One of the the Dunne and Crescenzi group of restaurants, this attractively located two-storey restaurant is named after Stefano Crescenzi's grandmother and enjoys a pleasant outlook over the Grand Canal.
This Dublin restaurants stylishly simple rooms with hardwood flooring and white clothed tables are given a sense of occasion by neat chandeliers, gold picture frames and smart chair covers but, although this is at the fine dining end of the restaurants in the group, the main emphasis is on immaculately sourced ingredients, great service and the buzz created by rooms full of happy diners.
Concise menus in Italian and English may include authentic versions of old favourites like bruschetta, buffalo mozzarella or breseola.
Specialities include delicious home-made pastas, deeply-flavoured sauces, and a short choice of main courses including a perfectly cooked organic fillet steak, poultry and game - all beef, pork, lamb and chicken is supplied by the renowned organic butcher Downey's.
And sweet-toothed diners would do well to leave a little room for delicious home-made desserts - Valentina's tiramisu' with Vinsanto sets a new standard for the Italian trifle, for example.
All this plus excellent coffee, a short, carefully selected wine list, great service and very fair prices.
Seats 60 (private room, 20). Will open for L for large private bookings otherwise D only Tue-Sat 6.30-8pm; set D €30; Sun 12-8pm; Sun L €22.50; also á la carte; House wine about €18. SC 10% on groups 5+. Children welcome (high chair); air conditioning. Closed Mon, 25 Dec. Amex, MasterCard, Visa, Laser
