Review on Café Merlot at Blake’s of the Hollow
A classic boozer and a must-visit pub on the tourist trail, Blake's of the Hollow has been in the same family since 1887 and is still renowned for its cracking atmosphere, pints of Guinness and Irish coffees. The original Victorian bar remains untouched, but there's a great deal more to this Tardis-like place than simply a fine boozer.
Downstairs is Café Merlot, a cosmopolitan bistro with ornate stonework, vaulted ceilings and a forward-looking menu with global aspirations. Fresh seafood, dry-aged Irish beef and a raft of other ingredients are subjected to confident, imaginative treatment – witness grilled loin of rare-breed pork with creamed leeks and balsamic lentils or roast fillet of halibut with Thai curry and jasmine rice, for example.
At the very top of the building is No.6 – a fine-dining restaurant offering similar dishes in a more salubrious setting; the restaurant has limited opening hours, normally 6.00 – 10.00pm Fridays and Saturdays only. The wine list is Johnny Donnelly's pride and joy and it's packed with tantalising stuff.
Cuisine
Eclectic
Chef
Gerry Russell
Restaurant Opening Times
Lunch: 12.00 – 3.00pm
Dinner: 5.30 – 9.00pm (5.30 - 9.30pm Fri & Sat)
Accepted credit cards
Visa, Master Card