When celebrated chef Dylan McGrath opened Rustic Stone in 2010, it was a far cry from the starry cuisine and plush surroundings of his famous first restaurant, Mint. Rustic Stone set out to be a more affordable, more accessible concept with a great city centre location - and, hitting the right note with a health-conscious and often cash-strapped public, it has stayed the course well.
This buzzy corner Dublin restaurants tricked out over several floors in a mix of wooden surfaces, atmospheric lighting and smart chairs - and the stylish Bonsai Bar not only provides extra seating at this busy venue, but also serves up genuinely creative Japanese-inspired cocktails.
Long recognised as one of Ireland’s leading chefs, Dylan may have left fine dining behind but his exceptional talents and classical training are still put to very good use, to create a broad menu of tasty, affordable food with particular influences from Japan (along with Spain and South Africa) and an emphasis on healthy eating.
The main menu starts off with a choice of bites and snacks, including raw and seared dishes, all zinging with exceptional flavour and freshness and making a tapas style meal an attractive option.
The name Rustic Stone alludes to the slabs of hot volcanic stone that allow guests to cook their meat or fish themselves in-room if they wish - now a popular experience but a novel concept when Rustic Stone first opened. Choose from several cuts of beef, each selected from a specific highly regarded supplier - John Stone, Gilligans Farm, Peter Hannan, Kingsbury Irish Wagyu (Antrim) - typically brushed with aka miso and sesame. Tuna can also be cooked on the stone, while other signature dishes include tempura and fried dishes like Japanese Fried Chicken, and a range of Bao Buns.
The stone cooking is optional, but isn’t tricky to master, and a Robato grill does the honours for some dishes too. Side orders are extra but staff are well trained for helping with recommendations, including the famed chips with truffle mayonnaise and Parmesan, which are luxurious and delicious.
Some creative vegetarian options are offered and the desserts are equally inspired, with Japanese influeces here too, in irresistible treats like White miso sticky toffee pudding with lemon confit ginger ice ream, or Lemon yuzu trifle.
An excellent wine list includes many that can be ordered by the glass or bottle (all with brief tasting notes) and, while there's no shortage of high end bottles for wine buffs and special occasions, there are plenty of affordable choices too. And then there are the speciality drinks, the Japanese-inspired bespoke cocktails (which are reason alone for cocktail-lovers to visit), and the Japanese- and Asian-inspired small plates and snacks offered on late-week evenings at the Bonsai Bar...
All round, Rustic Stone is still refreshingly different and, with its lively atmosphere and charming, well-trained staff, it's a fun spot for a group.
See also: Fade Street Social and Brasserie Sixty6.