Bijou in Dublin

08/06/2025: My mother and I, 2 fussy west cork women when it comes to fish, ate here last month to mark a very profound date. The restaurant was quiet when we arrived. Food choice was really strong, and we found it hard to decide from their seasonal menu which celebrated excellent ingredients for top Irish producers. The Fish main was cooked to perfection, delicately treated as it should be and the flavours were immense. We shared a delicious dessert - main part being a freshly made donut! No photos as we dove straight in. We were driving and the non alcoholic wine choices were very pleasant. All in all a very memorable meal, with zero pretentiousness, Dad would have loved it.

07/06/2025: We had dinner for two last night and it's hard to report without gushing. We skipped starters, instead opting to share snacks. The house sourdough was chewy and flavourful and delicious enough we asked for the remains aa a doggy bag. Hake croquettes with kimchi were complex and delicious, without feeling overloaded with cheesy bechamel. Carlingford oysters were fresh and the little burst of heat from fermented chilli was just right. Organic crisps with anchovy, nduja and teriyaki sounded weird but tasted simply right. I had the sole on the bone with clams, chard, runner beans and tiny cubed fried potatoes. The fish was delicate, buttery without greasiness and the seasoning was spot on. I scoffed the lot. She had the pork chop and the taste I got with a caramelised onion puree was intense and savoury and about as far as possible from the sad, dry tastelessness that the words "pork chop" on a menu often herald. We drank a Didion Aligote from Burgundy. Lip smacking, mineral fresh and perfect. Service was just rightfor the location - the guys knew their stuff but weren't pretentious, were friendly and humorous without being overbearing. Without wine, the best value hundred quid I've spent this year. Already thinking about when we can go again.