What restaurant is Dundalk really missing??

ibh

Just read the 'Sushi in Dundalk' thread and i was thinking, what type of restaurants is Dundalk crying out for??

My answer would be; Mexican, Thai and Japanese, in that order.

There was a great Lebanese restaurant for a while in town, but i moved away for a while and when i came back it was gone. Obviously Dundalk's large Jewish community didn't really take to it...

I would be interested in what people think we lack. I personally think a lot of the restaurants in Dundalk are pretty overrated, but of course thats just opinion..

Caveat

ibh wrote: »

I personally think a lot of the restaurants in Dundalk are pretty overrated, but of course thats just opinion..

Agreed. I think the Punjab is a great Indian restaurant - but Indian obviously does not suit all dining experiences.

I think No. 32 is good - but overrated. Have been unimpressed with every other establishment. Haven't tried Rosso.

What type of restaurant does Dundalk need? Any good one will do me.

bettedavis

a wine bar with a full tapas menu . . . . Heaven! anyone want to go halvers on a lease!!! i like the punjab but i realised i only actually go there specifically for the dips and poppadoms. the mains are standard and it really bugs me that the stand and watch you eat. also last time i ordered king prawn (had it b4 and was fine) but this time it was tiny shrimp as opposed to anything near 'king' i sent it back and there was almost a row, the manager came down to insist they were king. i picked one up and said that is not a king prawn. he says ' oh they get smaller when they're cooked' i changed it for the chicken but it ruined the meal and it really annoyed me that he challenged me on it when everone at my table agreed they were little more than shrimp. Rant over!

Rein-in

I'd love to see a good Mexican Restaurant in Dundalk, but something tells me it wouldn't survive too long.

Wine-bar with tapas menu? Sounds good to me!!

ibh

Yea I go to the Punjab at times, but i still wouldn't call it a good Indian Restaurant. Just qualifies as being decent imo.

Brothers ex-girlfriend was Mexican and i told her to get over here and open a restaurant. She didn't because she can't cook.

Just back from Sydney on hols and after dining out in Newtown a few times, it makes me wonder why good Thai restaurants cant open here. All we get here is bland 'chinese' food.

Caveat

I dunno...thought The Punjab was better than any Indians I've had in England anyway. I honestly think it's very good. Ah well.

Thai I would live to see, Mexican less so - I quite like the food ok but I just think it's a bit of a joke culinary wise - I mean, are there really any more than 3 or 4 dishes with endless minor variations?

On Chinese, a good Chinese can be nice but they're as rare as hen's teeth. The Jade garden is a particular insult. I don't know how they are in business - snobbery of the patrons probably, based on their higher prices.

That Italian off Park Street is a joke too. Packet pasta, cheap ingredients and child-like imagination. I'd sooner go to the Roma.

event

a good thai restaurant would be great

Waitsian

event wrote: »

a good thai restaurant would be great

Agreed - Thai. Isn't there a place on Earl St. that does Tapas?

Mr Magnolia

Great thread!

I would love to see a tapas restaurant coming into Dundalk. A good Thai restaurant would be superb too. Maybe a Sushi or Sashimi bar while I'm at it.

I must say I agree with Caveat, I think the Punjab is a great restaurant, as good as some of the best Indians I've eaten in anyway. Great Service too.

I'm also a fan of Rosso. I don't know if it's all due to it being a great restaurant or that the choice for good food in the town is so bad.

I've tried Number 32 on several occasions and have given up on them at this stage. They have good ideas and nice dishes but the execution is poor.

ibh

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

Great thread!

I would love to see a tapas restaurant coming into Dundalk. A good Thai restaurant would be superb too. Maybe a Sushi or Sashimi bar while I'm at it.

I must say I agree with Caveat, I think the Punjab is a great restaurant, as good as some of the best Indians I've eaten in anyway. Great Service too.

I'm also a fan of Rosso. I don't know if it's all due to it being a great restaurant or that the choice for good food in the town is so bad.

I've tried Number 32 on several occasions and have given up on them at this stage. They have good ideas and nice dishes but the execution is poor.

I haven't actually been to Rosso yet. I was there when it was Cube(Think thats what it was called??). Will have to try it sometime soon. Totally agree on No32. I have been there numerous times over the past few years and i have never left it satisfied, even though lots of people tell me how great it is.

