It’s been a busy week for hospitality news in the city, with our social channels chockablock with new openers, from Padel studios to matcha pop-ups. So buckle up and jump on in as we take you through all the openers, closures and food news of the week:
OPENERS
Chilangos Irlanda, South Circular Road, Rialto
Opened on July 3rd, on 568 South Circular Road where the Rialto Bridge Cafe operates, both businesses seem to be running in tandem with Rialto Bridge Cafe closing at 3pm and Chilangos Irlanda opening at 5pm. Anyone who has dined in Rialto Bridge Cafe knows they have some incredible Mexican breakfast options so it’s unsurprising that the street food menu in Chilangos Irlanda looks top-notch. It’s a varied menu, with items you might not have seen in this fair city before, options like pambazos, tostadas alongside the more familiar tacos and gorditas. We can’t wait to swing by and check this colourful little spot out!
The Lotus Eater, Nassau Street (where the Pig’s Ear was)
After an incredible 16 years and a Michelin Bib Gourmand thrown into the mix, The Pig’s Ear has called it a day “for now”. But the spot on Nassau Street hasn’t been gathering dust, it’s been reimagined as a casual dining restaurant called Lotus Eaters. Inspiration for the menu has been pulled from the dishes encountered on the owner’s travels, with a special nod given to the majesty of wagyu burgers. The Pig’s Ear officially finished up service on June 15th, the team took a break to refresh and kicked off service for Lotus Eaters a few days later. Fitting on one-page, this is an Asian-inspired menu dominated by small plates and customisation. You’ll find soba salad, oysters and a grilled scallop with pig head for starters, with customisable Japanese-inspired omelettes, wagyu burger and maitake mushrooms for mains with a short and sweet dessert menu of yuzu parfait and burnt chocolate cheesecake.
The Matcha Bar, (2nd floor) Powerscourt Centre
For all our over-caffeinated clean-living pals, enter the Matcha Bar on Saturday, July 13th—opening in the perfect location for a matcha bar, the very bougie Powerscourt Centre. Aside from developing her own matcha recipes, owner Elle has been on a journey that took her over to Japan, to source the very best matcha. Starting out as a pop-up location, but judging by the commotion it’s making on TikTok Dubliners are very excited about this particular opener.
Cat You Cafe, Ringsend
A dinky new cafe is opening up in Ringsend on Friday July 12th. We know very little about it apart from they’ve got a better indoor plant collection than us and they will be serving up Ground Work Coffee. BRB trying to figure out the ‘Cat You Cafe’ reference…
House of Padel, 5 Old Belgard Road, Cookstown Industrial Estate
Contrary to popular belief, padelling is not a sport designed by the Simpsons character Jasper Beardsley to encourage Vietnam-war-era discipline amongst the younger generations. It’s a very popular sport, a hybrid of tennis and squash, and has experienced exponential growth in recent years due to its accessibility to all levels of players from beginner to advanced. Dublin is getting its first indoor dedicated padel club, called the quite Gucci-coded ‘House of Padel’. Located on Old Belgard Road, the club will have indoor padel courts alongside a state-of-the-art sauna, ice bath plunge pools, and a health food bar and will offer yoga & pilates classes to all levels. The club is open to Padel enthusiasts, athletes, and newcomers.
CLOSURE
Assassination Custard, Kevin Street
After an incredible nine years, Dublin’s most under-the-radar spots have called it a day. Assassination Custard on Kevin Street was as “if you know, you know” as they come. The tiny 10-seater spot opened the doors to their unassuming space at lunchtime Tuesday-Friday. Its brief opening hours, no booking system or website have had seemingly no impingement on its success, as it was a cult-favourite spot for foodies at home and abroad (most recently London’s favourite Slutty Chef dropped by for a positive Table Magazine review). Run by Ken Doherty and Gwen McGrath (who have served stints in Cornucopia, Café Paradiso, and Dax and Ely respectively) who served up Italian-influenced dishes, high-quality products were stripped back to the point of being bare. Whether you were going vegan or opting for the offal anyone who went there inevitably raved about it. The name is a literary reference to when James Joyce and Nora Barnacle reportedly visited their friend Samuel Beckett in a Parisian hospital after he had been stabbed by a pimp near his heart, they brought him a homemade cake that was later dubbed ‘Assassination Custard’. Taking to their now private Instagram account, the team wrote “Trialling this ‘never opened’ thing for real this time. Thanks to all you beautiful people who supported us and ate with us over the last 9 years. We might be back but not as you know it. Busy with some outside stuff so don’t feel too sorry for us. And for those who never made it in or were busy giving abuse at the door or online, it was only lunch,” Gwen and Ken signed off with the iconic line “tripe forever”. The Assassination Custard name has been seen popping up at food and drink lineups at some festivals this Summer, so hopefully that means they will be hitting the road a little more.
Michael’s, Mount Merrion
Unfortunately, Michael’s time on Deerpark Road has come to an end with immediate effect, following the expiry of its lease. Taking to Instagram Smith, admitted it was a “very emotional” decision to make following the success of his other restaurant Big Mike’s in Blackrock, which now needs his “entire Champions League squad there every day”. “It’s bittersweet we announce to all our local regular guests and to all the visitors who have travelled from afar to dine with us over the years, that the lease has expired at Michael’s in Mount Merrion,” the post reads.
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