Occupying the long, tall dining room best known to Dubliners as the home of Eden (and latterly its offshoot Nede), The Meeting House opened without much fanfare late last year. It was obviously saving its energy for the party it was throwing inside.
This is a brash, loud place to eat. They’ve completely revamped the cool, laidback décor of Eden days. Now it’s very dark, the polished concrete has been painted red and black, with lots of dramatic artwork and a DJ is ensconced in the middle of the action.
There’s a bar upstairs – a Google party is in full swing on the night we visit – and there are lots of people partying in the smoking area outside. The food is a mishmash of Burmese, Japanese and southeast Asian cuisine. It’s served in large tapas-style portions. We’re told two or three per person will be ample. They’re €9.99 each, or there are offers for three (€27), four (€35) or six (€49).
There’s lots to choose from – the vegetable tempura is excellent: wafer-thin batter, with asparagus, beetroot, tender-stem broccoli and a citrusy ponzu dressing. A prawn curry is mild, with lots of vegetables; Yellow fin sashimi tacos are served in hard-shelled tacos, and while the tuna isn’t actually sashimi, it’s good and the tamarind dressing was tasty.
A crab salad is the only dud. It’s poorly seasoned, with strips of mango that added nothing but a slimy, watery finish. Best are the Burmese pork ribs, which disintegrate off the bone in a rich, sticky sriracha sauce – some of the best ribs any of us has tasted in Dublin. Sides include brown rice and some heavily soyed wok-fried greens. This isn’t a spot for a quiet tete-a-tete – but for a group looking for a party atmosphere with some tasty plates and cocktails (try the lychee and lemongrass sour) it’s a good bet.