Dublin is certainly a famous city when it comes to its alcoholic tipples, but the food can be superb too. Forget about stereotypes of Irish food as being bland and dull; these bear no resemblance to reality in a country that produces everything from fine meats to superb artisan farmhouse cheeses with unique flavours.
The Irish capital has some wonderful restaurants that offer ample proof of the quality of the country’s produce. But for a really special place to eat in a hotel, look no further than the Marker Hotel and its brasserie. Situated by the Grand Canal – the heartland of Dublin’s fine dining scene – the brasserie is ideally located next to the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, which makes it a great place to enjoy a pre-show meal. The food is based around the best of Irish culinary traditions, which involve one central, exceptionally tasty element acting as the centrepiece and the other ingredients complementing it.
In this brasserie, the central ingredients are truly special. There is rare breed pork, prime dry-aged beef, or other fine ingredients with deep roots in Irish culinary traditions. Yet while things are kept simple in concept, the quality is exceptional and there remains enough variety for food lovers to always find something different, including new concepts such as Le Drunch, the late Sunday lunch menu. There is one little problem, of course: so good is the menu, so varied the dishes, so mouth-watering the ingredients, that diners will be utterly spoilt for choice. The temptation will be to order the whole menu, as if eating it all were possible!
Of course, those staying for a few days in Dublin can keep coming back – and those who do will enjoy the same great welcome each time, not to mention the stunning interior of the brasserie, with its abstract ceiling and grey marble alongside modern, minimalist furniture. The ambience is great and the food is fabulous. And that is why guests will not be able to get enough of the Marker’s brasserie.
