A contemporary space that has brought new life to the Dublin 8 neighbourhood of Leonard’s Corner, Bastible’s proprietor Barry Fitzgerald is a chef with serious form (as head chef at London’s Harwood Arms and Dublin’s Etto). Since opening Bastible in 2015, Barry and his partner Claremarie Thomas have built an enviable reputation for both Bastible and sister restaurant Clanbrassil House (also at Leonard’s Corner – see separate entry), displaying a keen eye for spotting and fostering exceptional young talent.
From the outside, the space is understated, with just the name and street number stencilled against the slate grey wall framing the large window and buzzing dining room within. Inside, this small one-roomer restaurant eschews frills, relying on a cool palette of slate grey napkins, forest green walls, polished concrete floors and blonde wood tables and bar to offset the drama of cooking and eating. Seating includes bar-side stools that book up more slowly online than the traditional tables but offer great views of the open kitchen, where a tight team of intensely focused young chefs gather, tweezers at the ready, to turn out some exceptionally skilful and imaginative food.
Barry has always excelled at extracting big flavours from humble but meticulously sourced ingredients, sometimes with premium ingredients used in clever supporting roles, or perhaps re-imagining humble ingredients.
A well-balanced list of European wines offers a mix of reliable classics and interesting left field choices. A decent selection of wines by the glass allows you to curate your own pairings with the tasting menu, while aperitivo such as Negroni and several sweet choices offer stylish ways to begin or end the meal.
That much of the food is served to the table by the young chefs themselves makes the experience especially endearing, and gives diners a chance to chat directly about where this team have gathered inspiration and ingredients. A special spot that feels like an intimate workshop for distilling an Irish cuisine of the future.
