There are reasons I know I'm getting old, aside from the fact that the birthdays just keep crashing…read morein likes waves. One is my failing sight after years of relying on my eyes and my eyes alone to read. Another perhaps less common garden variety is the internal meltdown I face when confronted with a lot of menu choice in restaurants. If you identify with the latter, you may wish to save yourself a lot of hassle and simply choose the set menu here. If not, be warned, the a la carte alternative is complex, and for your own sake don't arrive tired or emotional. This is a prime mental condition eating experience. Famed Dublin restauranteur Dylan McGrath is an ideas man. His restaurants are as much about concept as they are about food, and though I'm sure there's a big heart in there, the head rules. If you want proof, study the menu. Across the top are taste categories (bitter, salty, sweet, etc.). Down the left are dish categories. So you scale down, then across, to see what combination of taste and texture your dish offers. And there are lots of choices. And a huge variety of prices. But what's less clear is quantity. And I was hungry and wanted to know I'd get an oul dinner into me before that difficult hungry phase that reduces my brain to mush and makes me want to howl like a baby. The very friendly waitress reassured us that though the menu seems complex first time round, after you've done it once, it's a breeze. (That's how I cottoned on to the fact that the wait staff here have post docs in maths.) Full marks for trying though. No less than two members of staff talked us through things, and they really did their best - did I sense concern that people are having difficulty getting it? Whichever - in the end, it was all too much for me - cue set menu. So, to my relief, for forty euros, you can certainly expect to leave full, with sushi starters - ok, it's not called sushi, it's the long one with the piece of fish on top of the rice (though more wasabi, please) -,delicious miso with clams and those delicate long-stemmed mushrooms that definitely have a name, beef skewers with rice (too much rice already) and potato main, and desert. The food presentation is beautiful, served on marble slabs and in delicate ceramics, with a Japanese-influenced simplicity. I thought the restaurant was Japanese from the menu but see from the website there are Spanish and South American influences too - not very obvious to me but then again I flunked the menu test. The sushi that isn't sushi was yummy, especially the turbot which was a smoky hit of flavour, and the sea bass, with a smooth texture that melts on the tongue. The beef is served on a mini-BBQ which, like the mushrooms, has a proper name. (The only problem with this method of on-table serving is being smoked out of it by the table next door who's got too much fuel on the fire.) If you want your steak more than medium rare, just cook on. My steak was a slightly mixed experience being a bit fatty, though my partner didn't have the same issue. Desert was ginger panna cotta, with melon granita, which was light yet intense in flavour and delicious. We had tried to book Rustic Stone, the restaurant downstairs, but it was full and they suggested we try Taste. We didn't know it was Japanese-influenced and I think they took this on board upon seeing our menu-bafflement and offered a glass of wine on the house. Fair enough. If I returned I'd be armed with a more rested brain (like I'd give it a full day off beforehand, take it to the pictures, buy it flowers, tell it it was looking great) and I would square right up to that a la carte menu, look it in the eye and plainly demand to know its tofu options, the brute, and I wouldn't take no for an answer. The Japanese are masters of simplicity, so ultimately I agree if for different reasons that Taste is not a Japanese restaurant. But the food largely made up for it, the service was good, it's a relaxing place to eat, and if the head wins over the heart, there's no denying it's a decent head. If you don't believe me, just look in the window where its image hangs pride of place, presumably so you know who best to talk to if you need anything explained.

In expectation of my arrival in Dublin for a 17 day visit, my sister sent me Taste as a potential…read moredinner option while I was staying with her. Coincidentally, I had a hankering for sushi on the first night and so after snagging a reservation, off we went to Taste. The restaurant was located on the third floor of Rustic Stone. We were seated at the sushi bar for dinner. The bar itself was different from those that I've experienced in the US where the cooking area is lower so you have a view of what the chef is making; however, the bar seating at Taste was also way roomier than most in the US. My sister and I opted for the €60 omakase - I requested the umami miso and the duck broth, while my sister had the regular miso and the salmon broth - and added on some toro nigiri. We also ordered cocktails - the Eastern Promise and the Gin Garden - which were excellent. The meal was excellent! The nigiri combinations were sometimes surprising but they worked well. The quality of the fish was also very good. I loved the broth and cooking the duck breast myself - it was so rich and the flavours were deep and well-developed. For the "light dessert" they brought out three options: a cheesecake, a coconut ice cream, and a ginger flan. The cheesecake actually had this odd cheese (not cream cheese or ricotta) taste but my sister and I were obsessed. Minus one star for the service because although everyone was super super nice, it was slooooooow. Our meal took about 3 hours. Not that we minded but just be wary that you might be here awhile! However, the meal meal was excellent and my sister and I agreed that between us there was nothing on the menu that we wouldn't order.

Get the spice bag!…read more Fries and chicken tenders tossed in Chinese spices and served with a side of curry sauce. The portion is large and can be shared. The restaurant is small so you will most likely have to eat outside. There's a a few benches so you may get lucky.

I heard from multiple sources that I couldn't leave Dublin without trying the Spice Bag from Xian…read moreStreet Food. And I can't just come here and try one dish so of course I ordered far more than I can eat. Regrets? None. The Spice Bag was definitely delicious. The savory bites of crispy fries/chips and chunks of fried chicken tenders/chunks was a gut bomb bursting with that delectable asian flavor. I had to get the pickled cucumbers to help balance out the savory overload. Xian Famous Biang Biang noodles was my favorite though. So glad I ordered this dish! The hand-pulled noodles were pure perfection from the texture, thickness and flavor. The Chicken Satay was just ok. Good but outshined by the Biang Biang Noodles and Spice Bag. The lines can get pretty long here however, the service is fairly quick. The only issue most face is finding a seat in the small, cramped space. Most people take their items to-go or eat on the curb/street just outside. It was a cold day and I ordered too much food to stand around and also let my fries get cold. Fortunately, I was able to find a seat soon after I placed my order at the counter.

