This weekend is the perfect time to visit these new(ish) kids on the block. These are the recent openings you need to know about – and book now …
Parrilla, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
As if Ranelagh isn’t already brimming with excellent restaurants, the team behind Mak D6 has only gone and opened a Mexican grill slap-bang on the main Ranelagh thoroughfare. For me, the dream meal would be the crab tostada followed by the fish taco and the pork birra ribs with sides of charred corn and crispy potatoes. Or the black sole ‘a la talla’. Or maybe the carne asada. There is a lot to love about Parrilla’s menu and with an expansive margarita menu in partnership with Casamigos (from the George Clooney and Randy Gerber school of fame), this place is one to watch. @parrilla_ranelagh
One Ballsbridge, New Pembroke Street North, Dublin 4
Could third time be the charm at One Ballsbridge? New proprietor Oliver Dunne is confident that it will be with his new venture on Shelbourne Road. Previously home to Dylan McGrath’s Shelbourne Social, followed by Richard Corrigan’s doomed Park Café, One Ballsbridge officially opens next Wednesday September 25 with a soft launch (meaning 50 per cent off food) running until Sunday October 6. The menu is a mixed bag with starter dishes (priced between €9 – €13) such as salt and pepper broccolini fritto and burnt leek and Wicklow cheddar croquettes. Main courses (priced between €16 – €75) run the gamut from fresh pasta on the cheaper end of the scale to wagyu beef for the high flyers. Sides are all €6 and desserts are €9. The brunch menu also reads well – our top pick would be the baírín breac french toast with macerated plum, mascarpone, whey caramel and wild mint. @oneballsbridge
Foxy Lounge, Brookvale Road, Dublin 4
There isn’t a food lover in Dublin who hasn’t heard about the social media debacle that stemmed from a recent review of Foxy Lounge. A reviewer reviewing? What’s next! Whichever side you fall on, one thing is for sure, Foxy Lounge is here for all your “Venus desire pearl” needs (aka white pearl snail caviar). It’s unapologetically bold and brash and it won’t be for everyone, but if you happen to have €105 to spend on a whole lobster with pasta, you know where to go. www.foxylounge.ie
Little Washer, Glasnevin Hill, Dublin
It’s been a while since Elaine Murphy opened a new spot to add to her empire, but this summer changed that. Not content with running The Winding Stair, The Legal Eagle, The Woollen Mills and The Washerwoman, the unstoppable Ms Murphy has recently added Little Washer to her portfolio in the same locale as The Washerwoman. It’s a dinky-looking joint with a menu that is impossible to have an issue with. Go at lunchtime for the meatball sub or the chicken cacciatore on focaccia, stay for the creamed chickpeas with peperonata and crostini or the pizza with cime di rapa (turnip tops) with N’duja and salted ricotta. And of course there is tiramisu and vin santo. www.thewasherwoman.ie
Poulet Bonne Femme, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin
There is a certain madcap genius about doing one simple thing, but doing it well and let’s be honest, who doesn’t like the convenience of a rotisserie chicken. Although the duo behind Poulet Bonne Femme have expanded their offering to include roasted pork and honey roast ham, for me, it’s all about the chicken. Previously available in Blackrock and most Avoca stores, PBF recently opened a new stand-alone shop in Dun Laoghaire. The lunch boxes offer excellent value and there is nothing easier on a lazy Sunday afternoon than picking up a meal deal complete with slow reared free range chicken, salads, stuffing and roasted potatoes for an easy peasy roast chicken dinner. Winner winner … www.pouletbonnefemme.com