You had me at hello. That’s exactly how I feel about the recent spate of new restaurant openings. There are the brand new ones, the new concept ones, and the Merrion Row restaurant renaissance that has had so many tongues wagging. Opening a restaurant in this climate (and I don’t mean the weather) is a brave crusade, so it’s heartening to see restaurateurs taking the plunge. It is, I believe, our moral duty to support them when we can.

The New Openers

In leafy Ranelagh, it’s farewell Dillingers, hello Suertudo who promise ‘an elevated Mexican dining experience that goes beyond the familiar. Here, it’s all about bold, vibrant dishes served as small-to-medium plates, no starters, just uncompromising authenticity and bold flavours’. With the recent opening of Parilla on the same stretch, D6 dwellers are now spoiled for choice when it comes to authentic Mexican chow and Margaritas.

For elevated French bistro classics, Forêt on Sussex Terrace comes from the same stable as nearby Forest Avenue and Little Forest in Blackrock while the jury is still out on the much-awaited reopening of The Unicorn on Merrion Row. Reviews so far vary wildly but those who remember the original will be hoping Chef Kristen Burness will make a success of the restaurant.

Elsewhere in the city, the Press Up Group has achieved quite the coup with the recent pivot of Wagamama to newbie Kaldero, a ‘premium Asian eatery’ with three talented chefs at the helm. Richie Castillo of Bahay fame, Daren Liew, a seasoned expert in Cantonese dining with over 25 years of experience and Alfred Prasad, the youngest Indian chef to earn a Michelin star have combined their notable talent to produce a menu that sounds delicious. I, for one am planning a visit for Dynamite Lumpia, long green chillies stuffed with pork mince and smoked scamorza cheese with a sour honey dip.

Finally, in the culinary metropolis that is Stoneybatter, Vada, from Ballymaloe alum Sarah Boland has opened its doors serving an innovative menu of fresh, seasonal dishes, all created with the environment in mind.

The Gossip

In hotel news, there is a new face joining the team at beautiful Ballyfin Demesne where Seamus Crotty has joined the team as Managing Director following the retirement of Jim Reynolds. Seamus was previously General Manager of Sheen Falls Lodge in Co. Kerry before overseeing the acquisition and redevelopment of Castlemartyr Resort in Co. Cork, and Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort in Co. Wicklow so he obviously knows his four-star from his five-star in hotel terms. 

In restaurant news, Robert Colleran Property Consultants have been formally instructed to source a suitable restaurant premises in Dublin or Belfast for Afrikana Kitchen – authentic home-cooked African-inspired food who are expanding their current portfolio of 15-20 UK restaurants. Launching in 2018, the vision was to bring authentic home-cooked African-inspired dishes to the high street and the group appears to be run as a franchise model.

How African-inspired the menu will be remains to be seen with UK branches serving up dishes such as French toast, hummus and fried chicken The African element appears to be limited to token dishes such as jollof rice, rice ‘n’ peas and plantain which is a pity but time will tell if the menu at the proposed Irish branch will be in the same vein. 

Closer to home, The Irish Food Writing Awards took place in November with winners including Gary O’Hanlon and Gareth Mullins for their podcast, “Dishing it Out”. Irish Times Food scooped the award in the Best Irish Food Magazine/Supplement category and Shamin deBrun got the nod in the Beer Writing category. A full list of the winners can be found on The Irish Food Writing Awards website. 

Meanwhile, across the water, or in London to be more precise, Belfast-born Chef Hugh Corcoran has tongues wagging with the recent opening of The Yellow Bittern Restaurant and Bookshop. Love him or hate him, Corcoran is nothing short of a marketing genius with his recent Instagram post slating customers who were spending too little for his liking, causing quite the furore. Many have taken offence to Corcoran’s battle cry that diners “order correctly, drink some wine, and justify your presence in the room that afternoon”. Colour me intrigued.

In other news, the inimitable Jay Rayner is moving on from The Observer after 28 years to join an all-new team equivalent of a power couple at The Financial Times. Jay Rayner ✓, Marina O’Loughlin ✓✓, Tim Hayward ✓✓✓. I predict a soar in FT subscriptions over the coming months, even with the hefty monthly fee.

Pet Peeves

And finally, a plea to restaurateurs out there. I implore you, to please allow diners to choose if and when they salt their food. I understand that a good chef will always season their food to perfection during cooking, but the pompous practice of removing salt and pepper from tables irks me no end. Everyone’s salty disposition is different, and how much or how little salt one adds to their food is an entirely personal matter. Being shamed into asking for salt is not a good look and if I over-salt a dish, I have no one to blame but yours truly.

The Elusive Epicurean: A food loving, wine drinking bon vivant in the sometimes louche world of food writing. Loves to cook, prefers to eat.