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South Bar and Restaurant

Building on the success of their hugely popular Town Bar and Grill, Ronan Ryan and Temple Garner have brought their brand of smart, contemporary dining to the suburbs. This time they're serving classic bistro fare in a dining room so slick you'll forget you've just driven through an industrial estate to get here.

Externally the green copper cladding and curving glass hint at the visual treat indoors: a dramatic sweeping staircase, huge slabs of bespoke terrazzo flooring, a cascade of silver pendant lights and a giant glass wall that floods the basement with natural light.

While the ground floor dining room is spacious and handsome, it's the versatile basement room that's most atmospheric and unique. For Sunday lunch, request a table at the foot of the stairs where you can watch generations of families and smart young couples arrive and depart; by night cosy-up in a banquette across the room, where you'll enjoy moody lighting and views of the chic horseshoe-shaped cocktail bar.

Comfy seats, large tables, fresh buds and crisp linen make it a sophisticated but relaxed affair. Menus featuring modern classics, simply cooked and attractively presented, have wide appeal. Favourites like beer battered fish, Caprese salad, pork belly or the house burger, use the choicest ingredients and, as you'd expect, everything, from the bread to the tartar sauce and ice cream, is home-made. Portions are filling but sensible, allowing room for the excellent desserts, should you wish.

Given the quality of the cooking, food here is good value. Choose from the interesting selection of house wines (the house champagne is especially affordable) and you'll keep your bill agreeably low. South's staff are friendly, obliging and efficient, making dining here a very pleasant experience.

A pianist plays for Sunday lunch, and there's live music on offer Thursday to Saturday nights too, lending extra buzz to this impressive, atmospheric new restaurant.

Toilets wheelchair accessible; Children welcome (high chair childrens menu, baby changing facilities). Seats 200 (private dining 55), free parking (40 cars), live music (jazz Fri/Sat night, modern piano Sun L). Open 7 days; food served 12-11pm (to 10pm Sun). L 12-4 daily, D 6-11 daily (to 10pm Sun). Early D €29.95, Sun-Thur, 5.45-7pm; set 3 course D €49.95. SC 10% on groups 5+. Closed Good Fri, 25 Dec. Amex, Diners, MasterCard, Visa, Laser. Directions: N11 Stillorgan dual carriageway South, right at Newtownpark Avenue junction. At roundabout take 3rd exit, left

Directions:

N11 Stillorgan dual carriageway South, right at Newtownpark Avenue junction. At roundabout take 3rd exit, left at T junction.