I haven't seen any Tapas place in Earl St but i could be wrong. Not in the strip club, is it???;)

Dundalk Daily

We are def missing a casual dining place. I dont mean a Roma or McDonalds but something like Blue Print Pizza in Newry, kind of New York style casual restaurant. Or like an Amercian Deli type place that is open all hours, you can pop in at 7am for a coffee or breakfast or 10 at night for a coffee and sambo.

bettedavis

Dundalk Daily wrote: »

We are def missing a casual dining place. I dont mean a Roma or McDonalds but something like Blue Print Pizza in Newry, kind of New York style casual restaurant. Or like an Amercian Deli type place that is open all hours, you can pop in at 7am for a coffee or breakfast or 10 at night for a coffee and sambo.

yeah i agree totally, lor those places in america where you can just get a slice of pizza, you don't have to buy the whole thing.

In addition to that ,How do you rate the take aways in Dundalk?

Mullens- always good Quality but a bit miserable with their portions, a friend of mine delivers for them and apparently there’s a sign beside the till that reads ‘a bag of chips is a bag of chips not a
Bag and a scoop’!
Roma; Great chips, rest of menu is good clean food but not exceptional and yer one is a bit sour, not
Ignorant or rude, just not very friendly.
Cheungs;cheap and cheerful, never fabulous, sometimes alright and sometimes awful.
Sunhouse; the best spring rolls in town by far, curry is good and well portioned but they don’t have
Any seafood at all which is odd.
Curry house; Good but very dear in my opinion.
Jade take away; always nice but the portions are miserable for the price.
Europa; the poor mans roma, only go in here when I’m too drunk to care what I’m eating.
Friar tucks; never been
Youngs; never been
Isle de france; is that still there, it used to do good chick burgers and he’d throw a few chips in for nothing.
Burger king /mc donalds/kfc; I always think of that Michael Douglas movie, downfall. Why does the end product never look like the picture!
Any comments???

event

anyone eat in teh place opposite the taxi rank?

had a cup of tea in it one day, its an itialian place, sorta does salami and cheeses and all that, looks ok.

small enough inside though

ibh

event wrote: »

anyone eat in teh place opposite the taxi rank?

had a cup of tea in it one day, its an itialian place, sorta does salami and cheeses and all that, looks ok.

small enough inside though

Never seen it before. Might do for lunch on saturday...

Mr Magnolia

éno.

I've been in it. Decent enough, good service and a caring owner imo; all the right ingredients.

sudzs

Me too! Had lunch there once and it was lovely!

Though a bit of a limited menu if you're not a meat eater.... But nice cheese... good bread... proper olive oil... mmmmm



Would love a tapas bar! And a Middle Eastern place too.

indiewindy

bettedavis wrote: »

yeah i agree totally, lor those places in america where you can just get a slice of pizza, you don't have to buy the whole thing.

In addition to that ,How do you rate the take aways in Dundalk?

Mullens- always good Quality but a bit miserable with their portions, a friend of mine delivers for them and apparently there’s a sign beside the till that reads ‘a bag of chips is a bag of chips not a
Bag and a scoop’!
Roma; Great chips, rest of menu is good clean food but not exceptional and yer one is a bit sour, not
Ignorant or rude, just not very friendly.
Cheungs;cheap and cheerful, never fabulous, sometimes alright and sometimes awful.
Sunhouse; the best spring rolls in town by far, curry is good and well portioned but they don’t have
Any seafood at all which is odd.
Curry house; Good but very dear in my opinion.
Jade take away; always nice but the portions are miserable for the price.
Europa; the poor mans roma, only go in here when I’m too drunk to care what I’m eating.
Friar tucks; never been
Youngs; never been
Isle de france; is that still there, it used to do good chick burgers and he’d throw a few chips in for nothing.
Burger king /mc donalds/kfc; I always think of that Michael Douglas movie, downfall. Why does the end product never look like the picture!
Any comments???

Agree with you about the europa, cant eat their food sober:)
Mullens never lets you down , love their Mexican chips,
Tonys Grill, great food, not so great service but the portions are so big.
Isle de France still there, Used to love going to Maloccas in the ramparts too.

TommyT

Definitely would like to see a Tapas Bar/Restaurant or even a Thai. I think the choices for food are quite limited in the town. Too many places are over rated. I like Villa Toscana, though the menu is a bit limited, but the food is usually good. The Punjab is ok, though most Indian food tastes the same to me.

Mr Magnolia

I've been in Villa Toscana twice. The first time it blew me away, I was very surprised! The second time I went back and brought a party of friends; it was a bit of a disaster. I haven't been back since. I may give them another chance soon though.

