A final Dublin culinary feast

One of the restaurants which we had been wanting to visit since we have moved to Dublin was the restaurant was Patrick Guilbaud. We finally were able to experience this place last evening. On a last whim, I called to see if there were reservations and we were able to get in for a Saturday evening.

After an unexpected day of packers at the house all day, having an evening out was a nice respite from the insanity.  we started the evening with drinks at the newly refurbished Shelborne Hotel which was closed for a couple years for a total redo. The No. 27 Bar is a lovely cozy and elegant place and quite busy, which we were lucky to get to stools strategically placed for people watching. 

The Shelborne No. 27 Bar

After an hour of cocktails and conversation we headed to the Merrion Hotel which houses the restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, only about a block away.  We were the first seated in the dining room, although we had the opportunity to have a cocktail in their antechamber - we passed since "we" had been drinking already for the past hour.  :)

The dining room has been recently redone and we had a nice table against the wall looking out toward the dining room and the courtyard.  For an upscale place, they had an extensive menu and Reeves choose the West Cork King Scallop -
Roast King Scallops, Light Garlic Emulsion, Parsley Cubes, Pine Kernels, Xeres Reduction and I chose the Lobster Ravioli - Clogher Head Lobster coated in a Coconut Scented Lobster Cream,  Handmade Free Range Egg Pasta, Toasted Almonds, Arbequina Oliva Virgen Extra Flavoured with "Kari" paired with a delicious glass of Pinot Blanc "Vieilles Vignes" (Meyer Fonnë) 2005. All was divine with a wonderfully delicate yet complex series of flavours. 

For Reeves entree he had Black Sole - Butter Roast Troncôn of Black Sole, Ratte Potato, Leek and Hazelnut, Xeres and Cockles Jus and I had the Wicklow Venison - Venison Fillet in Spiced Mulled Wine, Apple Polenta, Crisp Muesli, Balsamic and Cacao Grue Reduction.  I have to say my venison was perfectly prepared - rare but not raw and warm all the way through, which is difficult without overcooking.  I also had another great glass of wine with my entree - Chateau Clarke Bordeaux 2001.  I hope I can find both of these wines again as they were the perfect parings. 

We finished off with a vanilla Creme Brule and Red Wine Figs - Roast Figs with Red Wined Fromage Blanc, Star Anis, Almond Praline. I quite enjoyed mine but by this time we were both so full we both left about half our desert. 

It was a great evening and the service was top notch, what you would expect from a two star Michelin, but don't always get - a very memorable experience all around.