Review: Mister S
I don’t know about you, but until relatively recently, I was still figuring my way out of the aftermath of the Covid lockdown. I mostly liked being at home, and while I did miss friends and family, I also really enjoyed the private little bubble that surrounded us. We developed little routines, the best of which took place on Friday night.
The monitors and laptops required for working from home would be cleared away and we'd set the table for Friday dinner. Having cooked at home all week, Friday was a chance for a special dinner or meal kit, a mostly ersatz replacement for missing out on dining out.
The open-fire restaurant Mister S had become a firm favourite of ours pre-lockdown, and being able to enjoy their signature burnt end rendang spring rolls or some fragrant wood-smoked meat in our own dining room made us fleetingly feel a little special and a little more normal.
The good news from my recent visit is those spring rolls are still wonderful. I don’t know who came up with the genius idea of stuffing spring roll wrappers with tender, slow cooked, fragrant beef rendang, served with a big blob of bright orange gochujang mayo, but let me tell you, awards have been won for a lot less. At €12 for two, this is a substantial starter, and I saw many tables around us choosing to share.
Across the table, scallops had been seared until golden and crunchy, while still retaining their natural beautiful sweetness (€14). However, they were a little overwhelmed by the combined saltiness of the smoked beurre blanc and samphire.
The most noticeable thing about the main course of cod was its price tag (€25). I genuinely don’t think I’ve seen cod at that price for several years. The blackened skin might be a little too much for some people, but the flesh was soft and yielding, finished with a Mediterranean style sauce and vegetables.
Even better was to come in the form of the grilled pork chop (the top notch Andarl Farm is listed as a supplier) which was served sliced off the bone, in a slightly sweet and sour sticky glaze (€19.50). This was skilfully cooked, just on the right side of done but yet achieving a good rendering of the fat. And in case you need reminding, don’t ever fear the fat. There simply is no greater joy in life than well-cooked, high quality pork fat.
Two sides of grilled courgettes with salsa verde (€6.50) and a salad of McNally leaves dressed with a calamansi vinaigrette (€6) rounded out the meal. I’d have liked a little more char on the courgettes, and maybe a little more complexity to the salad, but both were fresh and bright, a good counterpoint to the rich pork and meaty cod.
There’s a decent, nicely chosen wine list from which we chose a slightly higher priced Chatzivaritis Assyrtikko (€60), whose rich fruit and smoky notes really complimented the main courses.
Prior to this meal, I had attempted unsuccessfully many times to make a reservation at Mister S, but it was booked solid for many weekends into the future. I had been slightly perplexed by this as Mister S isn’t a new kid on the block anymore.
However, now I understand. I feel as if I’ve uncovered Dublin’s best kept secret. In an era of high restaurant prices, Mister S is quite simply cracking value. Without drinks, our two courses and sides came to a total of €83. I don’t know how owners Paul McVeigh and Jamie O'Toole are managing their margins in the current environment, but they’re doing an amazing job (see also their great value steak restaurant Featherblade).
Looking back to the opening I wrote for this review, I can say that I’m finally ready to say goodbye to my Covid era. It might have taken me a lot longer than others, but I finally realised that the cosy bubble I mentioned earlier ultimately had became an isolation that took several years to understand and fully cast off. From Mister S pre-covid, to Mister S post-covid, we’ve come full circle.