The Brazen Head

The Brazen Head
20 Bridge Street, Dublin 8



Testers: Anne, Diane, Elena, F, J, U, R


Rating

• Food: 3.7/6
• Drinks: 5.5/6
• Atmosphere: 5.4/6
• Toilet: 4,5/6

Food

• "Fries, nothing else. Sorry, had too much cake in the afternoon to test anything else... Not enough taste, a bit mushy."
• "Decent food. My Beef and Guinness Stew was great, although it did not taste much of Guinness..."
• "Seafood pasta good, but somewhat 'soupy'. There were only 3 mussles!"
• "The food was good, for pub standards. Had stuffed chicken breat with mushrooms, and vegetables without salt..."

Drinks

• "Best Guinness in Dublin."
• "Good (but not very cold) Guinness. Good cider."
• "Lots of delicious soft drinks for drivers..."
  

Atmosphere

• "Good craic!"
• "Really nice! The pub looks old and original, dark and cosy. When we went in, there were some guys making music."
• "Very cosy for a known tourist trap. Spacious, comfy outside area, friendly service. Possible to sit outside even in winter."
• "Nice beer garden, but pretty loud."
• "Regular live music, too."
• "Very nice beer garden, good atmosphere."
• "Wonderful crowd, doing drinking games, funny laughter."
  

Toilet

• "Wait a moment - I have to drink more before I go there..."
• "Classic with chain! Flattering lighting and mirror. ;-) "
  

Layla

Layla website
31/32 Lower Pembroke Street
Dublin 2

telephone +353 (1) 662 2566
email info@layla.ie




Participants: Kathrin, Philip, U, F, R

Rating

• Food: 5/6
  
• Drinks: 4.9/6
  
• Atmo: 5.5/6
  
• Toilet: 3.5/6
  

Food

• "We shared _lots_ of starters, the waiter chose for us - excellent!"
• "I had 'Sultan's pleasure' - for men only! Excellent lamb, slowly roasted."
• "Layla vegetarian platter: A very nicely prepared dish."
• "Absolutely loved the starters! The wine leaves were so juicy you almost had to drink them."
  
• "All a bit centered on lamb and aubergine."
• "Everything seemed to be fresh and well-prepared"

Drinks

• "Ayran with mint: was OK, would like more flavour/spices, though."
• "All-you-can-drink Turkish tea, but never got a refill. Didn't ask for it either, though. Strong and sweet."
  

Atmo

• "Great roof terrace for summer!"
• "Very nice interior and decoration."
• "Service friendly and personal." "Warm welcome."
  
• "We missed the belly dancing... And the desserts! We'll have to come back!"

Toilet

• "Flushing! The Irish toilet problem! It was one of those toilets that allow flushing only every 15 minutes or so..."
  

Monsoon, Lwr Rathmines Road

Monsoon Website
306-308 Lwr Rathmines Road,
Dublin 6, Ireland

email info@monsoon.ie
tel 01 4911666

Participants: J, U, F, R

Rating

• Food: 5/6
• Drink: 4/6
• Toilet: 5/6
• Ambience: 5.5/6

Price: 16€-18€ for main course (chicken, lamb, seafood; vegetarian cheaper)

Food

• "spicyness was good", "could have had more zing and spices"
• "tasty, great flavours, excellent chicken", "jucy and tender meat"
• "good nan bread, too!"
• "sauce was more on the sweet side"

Drink

• "Normal wine selection"
• "Mango Lasse: taste was OK, but: 5 thick ice cubes - so hard to drink"
• "black tea: was - well - black tea!"

Atmo

• "great view, great ambience"
• "very nice, since it is a quiet place. Difficult to reach, though."

Toilet

• "- point, because the tap was designs to open on the opposite direction ;-) "
• "nice - and working flush system! ;-) "

The Hungry Monk, Greystones

The Hungry Monk
Church Road, Greystones, Co Wicklow
Telephone 01 2875759


Participants: U, F, R

Rating

• Food: 5/6
• Drink: 4.7/6
• Toilet: 4/6
  
• Ambience: 5.3/6

Price: Menu for 30€, including coffee

Food

• Terrine of Chicken
• Black pudding
• Smoke salmon platter
• Leg of Lamb, with mint sauce
• Stuffed chicken breat with mashed potatoes
• Tarte Tatin
• Plum crumble with Greek yoghurt
• Strawberry white cheesecake with amaretto

"Also good selection of bread - the first soda bread I liked in Ireland!"
"Salmon was average good."
"Mash was exceptional, with garlic."
"Lamb: tasy meat, excellent flavour. Very strong mint sauce, but I think that's the way it should be."
"_Lots_ of vegetables, potatoes, mash, ..."
Tarte: "Desert was a bit so-so-ish."

