Steaking Out A Memorable Filet
It is certainly true that many restaurants have closed their doors in recent years and this has very often been due to high upward-only rents. There are also those who overcharged for mediocre food, and they were never going to build up any loyal clientele so their days were numbered from the start. But besides those offering excellent value tasty dishes – such as the Tapas Restaurants we mentioned in the last issue – there are top restaurants offering an excellent gourmet experience that will always be the first choice for discerning diners. Shanahan’s on The Green is certainly one of those.
I had known of Shanahan’s for many years, indeed had interviewed their Sommelier previously as she was not only one of the best in the country, but also Irish and female. I was really looking forward to paying the restaurant a visit and was curious to see how things were going during our current “downturn”. So with my daughter Nessa – the most discerning diner I know, especially when it comes to red meat – we headed off with great excitement recently for a midweek dinner at Shanahan’s.
Housed in a Georgian building right on St Stephens Green, Shanahan’s calls itself an “American Style Steakhouse & Seafood Restaurant”. For many first-time visitors, the experience far exceeds the expectation, as the food and service are outstanding. This is as far from a casual burger-type joint as it could possibly be. This is fine dining in a warm classically appointed dining room, impeccable service, mouth-watering food and a truly wonderful wine list all combine to deliver a memorable gourmet experience. As the menu is ‘dedicated to the magnificence of the steak’ from Shanahan’s own farm in County Meath, I decided to refrain from my usual preference for fresh fish and seafood and opt instead for a steak.
While I ordered the Petit Filet (8oz) Nessa went for the T-bone (24oz) we added the supreme comfort food dish of Whipped Potatoes with Butter and Chives. We also had a taste of Shanahan;s French Fries. The meat was cooked to perfection, and neither of us left a morsel on our plates. That’s the proof of the pudding – as my granny used to say! We started with prawns, or shrimps as the Americans like to call them. Big jumbo ones, in the form of an iced Shrimp Cocktail for me, and Sauteed with White Wine, Herbs and butter for Nessa. We had a beautifully subtle woody 2006 Bordeaux from Saint Emilion that was a perfect foil to our steaks and to the Irish Cheese Plate that followed.
While we had decided visiting Shanahan’s meant we were going to have steaks, the menu offers other dishes to tempt every palate. Starters included oysters; crab salad; ravioli of shellfish; mussels and soup and salads among others. Main courses that did tempt me seriously included the Dover sole (my absolute favourite fish, and it was with great difficulty that I passed it over in favour of the steak!), crisp pork shank and cracklings (my mother’s best Sunday favourite when I was growing up) and Organic Chicken. So it is not necessary to opt for steak, but it really is so good that it is almost a shame not to. I have to mention the wonderful wine list – there are almost 400 wines listed, and that does not include the half-bottles. The cellar at Shanahan’s houses over 5,000 bottles and each is stored and served at optimum temperature to bring out the subtle characteristics of every wine.
