After a prolonged wait, there is one sure-fire way to ensure that your food arrives to the table: head to the ladies room to spend a penny and the moment you’re out of sight it will land, steaming hot, by your abandoned perch.
This rule, I soon discover, does not apply at the beginning of the summer, with the customary exodus of third-level waiting staff to Interrail around Europe or head to Bangkok. It kicks off the training period for schoolboy newbies; smartly attired, polite young chaps who have not yet learned that the key to service is to look left and right rather than parade nervously down the catwalk in the middle.
It is quite funny and charming for a while, hearing parents at the newly opened The Chophouse, in Mulligans pub in Sandymount, Dublin, joke, “Now you get to see him work”. But the lols are well worn, as we finally get our starter, a fish board (€14), a good 45 minutes after we’ve ordered it.
Kevin and Jillian Arundel have taken over the lease of this much-loved village pub, and are trying out a number of options on the menu to see what flies with the locals. John Fitzpatrick, the manager, offered good advice when we ordered, suggesting the chicken wings as well as the fish board for a starter would be too much food. As we gaze down at the black slate of fresh crab, hake tempura, squid and smoked salmon, we are glad we took it.
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It’s a sizeable quenelle of crab, nice, but not quite hitting that just-off-the-boat benchmark. The tempura of hake on a lemon sauce is very good, piping hot, fresh tasting and crispy on the outside. The calamari is also notably impressive, criss-crossed, curled and battered, it is tender yet crispy on the outside, served on top of a sweep of lime sauce. Smoked salmon is also on the plate, something I feel is a bit of a filler, but it’s popular, and is yet another thing to nibble on this very generous plate.
It all goes nicely with our bottle of Mas la Chevalière (€35), a Languedoc Chardonnay from a list that has plenty more serviceable if predictable options by the glass. If you’re in more of a pub mood, there are fine creamy pints being landed around the room.
It’s fish and chips (€19) for main course, hake yet again. It seems to be the fish of the evening as it also features pan-fried as a special. Which is absolutely fine, I much prefer to see this than the inclusion of farmed sea bass to make a menu look more varied. It’s a gorgeous piece of hake, glistening white, served with a tartare sauce that could be a bit more assertive, and hand-cut, twice-cooked chips that taste of good quality potatoes, which are served on the side in a little bucket.
The Chophouse burger (€19.50), which also comes with chips, is in a brioche bun. It’s a good tasting burger, really meaty, topped with crispy bacon and Brie cheese which has dissipated somewhat; cheddar would be better for that drip of molten cheese that I so love. The very spicy thousand island dressing adds a nice zing.
The dessert options are quite limited, so we go for the cheesecake (€8.50) which comes in a reverse cheesecake style in a glass jar, the crumble sitting on top of the cheesecake filling and lemon curd on the bottom, topped with a small bit of very icy lemon sorbet. It is pleasant enough, but a bit pricey for what it is.
Compared with the Chophouse Beggar’s Bush location, the menu in Sandymount is simpler pub-grub fare, with only a few dishes (a prawn starter, and rib-eye steak and fish and chips mains) in common. It would seem that pub food is the thing to eat here – the free-range chicken wings are flying out of the kitchen. Essentially it is a relaxed space for families and friends to get together, celebrate birthdays and catch up. It does all of this very well. In no time at all, I’m sure the bright-eyed waiters will be up to speed, bringing great service as well as their charming manners.
Dinner for two with a bottle of wine was €87.50.
The verdict: The fish plate is going to be a big hit.
Music: Music barely audible over pub chatter; Fleetwood Mac, Abba and the likes.
Food provenance: Fish and smoked salmon from Egan’s Ocean Fresh; meat from Sysco; free-range chicken and bacon from Jack McCarthy’s of Kanturk.
Vegetarian options: Quinoa salad and gnocchi dish, which can be ordered both as a starter or main, the salad is the only vegan option.
Wheelchair access: Accessible with accessible toilet.