Drink: Faustino 1, Rioja

"Very distinctive bottle"
"Huge, ambitious wine list. Whiskey choice was less exciting. Good prices. Ask waiter to recommend a wine."
"Extensive wine list, but finding a nice one under 30€ can be a challenge. Some wines in the triple digits."

Toilet

"Gregorian Chant excellent fit for the theme."

Ambience

"consequently appled monk theme, cozy place."
"Great, very comfy! Open fire, monk pictures throughout and atmospheric chant on the toilet. Great place for a day out."

The Winding Stair Café

40 Lower Ormond Quay,
Dublin 1,
Ireland
Phone:+353 (0)1 873-3292



Participants: U, D, F, R

Rating

• Food: 5/6
• Drink: 5,3/6
• Ambience: 5/6

Price: Main courses from 17- 25€.

Food: Turnip soup. Charcuterie. Boxty topped with a bed of spinach and mushrooms and blue cheese on top of it. Roast Pork Belly. Fish & chips. White chocolate mousse.

"Simplistic with high quality ingredients. Vegetarians should be cheese lovers, though. Otherwise they might leave hungry..."
"Really good charcuterie plate."
"Ooey-gooey chcolate brownie. Yummy!"
"Very good, very simple, but delicious."
"Roast Pork Belly was nice and juicy, although the cider sauce was maybe a bit far-fetched."

Drink: Montepulciano (22€). Castro Martin, Albarino

"Red wine very pleasant"
"White wine was more on the sweet side, but with interesting flavours."

Ambience

"Too loud, but probably caused by this loud French group singing and chatting." (Remark: on that day, France won against Ireland in 6 Nations Rugby - so these guys had a reason to celebreate...)
"Some more curtain and carpets would help."
"Great selection of antique books, e. g. "The Evolution of Marriage": "(...) Men like to symbolise in the ceremonial the rapes of former days, which they cannot and dare not any longer to commit." NO COMMENT?!?
"Loved the leather hippo on the coffee table!"
"Extra point for the cute mini-hippo."

Afternoon Time at Merrion Hotel

Merrion Hotel
Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
Telephone 353 1 603 0600

Participants: J, U, F, R


Rating

• Food: 5/6
• Drink: 5/6
• Toilet: 5.5/6
  
• Ambience: 5.5/6

Price: 30€ per person


Food: Sandwiches, scones, cakes, ...

"Wow - what a tower of sweets!"
"Ration savoury/sweet could be more balanced."
"Scones were not warm, which would have been even nicer."

Drink: Tea, Jasmin tea

"Served periodically without request."
"Wonderful flavour."

Toilet

"Good but far away."
"Very clean."
"Perfect! Soap, tissues, hand lotion - even flushing was possible (with hint of irony...)!"

Ambience

"Upper-class interior, exquisite paintings (e.g. Y. B. Yeats), real fireplace."
"Awful knee-torturing tables."
"Quiet, relaxing athmosphere, live harp music. Professional Service."
"There were only 4 tables in a room, where there would be 15 in other Dublin restaurants."

Overall

"Good idea to make a reservation, if you want a sofa on a Sunday afternoon."
"Plenty of food - price not too bad at all for Dublin..."
"Ideal place for a cold afternoon."

Chez Max

Chez Max
1 Palace Street, next to Dublin Castle





Participants: J, U, F, R


Rating

• Food: 4.9/6
• Drink: 4.5/6
• Toilet: 4/6
  
• Ambience: 5/6

Food

Tartar of salmon: "Gorgeous!" "OK, but would have expected taw salmon, and to be served with toast. Nice dressing on salad."
Quiche with leek and salad: "Good, but nothing absolutely special."
Crème brûlée: "Really good, but I had better ones, because I'm hopelessly spoiled."
French onion soup: "Broth came separately, making sure the croutons were crisp."
Porc Agilet, with garlic mashed potatoes: "For my taste - the porc was too fatty."
Ray with tomato and capers: "Fish tasty and interesting, but not enough vegetables. Very much butter on the fish -> very rich."

"Excellent value for the money." (19€ for 2 courses)
"Nice company as well!" ;-)

Drink

"Red wine - blabla St Eulalie, sounds funny, but tasted good."

Ambience

"Cozy, small restaurant with old European feel and Spanish music."

Toilet

"Yes, flushing is possible. All necessary equipment available."
"Downstairs, if you go straight, you enter the kitchen..."