Yamamori NoodlesFood: 4 Points
The food at Yamamori is really good. There is a great choice of Sashimi and Nigiri and also Maki is being offered for a good price. The Maki unfortunately cannot be mixed, so you can only get 8 pieces of one kind as a dish. If you are going with more people this is okay, though, as you can share some more plates. Our favorite are the starters. Yamamori offeres a good selection and you can choose between different veg, seafood and meat dishes that are all delicious. Being called Yamamori Noodles of course the restaurant also offers a lot of noodle dishes like Ramen or fried noodles. These all taste good but not extraordinary.
Service: 2 Points
The service at Yamamori is comparatively bad. The waiters are pretty slow, many also don't know what their food actually tastes like or contains. One time I ordered Tempura Sauce with my Tempura. Firstly I was surprised it didn't come with the dish and was charged for as an extra. Secondly I am still waiting for it to arrive. I ate my dish VERY slowly, but after finishing it, the sauce was still not there. Sad. During two of our visits we were asked to change table in the middle of our main course, which shows quite a lack of planning ability at Yamamori restaurant and I didn't like it one bit. Beside that most of the staff is at least friendly and some of them at least attemp to offer good service.
What we liked: The Sashimi =)
Cleanness: 3.5 Points
There is nothing in particular to mention here. the restrooms are small and not great but decently clean - especially compared to other restaurants in Dublin. The restaurant itself looks clean and the tables are always ok, too.
What we didn't like: Being asked to move tables twice already!
Atmosphere: 3.5 Points
The tables at Yamamori are very close together and there is not much privacy when you dine. Very disturbing to me is the art that is displayed in the restaurant. It is way too colorful and weird. On the other hand, some of the painting at least show Japanese scenes. The furniture in the restaurant is a dark wood, it is not perfectly comfortable but if you manage to get a seat in one of the booths its really nice and the benches there are okay to sit on for hours while enjoying hot Sake and good Sushi.
Value for money: 2.5 Points
The value for money is really okay. To eat good Sushi Yamamori is definitely the place to go in Dublin. The Fish is always fresh and tasty and the selection is really good. With all orders you get complimentary Green Tea which is hot and good. The main dishes are quite pricy here and quite ordinary in taste. I would recommed Yamamori rather for Sushi and Starters.
Total: 3.5 Points
71-72 South Great Georges Street
Dublin 2
Phone:+353 (1) 475 5001
Reservations should be made for the weekend.PIZZA STOPThe Pizza Stop, as the name implies, is a little pizza place tucked away in a little alley off of Grafton Street. Its open kitchen and tightly packed tables lend to its cozy atmosphere. While the setting is perfect for that pre-movie pizza, don't plan on making it a romantic evening. The Pizza Stop has gotten rave reviews from other sources, but we are offering a review of our recent experience here.
1. Food: 2 points
The food is not quite what one might expect from a good Italian pizzeria. Although the menu offered a wide selection, including some decent vegetarian options, overall, the dishes we ordered were disappointing. To be fair, we did not order pizza, but instead, opted for some of the classic Italian dishes -- chicken parmesean and pasta carbonara. Both were sub-par.
All in all, if you want some quick Italian food off of Grafton and a nice friendly atmosphere, you can give this place a shot, but you might be better off heading for Bewley's Cafe right down the street.
2. Service: 3 points
The staff was friendly and for the most part Italian. We were quickly seated and even offered a preference for where wished to dine. They promptly took our drink and dinner orders, and the chefs in the open area kitchen cooked up our dishes, which were served piping hot in a timely manner.
3. Cleanliness: 2 points
The restaurant was decently clean, but the bathrooms resembled those found in dingy Irish pubs -- small, unclean, and unflushed. Because they were dirty enough to make one lose his or her appetite (luckily I visited to toilet after dinner), we give the overall cleanliness a 2.
