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Café Mao Chatham Row

This popular and well located Asian fusion restaurant has simple colourful décor, including some trademark oversized Andy Warhol style portraits which were reinstalled after a major refurbishment.

The menu was slightly expanded to include more vegetarian options as well as a few light salads; however the established favourites such as the chilli squid, Nasi Goreng, and the Thai green curry (vegetable or chicken) are as good as ever. Soups change regularly and, with their garlic and lemongrass naan, provide a filling snack.

There is a good selection of genuine Asian beers (any of which complement the generally non-region specific cuisine), and an excellent English cider, as well as a number of cocktails and smoothies, and a small selection of wines by the glass.

As fashionable and convivial as ever, Café Mao provides great value and very quick service and, while the specific dishes may not be completely true to the region's traditional cuisine, the flavours and use of ingredients certainly represents the potential of Asian food in general.

Also at: Dundrum Town Centre and at The Pavilion in Dun Laoghaire.

Seats 110; fully wheelchair accessible; children welcome; air conditioning. Open Mon-Tue, 12- 10pm; Wed-Sat, 12–11pm; Sunday 1.30-9pm. Menu á la carte. House wine from about €18; Asian beers from about €4.50. SC discretionary. MasterCard, Visa, Laser.

Directions:

City centre - just off Grafton Street at the Stephen's Green end.