French restaurants in Dublin
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Lock’s
When chef Troy Maguire left the immensely popular L’Gueuleton in early 2007 to team up with ex-Bang manager Kelvin Rynhardt to take over one of the steady stalwarts of the Dublin dining scene, the bar was suddenly set very, very high. Would Lock’s shake off its old-town dust? Could Maguire recreate the informal-but-superb French campagnard cooking that made his former kitchen such a huge hit? Would Lock’s be as cool as Bang used to be? And would the prices stay this side of decent? Thankfully, yes on all counts, and while it’s still early days, Lock’s promises to be one of the most sought-after tables in town for years to come.
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Chez Max
Guarding the main gate to Dublin Castle is a French café that is Gallic through and through, from the fixtures imported from gay Paree to the beautiful, sultry staff who ignore you until they’re ready and then turn the sexy pout into a killer smile. The lunchtime tartines – basically open sandwiches – are good enough to get us misty-eyed for Montmartre, but its coffees are a timely reminder that while the French do an awful lot really, really well, they still don’t know how to make a decent brew.
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Dax
Olivier Meisonnave, convivial ex–maître d’ of Thornton’s, stepped out on his own with Irish chef Pól Óhéannraich to open this posh, rustic restaurant named after his home town, north of Biarritz. Located in a bright basement, it’s a place where serious foodies can sate their palate on sea bass with celeriac purée, pork wrapped in serrano ham or truffle risotto.
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French Paradox
This bright and airy wine bar over an excellent wine shop of the same name serves fine authentic French dishes such as cassoulet, a variety of foie gras, cheese and charcuterie plates, and large green salads. All there to complement the main attraction: a dazzling array of fine wines, mostly French unsurprisingly, sold by the bottle, glass or even 6.25cL taste! A little slice of Paris in Dublin.
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Dobbins
This old stalwart, opposite a row of council houses, was where the privileged came for lunch before the Celtic Tiger brought privilege to half the city. Its traditional French fare, homely setting and old-fashioned hospitality have served it well over the last quarter of a century, and it’s still a favourite with politicians, journalists and spin doctors (often at the same table).
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Balzac
It’s official: one of the best chefs in Ireland is Paul Flynn, who made his name with the simply stunning Tannery in Dungarvan, County Waterford. His first Dublin venture will only serve to cement his growing reputation. The elegant old-world dining room is a fitting setting for the superb cuisine on offer; how about oysters mignonette followed by champagne and truffle risotto?
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Thornton's
Kevin Thornton shrugged his shoulders when Michelin saw fit to strip him of one of his two stars, and replied by ordering a refurb of his über-trendy room on the 1st floor of the Fitzwilliam Hotel overlooking St Stephen's Green. The food – a mouth-watering Irish interpretation of new French cuisine – remains as good as ever, offering a mix of succulent seafood and gamey dishes like roast woodcock. A nice touch is Kevin himself making a round of the tables, answering questions and explaining the dishes. He also offers an all-day masterclass (€200) on how to recreate his cuisine.
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La Maison des Gourmets
This thoroughly Francophile café is a wonderful spot to enjoy a tartine, salad specials or a plate of charcuterie. It also has a fine range of pastries, baked goodies and herbal teas. We prefer sitting on the street outside, where you can watch the world go by on Castle Market; the upstairs room is just that little bit too lacking in atmosphere.
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L'Ecrivain
A firm favourite with the bulk of the city's foodies, L'Ecrivain trundles along with just one Michelin star to its name, but the plaudits just keep coming. Head chef Derry Clarke is considered a gourmet god for the exquisite simplicity of his creations, which put the emphasis on flavour and the use of the best local ingredients – all given the French once-over and turned into something that approaches divine dining.
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Gallic Kitchen
Gallic Kitchen ‘Our food is so fucking good you won’t believe it’ advises the sign on the front wall of this little bakery shop. Standing at a bench, devouring a goat’s-cheese brioche, salmon roulade, smoked haddock quiche and chocolate pecan tart, we – wait for it – tend to agree.
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Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud
Handing out the title of 'Best in the Country' involves some amount of personal choice, but few disagree that this exceptional restaurant is a leading candidate, not least those good people at Michelin, who have put two stars in its crown. The reasons are self-evident: the service is formal but surprisingly friendly, the setting elegant but not stuffy, the wine list simply awesome and head chef Guillaume Lebrun's haute cuisine proudly French. The food is innovative without being fiddly, just beautifully cooked and superbly presented. The lunch menu is an absolute steal, at least in this stratosphere.
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Leon
French elegance comes to Dublin in the shape of this cafe-restaurant. From bouillabaisse to filet of lamb with a gratin dauphinois, the food is classically Gallic, but the real treat here is to linger over a cappuccino with a newspaper by the open fire at the front.
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Town Bar & Grill
One of our favourite restaurants in town came within a hair's breadth of closing in 2010 due to the credit crunch, but it was rescued by one of its regular clientele of affluent and influential people. Thank goodness for that – otherwise we'd no longer be able to treat ourselves to the simply mouth-watering food, which ranges from basics like lambs' liver to slow-roasted rabbit or sweet pepper-stuffed lamb.
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Chez Sara
Irish lamb, red snapper and a beautifully cooked steak are just three of the highlights of this cosy French restaurant in the middle of the village.
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