4. Atmosphere: 3 points
The Pizza Stop offers a cozy, casual dining experience. The restaurant tables are situated quite close together, so don't expect too much privacy, but for some occasions, this seating arrangement works well with the lively atmosphere it creates.
5. Value for money: 2.5 points
Most dishes, including pizza, are priced around 10-15 Euros. It's not the cheapest place, but definitely affordable and what you might expect from any pizzeria in the city center. We give it 2.5 points because the food was below average, considering what we had paid.
6. Overall: 2.5 points
What we liked - Friendly service, casual and comfortable atmosphere.
What we didn't like - Cluttered seating, lack of privacy, small and dirty bathrooms, high prices, average quality food.
PIZZA STOP
6/10 Chatham House
Chatham Lane (off Grafton Street)
Dublin 2
01 6796712Ocean Bar and RestaurantOcean Bar and Restaurant in Dublin 4 offers a one-two punch. First of all, it offers a delicious menu with the freshest ingredients. One of the more popular items is the Ocean burger. This burger is unlike anything I've ever had before. I have to hand it to the chefs at Ocean for thinking of topping high-quality Irish ground beef with homemade marinara sauce and melted Swiss cheese, all combined to perfection.
The lamb kabobs (only available for dinner) is also a great option. Smokey grilled chunks of lamb with fresh vegetables and a wonderful cucumber yogurt sauce, slapped in between warm pita bread, make this dish a winner. Be prepared to get your hands dirty though, because you make these yourself.
The chips (or French fries) at Ocean are the best in Dublin by far. They're not the traditional thick steak-cut fries. Instead, you get the shoe-string thin fries that we Americans are accustomed to (think McDonalds fries, that are fresh and fried to perfection). Be sure to ask for the garlic aioli for a side dip.
Other favorites include goat's cheese salad, tuna steak, fresh oysters on the half shell, and the hot wings. I do *not* recommend the enchilada.
The other half of the one-two punch is the fact that Ocean is situated right on Charlottes Quay Dock. This waterfront bar has the perfect atmosphere for a dinner party or a pub-night gathering with it's dimmed lights, comfortable living room style seating, and convenient coffee tables. The dimmed lights work well with the large windows to produce a brilliant view of the water.
Information
The Millennium Tower,
Charlottes Quay Dock,
Ringsend,
Dublin 4,
Ireland
Phone: +353 (0)1 668 8862
Website: http://www.oceanbar.ie/
Reservations recommended for large parties. Ocean also offers private party rooms. Last post about New MilleniumI feel obligated to use this space to express my apologies for yet another set of pictures of New Millenium dishes. While it is, in my humble opinion, the best restaurant in Dublin, I admit that I have not been faithful to the mission of my blog: To provide my personal views of the various types of food I have had the pleasure of tasting in Dublin.
While I will undoubtedly have many more experiences with New Millenium - as I go there every weekend for a nice brunch in Dublin's City Center - I vow to begin expanding my palate's horizons and venture into new Dublin areas with a larger variety of restaurants, diners, and pubs.
Cheers,
Alex New MilleniumNew Millenium gets another review because it is so good, and is a must-visit if you want Chinese food in Dublin. Although I have yet to have any of the items from the dinner and lunch menus, they do look quite appetizing, and I plan to go sometime. Regular menu items include steamed whole sea bass with ginger and scallion and stir fried crab with garlic, black beans, and scallion. They also have crispy succulent pork. Yum.
Information
51 South King Street
Dublin
01 635 1525
Reservations not necessary during the day. Maybe in the evening for larger parties. Luigi MalonesLuigi Malones sits right in the Temple Bar area, and I had never even noticed the place until we dined there the other evening. The interior is very lively. It almost has a bit of an Asian style with the red walls and huge ceramic vases adorning the stair way. A very hip and young crowd seem to gather there to enjoy wine, beer, and good food. Nice lighting as well.
