Monkstown is hardly short on great places to eat, but this county Dublin restaurants owned by chef Temple Garner (San Lorenzo’s) and front of house maestro Conor Kavanagh (The Old Spot) - and it's raising the gastro-game in Monkstown's restaurant strip another notch.
Located in the former Seapoint space, the room has been radically revamped by design firm O’Donnell O’Neill and the result manages to channel elegant French bistro without resorting to pastiche.To reach the restaurant’s front door you walk through a very pretty cobblestone courtyard, complete with twinkling festoon lighting, leafy potted plants and attractive outdoor seating. Then it’s into the warm, chocolate-toned dining room, where a mosaic-tiled floor, starched linen-clad tables and button-back banquette seating set the continental, cosseting mood.
In front of you is the bar, lined with tan leather-topped bar stools and a gleaming array of tempting bottles. Like Kavanagh, the bar manager, Graham Teeling, has come over from The Old Spot so you can expect proper cocktails here. You certainly won’t be disappointed with either the Basilic Acide (Dingle Irish gin, Cointreau, lemon, basil and egg white) served in a glam coupe or The Lumiere (Dingle Irish gin, lime, Chartreuse and elderflower liqueur) – two fresh and zesty appetite-whetters to set you up for the menu ahead.
If you’re moving on to wine, you’ll find an interesting list that is not surprisingly predominantly French but with a small and well-chosen selection of non-French and new world wines too. Plus a selection of 11 reds and whites by the glass and no less than nine different sparkling bottles to choose from (starting at a very reasonable €39).
Food-wise, you’ll find plenty of familiar Francophhile favourites such as Bouillabaisse, Duck à l’Orange and stellar steak frites – but all given a Temple twist. You’ll find the frites upgraded to Cáis na Tíre cheese fries and the (Skeaghanore) duck showing off with candied endive and star anise infused duck fat roasties on the side. Fish fans will be happy too, with decadent Coquille St-Jacques offering up gratinated Kilkeel scallops in the half shell, with chaudrée of brown shrimp and smoked haddock. Yum. Alongside a more delicate yet still delicious dish of wild Brittany seabass, with calamari and roast cauliflower.
To follow, desserts hit all the bistro high notes with highlights including an authentic tarte tatin in all its flaky, buttery, tart sticky apple glory, a dark chocolate tart, elegant crème brulée and a fully loaded cheese board bien sur.
All this coupled with really impressive warm and knowledgable service makes Bresson an excellent spot – and the denizens of Monkstown very lucky indeed.
