This is Ciara McQuillan’s quintessential list of the best restaurants to banish the monday blues …
Mundane Mondays…the weekend is over and we are limping, what feels endlessly, towards the next one. Dining out on a Monday night can be challenging, especially if you happen to be tasked with organising the restaurant with so many venues closed at the beginning of the week. Whatever the reason for a Monday night excursion, be it for work or play, these five restaurants will rid you of those Monday feels with the added bonus of feeding you well too.
The Butcher Grill, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
A succulent steak on a Monday is always a good idea and The Butcher Grill in Ranelagh is a perfect choice for committed carnivores. Notably on Mondays and Tuesdays they offer a sharing portion of côte de boeuf at a bargain price of €58.
There is also much to like about the other dinner options, including their renowned Sunday roast. Alternatively, the plump scallops or halibut with gambas, mussel, ratte potatoes, greens and bouillabaisse sauce could tickle your fancy. As for me it would certainly be enough to tempt me from the hypnotic glare of the television on a Monday.
Instagram @butchergrill
Piglet Wine Bar, Cows Lane, Dublin 2
Piglet Wine bar has garnered something of a reputation for showcasing excellent wines with small (and big) plates to match. The set dinner menu will set you back just €32 for two courses and there is plenty to choose from. The confit duck gizzard with garlic butter may not be for everyone but Francophiles will be happy with its selection of French bistro classics and wine lovers will be happy with, well, everything …
Instagram @pigletwinebar
Market Lane, Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork
From those who brought us the excellent Goldie, The Castle Café and Elbow Lane, the popular Market Lane welcomes guests seven nights a week which is unusual in this climate. The menu should keep even the most alternative of diner’s content with veggie options, dairy free and coeliac menus available. Start with naturally smoked haddock with a crispy hen’s egg and broad bean purée and finish with the orange and vanilla bread and butter pudding with custard and whipped cream. The cocktails are worth checking out too, and yes, especially on a Monday.
Instagram @marketlanecork
Ard Bia at Nimmos, Spanish Arch, Galway
One of Galway’s (and indeed Ireland’s) most enduring restaurants, Ard Bia has been keeping things fresh for many years and its popularity never appears to wane. The food is fresh, seasonal and exciting. Although famous for its brunch, their dinner certainly won’t disappoint. Lemon sole with new potato, pea, chorizo, samphire, salsa verde and beets sounds good enough to eat! The dining room is the perfect cosy space to spend a dreary autumnal Monday evening.
Big Fan Bao, Aungier Street, Dublin 2
If you know, you know. Perhaps not a venue for those who need a space for quiet contemplation, the atmosphere at Big Fan Bao can be supercharged, in the best possible sense. For those who need some added zip in their Monday, along with some of the most talked about food in Dublin, Big Fan is the place to be. The rare featherblade and the Wagyu cheeseburger jiaozi with pickles, cheese, crispy onion and kupie burger sauce should always be ordered. Maybe even twice.
Instagram @bigfanbao