I ordered a chicken and vegetable chow fun, which in all honesty, was not that impressive. However, my dining mates ordered fajitas and lamb kabobs, which looked mighty tasty. The menu itself is pretty eclectic, ranging from Tex-Mex to Asian. They serve wine by the glass in a little carafe, which I thought was pretty cool. Overall, I recommend Luigi Malones, and I do plan to go back.
Information
The Friary, 5-6 Cecilia Street
Temple Bar, Dublin 2
+353 1 679 2723
Reservations recommended for larger parties.
Jewel in the Crown Indian RestaurantJewel in the Crown is another "jewel" in the Ballsbridge village. Nice ambiance with candlelit tables and soft Indian music playing in the background. I've been there twice and left satisfied both times. It's ashame that I did not get a chance to take more pictures of the dishes. Recommended for good Indian cuisine.
Information
Jewel in the Crown
5 South William Street
Dublin 2
+353 1 677 0681
Teppan Chinese RestaurantTeppan is sandwiched between two pubs in the Ballsbridge village on Merrion Street. I've eaten there many times, both for take-out and dine-in; however, I must admit that Tei Pei is no match for New Millenium. Tei Pei's menu consists of your standard American-Chinese cuisine - kung pao, beef and brocolli, and chicken and cashews.
Not that it tastes bad. As I've said, I've been many times, and I will go back. The duck is good (both kinds), and they even provide traditional hand made flour pancakes to accompany the shredded duck, which they shred in front of you. So if you are looking for basic, standard "Chinese" food, by all means, swing by Teppan. But if you want some real Bruce Lee shit, go to New Millenium. Bella CubaBella Cuba sits right where Merrion and Shelbourne intersect in the Balls Bridge area. There are a lot of choices for restaurants in this area, so one could be easily distracted by the temptations of Chinese, Italian, Thai, seafood, and even local pub grub. But don't let Bella Cuba pass you by. It has a quaint little upstairs dining room with windows that overlook the busy part of Merrion. A good number of options on the menu and a nice wine list to complement it. Recommended.
Information
11 Ballsbridge Terrace,
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
+353 1 660 5539
Reservations recommended.
New Millenium RestaurantThis is one of my favorite spots and where I've had some of my best meals. It's a little Cantonese place right off of Grafton near the St. Stephen's Green Mall. From the outside it doesn't look like much, but it has quite a nice interior. Highly recommended for dim sum (that's all I've had there up until now). One thing I don't like is that they don't have proper chile sauce, but the food is pretty authentic. Highly recommended. Oysters in ClarinbridgeI had these oysters and a pint of Guinness in Clarinbridge. Clarinbridge is a little town in Galway County, and it is known as the "Home of the Oyster." The restaurant we ate at claimed to have had many celebrity guests - all of whom were tackily listed on the menu and all of whom I can't remember.
I ordered a dozen oysters and they were decent. I say this because I always find myself comparing oysters to the salty clusters we get back home in Charleston (SC). I found the oysters in Clarinbridge to be a bit muddier in taste and watery in texture. However, to be honest, I did enjoy them with a squirt of lemon and Tabasco and a nice cold glass of Guinness.
All in all, I'd recommend stopping for a half dozen or so if you every find yourself near Clarinbridge.
 The Auld DublinerThe Auld Dubliner is a little pub/restaurant in Temple Bar. It has your typical pub food (fish 'n chips, sausages, mash, etc.). I ordered the Irish corned beef and cabbage with mash and a pint of Carlsberg.
Honestly, I was pretty disappointed. The beef was dry, and the kitchen made a poor attempt at masking this by slopping a thick, bland flour/cream gravy all over it. The cabbage and mash (potatos) were also flavorless. So I dumped a ton of salt, pepper, even malt vinegar all over plate to make it some what palatable.
This was my last attempt at traditioal Irish food. Can't say I recommend the Auld Dubliner, although to be fair, the table next to me all had the Irish Lamb Stew, which did look quite tasty.
 Another shot of the Auld Dubliner
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