Review on The Winding Stair
The original Winding Stair bookshop and café by Ha'Penny Bridge was a literary landmark and good friend to generations of Dublin bibliophiles. Its closure in 2005 marked the end of an era, but the whole place has been re-born with new owners and a snazzy new contemporary restaurant to boot.
Go upstairs to reach the dining room, which is a stylish affair with high ceilings, relaxing sofas, bookshelves aplenty and great views over the River Liffey. Given the setting and the history, it seems entirely appropriate that the food is forthright and patriotically Irish.
Visitors can feast on devilled kidneys, wild mushrooms with fresh organic herbs on rye toast, and plates of smoked Mayo salmon with home-baked dillisk bread before plumping for something really gutsy like bacon and cabbage with mash and parsley sauce, pan-fried plaice with caper butter and homemade chips or char-grilled Irish striploin steak with garlic butter and sticky onions. To finish, it's worth exploring the native cheeseboard; otherwise, go for something sweet like sticky pear and ginger cake or Knickerbocker Glory. First-rate, astutely chosen wines.
Cuisine
Irish
Chef
Aine Murphy
Restaurant Opening Times
Lunch: 12.00 - 3.30pm
Dinner: 5.30 - 10.30pm
Accepted credit cards
Visa, Master Card, American Express
