't mentioned on the menu. Not knowing this vital fact at the time of choosing, I went for wild truffle risotto with butter and parmesan (large €14.75). This was an excellent risotto, fragrant with earthy truffle. The only downside was the dotting of parsley seedlings on top for decoration. For the record, I don't like parsley, which I find  pungent and harsh. As a result I ended up picking off all the little leaves from the risotto.

We sampled both types of potato fries - namely funky chips with garlic and parsley (€3.95) and the now commonplace posh chips with parmesan and truffle (€4.25). The jury's verdict was unanimous, the funky chips were the best.

Black truffle risotto

Garlicky prawn linguini

The staff at Jamie's are incessantly cheerful, and there's plenty of them, but it doesn't grate (immensely) on your nerves. In one case, we practically had to shoo away our server as he just wouldn't stop praising the daily specials. This either speaks volumes about the staff enthusiasm for the Jamie brand, or else it's crass commercialism. I haven't quite figured out which one.

Irrespective, the food at Jamie's Italian is enjoyable, and the small/large portion sizes makes it easy to mix and match. On both visits, Gerry Fitzpatrick (Jamie's Irish business partner in the venture) was keeping a close eye on goings on. Jamies has been in the making since 2011, and lots of Irish produce features on the menu, bringing an Irish touch to this Italian menu. As we leave after lunch, all seats are taken and the place is humming with conversation. It's a winning recipe.

Jamie's Italian, Pembroke District, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 16
Tel: +353 (0)1 298 0600
URL: www.jamieoliver.com/italian/ireland
Twitter: @JamiesItalianIE

[Review] San Lorenzo's, S Great George's St, Dublin 2

More than 6 months after opening, we finally managed to make it to San Lorenzo's for lunch. Way back in December, I had the option of choosing lunch in either Yamamori's Oriental Cafe or San Lorenzo's. The Oriental Cafe won the vote that day, a decision that I still regret. Since then, all the positive press and Twitter plaudits have rubbed salt into my wounds.

The first thing I liked about San Lorenzo's is the nicely priced lunch menu which is also available as an Early Bird, giving 2 courses for €19.50 or 3 for €24.50. The interior is long and thin, with the tables neatly arranged along the walls, thus giving the waiters a clear run at the kitchen. The arrangement also gives the sense of space, despite the narrowness of the room. Red painted walls and Tiffany style lamps warm the interior, but I just didn't like the wooden paneled wall. Its varnished plywood effect simply reminded me of construction sites and temporary hoardings.

A starter of buffalo mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes, aged balsamic and torn basil was a splash of colour against the plain white plate. I didn't find the tomatoes to be as flavoursome as they were colorful, but it was a lovely simple starter. Pan-fried prawns were served whole atop a thick slice of crusty bread, soaked in garlic, chili and wine wine. These were wonderfully juicy and bursting with flavour. After a little nibble at the bread (I'm currently restricting my wheat intake) I passed it to himself, who gave it a decent end. 

Buffalo mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes

Pan-fried prawns

Service was probably a little slow overall, meaning that it was a few minutes before our plates were cleared. Main courses of lamb and salmon were magnificent though, justifying the wait. His sliced rump of Comeragh lamb came pink and juicy, draped on top of horseradish potatoes and beans, with a rich reduction. My choice of grilled salmon was properly crispy which meant that I was able to eat every last morsel including the salt flaked skin. It came accompanied by a little dollop of creamy pea risotto, roasted courgettes, some salsa and a knob of divine shrimp butter.

Rump of Comeragh lamb 

Salmon with shrimp butter

We hadn't planned to eat the 3 course lunch menu, but after seeing strawberry pavlova being delivered to other tables, we came to the only logical outcome, ordering one dessert but two spoons. Strawberries are one of my favourite foods and the meringue in this case was exceptionally good. A simple dessert, but excellently executed. 

