Review on The School House Hotel
St Stephen's Parochial School opened its doors in 1861 and continued along its scholastic path for more than a century. Then it became a hotel and a unique Dublin icon overlooking the Grand Canal at Mount Street bridge. Inside, it still looks extraordinary, with stunning 40-ft vaulted and beamed ceilings, open fires and chandeliers.
The Schoolhouse Bar & Restaurant is a cracking rendezvous for drinking and socialising; there's also the bonus of suntrap gardens and a terrace overlooking the canal.
As for the food, forget any nightmare visions of school dinners, this is serious modern stuff based resolutely on prime Irish ingredients - from organically reared beef to local lobsters. The kitchen turns out 'Dublin's best burgers' (according to the Irish Independent), alongside big-hearted dishes including baked snails in brioche with tomato fondue, confit of duck with fig jus, and seared tuna livornese with caper, garlic and tomato salsa.
There are beef 'chops' with roast potatoes, too, plus fish 'n' chips and an array of salads and sandwiches at lunchtime. To conclude, expect rich chocolate brownie or gratin of strawberries with Malibu sabayon and strawberry ice cream.
Cuisine
Modern Irish
Chef
Francois Grelet
Restaurant Opening Times
Breakfast: 7.00 - 10.30am Mon-Sun
Lunch: 12.00 - 2.30pm Mon-Fri
Dinner: 5.00 - 10.00pm Mon-Sun
Accepted credit cards
Visa, Master Card, American Express
