Review: Mongoose
The young sibling shines
Let me just come right out and say it straight. Keelan and Aaron Higgs have hit the nail square on the head with their new offering Mongoose. In fact, they’ve hit the nail on the head so squarely that the laws of physics have taken a solid five minutes to appreciate and applaud.
Mongoose is to be found in the old Variety Jones premises and will be open Sunday to Tuesday, overlapping neatly with the days when the mothership is closed. On a recent Instagram post, Keelan stated that the goal is ‘good vibes, good food, good wine, good times’.
It’s a rare occasion when I want to order every single plate on the menu, but Higgs’ short but varied menu achieves exactly that. Small plates cost €9.00-€11.50, pastas from €15.00 to €18.50 while the larger main plates are €17.50 to €20.00 with a sharing option for €60. On the surface this is really good value, especially when the man himself is cooking in the kitchen.
Our first round of plates comes quickly from the kitchen. Grilled squid is spot on tender, tossed with bitter leaves (dandelion even?) and a sweet, peppery romesco sauce (€11). Braised artichokes sit atop a creamy, milky fresh ricotta, covered with peppery rocket (€11.50).
Higgs is rather well known for his excellent pasta dishes at VJ, and pasta takes a shining place on the menu at Mongoose. Agnolotti pop with rich parmesan flavour tossed in a light butter and black pepper (€16). Somehow it feels both indulgent yet light. We follow this with exquisite gnocchi in a spicy ndjua broth, enhanced by fresh crunchy peas and asparagus (€15). Perfect for a day at the start of May.
An impressively solid slice of porchetta was a beautiful contrast of gently crunchy skin and meltingly tender interior (€20). The sharp gremolata and sticky, herby gravy quickly got mopped up with each bit. A perfectly prepared whole butterflied mackerel was cooked on the grill until the skin was just that right level of charred, finished with a squeeze of burnt lemon (€18). Honestly, I could have been next to the sea in Portugal.
A side of salad or spuds will cost €6.
At this stage, we were so full we skipped dessert. In future, I think I’d choose two of the starters, pastas or large plates, rather than going for all three. There’s a real generosity of spirit in these dishes after all.
The wine menu is similarly short and modern, but it must be said that bottles start from €50. A restaurant has to make its margin somehow I suppose. We started with two glasses of bubbles, Grosbois Extra Bulles pet-nat (€13) for me and a delicious Kripta cava reserva brut across the way (€17), followed by a bottle of fresh and crisp Kir-Yianni Assyrtiko from Macedonia (€50).
One of the questions I get asked most is where to eat in the city centre on Sundays and Mondays, a day when many restaurants are (rightfully) closed. Well, now we have a shining new entry to this slender list. It’s really bloody good.
And with that, I’m now off to answer my next burning question. What is the plural of ‘mongoose’.
Sounds like a real good meal. When I read of another wine list starting at €50 I cannot but think that wine drinkers are now central to the bait and switch pricing now spreading through hospitality.