Delicious traditional dishes in a lovely setting, but small tables: Restaurant The Ivy Dublin (20. October 2023)
Last time I’ve been to Dublin I had passed The Ivy as it is located relatively centrally. On top of that, it looks nice from an interior design question. What is key, though, is that you book in advance as the place is crammed on a Friday evening. Since we were a small group, we decided to go for a mixture of different starters and got the “Organic Galway Bay smoked salmon (with black pepper, lemon and dark soda bread)” (EUR 16.95), which was relatively uneventful. I mean, sure, it’s smoked salmon and as such not bad, but it wasn’t anything extraordinary.
The “tuna sashimi tacos (avocado, watermelon, truffle ponzu mayonnaise)” (EUR 15.95) were quite alright, but really not much more than that. I mean, sure, you get an interesting flavour combination, but it wasn’t really special either.
What I did like was the “steak tartare with Dubliner whiskey (hand-cut raw beef strip loin with a Tabasco mustard dressing, cornichons, shallot, parsley, egg yolk and toasted granary)” (EUR 15.95). The portion was relatively small, but the quality of the meat was good and with the scrambled egg yolk, it really worked well.
Last but not least, we had the “crispy duck salad (warm crispy duck with five spice dressing, toasted cashews, watermelon, bean sprouts, sesame seeds, coriander and ginger)” (EUR 15.95) as a starter, which was quite okay as well. I liked the combination of flavours with the watermelon, but the duck itself was not as amazing as I had hoped for.
What I absolutely liked, though, but was rather heavy, was the “The Ivy Shepherd’s Pie (slow-braised blackface lamb and beef with Hegarty’s cheddar and potato mash)” (EUR 25.95). If you like heavy and hearty food, then this is absolutely perfect. Sure, you’re mega full afterwards, but it was really enjoyable.
Of course, the “red wine sauce” with which it was served was nice too and really added to the dish.
Since it was served with “garden peas and shoots”, it turned out to be the perfect side for me. I really, really like peas, and they were prepared in a tasty and enjoyable way.
The place is too loud for my personal gusto, but is nice in terms of interior design. The part I didn’t like so much was the table size. They have relatively small tables, which makes anything but a plate per person really a challenge. So, if you go for a sharing approach, it gets annoying. What was great on the other side was the quality of the service. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and made sure you would have everything you needed and wanted within no time. On top of that, he was relatively quick in delivery of the beverages, at least considering how busy the place was. Definitely worth visiting The Ivy, but if you’re a group of four, I would recommend you to book for five or six people and then just say someone couldn’t make it so you have a bit of space at the table.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant The Ivy Dublin
13-17 Dawson St
D02 TF98 Dublin (IE)
Tel.: +353 16 95 07 44
Homepage: https://ivycollection.com/restaurants/the-ivy-dawson-street/
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