Strawberry pavlova

Out of the five courses we enjoyed, only one was weaker than the others, and even then, it was still a good dish. There is a real elegance and joy to the food in San Lorenzo's, which is fittingly named after the Italian patron saint of cookery. We were pleasantly surprised by the attention to detail and exuberance present on the plates, each of which really showcased the ingredients to full effect.

Two set lunches and a large bottle of sparkling water cost €47.00, representing great value for some very special cooking. Sometimes the hype is justified. 

San Lorenzos, South Great George's Street, Dublin 2
Tel: +353 (0)1 478 9383
URL: www.sanlorenzos.ie
Twitter: @SanLorenzos

Pinochio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6

New Year's Day was a bit of a quiet day in Dublin. In fact, it's fair to say that there were livelier graveyards. 

We had driven out to Dun Laoghaire with the intentions of having a nice lunch somewhere, followed by a bracing and refreshing walk along the sea. However, the best laid plans were scuppered by the fact that there were next to no restaurants open (not counting Burger King and McDonald's). Thus we turned around and headed back to Ranelagh, thinking that there would be some choice there. To be fair, Ranelagh was livelier than the aforementioned graveyards, perhaps more akin to an old folks nursing home. 

We found ourselves under the Luas bridge at the doors of Pinocchio, which is undoubtedly one of Dublin's best Italian restaurants. We've been fans of this restuarant and wine bar for quite a while now, so we knew we'd be assured of a decent meal.

We shared a caprese salad (mixed slices of fresh mozzarella and tomatoes) to which we added some drizzles of olive oil and thick sweet balsamic vinegar which is available on all the tables (€6.50). A big basket of crusty sliced bread provided plenty of material for mopping up the juices.

Caprese salad at Pinocchio

When we eat out, we normally have a "no-samesies" rule, meaning that we do not order the same dish. It's an unspoken rule really, and it works well. But once we looked at the pasta section of Pinocchio's menu, we both fixated on the same dish - Ravioli ai Porcini e Olio al Tartufo, or ravioli stuffed with mushroom, served with truffle oil. (All pasta dishes on the lunchtime menu are  priced at a competitive €9.90). We received plates of large flat ravioli filled with dense mushroomy goodness, coated in a light creamy sauce made from panna da cucina. A scattering of rocket, tomatoes and drizzles of truffle oil provided contrasting flavours and textures. It was a dish made from a handful of simple ingredients, and the remaining slices of bread were put to good use in mopping up the tasty sauce.

Ravioli ai Porcini e Olio al Tartufo

Paolo Tullio has recently proclaimed Pinocchio to be a source of true Italian cooking, awarding it 10/10 for food. Restaurants that serve bastardised versions of Italian food feature high on my list of restaurant hates. It was a revelation to me when I first ate in Italy, and realised how simple (and great) Italian food truly was. But Pinocchio is the genuine article, serving food as you would find it in Italy.

Pinocchio also works as a cafe and wine bar, in addition to selling many Italian foodstuffs. If you like the food, it's even possible to enrol for an Italian cooking class in their Italian School of Cooking.

Buon appetito indeed.

Pinochio, Luas Kiosk Ranelagh, Dublin 6

Tel: +353 (0)1 497 0111

URL: www.flavourofitaly.net

Twitter: @InfoPinocchio

Il Primo, Montague Street, Dublin 2

I have a slight addiction to Masterchef. I watch it in all its variants, although I must admit that I'm not that partial to Masterchef Australia. Perhaps it's a bit too relaxed for me, which is probably the reason I adore the more high octance Bristish Professional version. In order to cook for Michel Roux Jr, the contestants must first pass the gauntlet ferociously guarded by sous-chef Monica Galetti. The withering looks from this woman are a joy to behold as the contestants inevitably fail to live up to her high standards. The standard is high, very high.

Therefore, it was with interest I watched the Irish Masterchef series. Dylan McGrath (from Rustic Stone) shone as our home-grown culinary superstar chef, and eventually the lovely Mary Carney was crowned the first Irish Masterchef. Mary's cooking in the final was superb (and looks like it was partially inspired by her stint at the great Chapter One), but my lingering memory of the entire series was the line "A hake died for no reason today". This putdown on a contestant's cooking was was delivered by Anita Thoma, head chef at Il Primo.

