Sunday Independent, 8 July 2007
Restaurants are like buses — they come in threes. One week I’m wondering where to go because nothing new has popped up, and the next week I’m trying to decide between three or four vying for my attention! This particular week, the choice was between Ranelagh, Ballsbridge or Bray, Co Wicklow, all of which saw the opening of new places to eat.
Bray was always a great destination for Dublin people on a day out — indeed, not just the day out: in the old days, they went there on the holidays, all 12 or so miles from the city centre! This was before the cheap holiday packages to Spain came along. The seafront used be lined with guesthouses, and people would stroll along the promenade eating cockles and winkles. However, despite the cockles and winkles, Bray could never have been described as a foodie’s delight, apart from the now departed Tree of Idleness, which did good Greek Cypriot food. Once that was closed, the selection was pretty well down to run-of-the-mill Chinese, Indian, Italian or fast-food joints. So to the new babe on the scene, Shelby’s Brasserie.
Located upstairs in a revamped building on the main street, Shelby’s is owned by Michelle and Bert Egan, who also have the Courtyard in Donnybrook, so the omens seemed good. There is an open-tread staircase, which I always find a bit dizzying, but once up we were in a smart area with a wide atrium effect opened up through the second floor, from which hangs a very big crystal chandelier. There is comfortable long banquette seating along one wall — to which I headed like a homing pigeon — despite efforts to direct me to a single table for two.
Ten starters, ranging from €6.50 to €10.50, included fresh crab claws, black pudding and poached egg salad with pancetta, confit of duck and ham terrine, pear and apple compote, roast butternut squash, and blue cheese salad. Just as we were about to order, I spotted a two-course-plus-coffee Early Bird at €18 — and I remembered having heard people enthuse about the Early Bird at the Courtyard. Technically, we were a bit late, as it was after the 7pm deadline, but the lady in charge, who turned out to be Michelle Egan, said, “It’s our first week, so we’ll have to be nice to people.” It proved cracking value. Lightly crisped rings of deep-fried calamari to start were on a bed of dressed mixed leaves served with an aromatic coriander aioli — very pleasant. The same can be said of a generous warm rondelle of goat’s cheese on similar leaves, but with peppers, a sprig of thyme, and a nice sweet honey-and pine-nut dressing.
A la carte mains are €15.95-€24.95, including popular stalwarts — steaks, tuna, risotto, monkfish, Barbary duck et al. From the Early Bird selection, a slowroasted belly of pork with a Calvados jus was sizeable, beautifully tender and really quite delicious. Likewise again for my succulent, falling-off-the-bone braised lamb shank on delicious creamy scallion champ with a Dalkey mustard sauce. Smashing vegetables included Savoy cabbage and green beans, plus a big dish of pomme parmentier-style potatoes — deep-fried cubes. Shelby’s is not Michelin-star stuff, nor I imagine does it aim to be. It provides well executed, contemporary, popular food at affordable prices.
We shared a nice mixed summer-berry brulee (€6.50) with chocolate chip biscuit and ripe sweet strawberries. With a bottle of 35 South Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (€24) and 10 per cent service charge, our bill was €73.15. They also do Sunday lunch from 1-8pm at €23 plus service.
We made a quick exit in case they changed their minds about the price.
Lucinda O’Sullivan
Sunday Independent
|
"It proved
cracking value"
"Really quite
delicious"
"Beautifully
tender"
"We made
a quick exit
in case
they changed
their minds
about the price"
|
