2 Main Courses + 2 Desserts and Wine for 2 at the Famous Arch Bistro in Churchtown
Only 39 euro
The Arch Bistro is in Churchtown, in Dublin 14. The restaurant is situated over the landmark Glenside lounge, one of the largest thatched pubs in the country. The Arch Bistro is owned and run by Stephen McArdle, who before opening his own restaurant wowed them in Alexis in Dun Laoghaire.
The Arch Bistro is upstairs, and it’s a world away from the traditional bar downstairs. The dining room is a large L shaped space that wraps around the open plan kitchen. The floors are shiny hardwood, and the side wall is a series of big booths with very stylish cushions to keep you propped up in some comfort. There is a dividing wall halfway down, and opposing mirrors give the illusion of a never-ending row of booths. The rest of the room is populated with wooden tables with chairs in red and pink upholstery. One of the walls is covered in feature wallpaper and the rest are a silvery blue. It’s all very contemporary and elegant.
The menu is varied and features Modern Irish cooking, with some French influences. The menu is divided into starters, soups, mains and desserts. Starters include ham hock and black pudding on Puy lentils, crab and salmon fishcakes, Foie gras and chicken liver parfait or the soups on offer were French Onion and leek and potato.
Main courses featured a Cote de Beouf for two, Irish wild game casserole, mushroom risotto with truffle oil, fish and chips and pan roast cod. We were picking from the A la Carte, but there were two set menus on offer that evening as well, an early bird offering three courses, and a set menu which runs all night, with a different selection of dishes.
In the end we settled on the fish cakes followed by the Game casserole for Abigail, while I chose the French onion soup followed by the Venison steak. First of all we had some good homemade breads, and our drinks order of sparkling water and Coke arrived. When the starters arrived we knew a good night was in store; the French onion soup was soupy, and oniony, with a good stock, lovely thick bread with cheese on top. Abigail’s fish cakes were perfectly crispy, filled with delicate flavours and tasted of fish, rather that potato or onion, which is normally a good thing in a fish cake I think.
The main courses were even better. Abigail’s game casserole was delicious, huge depths of flavour, with creamy mash, caramelised vegetables and red wine jus. It came on a little casserole pot, and we toyed with the idea of taking it home at the end, but honesty and the heat of it prevailed on our better natures.
My venison steak was served sliced atop creamy parsnip puree, with confit carrots and game reduction. The meat was tender and full of flavour, and both of the dishes were seasonally perfect for an autumnal menu.
We couldn’t manage dessert, and finished with tea and coffee. The Arch Bistro is a perfect neighbourhood restaurant. The food is exceptionally good, with interesting flavours and combinations, while the atmosphere is casual and the service friendly and informal. This is the type of restaurant you are lucky to find on your doorstep, and the type of restaurant which bodes well for the future of Irish restaurant culture.
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