{"id":204369,"date":"2025-11-28T07:08:25","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T07:08:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/204369\/"},"modified":"2025-11-28T07:08:25","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T07:08:25","slug":"from-chapter-one-in-dublin-to-lignum-in-galway-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/204369\/","title":{"rendered":"From Chapter One in Dublin to Lignum in Galway \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

AnandaDundrum Town Centre, Dundrum, Dublin 14; 01-2960099, anandarestaurant.ie<\/a>\"AA dish from Ananda in Dundrum <\/p>\n

Since opening in 2008, Ananda has delivered exceptional Indian food<\/a> in spectacular surroundings. The elegant and spacious diningroom is a perfect match for the vibrant dishes, be it Goan-style halibut with prawns and lemon leaf bouillabaisse or lentil dumplings with masala Glenilen yoghurt and aged tamarind preserve. Plump for the tasting menu to enjoy the full experience, paired with well-chosen wines. JC<\/b><\/p>\n

Artis29-31 Craft Village, Derry BT47 6BD; +44 28 7126 1212, artisatcraftvillagederry.com<\/a>\"PhelimPhelim O’Hagan of Artis in Derry’s Craft Village <\/p>\n

A quiet haven for local craftspeople is an appropriate backdrop for Phelim O\u2019Hagan\u2019s restaurant and its keen focus on Northern<\/a> ingredients. Opened in 2021, a listing in the Michelin guide soon followed, secured via dishes such as Donegal<\/a> Dexter beef rump with shortrib croquette and Guinness rarebit, butter poached cod with saffron potato and Gubbeen chorizo. JC<\/b><\/p>\n

Bastible11 South Circular Road, Dublin 8; 01-4737409, bastible.com<\/a>\"BastibleBastible in Dublin 8 <\/p>\n

With muted green walls, blonde wood furniture and plenty of space, the diningroom at Bastible manages to stay on just the right side of austere. The open kitchen takes up the far end, with most diners able to get a good view of the chefs at work. The tasting menu echoes the room, with pared-back dishes that pack quite a punch. Understated, yes, but superbly executed and matched with a very good wine list. Read our review here<\/a>. JC<\/b><\/p>\n

Chapter One 18-19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1; 01-8732266, chapteronerestaurant.com<\/a>\"ChapterChapter One by Mickael Viljanen. Photograph: Donal Murphy <\/p>\n

There are no hushed tones in this two-Michelin-starred diningroom, just warm welcomes and lively service. Beautifully executed dishes, using luxe ingredients, are often swoon-worthy, particularly when it comes to the pastry. The whole thing feels like a seasoned orchestra playing; everything in the room and on the plate is in harmony. Sure, it\u2019s not cheap, but with nothing else like it, it feels worth the spend. AD<\/b><\/p>\n

[\u00a0Chapter One chef Mickael Viljanen: \u2018I was meant to stay in Ireland for a year and that\u2019s 24 years ago\u2019Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

Dax23 Pembroke Street Upper, Dublin 2; 01-6761494, dax.ie<\/a>\"HeirloomHeirloom tomato, Toonsbridge mozzarella, virgin olive oil, aged balsamic, fine herbs at Dax. Photograph: Instagram <\/p>\n

After 20 years, Dax still delivers Dublin\u2019s most refined take on classical French cooking. Graham Neville\u2019s plates \u2013 courgette flowers stuffed with Dublin Bay prawns, John Dory, Tipperary beef, and mille-feuille of Irish rhubarb \u2013 are elegant and precise. Owner Olivier Meisonnave runs the floor with aplomb and has built one of the country\u2019s great wine lists, stretching from biodynamic bottles to Grand Cru heavyweights. Lunch, from Wednesday to Saturday, is one of the city\u2019s great escapes; dinner carries the same quiet assurance. CH<\/b><\/p>\n

Homestead CottageLuogh North, Doolin, Co Clare; 065-6794133, homesteadcottage.com<\/a>\"HomesteadHomestead Cottage in Doolin, Co Clare. Photograph: Brian Arthur <\/p>\n

Inside this picture-perfect thatched cottage you\u2019ll find terrific Michelin-starred modern Irish cuisine by chef Robbie McCauley. Seasonal game, Aran turbot, Galway chanterelles and produce from the kitchen garden are crafted into pretty plates of food with real substance. Flagstone floors and open fires set the scene for cosy yet refined dining, matched by a drinks list featuring more than 450 wines. AD<\/b><\/p>\n

LiathBlackrock Market, Main Street, Blackrock, Co Dublin; 085-1278680, liathrestaurant.com<\/a>\"LiathLiath chef and owner Damien Grey. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw <\/p>\n

