Chapter One Restaurant, Dublin, 12/13/17

exterior
exterior

Chapter One is a one star Michelin restaurant located below street level where you enter into the good sized bar. Low lighting, stone walls, interesting art and the hum of the crowd are the backdrop for the well spaced large tables spread throughout several dining rooms.  A geometric pattern in the plaster work is quite distinctive. This chef owned restaurant has been in the capable hands of Chef Ross Lewis for 26 years.  They offer a tasting menus of 8 courses, the last being tea/coffee and petit fours or a 4 course dinner menu with multiple choices for each course and they also have a chef’s table option. They offer wine pairings.  Service had nice, slower pacing and general manager Danny Desmond was helpful and friendly. We chose the full tasting menu with our own bottles of wine.

entrance
Entrance
Frankie posed on the big fish ball
Frankie posed on the big fish ball
table set up
table set up
menu cover
menu cover
about the menu cover art
about the menu cover art
tasting menu
tasting menu
dinner menu
4 course menu
dessert menu
dessert menu
Vegetarian menu
Vegetarian menu

 

The meal starts with an Irish brown bread and a brioche sour dough that were both nice.  They offered very different textures, the brown being dense and the sour dough quite light.

bread basket
bread basket
butter
butter
bread choices
bread choices
Frankie shared the restaurant particulars
Frankie shared the restaurant particulars
art
art

 

Japanese tapioca, St. Tola (goat cheese), Ballyhoura mushroom and leeks was a risotto like dish.  The tops of the shiitake mushrooms were mixed with baby leeks and set on the fun texture of the Japanese tapiocas. The smell and flavor of the dish was enticing.  A really good one.

Japanese tapioca, St. Tola, Ballyhoura mushroom, leek
Japanese tapioca, St. Tola, Ballyhoura mushroom, leek
interesting bowl
interesting bowl
closer
closer
wine
wine

 

Jerusalem artichokes, Coolea cheese, guanciale and hazelnuts made up the second course. The artichoke was served with and without the skin and the hazelnuts were powdered. The roasted artichoke with its skin was creamy and full of flavor and the one without was nutty. The guanciale was a wonderful accent to the other flavors on the plate as were the bits of fried artichoke. Everything on the plate was good on its own but also combined perfectly with the other ingredients. Another flavorful, excellent plate.

Jerusalem artichoke, Coolea cheese, guanciale, hazelnut
Jerusalem artichoke, Coolea cheese, guanciale, hazelnut
closer
closer
another angle
another angle
wine
wine
Frankie checked out the holiday decorations
Frankie checked out the holiday decorations

 

Haddock, smoked eel, tartare of sea bream, Castletownbere shrimp and yuzu formed the next course. A vinaigrette and some crispy seaweed (long brown strips) added to the mix. The clean seafood taste was lovely in this one.

Haddock, smoked eel, tartare of sea bream, Casteltownbere shrimp, yuzu
Haddock, smoked eel, tartare of sea bream, Casteltownbere shrimp, yuzu
closer
closer
closer
closer
different angle
different angle
Frankie approved of getting both salt and pepper grinders
Frankie approved of getting both salt and pepper grinders

 

Terrine of goose, shiitake mushrooms, leek vinaigrette and parsley accented with lightly smoked bacon was next. The pressed terrine was topped with a parsley jelly and some foie gras parfait. Pickled shiitake were mixed with cep mushrooms but it didn’t have the liveliness of the previous courses.  For this one you needed to mix the ingredients to bring some intensity to the flavor.  Good not great, it was still a pretty plate.

Terrine of goose, shiitake mushroom, leek vinaigrette, parsley
Terrine of goose, shiitake mushroom, leek vinaigrette, parsley
closer
closer
detail
detail
table side drink preparation cart
table side drink preparation cart
General Manager Danny Desmond and Frankie
General Manager Danny Desmond and Frankie

 

Grilled lasagne of scallop and Atlantic crab was topped with pickled seaweed butter and red dulce.  The sheets of pasta were filled with scallops and crab and kind of melted into one another with a browned scallop on the side.  Another more mildly flavored dish, the scallops were nice but the crab was lost in the mix. Even though it wasn’t my favorite course it was still fine and plenty good.

Grilled lasagne of scallop and Atlantic crab, pickled seaweed butter, red dulse
Grilled lasagne of scallop and Atlantic crab, pickled seaweed butter, red dulse
closer
closer
another angle
another angle
another angle
another angle
Frankie checked out the Irish water
Frankie checked out the Irish water

 

Sika venison, which are smaller deer, had been aged hanging for 18 days. It was served with crown prince pumpkin purée, black pudding, pickled walnuts and chocolate.  The venison had a light sauce of red wine and venison stock. The pumpkin was seasoned with grape seed oil and the black pudding was steamed.  Some lightly smoked mashed potatoes were served alongside. Delicious meat and buttery mashed potatoes are usually a winning combination and this didn’t disappoint. The pudding was also quite good and the pickled walnuts an interesting and fun addition.

Sika venison, crown prince pumpkin, black pudding, pickled walnuts, chocolate
Sika venison, crown prince pumpkin, black pudding, pickled walnuts, chocolate
closer venison
closer venison
blood pudding
blood pudding
broken into
broken into
pumpkin closer
pumpkin closer
mashed potatoes
mashed potatoes
mashed potatoes
mashed potatoes
Frankie found the hand towels and mirrors a fun place
Frankie found the hand towels and mirrors a fun place

 

Dessert was Flavours and textures of Irish milk and honey.  This came in the form of buttermilk ice cream with Japanese citrus and crumbs. It was very nice and refreshing.

Flavours and textures of Irish milk and honey
buttermilk ice cream, Japanese citrus and crumbs
another angle
another angle
another angle
another angle

Frankie found a rock on the table

 

The second variation was milk in different textures. Dehydrated milk crumbs, milk and honey ice cream and milk crisps were some of the variations. It did offer a lot of different textures and a good amount of sweetness.  Crisp, creamy and yummy – a good sweet fix.

Flavours and textures of Irish milk and honey
Flavours and textures of Irish milk and honey
from the side
from the side
another angle
another angle

 

We ended with maple syrup biscuits topped with chocolate.  One crispy and thin the other filled with luscious goodness. I liked both a lot.

last treats
last treats
another angle
another angle
inside
inside
Frankie admired the coffee
Frankie admired the coffee
kitchen
kitchen
kitchen
kitchen
wine cellar
wine cellar
Chef Ross Lewis and Frankie
Chef Ross Lewis and Frankie

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