Recently rebuilt from the ground up, I guess you'd call this an uber-gastropub now. Which means if you loved the original Thomas Moore Tavern, with its quirky old interior, it's genius banter, and the two lumps of coal struggling in the fireplace, your heart will drop when you step into this new incarnation. For behold; a different beast entirely has risen from the rubble: with scales of brass and mahogany, and an underbelly of deep-pile carpet; this is now the de rigueur playground of solicitors and doctors and all that set. Not a jeans and t-shirt joint then, unless you look swanky in Levi's. Sorry, Armani.
Don't let that completely put you off though. The atmosphere is lively enough, and the craic gets more boisterous as the evening stretches on. There may even be a sulphurous whiff of naughtiness in the air. Ooo, matron!
One feature remains from the original pub: they serve an excellent pint of Guinness. Creamy, sweet, and nutty, like it should be. That alone is enough to tempt me in and keep me there, so long as the accountants keep their distance. The main attraction, though, is the food. And yes, it is pricey, perhaps too pricey for IMF Eire; but it is also outstanding. Outstanding!
There is a caveat though. A vexing one.
Staff are very friendly and courteous once you have their attention; but, on the downside, they seem to be rushed, therefore sloooow service on the couple of occasions I've dined there. Slow. Slow. Slow. As in waiting 40 minutes for a freaking steak. In fairness, I don't think it was the waiter's fault. He apologised profusely, and seemed as embarrassed by it as I was annoyed. But for an establishment that is obviously pitching itself toward the higher end of the market, and charging for "that extra touch of class" this is not good enough. Management might have a look at how this could be improved. More staff? Improved rosters? A little tweak here or there.
The steak, incidentally, was one of the best I'd eaten in a while. read more