Tallaght - All Fur Coat etc

What with all the snazzy new high rises and apartment blocks in Dublin 24 (including three or four new hotels), might one expect an alternative to Graham O'Sullivan's in the basement of The Square Shopping Centre or the carvery at the Abberley Court - neither of which would be on anyone's trail for a decent bit to eat???? Not entirely.

Three places recently tried are The Carvery at the bar in The Tower Hotel, the bar at The Glashaus Hotel, and Cactus Jack's.

The Tower is apparently a 4 star hotel ( 5th star was denied since the bedrooms aren't big enough) on the N81 on the left as you drive past Tallaght on the road to Blessington. Architecture is quite striking (in not a bad way) so you can't really miss it. I was there for a business lunch and for a carvery I must say I have had much worse. The roast beef was a light pink inside ( if it was rarer I might have gone for it, but at least it wasn't incinerated), usual choices to be had - beef, chicken, pork, salmon. I had the chicken in a mushroom cream sauce which was just a breast roasted on the bone and very good. The mash was clearly put through a ricer - no lumps - which is always a good sign. Desserts were nice too - I had a mini tart tatin with vanilla ice cream. Not bad for lunch on a working day. If you want to see how bad a meal like this can be - try An Poitin Stil if its still under the same management as was a year or two back. Decor is a bit bland and the room is enormous with a very high ceilings. Not even slightly cosy and flat screen TVs mounted everywhere, which I didn't like at all. The coffee was great though.

They also have a proper 'restaurant' called Eon (sounds dodgy). Would love to hear if anyone's been there - only open in the evening I think.

The Glashaus Hotel is Irish owned and managed as is The Tower. All sounds very hip and boutiquey and that is what they are aiming for, if not quite hitting. All these places seem to be geared towards the business market - not too many rock stars then. This is just across the way from the new M and S beside The Square. The food in the bar was pretty good and well priced - they have a restaurant upstairs with the same menu. Service excellent and nice atmosphere - well decorated and I would be back. I had crab cakes with a sweet chilli sauce which was nicely done.

Cactus Jacks is a Tex Mex place and is round the corner from The Glashaus. I've had lunch there twice - poor me. First time I ordered ciabatta with chorizo, cheddar cheese, salsa and some other topping. Anyway, about a quarter of the way through I really felt as if the whole thing was really dry and realised I was missing the salsa and other topping. I asked for and got a side of guacamole and salsa which I wasn't charged for. I left a lot of it. Second time was a work lunch and I order a chicken fajita with rice and salad. It was OK - very bland. All very pedestrian although the portions are decent but would want to be when most mains are 10 - 13 Euro each. I won't be back - it was all very heavy and unexciting. They should call their neighbours at the Glashouse for the sweet chilli sauce recipe which would liven things up a bit.

So, out of them all I would say The Glashaus is definitely the winner. Though I won't be expecting any waves in the little foodie pond of Ireland to be crashing against the cliffs over any of them.

However, the market near The Abberley on Fridays and Saturdays is quite good. There is a butcher there who sells the most DIVINE sausages I've had in years. Also Paddy Jacks have some very nice Basque sheeps cheeses amongst others.

Over and out from Tallaght!!