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Brownes

Peter Bark keeps raising the bar at his popular restaurant on Sandymount Green so that it's gone well beyond being a good daytime café and neighbourhood restaurant in the evening these days - the secret is well and truly out and it attracts growing numbers of diners from beyond the area too.

During the day you'll find gourmet sandwiches, (crayfish tails; rare beef, horseradish and rocket) and, by night, simple, classical French-inspired food.

Décor is minimal, with good paintings by local artists and simple bentwood chairs, but the chef here cooks up things like a mean moules marinière (starter or main - nice fat mussels in a wine and cream sauce), and great meats including aged sirloin (crusty on the outside and pink within, served with chunky, crispy 'real' chips) and pan-fried rack of lamb, served on a bed of flageolet beans, with tasty, slightly waxy, continental style new potatoes.

Finish with a well-made traditional dessert (crème brulée, crumble) or excellent home-made ice creams and sorbets.

BYO wine - a small corkage charge is levied "unless you offer us a glass of something nice".

Coffee could be the weak point, so call for the (surprisingly modest) bill and have it at home.

Seats 22; about €32-35 for 3 courses. D 6-10pm.

Directions:

Sandymount green