Alexis Dun Laoghaire

Alexis Bar and Grill
17/18 Patricks Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Tel: (01) 280 8872
Tu-Fri: 12.30 - 2.30, 5.30 - 10.00. Sat: 5.30 - 10.00. Sun: 12.30 - 3.00pm, 5.30 - 9.00

Alexis Bar and Grill in Dun Laoghaire is named after famous 19th century French chef Alexis Benoit Soyer who ran canteens for the poor in London and in Dublin during the famine, providing nutritious food at knockdown prices.

Well we are no longer poor but we still need good quality nutritious food at knockdown prices – and this is exactly what Alexis does very well.

The room is bright, modern and open plan and on Saturday evening last there were families, couples and small and large groups of friends of all ages all happily tucking in.

We arrived as evening service was beginning and with only a handful of the 90 tables filled. There is only one bad table in the restaurant as far as I could tell and of course that is where we were placed – right beside the busy staff cloakroom on the edge of a banquette. We asked if we could be moved, particularly as we had promised to be gone by around 7pm, and were told no. Just no. With a bit of forcefulness however we got our way.

The rather curt attitude of staff continued during the meal but this was really only a minor irritation and was relatively easily ignored.

The menu is short and to the point with many dishes doubling as starters and main courses. Encouragingly suppliers are listed on the menu, as is a declaration of intent to “source where we can organic free range produce.”

Among the dishes we could have ordered included bistro classics such as confit of duck terrine, smoked haddock tartlet, roast duck with plum sauce, mushroom risotto and slow roasted belly of pork with apple compote.

We started with a half portion of Spinach and Ricotta & Fresh Ham Ravioli with Parmesan, Tomato Pesto and Petit Salad for €8.50 plus a Potted Local Shrimp & Crab with Alexis’ Homemade Brown Bread & Summer Salad at €9.50.

The flavours in the ravioli starter were quite fine with enough complexity and subtlety to make this a successful dish but it was marred by the fact the ham in the ravioli was still cold and the pasta itself a little stodgy. Having said that the solid flavours and the excellent salad leaves meant that I ate it all and might even order it again on my next visit (yes, I will be back).

The brown bread with the potted shrimp (potted with butter in a ramekin) was solid fare with decent fresh brown bread and again quality well-dressed leaves.

For mains I ordered Harry Buckley’s Free Range Grilled Rib Eye of Beef, Gratin Potatoes, Café de Paris Butter €22.50. The steak was almost an inch thick, rare as requested, with good flavour and virtually perfect Gratin potatoes – crispy top and thin creamy slices of potato. The café de paris butter appeared to be flavoured with tangerine (or more likely Satsuma) rind and was not to my taste but was easy enough to push aside.

The bargain of the meal was the very generous portion of Baked Shoulder of Lamb “Nicoise” cooked with olives, tomatoes and herbs at a mere €15.50. The lamb was melt in the mouth tender, and the combination of braising flavours were complementary, without in any way overwhelming the delicate flavours of the lamb. The accompanying mash was declared by my charming wife to be: “as good as it gets – and better than yours by the way!” A perfect dish.

A separate mention must go to our side order of home made chips which were thin, crispy and perfectly seasoned, and at a mere €3 deserve to be ordered with every course including dessert.

Desserts are a mere €5.50 so we ordered three… Warm Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream was exactly as you would wish – rich, sticky, moist hot brownie with cool flavourful ice cream. Fresh Poached Peach Melba with Vanilla Ice Cream was also classic (if understandably served without the ice-sculpture swan) with good quality peach and tangy raspberry sauce. Fresh Fruit Tart, Crème Anglaise could have been better as the pastry was a little spongy and the crème pâtissière a little bland and light on vanilla, but it was still pretty damn good.

The wine list is another bargain point with a short but carefully chosen selection of wines beginning under €20 and with most under €30. How many wine lists, even those that run to 30 pages, include Argentinian Viognier, Torrontes and Sangiovese, Minervois, Dao, Ribero, Priorat, Bierzo, and Brouilly - not to mention two quality rosé’s and an Austrian Gruner Veltliner? Our bottle of Dao Quinta de Cabriz at €23 was ripe and soft and a perfect match for the lamb and steak. The glass of Soave was a little light but still a good foil for the shrimp.

Final bill was just €109 - one of the cheapest meals of this quality I have had in Dublin.