The Hot Stove review

Aoife McElwain
Posted March 4, 2013 in Restaurant Reviews

One of my least favourite situations to be in is late for a restaurant reservation. It overwhelms me with a kind of panic that takes at least half a glass of wine to recover from.

And so it was that we were late on our first visit to The Hot Stove, which opened in January this year in a basement of a Georgian house looking out onto Parnell Square and the Rotunda. Head Chef Joy Beattie is Wicklow born and has trained in some of the best kitchens in the world. She met her maître d’ and esteemed sommelier Simon Keegan while they were both working in The Four Seasons in Dublin.

“Sweet mother of Jedward, we’re SO LATE,” I wheezed at Niall as we scurried down O’Connell Street, finally turning the corner onto Parnell Square and fighting our way through the crowds at the bus stops across from The Rotunda. We tumbled down the steps to the basement door of The Hot Stove, a full criminal fifteen minutes late. We were ushered in by Keegan, who took our coats and seated us before we even realised we had arrived.

The room we found ourselves in for the night is a funny one. It was too bright. The tiled floors are incongruous with the elegance of the white tablecloth and comfy dining chairs. There’s a lovely old stove that draws the eye at the far end of the room, which we were disappointed to find out had been imported from Scotland. There were only a few fellow diners, leading to that awkward feeling that everyone can hear what you’re saying causing you to whisper in a quiet room.

Mercifully, our waiter was soon on hand to talk us through the menu and wine list. The menu is a perfect length – enough to inspire but short enough to ensure confidence in the kitchen. After we had chosen from its pages, our waiter chose the crisp and green apple-hued Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand for me, a wine so refreshing I had to go back for a second glass. Niall’s St Julian Reserve de Léoville Barton came with a back story of an Irish vineyard mogul who won and lost his French vineyards during The French Revolution. A seriously good tale well told by our waiter.

By this point, I had officially chilled out.

Niall’s starter of pheasant cannelloni (€10) with wilted spinach, raisin puree and hazelnut foam was a rich, gamey dish packing a wintery punch. My visually stunning beetroot and butternut tasting plate (€7) turned out to be more than just a pretty face, as I delved into the various textures of roasted, pureed, pickled and crisped vegetables paired with honey mascarpone and sorrel.

For mains, Niall chose the unctuously tender seared sirloin of beef (€27) which carried a beef cheek, parsnip puree, Chantenay carrots and a spiced port jelly. A classic dish beautifully cooked but perhaps one we’ve had too many times before. It was my pan-fried ray wing that won the battle of the mains, with the brown butter and crispy capers cut open in the shape of tiny flowers scattered over the outstandingly well seasoned fish. The accompanying red chard added a well pitched splash of colour, while the creamy mash on the side had surprise pockets of blobs of zingy lime jelly. It all made for a really memorable plate of food. Some duck fat chips (€5) were a welcome indulgence.

Our meal had reached such dizzy heights that our dessert was a touch disappointing. A sweet pear parcel with salted caramel and ice-cream was perfectly enjoyable, but was more like something your quite skilled granny might make and lacked the finesse of the rest of our meal.

Our bill, which included our three glasses of wine and a bottle of sparkling water, came to €98. Beattie is a treasure in the kitchen with the delicate touch of a careful artist. The team at the front of house are a credit to the maître d’ that leads them. As we were in the full blissful throes of our main courses, the room had warmed up immeasurably with most of the tables occupied and a second room filling up fast. I’d still like to find the lights turned down and a little less harsh on my next visit. Which I will make happen very soon. And this time, I won’t be late.

38/39 Parnell Square West, Dublin 1
01-8747778
http://www.thehotstoverestaurant.com

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