Restaurant Patrick Guibaud, Dublin, 12/12/2024 (2-Course, 155€ excl. Taxes and Gratuity)

Restaurant Patrick Guibaud, Dublin, 12/12/2024 (2-Course, 155€ excl. Taxes and Gratuity)

Restaurant Patrick Guibaud first opened its door in 1981 and was awarded for the 1^st star in 1988. It was awarded the 2^nd star in 1996, which it has retained ever since. Currently, it is located in the center of Dublin inside the 5-star Merrion Hotel, a block away from Oscar Wilde Park. It is Ireland’s only 2-star restaurant.

The atmosphere receives its accolades for its brilliance, especially the dining room with its lofty ceilings and quite a few pieces of paintings and tapestries. One of the tapestries, resembling Picasso style art works, was done by an Irish artist Louis le Brocquy. It was contributed by Merrion Hotel’s owner. A copy #9 of the same tapestry titled “Allegory Ta” was identified and sold at the latest auction at Christie. It is a blessing that PG is located inside the Merrion Hotel where security system is on around the clock to safeguard the high valued art objects.

Co-owner Patrick Guibaud, semi-retired, visited the restaurant while we were dining there. Mr. Guibaud is a very talented, astute entrepreneur and restaurateur. He was not only the chef created most of the signature dishes in the past 40 years, but also participated in the design and construction of the restaurant throughout his career. He decorated the dining room with its lofty ceilings, modern paintings and placed a small distinctive showcase stature on each table. Being located inside the swanky Merrion Hotel also helps with safeguarding the expensive art works from theft.

There was a wide range of menus. Our server recommended a la carte two courses at 155€ to be the ideal choice. For the evening, restaurant has offered Lobster Ravioli as a special due to guest’s overwhelming requests for reinstating Lobster Ravioli to the menu. Lobster Ravioli has not been on the menu for a while. We were auspicious to hit the jackpot.

CANAPÉS

Parmesan Gougère

Gougère is French cheese puff pastry, a baked savory choux pastry made of choux dough mixed with grated cheese (Gruyère, Comté, Emmentaler, cheddar, or other semi-firm cheeses). They were tasty, fluffy, light and delightful, perfect for pre-dinner munching. (19/20)

Salmon Rillette Tart

Mini-tart filled with salmon preserved in butter for 4-10 hours, then slow cooked with spices in oven. It was tender and fresh. Salmon filling was topped with toasted nori and salmon caviar. It was refreshing. (19/20)

AMUSE BOUCHE

Foie Gras Parfait, Peach Espuma, Dried Strawberries 

It was Foie Gras mousse topped with whipped peach juice served in foam, in a petit gold-plated spoon. Dried strawberries helped to balance the overall taste. It had the perfect texture and flavoring. I wished the portion had been more generous. (20/20)

Ravioli of Blue Lobster

This lobster is not ordinary lobster, it was the famous Blue Lobster from Annagasson, County Louth, Ireland. Louth is nicknamed “the Wee County” because it is the smallest county in Ireland. The blue coloration in lobsters is the result of a genetic anomaly.  Bright blue lobsters are very rare, occurring 1 in every 2 million. The Blue Lobsters have to strive in the icy cold English Channel water or North Atlantic coast, and grow at slower pace and smaller size with tender and flavorful flesh in slight blue tint. In order to keep all these good characters, the processing procedures had to be strict with high standard. During the shipping, it may require dry ice to maintain certain temperature and the blue tint. Shelling needs to be done in ice in order to keep lobster meat blue. The whole community also has been principled to keep the tradition alive.

The Blue Lobster meat was wrapped in home-made pasta, topped by a crispy coronet and a twig of parsley. It looked like a bee hive with many compartments filled with chunks of lobster when cut open. These chunks of lobster were cooked to perfection, tender but not tough with adequately spiced ingredients. Lobster was first poached in coconut juice/cream. Then, lobster, along with some juice/bisque, was wrapped in the pasta.  Timing was important, otherwise pasta would turn into a soggy ravioli. Sauce was prepared including some Indian spices, cooked lobster broth and other seafood condiments. The quality, coloring and texture of the pasta was so smooth, it probably was ½ of the thickness of the ordinary pasta, however, the diner still can feel the physique of the home-made pasta. Since there were layers inside the ravioli, there were generous portion of lobster meats served in the plate. I appreciated the perfection of this dish so much that I requested for an extra order. Unfortunately, their kitchen did not allow a 2^nd order of Blue Lobster ravioli. I noticed the sauce with obvious and beautiful orange tint. It was done by poaching lobster in coconut juice/cream. Orange color/accent can be extracted out by this simple step. Blue Lobsters are precious because of their flavors, texture and scarcity. Once it is cooked, its shell looks like the shell of an ordinary lobster.

