We’re sitting outside. It’s two degrees. There are blankets to hand, hot-water bottles tucked around us and across the street at The Space Between some kind of festive celebration is under way – wine flowing, dogs everywhere, although one canine, Alfie, clearly has other ideas. He has just done a lap around the terrace area of Tang in Cumberland Place and is now parked outside the restaurant door, staring longingly at the cosy, industrial-chic interior, where every table is packed, and the window seats are buzzing.
This is Tang’s third outpost, but it is in a league of its own. The Dawson Street and Abbey Street branches are already local favourites for wraps and salads – the lunchtime queues are proof enough – but Cumberland Place, their only dinner location, is an evolution. Set in a purpose-built space, it is ambitious, confident and polished, with a Thursday- and Friday-only dinner service. Keith Coleman, the chef who formerly ran the kitchen in Fia in Rathgar and the Roots Dinners pop-up, joined as executive chef in the summer to consult and introduce new dishes, working alongside head chef Aoibheann Shanahan.
The menu is built for sharing, a sharp mix of snacks, dips, plates and sides that allow grazing without overcommitting – though the temptation to order everything is hard to resist. To do it justice, there are four of us on hand, ready to dive in. Prices range from €4 for the excellent, sesame-studded focaccia which has a deliciously open crumb, to €16 for the lamb kofta. It’s a place where you can indulge without watching the bill spiral out of control.
The wine list is short. There’s spiced mulled wine (€8), although you don’t need to be sitting in arctic conditions to enjoy a glass of it. If you prefer, classic cocktails are a very reasonable €12. Beyond that, it’s down to six wine options, white, red, orange and sparkling, and Whiplash beer. A bottle of Les Oliviers Côtes du Rhône (€35) pairs nicely with our dishes.
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The kuri pumpkin (€9) is warm and sweet, a comforting embrace of maple-dappled dukkah and brown butter, with a delicious nuttiness and earthy crunch. The hummus (€8) is noticeably smooth and brought alive by a sharp, zesty hit of za’atar and a dollop of fiery harissa; while the labneh (€9), tangy and lush, comes swirled with confit garlic and more za’atar – all of it begging to be scooped up with the sesame focaccia.
We move on to the plates. Warm halloumi (€13), salty and yielding, has a tinge of smokiness from its charred edges, sharpened with harissa, yoghurt, onions and sumac. The baby carrots (€12) are a revelation, roasted to bring out every ounce of sweetness, bolstered by chimichurri, labneh, pickles and almonds. The mushroom shawarma (€15) with its meaty depth of flavour is so perfectly suited to the charred treatment that it makes you question why mushrooms aren’t always cooked like this. For a bit of heat and richness it is finished with a slick of tahini and harissa oil. Vegetables rarely get a spotlight this good.
The lamb kofta (€16), four spiced meatballs, come in a Moroccan tomato and apricot sauce. There is sweetness from the fruit, and layers of flavour from cumin, coriander, cinnamon and a gentle tickle of heat, finished with a cascade of crumbled feta, red onions and peppers. Two chicken thighs on the bone (€15) have been rubbed with cumin salt and doused in hot honey so that the skin is crisp and sticky, the meat falling-apart tender. The tzatziki which accompanies it is very good; it’s quite textured and has a nice freshness from the cucumber and garlic. A side dish of roast potatoes (€6), golden and crisp, comes with preserved lemon aioli.
Save room for dessert. The halva brownie (€8) has everything you want in a brownie – crisp-edged, gooey-centred, and infused with the nutty, bittersweet depth of tahini, perfectly matched with sea salt ice cream. The affogato (€6) is equally sublime: a shot of really good espresso poured over creamy ice cream with toasted nuts for texture.
There are many reasons to love dinner at Tang. The food is delicious, the service is charming and the prices are incredibly keen. Dinner for four will set you back what you’d usually pay for two, and the portions are generous enough that you’ll leave full but not regretting dessert. For January, when we’re all pretending to be healthy and watching our wallets, it’s ideal – fresh, vibrant food that feels indulgent without tipping into excess.
Dinner for four with a bottle of wine was €143.
The Verdict: Delicious food and incredible value.
Food provenance: Ring’s Farm free range chicken, Iona Farm, McNally Farm and Ennis Butchers
Vegetarian options: Extensive; most dishes are vegetarian.
Wheelchair access: Fully accessible, with an accessible toilet.
Music: Buena Vista Social Club and Afro-Cuban hits.