Her appearance on television reminded me that I had been passing by Il Primo for many years. The hand-written menu on the front window had often caught my attention, along with some tempting lunch time prices, but for some inexplicable reason I had never visited. One quick Twitter lunchtime booking and everything was put right. On arrival, we were warmly greeted and given two small flutes of prosecco to relax with while we read the menu and daily specials.

Veal salad at Il Primo

Salad with warm grilled vegetables and goats' cheese

We both decided to go for salads for starters - veal salad for him while I had warm grilled vegetables with goat's cheese. In my case, asparagus, courgettes and sweet grilled peppers mixed wonderfully with the tangy goats' cheese and the emulsified balsamic dressing. His salad of cooked veal slices and richly coloured leaves was equally substantial and well-dressed.

Crab and leek lasagne

Papardelle with sausage

Crab & leek lasagne sounded so intriguing that I had to order it for my main course. It featured dense layers of homemade lasagne sheets, sweet chunky flakes of crab meat and gently cooked leeks. A creamy tomato sauce bought it all together beautifully. Our server told us that it was one of the few dishes to constantly remain on the menu during the 20 years that Il Primo has been open, and it's easy to see why.

For himeself, ribbons of pappardelle with sausage was a winter warmer dish. The smoky meaty rich tomato sauce had beautifully coated the pappardelle, and a quick scattering of freshly grated parmesan was all that was required. This really was rustic, hearty Italian cooking done simply and done well.

The lunch menu offers 1 course for €13, 2 courses for €16 or best of all, 3 courses for €19. We might have stopped after two courses, but the daily menu featured chocolate cake with vanilla cream. The cake turned out to be moist and rich with a fudgy centre, but still have a light texture. A food contradiction! Two delicious espressos went fantastically well with the cake.

Chocolate cake with vanilla cream

My one regret about our lunchtime visit to Il Primo was that we hadn't visited earlier. The very generous portions meant that I spend the rest of the afternoon struggling not to fall asleep while a total of €38 represented great value for a lunch of this quality. Service was perfect throughout the meal, and the cosy nature of the interior means that it would also be perfect for a romantic and sophisticated evening meal.

Il Primo, 16 Montague Street, Dublin 2
Tel: +353 (0)1 293 3804
URL: http://www.ilprimo.ie
Twitter: @IlPrimo1

Pizza Pizza

Sometimes there's nothing quite like pizza. And it's at its absolute best when it's a homemade pizza - thin and crispy with your own favourite combinations. I like to use a recipe for pizza dough from Jamie Oliver's Italy cookbook. It's simple and always delivers great results. The quantities given will create enough dough for 6-8 medium pizzas.

My tomato sauce recipe came from an old friend during my PhD days. He used honey and parmesan to bring the final sauce to life, a recipe that I still follow.

Final tips for a good pizza - make sure that the oven is hot and cook your pizzas on a pizza stone, or else directly on the oven racks. Don't use a baking tray underneath as this won't give as good results.

Pizza Dough

800g strong white flour
200g semolina (or instead use strong white flour)
2 x 7g sachets of dried yeast
650ml lukewarm water
1 tablespoon light golden sugar
pinch of salt

Pile the flour and salt in a bowl or on a board and create a well in the middle. Measure the water into a jug and add the yeast and sugar. Stir and leave to stand for a few minutes. Pour the water into the well (at this point, I also like to add a dash of olive oil also) and using a fork, stir in a circular motion from the inside of the well outwards. Gradually, a dough will start to form. When it gets too heavy for the work, tip it onto a floured surface and start to knead. 

You will need to work the dough for about 10 minutes and your goal is a smooth, springy dough. It is amazing to see the dough transform as you work. Once ready, place the dough in a bowl and cover with clingfilm or a damp teatowel. Leave to rest in a warm place. When you return, the dough will have doubled in size and you will need to beat it back down with some more kneading. 

