Neatly located between Grafton Street and Government Buildings, this Dublin restaurants been a favourite since 1997, making it one of the capital's longest established dining destinations. Tucked into a quiet laneway in a smartly refurbished coach house, it’s a bastion of fine dining underpinned by delightful service and a wonderful wine list.
Owned by Eamonn O’Reilly, who long ago hung up his chef’s whites, One Pico has always had talent at the stove. Ciaran McGill’s 2022 departure could have upset the restaurant’s momentum, but Zhan Sergejev has more than ably taken over the kitchen, bringing with him exciting new ideas and a steady hand. Coming from L’Ecrivain, where he spent four years as a sous chef to Derry Clarke, he’s a good fit for One Pico and its brand of modern classic Irish food with French flair.
The room is always a mix of business and leisure diners, politicians and celebrations and service is warm, professional and perfectly paced, overseen by the excellent ever-present Andrew Scott. Long lunches may have become less popular in many restaurants of late, but they are still big news in One Pico, where the 2 or 3-course menu, complete with canapés and bread, offers good value and a sense of occasion.
Canapés might include a dazzling tartlet of whipped goat's cheese and beetroot with pearls of fermented walnut gel, hinting at the style and substance that is to follow.
Fresh clean flavours, like a starter of pickled mackerel, with apple, cucumber, horseradish and yuzu, show flair, while elevating the familiar to something a little edgier. Each dish comes with a wine pairing suggestion by the glass, and while the suggestions may not be cheap, this is a great way to discover One Pico’s excellent wine list, so carefully put together by excellent head sommelier Arnaud Legat.
Some dishes may come with a supplement, such as a tian of succulent lobster claw dressed with melon, avocado, verbena and bergamot. Paired with Camin Larredya La Part Davant Jurancon Sec at about €20 a glass, you can easily blow the budget, although the combination will be sublime.
Mains might include perfectly pink duck magret with orange and star anise, a clever plum tart tatin, and glossy marsala port jus that’s poured tableside. Fish options are appealing too, although seasonal treats like saddle of rabbit with spelt, corn, grelot onion and red wine jus are hard to pass up. Generous side dishes of pomme mousseline and green beans with smoked almonds and bacon espuma are delicious, served in gleaming copper pots.
Desserts are a knock-out, a finessed lime cheesecake tart, elegantly piped and served with a piquant blueberry and blackcurrant sorbet, for example or a fluffy passionfruit soufflé synonymous with O’Reilly’s operations, this time cleverly topped with a tangy Velvet Cloud sheep yoghurt sorbet.
Regulars of One Pico will be delighted that Zhan Sergejev is sticking to the modern-classic script, while adding a few well-judged surprises. Newcomers will be thrilled too, to discover such confident and delicious food with pitch perfect service and cadence. Restaurants don’t survive 25 years without good reason, and One Pico is doing more than surviving: It’s thriving and growing and giving us all reasons to come back and again for some of the best dining in the capital.
