The thoughts of braving the massive crowds that were to descend on Dublin city during the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations made me cringe. So, instead, I decided to watch the much anticipated Skyfest fireworks display from a safe distance. I suggested to my English friend Tom, to take a trip to Jonnie Fox’s for dinner and a view, but a table was not available until after 8pm. Instead, I booked an early table in a much acclaimed restaurant that I have heard great things about.

Dali’s in Blackrock have 2 sittings, and our table was available from 6.15-8.00. A quick drink in The Missing Swan around the corner took the edge off out hunger. We were greeted and seated by the courteous host to a table for 2. All the furniture gleams as does the wooden floor, and the high backed chairs boast comfy padded seats. I’d say the restaurant seats around 50, but I would not like to dine here when it is full to capacity. There is a lovely waiting area which resembles a living area beside the window and coffee bar on the opposite side of the room. There were about 12 other people dining at the same time as us, although it filled up gradually. Four waiting staff ensured the service was very attentive.

The large white napkins are folded and secured with ‘Dali’s’ embossed paper ties. The tables are laid with good heavy contemporary cutlery and very small sweet glass vases and flowers. A basket of breads and a jug of water were brought over. There was a poppy seed topped bread and a cinnamon, nut and raisin bread that was so good we asked for more. So good in fact that Tom, who was famished, ate too much of it and could not finish his dinner! A nice selection of starters are around £6-7 mark, and include soup of the day (carrot, coriander and orange), pan fried prawns, tian of crab, walnut and spring onion, and foie gras, avocado and melba toast. I choose the salmon fish cakes with chive beurre blanc. Tom had the mozzarella and plum tomato salad with olives and olive oil. The driver had a coke while I enjoyed a glass of the house French red.

There is a good selection of wines but I didn’t study it for too long as I was not up for drinking too much on my own. The starters were prettily presented. Tom declared the cheese to be very fresh and it came with good olive oil. Two fishcakes were stacked on my plate with the chive beurre in a ramekin on the side as requested, as well as a pot of their own famous lemon aioli! They took a while to eat as they were very thick, made with good salmon, and were quite moist. I don’t usually eat butter but the chive beurre was delicious and did nothing but improve the taste. I would have liked some lemon though.

Mains range from £12.50 for the pasta of the day to £18.95 for the catch of the day. Other choices included steak, duck, chicken, hake, lamb and pork, all wonderfully described with interesting variations. My vegetable stack with goat’s cheese and pesto came amidst some kind of weedy leave and was a great success. The pesto was divine and the cheese just right, not too heavy. Not a huge portion but I discovered the underlying potato cake which proved too much to finish. Especially having tasted Tom’s pasta, gnocchi with wild mushrooms, creamed spinach and Parmesan. The gnocchi was almost melt-in-the-mouth. Personally I think it should have a bit more bite, but the sauce was seriously tasty! I even used my remaining bread to mop some up. The waiter served the Parmesan on the pasta. I think condiments should be left on the table for the customer throughout that course of the meal. There should be enough to serve the whole room without running around searching for pepper mills and what not.

A look through the dessert menu left me spoilt for choice, all at around £4.50, so I took one look a my neighbour’s ‘assiette de maison’ for £5.25 and ordered that while Tom settled on a cappuccino. The assiette consisted of a tiny slice of the lemon tart, chocolate and banana pudding, rich chocolate truffle cake and another chocolate mousse type cake. A scoop of inspiring cappuccino ice-cream in the middle bonded the lot. All very nice, but literally just a sample of what was on offer. Quite enough all the same. The waiter promptly dropped the bill down at 8.10pm and seemed to reclaim his table, so we paid the modest £50 and jumped up to leave. Everybody waved us off merrily and I left very very full for a digestif in Johnnie Fox’s before relaxing amidst a great crowd on Killiney Hill to watch the 20 minute light display, bopping along to our very own Johnny Moy! Dali’s is well worth a visit!