Good coup for Mint in Ranelagh where former chef Oliver Dunne (now at Bon Appetit, Malahide) was awarded a star and where current chef Dylan Mcgrath was also awarded his first michelin star. McGrath's food is sophisticated, creative and stylish food but not for the unadventurous. You need to just go with what he is doing and accept that not everything will work every time. cities need restaurants like this that push boundaries and create excitement. Lunch is the best (and cheapest) way to experience the food. No need to recommend specific things as everything is worth trying.
Dunne's food is more classical in nature but also exciting and creative. God knows that side of the city needs a decent restaurant and finally they have it. The bistro downstairs is also worth trying. I am actually almost more pleased by this award as it was not predicted by the usual pundits and I suspect he could do with the boost given that the denizens of Malahide would generally rather go to the utterly abysmal Cruzzos to eat thick rashers and frozen tuna in in the hope they will spot ronan keating. Cruzzos is in a marina and filled with nautical paraphernalia as decoration, is only a mile or two from the biggest fishing port on the east coast (howth) yet the last time I was there the only fish on the menu were frozen and farmed (salmon, tuna and swordfish)... beggars belief. To be fair I took a gander at their current menu on their site just now and they have added sea bass (how innovative) and turbot to the a la carte. still wont encourage me to go back after my last meal there however.
A bib gourmand (good food at less expensive prices) was also awarded to Sha Roe Bistro in Clonegal in Carlow (of which I know nothing other than that the award is said to be deserved) and to the Winding Stair on the Quays in dublin which is definitely deserved.
Our other starred restaurants by the way are Guilbauds (2), Thorntons, L'Ecrivain and Chapter 1 (one each). The other bib gourmands are a mixed bunch with the Lime Tree in Kenmare, Fishy Fishy in Kinsale and Bang on Merrion Row being the best known. Oddly Maison des Gourmets gets into this list and while it is good I can think of others I would replace it with (Lockes and Alexis for example). If you want to see the full list the press release can be downloaded here:
http://www.michelin.co.uk/uk/front/act_affich.jsp?news_id=22014&lang=EN&codeRubrique=43
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