Bruno's

Eustace Street, Dublin 2
www.brunosdublin.com

Suzanne told me she was on her way into town, and so get ready to leave work. Well, I’ve heard that tune played before. I had enough time to walk into town from the office, buy books and cufflinks on the way, discover newly-opened restaurants in Parliament Street and newly-unveiled buildings up by Dublin Castle, and walk down to Temple Bar – and she still wasn’t there. When she did arrive, she seemed unusually flustered, and told me she had been pestered by two east European gypsy kids at the bank machine. Now, the worst that had happened was that she was so flummoxed she withdrew €20 from her account and put €100 credit on her phone instead of the other way around, but she was evidently not at ease. Don’t want to say “I told you so”, Suzanne, but maybe now you’ll agree with my theories that the small proportion of immigrants who contribute nothing to the economy except some gaudy new headscarves and an increase in begging statistics really have no business being welcomed here by the hippies and communists and bleeding-heart social workers that seem to drive opinion in the Irish media these days. But as I said I don’t want to say it, I won’t. Ahem.

The best move was to get to the nearest establishment, sit down and enjoy ourselves. As luck would have it, we were standing outside Bruno’s. To be honest, it wasn’t luck: I had engineered that spot on Eustace Street and Temple Bar for a reason. You couldn’t count the number of times I’ve passed by Bruno’s and thought: Hmm, must try there sometime. Then went on my way. Well, tonight was to be the night that thought turned to deed and that the good intentions of myriad passings-by would pave the road to culinary hell or heaven. We went inside.

The dining room at Bruno’s is attractive: it feels like one of those large Georgian drawing rooms that have now been turned into recruitment agency office receptions on Baggot Street or Ely Place. The colours are one hue shy of primary, and the spring light flowed through the large windows as it waned for the day. On the way in, we checked some information: two postings outside gave contradictory information as to the early-bird menu. For future reference – it does last until 19:00, rather than just 18:00. Perhaps it was this confusion that led to the restaurant being empty apart from us and one other table at 18:10.

Bruno’s cuisine is billed as French: yet I managed to have a completely Croatian meal, washed down with a Swedish drink. Suzanne’s choices were American and Irish, with Australian wine. The rest of the menu seemed to consist of Italian staples. Strange.

While we waited for our starters to be brought by our extremely pleasant waitress - who was later replaced or aided by another of no lesser gentility - we enjoyed some wine and a Kopparberg’s pear cider (remembering the taste of the recent foray into Swedish fruity stuff at Porterhouse). Suzanne’s buffalo wings arrived – about eight or nine of them, large enough, with some side celery and a blue cheese dip. They looked nice, but I was determined to remain clear of them and avoid getting filthy too early in the night (there’s a first time for everything, so). Instead I went Adriatic, and took reception of some börek, presented as three triangular filo pastry envelopes of feta cheese, potato and onion, and delivered with that orange chilli jam that seems to be ubiquitous in Dublin these days whenever you order anything with prawns or pastry. The börek were just fine, and while not a huge portion like the chicken wings, it was adequate.

On to the main courses: Suzanne had chargrilled chicken breast with a side salad, and an accompanying mushroom sauce. Suzanne found the chicken a bit pedestrian, but the sauce was a whole different story. I tried some, and pronounced it nice enough, but perhaps it has a different effect on women: I thought we were going to have to call the police to restrain Suzanne as she finished that sauce and scraped the sides of the bowl. Needless to say, the accompanying eyes and gestures and murmurings made passers-by think we were filming the sequel to When Harry Met Sally. I noticed later that many other female diners had chosen that chicken dish too: maybe they had all wanted what she was having.

The reaction to my risotto was slightly more prosaic on Suzanne’s part (what do you mean, you don’t like risotto?!?), yet no less ecstatic on mine. Although I did manage to keep the Swedish influence to the drink, rather than porno dubbing the meal in appreciation. The dish was a healthy-sized bowl of starch-bound rice, coloured with tomato and lightly spiced, generously shot through with little shrimps and topped with an enormous tiger prawn. Being one of my own specialities when cooking, risotto is something I am always eager to try when other people make it. This sample did not disappoint: perhaps a little less rich than out in Zagreb or Rijeka, and certainly without the white wine included as standard out there, but delicious nonetheless. As a shared side dish, we ordered some garlic potatoes: baby versions, in a pool of garlic butter, tasting delicious, and something else to team with that mushroom sauce that knows no limit.

We finished our meal with a cappuccino for Suzanne (I have decided to stop telling Irish people you don't drink this after midday, seeing as it doesn't seem to get through. Ever.), and a peppermint tea for me (legacy from too many dinners with Nabil, I think).

I had just experienced another great meal with Suzie’s sparkling humour, but now for the best bit – the almost unbelievable bit: we got these two-course menus, with tea and coffee, for just €14.95 each. This is almost unheard of in Dublin in 2007. Bravo Bruno’s! This is a good little restaurant, and although smack-bang in the centre of touristville, it deserves good, repeat Irish custom. As we were leaving, the restaurant was heaving with diners, including one large group along the back wall where the staff had pulled several smaller tables to make a party-sized area. Bravo ancora! We’ll be back.

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The Damage (EUR)
Early Bird Menus

• 29.90 (*2)
• Buffalo Wings with Celery and Blue-Cheese Dip
  
• Börek with Sweet Chilli Sauce
  

• Chargrilled Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce and Side Salad
• Spicy Tomato Risotto with Tiger Prawns and Shrimps

Sides

• 3.90 Garlic Potatoes

Drinks

• 4.95 Glass Australian House Red
• 5.00 Bottle Kopparberg's Pear Cider

• 1 Cappuccino (included in EB menu)
  
• 1 Peppermint Tea (included in EB menu)
  

Service 7.00
Total 50.75
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The Score
3.5 Food and Drink
3.5 Service
4.0 Décor
3.0 Ambience
4.5 Value
3.5 Overall Rating