We were on our way to Leo Burdock's to try what is tauted to be the best fish and chips in Dublin, but discovered it was just for takeout. Luckily we had passed the Bull and Castle on the same block, so we doubled back and discovered "gastro pub" dining. The restaurant is located across the street from Christ Church Cathedral, so it's easy to find.
Dark and moody describes the pub as well as the Guinness that flowed freely, but the flavors were brighter. The smoked salmon plate (8.2 euros) was "brilliant" as the British would say and well worth the price even with a flagging dollar. It was served with traditional "brown bread" and a small salad.
Speaking of salads, the one in the photograph above was called a Cesar (5.5 euros), but bore no resemblance to what we know as a Cesar salad, except for the croutons. It was dressed with a ranch style dressing and included carrots and ham (bacon on the menu). The fish and chips were over battered, over fried, and over priced (14.25 euros) providing a disappointing entree, although they still tasted good after a long day of discovering Dublin.
On the other hand, the Beef & Guinness Pie was the clear winner, even at 12.5 euros. covered in a phyllo crust the beef stew beneath was rich and satisfying with none of the characteristic bitterness of Guinness. The chive mashed potatoes were delicious mixed with the abundant gravy of the pie.
The Bailey's Panna Cotta was a nice Irish twist on an old Italian favorite and I'd order it again, even though the taste of Bailey's Irish Cream did not predominate as I hoped it would. Criticism aside, I would go to this restaurant again as it had a nice broad range of offerings that were traditionally Irish.
5 - 7 Lord Edward Street
Christchurch Dublin 2
Tel: +353 (0)1 475 1122
Fax: +353 (0)1 478 0663
e-mail: info@bullandcastle.ie
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