I'm a regular customer of Fallon and Byrne on Exchequer Street and love the shop but I've never tried their food in the restaurant or the wine cellar in the city centre. When Mr. FFID suggested we meet his mammy in Dun Laoghaire on Sunday we decided to go for lunch in Fallon and Byrne in People's Park to give it a try and also to have a wander around the market (previously blogged about here) which takes place every Sunday. The market seemed to have less stalls than last time I was there but it's still a nice place to hang out on a Sunday afternoon before or after a walk along the pier.
Fallon and Byrne is located in a beautiful Victorian building in the park; there is a terrace with lots of seats outside overlooking the park. Inside there is a tiny cafe/deli in the corner where you can buy drinks and food to take away.
Then there is an elegant dining room filled with light and tastefully decorated.
Lunch is served from 12 to 4pm while dinner is available from 5.30pm. The menu features several starters such as soup with bread, antipasti board to share and caesar salad while the mains include pasta dishes, risotto and steak with fries.
The waiter came to our table with an appetising selection of homemade breads to chose from. I went for a tomato bread and a white bread, both were wonderfully fresh and delicious. It kept us going as the food took a while to arrive.
For once I went for a salad, as I had overindulged the night before. This salad could be ordered as a starter (€9.95) or a main (€15.95) and consisted of two seared yellowfin tuna steaks coated in a sesame crust, an avocado puree, pickled ginger and some carrot salad with a soy and sesame dressing. The tuna was perfectly seared and overall the dish tasted good. It seemed to me like a deconstructed sushi but it was small considering the price, so probably not the best value dish on the menu as I was still a bit hungry.
Mr. FFID went for the beef burger (€14.50) and chose two additional toppings of mature cheddar and bacon (€1 each). The burger was very decent and came with french fries and some mixed leaves. I actually regretted not going for this but he did give me some of his fries.
Mammy Mr. FFID went for the same main as me while Aunt E had the mushroom risotto which I didn't get to taste.
While I found the restaurant absolutely beautiful and the staff very pleasant I thought the menu lacked a little in originality. Especially considering the food heaven that is their shop on Exchequer Street where you'll find all the ingredients you could ever wish for. I'd say I ordered the wrong dish from the menu but overall you pay for the location and the brand, but if you're watching your budget you could always grab something from the deli and eat it outside at the terrace.
Fallon and Byrne People's Park
Park Road
Dun Laoghaire
Website
This is an independent review, I paid for my meal.
