Some child distracting cocktails!
We've had cocktails here a few times but only recently have we tried the food on offer. The first comment I'll make is that it's not cheap, at these prices I was expecting really well cooked dishes and excellent service. For the most part we weren't disappointed.
Great selection of warm bread and dips which preceded our meal.
To start we both went for the pork belly. It comes with celeriac mash and tiny little caramelised apple balls. The pork was moist and oozy, the texture difference between the gelatinous interior and the thin crispy layer of skin was sublime. The flavours of the celeriac, apple and the pork worked intensely well together.
Mouthwatering pork belly
On to the main courses. I chose the pan fried hake from the generous fish menu. It came with a choice of two sides, I opted for a Greek salad and the truffle aioli and Parmesan chips. The fish was perfect. The skin was crispy while the flesh was still moist and juicy. I have hoped for fish cooked like this in other establishments and have been disappointed. The chips were perhaps the most decadent that I have ever tasted and it was nice to see that the Greek salad was exactly that, no offending lettuce here!
Perfectly pan fried hake with chips and salad
Rib eye and chips
M went for the rib eye. It was quite thick so there was a nice contrast between the charred outside and the fleshy interior. Even though the cut was rib eye it wasn't at all tough. The steak came paired with some roasted vine tomatoes and chunky chips. Overall it was a well cooked and well presented classic.
Cleansing raspberry sorbet
Before dessert we were served sorbet, I'm pretty sure it was supposed to be served between the starter and main course! In any case the wonderfully tart raspberry sorbet totally cleansed my palate to the point were I wondered if I'd ever be able to taste anything again!
Pretty poached pear with mascarpone cream
Banana and toffee parfait.
Desserts unfortunately let the meal down slightly. M's was good, a poached pear with mascarpone cream was tasty and not too filling, it was a simple dish, My banana and toffee parfait with buttered pecan ice cream didn't really work in my opinion. The parfait seemed to be vanilla ice cream with bits of banana mixed through it. Frozen banana just doesn't work nor does the rather unpleasant looking slices of fried banana on top. The buttered pecan ice cream tasted more like toffee ice cream and was overly sweet. The sugar decoration was just weird! Given the high quality of the first two courses the disappointment of my dessert course was heightened but it didn't ruin the overall good feeling I had about the meal. Service was professional and knowledgeable throughout the meal though, if truth be told, a little cold.
We finished with some coffees and treated ourselves to some really well made cocktails, an espresso martini for him and a dirty martini for me. I know it wont be long before I'm back for another martini, it was perhaps the best I have had in Dublin City. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. The good cooking combined with the comfortable and relaxed atmosphere means The Exchange will be a firm favorite with many for a long time to come.
The Exchange Restaurant and Cocktail Bar
The Westin Hotel
Westmoreland St
Dublin 2
01 645 1318
http://www.theexchange.ie/