Divide the dough into pieces, wrap in clingfilm and chill until required. 

Tomato Sauce for Pizzas
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons dried basil or oregano
salt and black pepper
honey to taste
grated parmesan

Gently sautee the onion and garlic in some olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan, until lightly coloured and soft. Add the tomatoes & tomato puree, sugar, herbs and season. Stir well and simmer until the sauce has thickened and reduced. Make sure to stir frequently. Add about 1 tablespoon of honey and stir in. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth (or alternatively use a handheld blender). Add approx 2-3 tablespoons of grated parmesan and blitz one more time. Let the sauce sit until ready to use.

Goat's cheese, carmelised red onion, artichoke and rocket

Prosciutto, pepperoni, roquito peppers & mozzarella

Pasta with Italian Sausage

When it comes to pasta, I frequently prefer recipes with little or no sauce. Olive oil (or butter) with a few flavours is how I like to roll. A few staple ingredients, along with some good quality dried pasta, can form the basis of a kingly meal. Supper tonight was a simple mix of rigatoni pasta, oil, garlic, basil pesto, Italian sausage and parmesan.

Bring some salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni until al dente. When ready, strain off the cooking water, making sure to reserve a few spoonfuls in case you want to want to add some liquid to the pasta later. Toss the pasta with oil and out aside until needed.

In the meantime, gently sautee some onions and garlic. Get some Italian sausage (we purchased ours from our excellent local butchers, Lawlor's on Rathmines Road Upper) and cut into chunky slices. Fry these with the onions and garlic until cooked. Toss this mixture with the pasta and a spoon of good quality basil pesto, adding more oil if required. Serve with parmesan and enjoy!

Sage Butter Gnocchi

I was late home this evening and the last thing I wanted to do was spend another 30 -60 mins cooking. I had thought about dinner a lot on the long drive home, but I was still undecided as I neared home. At this point I was (thankfully) hit by a bolt of inspiration. A quick stop-off at Tesco and I had a bag of fresh gnocchi and a packet of sage leaves.

Once I got home, I put a generous pot of salted water on the boil. I warmed up a little olive oil in my cast iron skillet and gently sauteed some finely sliced garlic. I shredded about 5-7 sage leaves and added them to the oil so that they would cook through (uncooked sage is very bitter and unpleasant). As the garlic and sage was cooking, I added a lump of butter and let it melt down and cook with the garlic and sage.

Once added to the boiling water, the fresh gnocchi cooks quite quickly. Keep an eye on it - the pieces will gradually rise from the bottom to the top of the water. Give it about 10 sec after they have all risen and then drain. Quickly toss the gnocchi in the butter and pour onto a plate. Add some parmesan and season to taste.

Buon Appetito!

La Palma, Waterford

We visited La Palma on the Mall in Waterford last Saturday night. They offer an excellent 3 course menu with tea/coffee for €30 every night, which costs €25 before 7pm. It won't be any surprise then to hear our booking was for 6pm!

La Palma is a beautifully decorated restaurant with impeccable service and very good good. My starter of gnocchi with rare duck slices in a honey cream sauce was something special. The contrast of sweet and meaty was unique and very more-ish. My main course of rib-eye steak featured an excellent tender steak, which was unfortunately unsalted. Lovely little roasted chunks of potato accompanied the mains. I was very much tempted by tiramisu for dessert, but enjoyed my delicious little pot of creme brulee.

It's clear from the flavours and presentation of the food that there is a clever chef in the kitchen at La Palma. It's not always quite right (i.e. not seasoning a steak correctly, but then producing such a fantastic starter) but it is good. And a price of €25 per person for three courses definitely strikes a sweet note.

La Palma, The Mall, Waterford. 051 - 879 823

Bel Cibo

We went to the wonderful Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield tonight to see the Korean vampire film, Thirst. Before heading to the film, we went for a bite to eat in the newly opened Italian pizzeria and restaurant, Bel Cibo.

