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Town Bar & Grill

Ronan Ryan and Temple Garner's New York/Italian style restaurant beneath Mitchell's wine merchants is very much 'town'. A delicate hand with the decor - warm floor tiles, gentle lighting and smart but not overly-formal white-clothed tables with promising wine glasses - creates a welcoming tone on arrival in the L-shaped basement, and professional staff are quick to offer the choice of a drink at the bar or menus at your table.

Starters are likely to include a really excellent antipasti plate and dishes rarely seen elsewhere, such as rabbit fricassée, while house versions of classics like Italian sausage amatriacana, with gnocchi or pappardelle, appear among main courses which will also offer several interesting fish dishes and, in season, game such as crown of pheasant. An Irish and Italian cheeseboard is offered and moreish desserts may include classics like Town tiramisu; combinations are sometimes unusual, and flavours are delicious.

Interested, well-informed staff add greatly to the enjoyment of a meal here, and the cooking is generally confident and accurate, set off handsomely by simple presentation on plain white plates. Prices are fair for the high quality of food and service offered, with lunch and pre-theatre menus offering very good value.

There is also - perhaps uniquely in a city centre restaurant of this calibre - a special children's menu, offering healthy low-salt and low-sugar 'real' food such as char-grilled chicken breast bruschetta with buffalo mozzarella & tomato salsa, and home-made fish fingers with oven roasted chips.

Sunday lunch, available as a one-, two- or three-course menu, offers a well-balanced choice that, while more adventurous than the usual Sunday lunch, includes the elements of tradition.

The wine list offers many interesting selections, and some very special bottles, notably from Tuscany and the Napa Valley; a good choice is available by the glass.

*A sister restaurant 'South Bar & Grill' opened at Beacon South Quarter, Sandyford, in summer 2007 (see entry).

Town Bar & Grill : Free Broadband wi/fi; Children welcome. Seats 80. Air conditioning. Open daily: L 12-5.30, D 5.30-11 (to 10 on Sun); set L €26.95; pre-theatre menu €29.95, Mon-Thurs 5.30-7.15; Set 3 course D €55.95, also á la carte. House wine €22.50. Pianist Thu-Sat from 8pm, Jazz on Sun from 8. SC 10% on groups 5+. Closed 25 Dec, Good Fri. Amex, MasterCard, Visa, Laser.

Directions:

Opposite side door of Shelbourne, under Mitchell's wine shop.