Father’s Day is just around the corner. So to all Dads out there – Happy Father’s Day! Anyway, here goes my post.
During this time of the year, we always try to make time to celebrate by eating out in a “nice” restaurant. Even back home, I usually treat my Dad to a restaurant of his choice to celebrate him being a Father to me and my siblings. This year is no exception. However, my husband and I decided to celebrate a little bit early since previous years taught us that on the day itself, restaurants are packed with people so even the “best” restaurants out there experience a decline in the quality of service. Not to mention that my husband is flying over to Bristol during the weekend to attend a wedding (we are not tagging along). Since we decided to celebrate on a weekday after work, we decided to make a dinner reservation at a nice, cozy restaurant located near our apartment: Ely Bar and Brasserie.
I have been here a number of times before and I find it really elegant and classy. The restaurant interior is an underground wine cellar and you can find the huge variety of wine bottles on display. On that day, it was a particularly warm day so I decided to buy a glass of Cava for my drink. My husband bought a pint of Guinness (so Irish, LOL!) instead.
Cold Cava at Ely Bar and Brasserie
Most of the diners are from the working class and it is common to see them dropping by this place after work. So it feels “off” to wear something too casual. But despite the seemingly formal vibe, they are baby-friendly. Bought my son there when he was just two months old and I never felt any prejudice from the staff. The staff were really friendly and even if there was no pasta dish written on their kid’s menu, they obliged to my request if my son can have tomato spaghetti and if we can have it at the same time as our appetizers.
To start my meal, I ordered a salad with Burrata. Burrata is an Italian soft cheese that I first tasted when we were in Milan. My Italian friends told me that it is a stage “lower” than Buffalo Mozzarella so I guess I can call it the pre-Buffalo Mozzarella cheese? The salad was slightly drizzled with balsamic vinegar and there were crushed nuts for texture. Really yummy dish to start the meal!
Burrata (is hiding underneath) at Ely Bar and Brasserie
We finished our appetizers – I guess being parents, we got used to eating FAST, LOL! The staff was taking our plates away but my son was still working his way on the spaghetti so I requested to leave the plate behind. And they did without issues. It took only about 20 minutes and our mains arrived. I ordered duck breast and I guess this is a little bit of a let-down for me. When I was ordering, the staff informed me that it will be cooked medium so I expected the meat to be bright pink when I cut through it – it wasn’t. Even if the light was dim, I can see that the breast was cooked almost well-done. My husband asked me whether I will send it back to the kitchen but I didn’t fuss about it since the meat was tender anyway. I guess my husband got used to me sending back meat when it wasn’t cooked to my preference, hehe!
My not-so-medium duck breast at Ely Bar and Brasserie
Even if I wasn’t too happy with my mains, I still craved for dessert (and staff were really polite and accommodating even if started getting busier). For dessert, I ordered a pistachio frangipane and it was delish!
Pistachio Frangipane at Ely Bar and Brasserie
Overall, I still love Ely Bar and Brasserie and would look forward coming back. I will reserve my visits here during special occasions, though since the price is a little bit steep.
Ely Bar and Brasserie
CHQ Building ISFC, Georges Dock, Dublin 1, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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@cessy08 It is a good idea to celebrate the event on a day other than event day itself. I know how it is having to stand in a que awaiting one's turn to get a table.
The starters themselves would have filled you up. They look very appetizing and so too the main menu.
Oh, definitely! We used to celebrate Father's day on the day itself (when I was still in my home country) and it is always a nightmare! It doesn't matter whether you're dining in a mid-range or expensive restaurant - everything is just filled up! So the only way to get guaranteed seats is to be there before mealtime to avoid the surge.
I think one of the oldest wine bar in Ireland and most of the visitors go there and enjoy eveninga nd nights there.
ely bar & brasserie, in Dublin’s Docklands, is Ireland’s oldest wine venue located within beautifully restored wine vaults.
The original 1821 cellars, now with 2 fully licensed bars and a heated waterside terrace, have been transformed to become the architecturally stunning venue it is today.
Whether it’s dinner for 2 or 200, or drinks and bar bites with friends, ely bar & brasserie offers one of the most unique and atmospheric dining experiences in Ireland.
I love Ely, especially the original one and the one they had in GCQ. However, this one left me a little bit short. For starters, it's decor is a little less inviting and very cold. The drinks were grand, the lack of marshmallows in hot chocolate a little disappointing but doable. What surprised me were the prices for 2 dishes we ordered- the nuts for €3.50 (wasn't by choice