A first venture for husband-and-wife team Zsolt Lukács and Edel McMahon-Lukács, Darog ('small oak tree') was warmly welcomed when it opened in late 2023 - not least because it is such a fitting successor to Tartare, the former occupier of this charming Westside venue. They describe is as a labour of love and the TLC is tangible.
Small but perfectly formed, it is bright and warm, with a wall of wines, simple tables and bottle green, maroon and blue paint giving it a delightful French feel. Most diners will book a table, but walk-ins are welcome too and some seats are always kept free for anyone just popping in for a glass of wine and a bite at the bar.
With twelve years at Jp McMahon's renowned Aniar Restaurant just across the road under his belt, Zsolt is the wine guru, while Edel has an especially keen interest in local produce and a background in art and design that can be seen in both the decor and their Gallery wall of local artwork. So, together with talented head chef Attila Galambos (Hungarian by birth and also a veteran of Aniar, amongst other exceptional kitchens), they make an impressive team - and the vibrant ambience of this little place reflects their collective creativity.
While it may not be obvious to guests (who are far more likely to notice only the sheer deliciousness of every bite or sip), sustainability is at the core of what they do here and the details given on the website are inspiring. Sustainability informs everything from the everyday running of the business to the drinks lists (including carefully sourced local beers), and of course the food producers - most of whom are very local and highlighted on a wide-ranging supplier list, that is well worth checking out.
So, naturally enough, the menu - which is not over-long and divided into snacks, hot and cold starter size dishes and bigger ones like mains - celebrates seasonal and locally-sourced dishes, and there's a particular focus on some gorgeous cheese and charcuterie boards that are perfect for nibbling with wine.
Snacks like Toasted sourdough bread with salted butter and Dooncastle oyster with fermented cucumber and dill oil can makes a tasty sharing 'starter', for example, perhaps along with another 'cold' dish such as Toonsbridge mozzarella with wild garlic capers and semi dried tomatoes, or Dexter beef tartare, with anchovies, ramson capers and crispy kale (bright and perfect beef, with each item tasting fresh and perfect). By contrast there might be Line caught mackerel, with smoked crème fraiche, trout roe and crispy parsnip - pretty as a picture and with the most delicious crisp mackerel skin...To finish, the sweet dishes tend to be classics with a twist - Coffee cream caramel with candied pumpkin seeds, for example, or Rum baba with, blackberries and fig leaf - or pehaps something more unusual, such as Sea Buckthorn posset.
The wine list is extensive, featuring Zsolt's carefully curated collection of 'unique wines from small producers off the beaten track', including many natural/organic wines. But, on a more manageable scale fo the casual diner, wines for the evening appear (beautifully scripted) on a blackboard at the end of the room - and Zsolt has plenty of great advice on what to choose, while also offering knowledgeable and friendly attention to the food choices too, helpfully explaining each dish and each wine.
Eating in Daróg is a quietly studied event and dishes are honest, precise and well thought out which, together with an unusually interesting wine offering and a lovely ambience, makes for a most enjoyable experience. The quality of the food, the complexity of flavours, the beautiful presentation are all impressive. And the pricing is fair too - so a return visit is sure to be on the cards, if at all possible.
