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Spoilt for choice with portions to match
20 March 2011 By Ross Golden-Bannon

Moloughney’s

9 Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3

01-8330002,

www.moloughneys.ie

Chef: Liam Moloughney

Things are looking good when you struggle to choose something on a menu. 

Too often, menus are a reflection of market research rather than of the passion that’s inside a kitchen.

But just like politicians, chefs are supposed to lead, not follow, unless they’re just interested in a quick buck.

Moloughney’s on Vernon Avenue in Clontarf looks like an ordinary suburban home from the outside, but soon reveals itself as a clever conversion with exposed redbrick, high walls, a glass-box entrance and a view right down to the bar at the back.

The staff are enthusiastic and seem trained within a certain competence, quite rightly seeking clarification from the chef on any gaps in their knowledge - the last thing you want from a server is bluff.

Still, he struggle to pronounce pappardelle was a little worrying.

We ordered a cosmopolitan and a mojito to start (€8 each) and although both were superb, the service was a bit shaky and my cosmo was served in a chipped glass, which I noticed only as I drained it.

My foodie mate and I chose strategically, though it did mean skipping Moloughney’s hot smoked salmon from their own smokery served with potato cake, beetroot tzatziki and pickled red onion (€9.50).

I went for a salad of roasted red and golden beetroot with fennel and St Tola goat’s cheese, with candied nuts and a yogurt dill dressing (€8.50).

These are humble enough ingredients, and seasonal too, but each was treated as a precious jewel, with the paper-thin slices of rich red beetroot contrasting with the lightly-pickled fennel and earthy sweet nuts.

Like a whimsical, romantic meander through an Irish garden, simple doesn’t get much more sophisticated than this.

I lost the battle for the Slaney Valley lamb’s kidneys sautéed with flat cap mushrooms and Marsala mustard cream on toasted brioche (€9.50). If the salad was whimsical and light, this was a foot-soldier of masculine energy, but the big flavours did not mask the lightness of touch and texture which is so important in giving attention-seekers a soft foil.

We had a bottle of Geil Riesling Trocken 2009, Rheinhessen, Germany (€27); the crispy apple notes were magic with my salad, and not too far a stretch for the other dishes.

My companion had the fish special of hake with a creamy, smoky bacon sauce, peas and pea shoot garnish (€21.50). 

Again, the chef had dressed a beautiful piece of fish with style, instead of gilding the lily.

For me, it was O’Doherty’s rare breed free range rack of pork with buttered Savoy cabbage and potato, served with a clever combination of West Cork black pudding and apple gratin along with a generous slurp of Llewellyn’s cider sauce (€23.50).

This was an agricultural portion of food, and I’m not convinced that the restaurant’s profit margins or their customer’s waistlines will be able to support it for long.

Half this amount of deliciousness would have done me, and in fact I took half of it home and had it as a posh packed lunch the next day.

For dessert the gooey meringues with winter berries and cream (€6.50)were a big winner, even after the other large portions.

The chocolate pot with orange segments and cream (€6.50) sat a little incongruously with the other items though, with a rather small pool of chocolate in a modern-looking glass with a cream swirl on top and a delicately balanced (and delectably flavoured) biscuit on top.

A bit frou-frou and modern for the look of everything else, but delicious nonetheless.

We were quite surprised when the bill came in at €131 for three courses, a bottle of wine and two cocktails (indeed lunch too, if you count my pork takeaway). 

Maybe it’s not a mid-week bargain, but it’s certainly a Friday night treat that’s well worth the outlay - and they’re supporting Irish suppliers too. Just don’t forget your doggy bag.

Watching the pennies

Starter: celeriac and apple soup with hazelnut cream, and homemade breads €6

Main course: home-made gnocchi with Boilie cheese, confit tomatoes, roasted peppers, spinach and courgettes €16

Dessert: orange marmalade steamed pudding with homemade Seville orange marmalade and pouring cream €6.50

Wine: Garganea Pinot Grigio, Albioni, Italy 2009 €19 Dinner for two: €76

Breaking the bank

Starter: steamed cockles and mussels with garlic, coriander and chilli €9.50

Main course: pure breed Irish Hereford steak, 10oz fillet with hand cut chips, be'arnaise sauce or mash and red wine with onion €29.90

Dessert: cheese board with homemade biscuits, toasted sourdough, fruit and chutney €9.50

Wine: Haut de Poujeaux, Bordeaux 2009 €39

Total: €136.80

Tomás Clancy rates the wine list

Moloughney’s has a quirky, delicious and well-priced set of wines. There are nine house wines ranging from the crunchy, pear-like delights of Rhone white, Cuvee Orelie, Ardeche 2009 at €19 for a bottle or €5 for a glass, to €22 for Domaine Peiriere Pinot Noir 2009.

There are ten wines by the glass including €6.50 for a glass of Ca’ Masetti Prosecco Frizzante Italy NV which runs to €23 a bottle, an excellent restaurant price. There are 47 wines all together, including the dazzling sweet wine, Chaˆteau Court-Les-Muts, Saussignac 2007 at €27. 

A good value quality white wine pick would be the lean but perky Chaˆteau Peyruchet, Sauvignon, Bordeaux 2009 at €25 and, on the red side, the soft and spicy Domaine Martin, Plan de Dieu, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2008 at €29. 

A tidy, elegant list with pitch perfect prices. 

Rating: ***