From a solid team that benefits from the food and beverage expertise of sommelier Harshal Shah together with father and daughter duo Matthew and Alexandra Farrell of Diep fame, Dorian is a wine bar and bistro with distinctly fun-fuelled clubby vibes in the heart of Dublin 4. The sharing-friendly menu ranges from small bites through to large plates, all conceived to complement an exciting and lovingly curated drinks offering that marries bar manager Matheus Bonora’s mixology skills and house-made syrups with restaurant manager Harshal Shah’s impressive wine pedigree. (A trained sommelier, Shah was previously with acclaimed fine wine merchant Pembroke Wines.)
As befits its wine bar billing, Dorian carries over twenty wines by the glass, including some solid takes on classic styles, top notch champagne and lesser spotted fortified choices alongside left-field stars of the low-intervention scene. This is as much a bar to decamp to for a glass of wine or bubbles, paired perhaps with a few Jumbo Tempura Shrimp and gochujang Marie Rose sauce from the small plates offering, as it is a neighbourhood joint for a casual feast of striploin with Café de Paris butter and a bottle of your favourite gutsy red in your favourite booth.
It’s an interesting space, located in the former premises of the much-loved Roy Fox greengrocer’s, which has been stripped back to its exposed brick walls, and infused with atmospheric inspiration from the indulgent eras of Victorian Britain, the Roaring ‘20s and Prohibition Speakeasies. Downstairs is dominated by an open kitchen, cosy bar perches and high-top tables, while a light-drenched upper level pops with moss greens and teal blues and bold prints against warm brick.
Head chef Ettion Pitts has crafted a menu with the enthusiasm of a generous flavour-loving cook rather than fancy-pants chef, mashing up gastronomic influences from his own Franco-Irish heritage, broader Mediterranean food cultures and more than a touch of 1990’s fun-loving Dublin (hello swordfish with pepperonata!). He sources top-quality ingredients and knows better than to get too clever with them: think proper Cantabrian anchovies for the gildas, pristine Kilkeel crab meat with carpaccio of kohlrabi and pickled cucumber, or sustainably produced poultry for the chicken liver parfait. Whether you’re grazing the small plates or going all in for the full feed, don’t miss the excellent croquetas, which might feature ham hock with sauce gribiche, or duck confit with Calamansi vinegar and mandarin zest. The cheese offering showcases some of France’s finest, the dessert choice is short but smart (such as an inspired riff on Eton Mess, featuring Tanqueray-soaked blackberries, Crème de Mure, mint and lemon) and tempting teas are sourced from Dublin-based Wall & Keogh.
Dorian is a fun addition to Donnybrook’s evolving casual dining options and a confident new player on Dublin’s new-wave wine bar scene. Its motto of ‘Pleasure is the only thing to live for, nothing ages like happiness’ is an invitation to indulge a little, or perhaps a lot – it’s your call.
