Marrying Scandi-themed cocktails and Asian-influenced bites, Soder & Ko offers a quirky eating experience for a young, fun-loving crowd in a venue that morphs from casual eatery to high-octane party house.
This is the kind of place you might drop into to share a platter of crispy duck pancakes or some steamed buns and dim sum, and end up staying for a long, late night - especially if you get cosy in the heated courtyard tucked away at the back of the building, with its own personal cocktail bar on hand.
Inside, the vast multi-levelled space is something of a labyrinth and a noisy one at that, once the party kicks off at weekends. The more intimate dining area however has been cleverly corralled up towards the front of the building, where a classic brasserie look (think leather banquettes, bare wooden tables and booths separated by dark wood and frosted glass panelling) has been given a contemporary twist with some by-now-ubiquitous subway tiling and a mix of modern naked bulbs and bling-tastic chandeliers for lighting.
Culinary Director Kwangi Chan was formerly head chef in the Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore, Co Waterford. His pedigree shows in the ambition of the menu, which reads really well and is full of intriguing ingredients, flavour combinations and textural contrasts. Presentation is visually striking, thanks to funky crockery as well as an idiosyncratic style that plays with colour as well as form on the plate.
Although some dishes are more successful than others, and consistency can be a challenge, an emphasis on small plates and platters designed to be shared delivers enough of the menu's promise to allow you to find your own favourites. Ours included the soft shell crab with hot sauce and a salad of pickled beetroot with miso mayo and aged mirin as well as sides of broccoli tempura with oyster sauce, chilli and black vinegar, plus an unmissably good kimchee.
The cocktails list is well worth exploration, with lots of house originals as well as well-delivered classics. Meanwhile a concise wine list offers a decent choice of wines by the glass alongside craft beer and cider options.
