The service here is really splendid, with droll, friendly waiters who know how to take the starch out of the regular crowd of blazered gents, streaked-blonde ladies and young yuppie types. It’s comfortable, too, with air-conditioning, oak panelling and velvet banquettes at generously-spaced tables. Excellent starters, such as a salad of mushrooms and haricots verts and ‘ravioles de Royan’ (tiny cheese-filled ravioli) in mushroom cream, are followed by very good main courses of grilled tuna on a bed of green beans and red peppers, or a generous and delicious côte de boeuf with sautéed potatoes. The blackboard wine list is both serious and generous, with a Guigal Côtes du Rhône at a reasonable 130F, as well as pricier Bordeaux. Finish up with the cheese plate or a red-fruit filled millefeuille.
Tag Archives: travel
MOMA 2000
Moma gets Millennial with this exhibition on modern art history. The first exhibition cycle, ‘ModernStarts’, covers 1880 until 1920, and consists of three parts housed on different floors, exploring ‘People’, ‘Places’ and ‘Things’. This thematic focus is a deliberate attempt to break out of the traditional chronological approach and to stress instead connections of style, medium, school and thematic concern by juxtaposing work from different eras. Selected contemporary work will be incorporated into these installations to show the influence of the traditions, themes and subject matter of the period.
Jablkon
Mixing pop and instrumentation borrowed from African chieftains, the Jablkon sound could not be mistaken for anyone else’s. These old hands on the Prague scene draw an eclectic, bookish crowd, who tend to enjoy listening more than dancing, so expect a mellow rather than manic night. The Czech-only lyrics are a challenge, but they don’t make a lot of linear sense anyway … it’s Jablkon’s vast collection of primitive drums, bells, gongs and other finds that you want to hear.
The currency of Belarus
When we were in Belorus we got a little confused about the local currency, the Belorussian rouble. The notes are worth ten times the amount printed on them, which caused some embarrassment. In a restaurant in Minsk we paid in Russian roubles and the waitress refused to give us any change. After a discussion (in Russian) she gave us some Belorussian rouble notes (small ones with animals printed on them) and told us they were worth ten times the value printed on them. We thought she was trying to deceive us, but later found out she was not.
Ray Davis
The so-called godfather of Brit Pop, Ray Davis, makes a return visit to Dublin for two nights at the HQ. Selling out his dates 12 months ago, these will be probably be two of the most popular gigs at the venue all year. As one of the most successful and influential songwriters of the 60s, Davis is considered a legend by the likes of Blur. Along with brother Dave, Ray formed The Kinks in 1963 and if that wasn’t enough Ray Davis songs became hits for everyone from the Pretenders and Van Halen to the Jam and the Stranglers. Catch the legend at HQ.
Vicar Street
As a music venue, Vicar Street is well known, but don’t let a lack of tickets to the next big gig stop you from popping in for a drink. The gorgeously designed main bar is big and bright, with windows on the world it seems – the most coveted seating areas are somewhere between the floor-to-ceiling windows and beside the huge roaring fire. As a lunch venue, the bar menu is substantial enough, with a moderately good wine list. Expect the usual leek and potato soup and ciabatta sandwiches. And best of all, as most people only think of going to Vicar Street for a pint before the gig starts, it’s empty most of the time.
