Square Restaurant

Conor Halpenny has many strings to his bow as a chef, not least the fact that he is a previous winner of the Eurotoques young chef of the year award, and has worked with great talents like Ross Lewis and Robbie Krawczyk. But, people, what you need to know about this dynamic young cook is this: he cooks and serves his own cheese and onion crisps! See? There is a God. Imagine having the nerve to make cheese and onion crisps, and to do it just up the road from Tayto Park. Respect! That’s not all Mr Halpenny cooks, of course. His riffs on modern classics such as roasted beets with goat’s curd, or buttermilk chicken with romesco, or roast cauliflower with chickpeas, are utterly assured and winning, and Square is offering the sort of food and value that Dundalk has been in need of. Lovely wines, nice straight-ahead room.