The signature Blue Lobster was pasta perfect, fresh and moist, as a tradition paired with local produce and flavor, prepared by culinary artists (cooking as an art not just science). (20/20)

BREAD

Varieties of bread – seaweed, rolls of onion and bacon, rolls of walnut and cranberry and sour dough baguette. Butter had the unusual yellowish luster like Froment du Léon. Quality of bread was superb; they were extra crunchy. Our server informed me the extra crunchiness was accomplished by cold salted water or by placing a pan of water for the 1^st 15 minutes of baking. (19/20)

MAINS

Mellow Spiced Castle Dermot Lamb, Potato Croissant, Jalapeno, Avocado and Kohlrabi

It was beautifully presented including a few detailed prepared vegetables in addition to the center piece lamb.

Croissant of nori and potatoes slices was crested on top. Layers of treated raw potatoes was used alternately with nori and rolled into croissant shape. It was the smallest croissant that I have ever seen. It requires a tweezer and patience to assemble. Potatoes slices also need to be baked in the oven after being treated and assembled.

On the side, there is a small avocado dumpling made of Kohlrabi slice and avocado, mashed avocado in inner part wrapped by treated Kohlrabi slice in the outer part. The treatment of Kohlrabi requires dipping with dry ice then patting dry before baking. Green sauce was made from scallion, jalapeno sauce.

Quality of the lamb was fine, tender and cooked to the medium. It has been my personal preference to have a bit of stronger flavoring with lamb. (18/20)

Fillet of Irish Beef and Roast Foie Gras, Madeira and Truffle Jus

A fillet of beef was at the very bottom of the plate, topped by mushroom from Portugal, with Madeira sauce. Mushroom and beef juice gave the sauce a bit of earthy flavor.

Beef, melt in your mouth, from Shanahans, is farmed the same way as Aberdeen Angus, was handsomely cooked, lusciously rare with a charred crust on the outside, can be aged a bit more.

The sauces, both so different, both so incredibly scrumptious. Our plates were so clean.

Mashed potatoes were so smooth and tasty, reminded our previous beloved “Bouley” in NYC which offered the similar style of mashed potatoes. In addition to the yummy mashed potatoes, Potatoes Maxine was in the plate. It looked like an apple tart, these like a roulette. I am not a potato fan; however, I enjoyed this. It was tasty with slight crunchiness and good flavor.

I have noticed that every MAINS was covered with a silver plate when bringing the MAINS to each table. I could recall that the last time I saw it was at the Chapeau Rouge Restaurant in Dijon, another Michelin 2-star restaurant. I certainly enjoyed the aroma from the beautifully cooked food the moment when the cover was lifted. (18/20)

PALETTE CLEANER

Tropical Fruit Espuma, Coconut Tapioca

Coconut Tapioca shaped like an egg yolk covered by tropical fruits (coconut, mango, lemon, lime, passion fruit, pineapple) jelly sitting in coconut juice. It was refreshing and tasty. My palette was ready for the transition from savory to the sweet. However, my taste bud was not quite happy yet! (19/20)

DESERTS

Baba Rhum Flambé

Cake was soft and fresh, served with vanilla ice cream and Tonka Beans. Baba au Rhum flambé prepared at the table was primo. Customer was offered 3 different types of Rum – strong, medium and light. I choose the combination of strong 8-year aged Bacardi and medium 7-year aged Havana Club so that I can walk back to the hotel after dinner. It was delicious and my big sweet teeth were still wagging. (20/20)

COEUR DE GUANAJA CHOCOLATE TART, BOURBON VANILLA ICE CREAM

A thin, crisp part of chocolate topped a layer of chocolate ganache which then topped a chocolate cookie. All these were topped again by Bourbon vanilla ice cream with four corners adorned by gold leaves. It was delicious and flavorful although not as gratifying as Baba. (19/20)

PETIE FOURS

Brioche Buns – with Kirsh, vanilla cream and Tonka Beans

Mince Pie Macaron

Lemon and Pineapple Financier

Tart of Hazelnut Praline with Milk Chocolate Mousse

In addition, at the very end inhouse-made chocolate truffles were offered. When the server opened the box of truffles, you are hit with the incredible scent of high-quality chocolate. Two expertly made truffles was chosen for each guest. They were sensational! (20/20)

I have read some reviews on Restaurant Patrick Guibard on the subject of being “pricy” comparing with what in London. PG is the only Michelin 2-star in Ireland, it is in a monopolistic position on “how much to charge” just like what Ristorante Quardri does in Venice. However, PG does provide customers with excellent signature dishes in addition to the gorgeous dining room and impeccable services. Dining at PG is a formal and total experience, it is best kept beyond monetary valuation alone. I was so impressed with the Blue Lobster Ravioli; I personally considered it was delivered better and with higher standard than what I had in a Michelin 3-star restaurant in London.