@ ibh: try the cube.

ibh

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

I've been in Villa Toscana twice. The first time it blew me away, I was very surprised! The second time I went back and brought a party of friends; it was a bit of a disaster. I haven't been back since. I may give them another chance soon though.

@ ibh: try the cube.

Yea i'll have to get there soon, saw a piece in D'Argus about it this week..

Happened to be in Villa Toscana on Sat and it was pretty good. Do agree with TommyT though, the menu is a little limited. But the SeaBass is excellent, so can't go wrong with it.

Think i'm heading out to some place in Carlingford soon, can't remember the name but it's supposed to be good.

Mr Magnolia

Magee's or The Ghan house maybe?

TommyT

ibh wrote: »

Think i'm heading out to some place in Carlingford soon, can't remember the name but it's supposed to be good.

Capitano Corelli`s in Carlingford is very good. Good menu, great food, wine a bit over-priced, but an all round good place to eat.

Waitsian

ibh wrote: »

I haven't actually been to Rosso yet. I was there when it was Cube(Think thats what it was called??). Will have to try it sometime soon. Totally agree on No32. I have been there numerous times over the past few years and i have never left it satisfied, even though lots of people tell me how great it is.

I haven't seen any Tapas place in Earl St but i could be wrong. Not in the strip club, is it???;)

no not the strip club; never in it, never will be....no I think it was the place besides Emerald Sports? They had a write-up in the Argus a while back and it mentioned Tapas....I think, could be wrong...

ibh

mod9maple wrote: »

no not the strip club; never in it, never will be....no I think it was the place besides Emerald Sports? They had a write-up in the Argus a while back and it mentioned Tapas....I think, could be wrong...

Coffee shop below Amber is it??? Can't think whats beside Emerald Sports.

I have to go to that place across from the rank that has been mentioned here a few times. Pizza cafe sorta thing...
Heading to Belfast for the weekend so i'll have to go to 'Deane's' which is a class restaurant and not too bad on price..

ibh

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

Magee's or The Ghan house maybe?

The Ghan house apparently. Supposed to be really good food there altough the guy that told me that would actually eat anything....

MDTyKe

There's a pretty decent Thai in Newry - Bamboo. Alittle pricey though I thought.

Now, also in Newry, if you're after a good chinese in the day time - go to the Golden.. something or other. It's just off the main shopping street (Hill St) opposite the Newry Reporter office, up the stairs beside the Tall Man pub. A good choice of starters, main course, tea/coffee or ice cream (3 course) + free prawn crackers for 5 pounds!! Some of the best chinese food I've had.

Mr Magnolia

mod9maple wrote: »

no not the strip club; never in it, never will be....no I think it was the place besides Emerald Sports? They had a write-up in the Argus a while back and it mentioned Tapas....I think, could be wrong...

It used to be vertigo, it's under new management now. Can't remember the new name. I also didn't know they done tapas, I'll have to check it out.

ibh wrote: »

The Ghan house apparently. Supposed to be really good food there altough the guy that told me that would actually eat anything....

It is supposed to be very good alright. The Ghan House and Rosso's both got a mention in the 100 best restaurants in Ireland iirc

http://www.ghanhouse.com

indiewindy

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

It used to be vertigo, it's under new management now. Can't remember the new name. I also didn't know they done tapas, I'll have to check it out.



Its called riva brasserie now

They have a website, but it doesnt show too much
http://www.rivabrasserie.ie/index.html

bogman44

TommyT wrote: »

Capitano Corelli`s in Carlingford is very good. Good menu, great food, wine a bit over-priced, but an all round good place to eat.

But no longer there. Now it's the Bay Tree restaurant. New owners.

Food and atmosphere in Magee's is great. Service is pretty bad though. Long gaps between courses. I've been overcharged a few times. Staff are nice but they're very casual.

Ghan House is great for an occasion ie birthday, anniversary. You can hire out a room.

flynnser19

ive tried rosso and i love it!!!it really is beautiful and ive ate in gorgeous restaurants all over the world and i still love coming bak to rosso for a meal.

no32 was gorgeous but i felt like they were looking down on me because im only 20 and i look about 15 like lolol dont like the snobbery in it.

as for other restaurants in town theyre all a bit greasy and not great aka jade gardens, good for a take away or a quick meal.

i think dundalk needs a sushi/ japenese, mexican and ic ant think of any other type of restaurants but it needs some more up market restaurants such as rosso to give it some competition.

Mr Magnolia

For all of you subscribed to this thread that said 'Tapas'.