Food too expensive and serving sizes small. The restaurant is clean and neat and the waiters nice.read more

Nice area near Temple Bar and Trinity College. Intended on dining at a different place nearby but…read morewhen we saw that it was empty, walked around a bit. Lots of choices in the area. Saw this place was busy and after checking Yelp, stepped on in. We were seated right away. Pleasant hostess and server. Tried the chicken satay appetizer. Good portion of chicken with a mild, but thick, peanut sauce coating the chicken. I tried the garlic pepper chicken. It had fresh, well cooked veggies with a light sauce. Chicken was ok. Came with white rice but should have ordered the fried rice for more flavor. Son ordered the Pad Thai and the portion size was good. Not bad, not great. Solid four stars.

The service from the host/manager was great, we were seated in a busy area and he came and asked us…read moreif we wanted to move when something opened up to be more comfortable, the food was yummy. The garden and other portions of the place were not open but the main dining room was pretty lively and loud.

Best Asian food we've ever had. Also great service and drinks. Don't miss it when you're in Dublin.read more

Food was lovely and with 15e each (we had 3 people) we were super happy and full with our dinner…read more Expect a bit of delay on the service because they only had 3 staffs to serve all tables but they tried their best with lovely smile on their faces so all good!

Popped in here for dinner after a day exploring Dublin. I greatly enjoyed my experience there. The…read morewait staff was friendly and the food was delicious. I got the pork gyoza starter and the garlic pepper beef for my main dish. Both were delicious. I would definitely consider going again the next time I'm in town. The one thing I will note is the tables were set with just chopsticks. This didn't bother me because I can use chopsticks but therefore I didn't ask if they had forks available. If they don't that might be an issue for anyone who can't use them. That said I really enjoyed my meal here and would recommend it.

Came to Dublin and was looking for some Chinese food, I must say this place is small and kinda a…read moremom & pop place. When the food was brought out "WOW" so freaking amazing and the service was amazing and gives you a homely feeling.......

I have finally found a good Chinese takeaway in Dublin, food is fresh and delicious…read more After trying so many bad ones I had given up, and only had Chinese when I visited home. But I will definitely be ordering from here again. Spring rolls don't usually travel well but these were hot and crispy. Try the soup it's so good!!!

I had high hopes since it's located inside the Spencer Hotel, it had better reviews on another site…read moreand the bar area looked very chic. I ordered the Teriyaki Salmon with a side of egg noodles, but unfortunately both dishes lacked flavor and fell flat. The saving grace was the cocktail at the bar--delicious and well-balanced. Great atmosphere, average food, service was good.

The food was good but not good enough to make up for the horrible service. After serving our food…read moreour server disappeared, never to be seen again. We finally waved down the bus person and asked for the dessert menu, then he disappeared and never came back. I finally got up and found the manager and explained that we seemed to have lost our server and would like some help at our table. He said of course and when I returned to our table we continued to be completely ignored. I told my partner we could walk out without paying our bill cause we seem to be completely invisible. Since that's not who we are, we eventually got up from our table and went to the bar to ask and pay for our bill. I will never come here again.

A great and unique find in the Temple Bar area! The food is delicious! It is good to come with a…read moresmall group so you can try lots of different options. It was suggested to order about 3-4 items per person but my group was good with about 2-3 each, with a few sides. We had the pork bao, Ayam satay, Bami Goreng, Javanese short rib, and short rib bao. For sides we had fries, basmati rice, and mixed pickles. They place adorable hot plates lit by tea lights to keep it all warm while you eat. My favorite was the pork bao. The pancake was the perfect texture of fluffiness and dense enough to balance with the pork. The pork melted in your mouth and had a delicious slightly sweet sauce on it. This place is worth it!

Excellent food and a great value! My gf and I came in last night without a reservation and were…read morelucky enough to be seated right away. We ordered the "java" (meat) menu, along with 2 of their tapas (sweet sambal udang and Javanese short rib of beef), and an extra side of rice. We appreciated the variety of flavors in this single meal. Some things that stood out: 1. The noodles in the noodle dish were of a great texture and were spicy (which I loved) 2. You could tell the short rib really had been cooked for 10 hours bc of how it fell apart and melted in your mouth 3. The beef redang and kari Java (lamb) has a generous portion of meat. If you want to enjoy the sauce completely, I recommend asking for an extra side of rice to eat it with 4. The satay was fried! It was my first time having fried satay and hopefully not my last Overall the meal was fantastic and because of that, it made me feel less guilty about getting Indonesian while in Dublin. Definitely check it out!

Diverse food options. Even though the wait was so long, the food was actually pretty good. We got…read morethe egg rolls to start out and they were crunchy and yummy. My bun Bo Hue was good and my husband's ribs. Rice dish was good (though a bit too saucey). I would recommend if you're not in a rush.

My daughter loves pho so she wanted to eat here. I am so so on pho. This place changed my mind. Our…read morespring roll appetizer was very tasty. She got the beef pho and I had the chicken noodle soup. Both were delicious!