Lists are notoriously subject to the vagaries of taste and the whims of their compilers, but we think this one’s a little bit special, encapsulating as it does the enduring appeal of a dozen Dublin classics – a selection of dishes that have stood the test of time on the menus of the city’s more seasoned eating (and drinking) establishments. The dishes featured here emanate from the kitchens of emporiums established long before the dawn of the Celtic Tiger, dating from a time when dining out was a relative rarity in Dublin.
Such events were often reserved for special occasions, city-visitors and those bachelors, students and literary figures who had yet to master the art of cooking for themselves. As a result, this survey features a diverse and somewhat eclectic mix of haute cuisine, traditional stews and even a humble pub sandwich so good it merited a mention in Joyce’s Ulysses.
Taking our lead from the excellent Come Here To Me Blog, which has done sterling work in uncovering the identity of Dublin’s oldest restaurant (The Unicorn, established in 1938) we have elected to omit hotel restaurants and dining rooms. We have however made an exception for Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud – a restaurant located in a hotel – which enjoys a long and much lauded reputation in its own right.
Whilst somewhat eclectic, this list of Dublin classics does not claim to be definitive, so please feel free to let us know if there are any glaring omissions that we may have inadvertently overlooked. The list is as follows:
Traditional Irish Stew – The Brazen Head (est. 1198) According to its website such luminaries as Swift, Emmet, Joyce, Behan and Kavanagh have frequented ‘Dublin’s oldest pub’ over the years. One or two may even have sampled the stew…
Traditional Gorgonzola Sandwich – Davy Byrne’s Pub (est. 1889) The oldest vegetarian item on the list is the traditional Gorgonzola sandwich immortalized by Joyce in Ulysses (set in 1904) and still to be found on the menu of Davy Byrnes Pub. The eponymous Leopold Bloom reports that his sandwich ‘tastes fuller this weather with the chill off’, perhaps rendered all the more enjoyable by the glass of burgundy accompanying it.
Special Toastie – Grogan’s Pub (The Castle Lounge) (est. 1899) Once a regular haunt of Flann O’Brien, Grogan’s encourages its visitors to ‘relax with a drink and a toastie’. There are worse ways of whiling away a mid-week afternoon; though we suspect, possibly few better. Ask for the special.
Fresh Ray & Chips with Crispy Bits – Leo Burdock (est. 1913) The advent of Leo Burdock’s generous portion sizes resulted in generations of Dubliners ‘carrying off a great ould feed’ from the original Dublin chipper. According to its website, Burdock’s was ‘serving up piping hot food during the 1916 Rising’ in the process forging the seeds of a take-away empire based in large part on their famous crispy bits.
Homemade Gnocchi – The Unicorn (est. 1938) The menu of Dublin’s oldest restaurant still features their secret-recipe homemade gnocchi – doubtless an intriguing new experience for Dublin diners in 1938, and by all accounts still a pleasure today.
T-Bone Steak – The Trocadero (est. 1956) Many of those who have dined at the Troc over the years relish fond memories of evenings spent in an ambiance enhanced by the unique quality of its legendary hospitality, rich décor and colourful clientele. From the warmth of its welcome to the last drinks of the evening, every Troc experience is special. Two words: good times!
Saltin Bocca alla Romana – Nicos (est. 1963) The menu at Nico’s (previously reviewed here) continues to preserve a longstanding emphasis on fresh ingredients cooked well, an approach that has contributed considerably to their success over fifty plus years on Dame Street.
Scallops St Jaques – The Dining Room at The Lord Edward (est. 1967) The dining room on the second floor of the Lord Edward strives to keep its food traditional while delivering an authentic, old-fashioned Dublin experience. It succeeds brilliantly in this regard, serving its fare in an environment reminiscent of days of yore, where the seafood is as quintessentially Dublin as the stunning views of Christchurch.
The Original Burger – Captain America’s Cookhouse and Bar (est. 1971) Captain America’s claims to have brought the original burger to Ireland when it first opened its doors on Grafton Street in December 1971. Described as a ‘straightforward burger unadorned’, the Original has been a staple of their menu in the years since. It is, as they put it themselves, ‘simply delicious’.
Breakfast – Flanagan’s Restaurant (est. 1980) Early morning visitors to O’Connell Street will already be aware that Flanagans do a great value Irish Breakfast for a fiver, while their website notes that they are proud to have been featured in a brace of novels – Tom Clancy’s Patriot Games and Ordinary Decent Criminal by Gretta Curran Browne.
Fillet of Irish Beef and Roast Foie Gras – Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud (est. 1981) The website of Ireland’s only two Michelin star restaurant remarks that their first attempt to bring haute cuisine to Ireland during a recession in 1981 initially created a bit of a stir, but fast forward thirty-three years and they can be safely said to have more than answered their earliest critics. In style too…
Pizza Napolini – Pizza Stop (est. 1982) Pizza Stop continues to serve traditional trattoria-style dishes from its Chatham Lane base, the hallmark red and white table-cloths adding to the undisputedly Italian ambience.
Words: Martina Murray / Photo: Nicola Bramick, Smart Travelling [The Trocadero, Dublin]
