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The Port House

* NO RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED *

This recent Dublin venture by the team who created The Porterhouse (Parliament Street and other branches), bears all their hallmark attention to detail - the wine bottles on high shelves, warm brick walls, remains of an old fireplace, flagged floors and simple mismatched modern furniture make this basement wine bar highly atmospheric, especially when seen in candlelight.

But, although that's a great start, there's more to this little place than atmosphere and they deliver well on the food side too, bringing a taste of Spain to South William Street. Menus offer a couple of dozen tapas size items (think 'small starter'), divided into hot and cold 'pinchos'; order a few to share and see how it goes, depending on whether you're just having a drink and a nibble or want the equivalent of a light meal.

There are some tempting items on offer, some more familiar than others: nibbles like toasted almonds with paprika, less usual offerings such as foie gras or mini sirloin steaks, and regional Spanish cheeses and tasty renditions of many of the well known tapas classics like calamares rabas (squid in batter), tostas de setas (mushrooms with garlic butter), tortilla (Spanish omelette) and patatas bravas (deep fried potato cubes with tomato sauce).

Cooking is good and it's fun. There are some value wines, and also some interesting Basque bottled beers too (the ale and lager are perhaps better than the stout).

* NO RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED *

Seats 100 (private room, 6, outdoors, 6); no reservations accepted; not suitable for children under 10 yrs; air conditioning; Tapas served daily, all day 11-1am (Sun to 11pm); house wine from €3.50 per glass. Closed 25-26 Dec. MasterCard, Visa, Laser.

Directions:

A few doors up from the corner of Exchequer St and South William Street