Adam "Interesting Fact" C.'s Profile
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Russo's is basically a decent Italian in Dublin city with decent food. Solid, dependable, good service. I've been here 3-4 times, with a group of 7 the last time and no drop in the service.
Their pizza was good, not excellent. Similarly with their pasta. The fillet steak I ordered another time was very good, so I think there is potential for improvement.
It would not take much to get up to a 4 star rating, some of the issues:
The menu needs to be expanded a bit, it's fairly standard fare for an Italian (but then I went to Italy on holiday this year so that might just be menu fatigue on my part :)
I almost dropped them a star solely for not having Tiramisu, and after I skipped the starter to have it! (despite it being on the main menu). Apparently that is just temporary because it was a holiday menu, but nevertheless.
I'll probably be back because it is a handy location with good staff and we've had no problem getting a table, but I won't be dreaming about any of the food and there are better Italian options in Dublin.
They made sure I was aware of the sepcial offer that knocked an extra 10% off the price if I bought enough too,
The service is decent, not exceptional, but that is not why you go to Indie Spice. You go for the fantastic examples of classic Indian restaurant dishes - their Balti is nicely spicey, their Bhuna extremely tasty. I have yet to have a bad meal either via take-out or eat-in.
The Naan bread, when ordered in the restaurant, is fabulous - perfectly crispy and so tasty (garlic is my favorite) and there is a mini sampler for you to determine which you prefer.
In general I judge an Indian restaurant largely on the quality of the dishes I mentioned above and one other thing - the lamb. It is excellent in Indie, not fatty in the least, perfectly cooked. One of my favorite local restaurants by far, and I am not one to normally crave Indian food.
1 Previous Review:
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8/6/2011 First to Review
I have been to Indie Spice twice since it opened and it is a fine example of Indian food - far better than the other Dublin 4 offerings I have tried (this is the only one I have returned to, which speaks volumes).
On my fist visit I had the Chettinad Chicken - I was warned that this was a very spicy option and they were not overselling it. However, despite being one of the hottest meals I have ever had (and I *love* hot food), it was still very tasty and I wolfed it down - though be warned, I had steam coming off the top of my head.
The second time out I opted for a staple dish I use to judge Indian restaurants - the Lamb Bhuna. It was excellent and I would recommend it for anyone trying out the restaurant as a perfect example of how lamb should taste in an Indian.
All the usual touches of a good Indian are there - complementary poppadoms, good Naan choices and the wine was decent also.
Overall a great Indian, only knocking down the star for a bit of a lack of atmosphere. Another couple of meals like that and I'll forgive all that and bump it up to 5. Judging by the website, they now do take away too - something I will definitely be taking advantage of - Bombay Pantry can use some decent competition at last! :)
Well done to the crew in the Lovely Food Company, the food was excellent, perfectly cooked, well presented and the service was great to match. It really wasn't necessary to throw in a bottle of wine for free - we were already very impressed, and they had already put us under the early bird even though we were a little late for it (and willing to pay full price, given the quality).
In the end we made up for the free bottle in the tip. I will be going back, excellent first impression, and we all know how important that is......
My brother and his wife had also been here to have lunch and were similarly impressed, so it does not appear to be a coincidence. I wish them all the best - as a previous reviewer mentioned the turnover here for businesses is shocking.
If first impressions are anything to go by they will be an institution in no time :)
We stayed at La Perla for the first leg of our honeymoon - the staff are extremely friendly, the lake view is fantastic and the rooms were decent, comfortable and clean. The breakfast is the usual continental fare, but the view from the balcony makes up for the lack of options :)
Warning: walking, lots of walking!
The walk to Tremezzo proper is quite a challenge both uphill and downhill (especially back up!). The shuttle only runs a couple of times a day in the morning and in the evening, so walking is the only option most of the time if you want to have a drink, or if you don't have a car. It's about 15 minutes downhill and at least 20 minutes uphill.
Food in the hotel is what is referred to as a "snack bar" in Italy and is very basic pasta/panini - nothing very inspiring here, so unless you are taking it very easy you will want to go down to the town to eat. There is a pizzeria a little closer (less than halfway) - Pizzeria Balognett - and the pizza there is excellent, the best I had on our trip to be honest.
In Tremezzo the one restaurant that sticks out in my mind is La Darsenna, though the little wine bar (Cantina Follie) was also very pleasant for an after dinner drink on their terrace - the Amarone is worth the extra couple of euro per glass :)
Overall, I would recommend La Perla if you are looking for some good views, peace and quiet, and don't mind the walking. Be sure and have a car to get to and from there as well as giving you the extra freedom for trips elsewhere. Also, be sure to pop up to Menaggio and rent a boat (under 40 HP = no license required) - it's expensive but really worth a go for a couple of hours to see the lake properly.
