The Chameleon

1 Lower Fownes Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
www.chameleonrestaurant.com

For a restaurant with a name like “Chameleon”, it is overwhelmingly to be celebrated that while it blends in seamlessly to a small side street off Temple Bar square, it hasn’t needed to change its colours to fit in with other low-class dross in the area. I was scheduled to go to my first ever Xing meet-up (notwithstanding my network membership of four years’ standing), but it wasn’t due to start until 20:00. With 90 minutes to kill between evensong at St. Patrick’s and the event at the Stag’s Head, and remembering the recent Indonesian Rijsttafel in Amsterdam, I decided to indulge my cravings and head for the Chameleon.

I had only ever been here once before, in 2004. That evening was a candlelit affair, with the environs lending an intimacy that several weeks later, I wished I could get out of, but didn’t know how to. I won’t mention names in order to spare any blushes, recriminations or outbreaks of psychosis. However, at the time it all seemed great, and I repeatedly and incessantly recommended this restaurant for months afterwards to anyone who would listen.

Arriving at approximately 18:30, I could see from the street that the restaurant was fairly full. This standing point is deceptive, however: the Chameleon is indeed tiny on the ground floor, but enjoys a large space upstairs, decorated to resemble an Asian eating house and which is often booked out by large parties. I feared the response that “table for one” might elicit, but was pleased to be offered a two-berth position near the front door. Although later in the evening, collective amnesia seemed to overcome the denizens of Dublin like the pillar of death – and they’d forget to close the door on the their way in, or on their way back out to smoke in the street, while I was left shivering in the evening spring cold of about 8˚.

The early bird menu at Chameleon is simple: no choice. Ya gets what ya sees on da page. First to arrive is a large silver bowl of prawn crackers, with that omnipresent chilli jam that denotes an Asian restaurant in Dublin these days. However, the jam is the only commonplace item here. I am soon presented, simultaneously, with the following four dishes:

Asinan – a salad of Chinese cabbage, cucumber, mango, and a chilli peanut dressing. This was something of which I would gladly have eaten 10 kilos. Light, crunchy, juicy (God! Those mangoes!), and with a great kick from the dressing. Definitely the bets of an astoundingly opulent selection this evening.

Sambal Goreng Kool – peppered white cabbage in a light coconut sauce. The coconut milk and the light peppering provided for a lavish treat for the taste buds.

Rempah Daging – not unlike albondigas that you see at Spanish tapas, these were a couple of deliciously-spicy meatballs in a chilli-highlighted tomato-based sauce. The meatballs fell to pieces when touched with a fork, Perfectly cooked, quickly eaten.

Ayam Bumbu Rudjak – the one I kept till last, and which rewarded me with chicken in a spicy coconut-based curry. With mild undertones of turmeric. Four out of four.

These dishes came with boiled rice – most of which I used to soak up the milky curry sauce (dish #4 above) – and condiments in little silver pots: soy sauce; lightly-pickled cucmber and carrot; sambal chilli paste; and serundeng (coconut flakes with lime leaves and lemongrass). Each contributed in its own way to the meal, producing a unique and specific joy when complemented to each main dish.

I didn’t see anything that stood out on the dessert list when it was passed to me, but I did decide on a peppermint tea (trend emerging here, I think).

I should be Machiavellian here, and tell you this is the worst restaurant ever, and never to darken its doorstep: that way, at least, I would be guaranteed of a seat. But not only would the restaurant close down if everyone believed me, I would be guilty of a great travesty against both the owners of the Chameleon and the diners of Dublin. The truth is that the Chameleon is one of the most lavish gastronomic treats in Dublin, and is astonishingly good value for money. You will also notice the service: the first time I went, in 2004, I was bowled over by the graciousness and hospitality of the waiting staff, and I was similarly rewarded with friendliness and respect this time. Although this was an alcohol-free visit, I can attest to the quality of their wine list also.

I took the restaurant’s business card on the way out. It features the shape of a lizard-like reptile embossed in raised bumps. Just the way your skin will feel once you are tempted to the delights of the Chameleon.

Footnote: “How do you pronounce “Xing”?”. That was the question of the night. I assumed it was “crossing” as seen on roadsigns in California. Everyone else at the Xing event in the Stag’s Head seemed to think it was some form of Chinese as pronounced by the cast of Star Trek. Somebody at HQ in Germany needs to clarify. Vorsprung dürch Technik – yeah, mate, but only if you can say it right.

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The Damage (EUR)
Menus

• 15.00 Early Bird Rijsttafel
  

Drinks

• 2.60 Small bottle of Badoit sparkling water
  
• 2.50 Peppermint Tea
  

Service 2.01 (10% added automatically to bill)
Total 22.11
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The Score
5.0 Food and Drink
4.5 Service
4.5 Décor
4.0 Ambience
5.0 Value
4.5 Overall Rating