Dylan McGrath is packing in 350 punters a day at Fade Street Social. Caroline Byrne finally managed to get a table.
Dylan McGrath is one of Ireland’s great chefs. He attracts attention and controversy in equal measure, his ego and imagination are boundless. Thanks to these qualities, he’s been able to reinvent himself many times and his latest incarnation – a restaurant cum gastropub cum tapas bar cum je ne sais quoi – is possibly the best so far. The restaurant, if you can get into it, rewards with unctuously buttery and fat loaded wonders, such as braised rabbit legs with white wine, smoked bacon and tarragon – tender meat pulling easily from the bone – or grilled pork chop with rosemary served with your choice of colcannon (a smooth un-colcannon-like substance not for dieters) or terrifically oozy truffle-scented mushroom spaghetti with lashings of Parmesan.
On the board you’ll see various cuts of special breed beef, such as sirloin or rib of Irish Dexter, for sharing or single portions. Most meat here sees ‘sous vide’ at some point but the steaks are cooked to perfection. Or you may go for any of the generously topped flat breads, baked on site in the custom built stone oven, and these are lighter on the pocket and the waistline. The bar offers an array of tempting tapas: charred skate wings with lardo, bacon and cabbage burger with balsamic pork belly in a soft milk bun.
The list of special cocktails intrigues, the wine menu offers a good range of choices, the list of indigenous and international craft beers is impressive. At Fade Street Social McGrath proves he knows how to break it down when it comes to food and drink, and he’s definitely one of our best. (Dylan McGrath. Fade St, D2. Ph: 01 604 0066; E: info@fadestreetsocial.com; web: www.fadestreetsocial.com. Accepts cards. Open dinner from 5-10pm Mon-Sun, lunch Fri-Sat – opening hours to increase)
