This former sandwich bar in the centre of Dundalk has been transformed into one of the most-talked about restaurants in the north-east. There are just 24 seats, packed closely, but while the space is compact, the food and drink are expansive in flavour.
An offshoot of Conor Mee and Charlotte Carr's excellent Courthouse restaurant in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, this small Dundalk venue features exciting modern Irish cooking from talented local chef Conor Halfpenny, with a keen emphasis on seasonal local produce.
And Square is certainly in good hands under Chef Halpenny - the 2017 winner of the prestigious Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year Award, he has since worked with a number of leading chefs in Britain and Ireland, including Tom Brown, Richard Corrigan, Ross Lewis and Rob Krawczyk, as well as Conor Mee.
As would be expected of any chef associated with Euro-Toques, whose aim is 'to preserve Irish culinary heritage by supporting traditional cooking methods and promoting producers of local and seasonal artisan products', ingredients take centre stage. Local and other Irish suppliers name checked on the short, ever-changing menus include outstanding producers such as Tartine bakery in north Dublin, Ard Mhacha Shitake Mushrooms from Armagh and Riverside Farm, Castleblayney.
While the menu is constantly evolving, some items such as the homemade cheese and onion crisps and a speciality starter of buttermilk fried chicken with green curry mayonnaise would be hard to take off. And, demonstrating that small things really do matter, a memorable side of roast hispi cabbage with nduja dressing could well be the dish that you would return for (even when competing for your vote with wonderful triple-cooked beef fat chips).
Beef is very popular in these parts and may be offered as a hearty dish of aged sirloin steak with Ard Mhacha shitake and beef fat chips (or, on the early bird, homemade beef burger with cheese, pickles and chips), and the fish cookery is also a particular pleasure. There are interesting poultry dishes too, such as roast duck breast with celeriac, green peppercorns and blood orange (a nice twist on traditional duck with orange sauce) and game is available in season - there's a warning on the menu that it may contain shot, which is good to see.
Desserts offer variations on classics - a rhubarb and custard choux bun, for example - but cheeses such as Boyne Valley Bán and Young Buck are a tempting alternative, and many would be happy to finish an excellent meal here with the sweet kick of home made chocolate truffles or bitter sweet affogato.
The wine list is considered - there are no house wines, but plenty to suit all budgets and all selected with an focus on quality and value.
Perhaps some work could be done to make the space a little cosier and feel more high-end (the essence of the former sandwich bar lives on, quite possibly including the original tables), but the service is efficient and friendly - and with food this good, it would be hard to find reasons to stay away.