Tucked away in one of the darker corners of Blackrock market, the entrance to Liath is brightly illuminated, drawing diners into the comfort inside. Although this is a small restaurant, it is big in attitude and character, with a sublime tasting menu experience. The restaurant\u2019s social media doesn\u2019t profile current dishes, meaning that diners will truly be experiencing dishes for the first time. Read our review here<\/a>. JC<\/b><\/p>\n

Library Street101 Setanta Place, Dublin 2; 01-6170999, librarystreet.ie<\/a> \"KevinKevin Burke at Library Street <\/p>\n

A top spot for modern Irish fine dining with no fuss. Chef-proprietor Kevin Burke and team use lots of local, seasonal ingredients and take a contemporary approach to classic cooking, with delicious results such as turbot head with moreish miso cooked over fire or addictive horseradish choux buns. A thoughtful wine list pairs well with the innovative menu. After four years of refinement, it just keeps getting better and is now happily open on Monday. AD<\/b><\/p>\n

LignumBallaun, Loughrea, Co Galway; 087-3300559, lignum.ie \"LignumLignum manager Molly Keane with chef and owner Danny Africano. Photograph: Tristan Hutchinson <\/p>\n

It\u2019s often said that achieving a Michelin star allows a chef to relax. Who knows if it\u2019s true, but Danny Africano\u2019s sleek Lignum is certainly flying high since winning one earlier this year. Cooking over open flame is at the soul of this kitchen, which produces dishes so beautiful you may feel guilty about eating them. The Saturday and Sunday five-course lunch menus offer excellent value. Read our review here<\/a>. JC<\/b><\/p>\n

Ox1 Oxford Street, Belfast BT1 3LA; +44-28-90314121, oxbelfast.com<\/a>\"Ox,Ox, Belfast <\/p>\n

It\u2019s always a pleasure to dine at Ox, whether it\u2019s during the daytime with light flooding in through the large windows, or in the evening when a cosier atmosphere settles over the room. Over the years, Stephen Toman and Alain Kerloc\u2019h have never wavered in their dedication to quality. Enjoy classic goug\u00e8res made with Coolattin cheddar, Thornill duck with hispi and elderberries, and elevated vanilla rice pudding, served with Alain\u2019s wonderful wine pairings. Read our review here<\/a>. JC<\/b><\/p>\n

The Glass CurtainThompson House, MacCurtain Street, Cork, Co Cork; 021-4518659, theglasscurtain.ie<\/a>\"ScallopScallop crudo, saffron sabayon, spring flowers at The Glass Curtain, Cork. Photograph: Joleen Cronin <\/p>\n

The Glass Curtain continues to evolve, having built a solid reputation for large dishes, ideal for sharing around the table, all cooked over open fire. Frequent collaborations bring new ideas to the kitchen, with seasonal and foraged produce at the centre. Brian Murray\u2019s list of suppliers reads like a who\u2019s who of Cork food royalty, and the sleek modern interior is a fun place to be with friends and family. JC<\/b><\/p>\n

Restaurant ChestnutThe Chestnut Tree, Staball Hill, Ballydehob, Co Cork; 028-25766, restaurantchestnutwestcork.ie<\/a>\"RestaurantRestaurant Chestnut’s upstairs casual dining space <\/p>\n

Rob Krawczyk and Elaine Fleming\u2019s Michelin one-star restaurant is best known for its \u20ac120 tasting menu, but the \u20ac75 four-course at 5.45pm shows the same precision in a shorter form. It opens with brown soda bread and house-smoked cultured butter before moving on to dishes that show Krawczyk at his sharpest \u2013 native crab with smoked mackerel royale, egg baked in brown butter with trout roe, a loose-crumbed fish cake folded with herbs, and vinegared strawberries and cultured cream. CH<\/b><\/p>\n

The Muddlers ClubUnit 1, Warehouse Lane, Belfast BT1 2DX; +44-28-90313199, themuddlersclubbelfast.com<\/a>\"AA dish from The Muddlers Club. Photograph: Elaine Hill <\/p>\n

Named after the secret Masonic society that met there more than 200 years ago, Gareth McCaughey\u2019s restaurant is certainly no secret to Belfast diners. His philosophy is to keep things simple while using the very best of ingredients. The menu changes regularly, but look out for dishes such as Wicklow venison with beetroot and plum, Mourne lamb with aubergine and miso, or the cherry and tonka bean tart. In a welcome move, there are more than 75 wines available by the glass. JC<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"AnandaDundrum Town Centre, Dundrum, Dublin 14; 01-2960099, anandarestaurant.ieA dish from Ananda in Dundrum Since opening in 2008, Ananda…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":204370,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[18,117,64254,19,17,361,5281,33645,33646],"class_list":{"0":"post-204369","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-eire","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-food-month","11":"tag-ie","12":"tag-ireland","13":"tag-magazine","14":"tag-restaurant","15":"tag-restaurant-guides","16":"tag-restaurant-reviews"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115626069823469801","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=204369"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204369\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/204370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=204369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=204369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=204369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}