Thursday 5 March 2015

OSTERIA LUCIO , The taste magazine March edition 2015





Osteria Lucio – Dublin’s newest Ambassador of Italian taste & style by Robert Jacob

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In the former location of what used to be Pizza e Porchetta, nestled underneath the arches at the Malting Tower on Grand Canal Dock is Osteria Lucio, the new & revamped eatery from Micheln* Chef Ross Lewis.

While the decor has more or less remained the same, and following in quintessentially good Italian taste & traditions, if something works, why change it, as this modern yet very stylish interior remains ultra cosy, inviting, warm and welcoming.

But don’t be fooled by the name, this is no ordinary Italian joint but rather one of those little gem of a place you stumble upon in New York or Milan. Certainly brings back memories of yester years when I lived and worked in Milan. Here you will find inspired dishes concentrating on clean flavours using the best seasonal produce and enjoy the opportunity in tasting the finest Italian cuisine in stylish surroundings.



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Think of Capocollo, traditional Italian dry-cured pork neck,similar to proscuitto and sliced very thinly, N’duja Italian sausage, spicy and simply heavenly; Lonza, Agrodolcea sweet & sour sauce and Freshly made egg pasta & Caponata, eggplant & celery seasoned with sweetned vinegar & capers.

Starters range from Cicchetti to combo Antipasti plates & Salumis as well as seasonal dishes. Here is a selection of some of the dishes on offer.

Roast beetroots, Blood orange, Five Mile Town Goat cheese & hazelnuts dressings

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Baby ruby red and golden beets offered delicious smack of sweetness and the blood orange perfectly matched the saltiness of the goatcheese. It was delicious and fresh. The simple flavours of this starter was  so expertly combined, it set the tone for the meal ahead. No mean feat here as the new menu has been designed by no other than the Michelin* Chef Ross Lewis of Chapter One.

A serving of Cicchetti was not far behind, it consisted of warm focaccia with deep fried green olives stuffed with N’duja Italian sausage and Veal. The highlight of which was certainly the N’duja sausage. It was melt in the mouth and spicy, No cotton wool consistency here but rather an explosion of flavours so expertly combined that it was just divine and the olive still with a bite to it.

Fried sole with agrodolce and lemon.
To say that this starter was insanely delicious would be an understatement. In a light coating of breadcrumbs and parmesan, they  were crispy and still very tender and moist. The sweet & sour sauce and lemon slices added refreshing notes to this very tasty dish. I could have eaten a whole plate of this alone.

For mains there is choice of freshly made egg pasta to Tuscan Slow braised short rib of beef and of course the pizzas.
The stone baked Pizza with Cime di Rapa & Salsciccia was certainly a good choice.
It had a light and crispy base, yummy charred edges and still with a dusting of flour and semolina from the wood fired oven. The Salsciccia didn’t disappoint either, it was succulent, and packed full of flavour with a hint of fennel. Coupled with the slightly bitter taste of the Cime di Rapa, it is without doubt, one of the most authentic Italian pizzas I’ve had in Dublin and I can’t wait to try the others on offer.



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The Seafood & Shellfish Chitarra with just a hint of chilli and ginger reminded me of the ones, I used to have in Milan, which were so simple in concept but allowed the produce to sing to you. With perfectly cooked “ al dente “ egg pasta, it was a delicious main indeed.



Tagliatelle

Chargrilled Rump of beef “Tagliata” was once again a winner. Sliced rare beef were complimented by the peppery yet simple rocket leaves, red onions and a dressing of balsamic vinegar which coated rather than gelled all the ingredients on the plate. With a generous shavings of parmesan it was heavenly and sinfully good. I can still recall the rich deep taste and addictive nature of this dish. This alone will have you longing for a return visit.



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The place was packed to the rafters as usual but as in the past, on each occasion I have been there, the staff have always been most attentive and charming. In all, it was a great dining experience with inspired dishes and ingredients and a perfect location to will away an evening and dream of Fellini’s “ La dolce Vita “.

We sipped the Sommelier’s choice of 3 glasses of wine for €20 and in true Italian style, an impressive selection of wine & vermouth can be purchased by the glass, bottle or carafe and the cocktail list is impressive too.



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Osteria Lucio
The Malting Tower
Grand Canal Dock
Dublin 2.
01-6624198
Follow them on Twitter @luciodublin
Photos in this article are from Barry Mc Call Photographer

©2012-2015;Robert Jacob;jacob'scrackers;jacobscrackers9; All rights reserved


Wednesday 4 March 2015

Mark Moriaty, San Pellegrino Young Chef 2015. The Taste Magazine March edition 2015





Young Irish Chef Mark Moriarty Crowned Ireland & the UK Winner of the San Pellegrino Young Chef 2015 by Robert Jacob

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Last week, a panel of leading chefs from Ireland and the UK – who hold five Michelin stars between them selected Mark Moriarty, Sous Chef at The Culinary Counter as the best emerging chef talent from Ireland & the UK at a live cook-off in london for the San Pellegrino Young Chef 2015 competition.

Mark was selected as one of 20 global finalists, chosen from 3,620 chefs across 191 countries, and will represent Ireland & the Uk in the final showdown at Expo Milan in June 2015.
Moriarty ‘s winning dish of Celeriac Baked in Barley and Fermented Hay with Cured and Smoked Celeriac was inspired by Mark’s love of a humble ingredient taking centrestage and this was certainly the case with his celebration of Celeriac.

The judging panel of four acclaimed chefs – Clare Smyth MBE, Chef Patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Atul Kochhar, Chef Patron at Benares, Dan Doherty, Executive Chef at Duck & Waffle and Oliver Dunne, of Bon Appétit agonizingly tasted and deliberated over signature dishes of 10 up-and-coming chefs from the UK & Ireland during a nail biting event lasting over four hours.

Clare Smyth (who holds three Michelin stars) said: “The calibre of dishes we tasted tonight was really impressive but Mark’s dish stood out with its flavour, unforgettable theatre and true message behind his dis. I am looking forward to helping Mark perfect his dish for the final in Milan and I think the UK & Ireland can win this!”

Mark Moriarty now faces the ultimate test in Milan, where he will be mentored by Clare Smyth, who will guide him through the intricate process of honing his signature dish.
He will also be teaming up with a young designer chosen by Vogue Italia who will in turn interpret his dish in fashion.

Mark’s efforts will be judged later in june in Milan by a judging panel of world class chefs that reads like a who’s who of contemporary gastronomy namely Joan Roca, Massimo Bottura, Gaston Acurio, Yoshihiro Narisawa, Yannik Alleno, Margot Janse and Eric Ripert.

Wishing you the very best of luck, Mark.

©2012-2015;Robert Jacob;jacob'scrackers;jacobscrackers9; All rights reserved