Bel Cibo is located right next to the cinema, making it a very attractive option for the pre-cinema goer. It's a very high-ceilinged room with a lime green floor. Tables and seats are in red, providing a strong splash of colour. I do wish however that restaurants with such high ceilings would add a layer of fabric (or something) to help dampen the sound.

The menu is simple with pasta, pizzas and insalatas. There are two meat options with several specials on a board. I went for the Rucola pizza (rocket, bacon, olive oil, basil and smoked cheese) while he had the spaghetti carbonara. The spaghetti was perfectly al dente with a delicious eggy sauce coating the strands. My pizza came with a thin crispy base, with lashings of cheese and bacon. Very good indeed.

One gripe - himself ordered a glass of the house red which turned out to be a very small glass indeed. Quite miserly. However the total cost for two mains, one small sparkling water and one glass of red came to E28.90. So not that bad after all.

It's good to have another proper Italian restaurant in the city, following on from the excellent Caffe Parrigi on Sir John Rogerson's Quay. Here's to Bel Cibo and la Dolce Vita.

Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Restaurant, London

We hit London last Friday, but had had no time to plan any culinary adventures beforehand. This was one trip that we were going to have to do on the wing. We were staying at the Hoxton Hotel, near Shoreditch, and I learned from a little booklet in our room that Jamie Oliver's famous Fifteen restaurant was just a few minutes walk away, off City Road. Well, job done. We decided to see if we could get an early table, without a booking.


We were lucky, and after a 5 minute wait at the bar, we were seated at our table. The restaurant interior is mixed between rustic and chic and is also full of Jamie Oliver material for purchase. All in all, it's a relaxing spot.

A lovely basket of bread and a little jug of olive oil was bought to our table along with the menus. The focaccia was absolutely delicious, moist with olive oil with rosemary and sea salt on top. We decided to share the anitpasti for two as a starter. When it arrived, the platter looked initially small, but as we started to dig through the piled up vegetables, we realised that there was a lot more than met the eye. Butternut squash, sweet balsamic onions, minted courgettes, buffalo mozzarella and many more along with plump bright green olives whetted our appetite.


We had both chosen pasta for mains, primarily because we didn't want to eat too much and end up going back to the hotel early. I had the gnocchi made with beetroot. These were quite simply the fluffliest, airiest gnocchi that I've ever eaten, and came served in a butter and cream sauce with pinenuts and tangy cheese. Himself had chosen the bucatini 'alla Ligure' which came with tangy and salty onion and anchovie coating.

One Morretti beer, one glass of (disappointing) Atlas de Ruesca rose wine, one large bottle of sparkling, along with a £1 donation to charity and a 'discretionary' 12.5% service charge bought the bill to £53.71. Not bad value at all, and a lot of the fish dishes looked amazed as they taken past our table.

Fifteen, 13 Westland Place, London N1 7LP. 0871 339 1515

Caffe Parigi, Sir John Rogerson's Quay.

My other half is quite pleased with himself recently - a new Italian cafe, Caffe Parigi, has opened up near his work place on Sir John Rogerson's Quay. And it's a proper Italian too - overstaffed with hip, dark-haired, seriously smooth waiters. But that's not the best part - the food is great too and the prices are better.


I joined him there one day for lunch and I was immediately impresed by the smooth, sleek decor. It's more than clear that there has been a lot of effort and thought put into this enterprise. Opening the menu, I was pleased with the choice available and went for the mixed meat and cheese plate (€7.o0) while he chose the tagliatelle alla bosciaola (€7.00). Both dishes were impressive, especially the antipasto misto, which was more than generous (compared to the €14 spent in Meade's Bar, Cork later the same day).


The pasta portion was just the right size (Italian restaurants have a hard time in Ireland trying to convince us that a small portion of pasta is the right amount) and came with cream, mushrooms, ham and peas.


Add two dark intense espressos (at a brilliant €1.50 each), a small bottle of sparkling water and a glass of coke and the bill came to a total of €22. La dolce vita indeed.

Caffe Parigi, 17-19 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2 . 01 - 679 0022