As a starter the tempura haddock was light, fresh and very tasty. My partner was not as impressed with the sushi as last time, but that may have been down to the bento selection that day not suiting her tastes quite as well. Similarly, although my noodles were very nice, they were not as good as the Bi Bim Bap on my previous visit.
The service was more attentive and that was the reason for losing a star the last time. This time the food is just short of the 5 stars, but if I could give 4.5 I would. Still highly recommended.
1 Previous Review:
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12/5/2010 ROTD 4/26/2011
If anyone is put off by the karaoke part of the restaurant (not my thing), don't worry - the restaurant is essentially separate and I didn't even notice where the karaoke was going on while I was there.
Ukiyo only loses a star for some slow service toward the end of the meal, it took an inordinate amount of time to get someone's attention and get the bill. The service the rest of the night had been a bit slow, but within tolerance.
It more than made up for that lapse with the food on offer. I had the Bi Bim Bap with the bul go gi beef added - and it was fantastic. Apparently it is something of a Korean tradition - a rice, vegetable, kimchi dish that you mix together before digging in. If all traditional dishes are this tasty then the Koreans are very lucky.
My partner had the bento box and rated the Sushi as very good, a little higher than Yamamori on George's street which is some decent praise.
There is a noodle variant of the dish I enjoyed so much on the menu so we will definitely be going back.
The pizza was thinner, crispier and tastier - I even re-tried the same gorgonzola and sausage pizza for comparison - vastly better this time around. The starter, again fried, but this time a risotto based starter was far better than our first outing and not too heavy.
Overall, a great improvement and I will be going back to solidify my opinion. Another good showing and I will bump it up to a 4-star.
1 Previous Review:
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12/14/2010 First to Review
I wanted to like Bell & Bellucci's more, now that it has opened it is the closest restaurant to my home, so it would be nice to have an excellent place to eat so close. Based on our first trip there though, this is sadly not the case.
The restaurant is larger than you would expect from the outside, my partner went as far as to say that it had an impersonal feeling. On the plus side, the service was decent (it was quite busy and service did not suffer), and the wine was decent.
Sadly it was the most important factor, the food, that was a let down. My starter (Frico) was too large, too dense and overly fried (and I love fried food). My main, a pizza with gorgonzola and Italian sausage was strangely bland, even with the addition of chili oil. The crust was also somewhat doughy for my liking (I like it thin and crispy) though that is something I can live with when the pizza is tasty.
My partner noted that her risotto with speck was also somewhat tasteless and disappointing. If recommending a pizza/italian restaurant in the area I would certainly plump for Al Boschetto first - far superior pizza and a more cozy feel.
In the end we skipped dessert and headed off elsewhere for a night cap, all in all a disappointment.
However, this is a new restaurant, and a local for us so we will try it again to see if this was a once off bad experience. The large outdoor seating area and the fact that the front windows can be opened when things are warmer will certainly enhance the feel of the place once the weather warms up again.
2/3 lb on a regular bun
Pepperjack Cheese
Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Guacamole
Bermuda Red Onion
Spicy Sour Cream
The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is that the service was a bit slow and they did not ask how I wanted the burger cooked. In the end it was not charred like other places have made my burger in Ireland but it was a bit past medium, perhaps medium-well which is a little overdone in my book for a good quality burger.
Nevertheless, very tasty and the chili fries were plenty to share between two as a side. Their chocolate malt was extremely good too.
Needless to say, having consumed this mountain of food I was sated for the rest of the day - no dinner was necessary :)
And it is decent coffee, with better pastries and far cheaper prices than the Starbucks down the street. Maia is definitely a good morning coffee destination for people in the Ballsbridge area.
The coffee is, in general, a better cup than either Starbucks or Cafe Java and they have a loyalty card to get you a free cup every now and then. I am reliably informed that their croissant is far better than the ones found in Starbucks
They also do good deals on prepared meals to take away for lunch but as yet I have not bought one - they certainly look tempting....
Last but not least, if you are not on your way into work like me, you can take a seat inside and enjoy your coffee there instead along with breakfast. Believe me, I have looked on enviously :)
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"Yelping in Dublin"
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Dublin
Yelping SinceDecember 2008
Things I Lovecoffee, sausages, chorizo, chinese food, spicy food
Find Me InBallsbridge, Trinity College, Dublin
My HometownDublin
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm procrastinating on the computer in some other way
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadAnathem
My First ConcertOasis
I am definitely a fan - it's my default destination for a pint when we head to Sandymount. The staff is friendly, you won't be left waiting and if you get one of the sofas down the back it's a comfy place to have a quiet drink and a chat.