Alan O'Reilly's Morels restaurant, in Glasthule, has been one of the most dynamic successes in the restaurant scene in recent years. Its slick, fun concept and terrific value, in addition to John Dunne's terrific cooking, create an unstoppable formula.
After four years, however, O'Reilly obviously felt that the concept needed a new lick of paint, so as well as smartening up one of the nicest dining rooms in the city, he has also extended the restaurant. It now seats 150 people, making it one of the biggest dining rooms in the country, and plans are afoot for Morels to also supply the food for the Eagle House pub itself, which is below the restaurant.
John Dunne's new menus show the same wise simplicity which has always distinguished his work: warm peppered smoked salmon with new potatoes, chive hollandaise; angel hair pasta with spiced chicken, garlic and coriander aioli; rib-eye of beef with glazed shallots, sauce bearnaise; prawn risotto with saffron and fennel; pistachio nut creme brulee. Lip-smacking stuff.
Morels of Glasthule, Co Dublin, tel: 01- 2300210; morels@indigo.ie