Forest Avenue Restaurant

So good

In a word: Disappointing Went for their Autumn Dinner tasting menu and we were expecting a lot considering the €110 price tag and their recent Michelin star. Unfortunately our expectations were not met, far from it. I'm not sure if we just got unlucky with the menu but honestly this meal what not at the standard you'd expect. Our immediate impression was a let down as the downstairs interior felt a bit dated we had two bright white spotlights shining right at us. I would not give high marks for the decor or ambience, it certainly didn’t feel like a high end restaurant. The service staff were friendly but seemed a bit inexperienced; questions about the menu or wine went mostly unanswered, and the lack of a sommelier was apparent. Again, you expect better from a Michelin star. The food itself consisted of 6 courses and 3 small bites. The first snack was nice but it went downhill from there. Everything was a bit samey with cumin and coriander being ever-present for some reason. Felt like the chef took a recent trip to India and got inspired. Most of the dishes were a bit confusing as the flavours didn’t really compliment each other, and more than once we felt the course was just completely bland. We expected inventiveness and refinement but sadly it was anything but. A good example is the cod belly tempura; a nice delicate piece of fish coated in an even lighter batter, served on a skewer with a dipping sauce on the side. Sounds good, but in reality it just didn't work. The metal skewer couldn't grip the fish so when you pick it up it just falls off which was annoying. The dipping sauce was also too thick so if you try to dip the fish it just breaks apart. To top it off neither the fish nor the sauce had enough flavour, I'd believe you if you told me it was a low-sodium course for medical purposes. Our total for 2 people came to €250, and on the way home I could only think about the myriad ways I'd rather have spent that money. My honest review is that there is no reason to go here when Bastible exists, which is the same exact price and has the same number of Michelin stars, except it's simply better in every way. We won't be returning.

We had a very good lunch. The lunch tasting menu was excellent; we enjoyed everything very much. The service was attentive, always friendly, and helpful. We had a wonderful afternoon.

First Michelin star dining experience and it didn’t disappoint. Went for the lunch tasting menu, every course was outstanding. The service was friendly and attentive, will certainly be back!

First of all and most important : we really enjoyed the food. We had 5 tasty snacks and then 6 courses. Special mention for the beef which was incredible. For the wine paring, the discovery of the Constance Wine was incredible too. However, the Michelin Star and the price of the menu come with some expectations. And we must mention the following disappointing points : - The main dinning room is very noisy. Tables are close one to the other, the open kitchen (although nice to observe) doesn't help on the noise level. The owners often don't speak nicely to the staff in front of clients. Moreover the music is useless. - The quality of the service was heterogeneous among the staff and sometimes a bit messy and way too fast. The staff seems in a rush (which we can easily understand with the amount of tables) which impacted the announcement of the dishes or the water service. For the main courses, we felt a bit in a rush to finish our plates which is unpleasant. - Water is presented at the beginning of the service in neutral jugs, thus we thought it would be free tap water. Turned out it was charged and refilled without asking. But it's mentionned "water unlimited" on the bill : hard to understand. - Bread and butter is only proposed in the first course (after snacks). The sauces are so good, we would have appreciated more slices to let no drops in the plates ! - Wine pairing (90€ for 6 glasses) quality was also heterogeneous. From a magnificent Constance Wine to a really pointless Rosé of Provence which seems to be less than 10€/bottle according web researches. We fully understand we cannot have only wines from 80€ bottles (as Constance Wine) for a 90€ wine pairing. However we though that a minimum quality for every glass would appreciable. - As a table of 7 we were charged 12.5% on the total bill (equivalent to 100€). It seems common in Ireland, however still surprising for tourists as it was not mentioned during online booking. Especially the fact that the wine pairing and water bottles are also affected. This was a very unpleasant surprise on the bill, especially as the service quality was disappointing. Wa left the restaurant with mixed feelings : incredible food, sometimes awesome but uneven wine pairing, a mediocre table service and atmosphere, and final bad surprises on the bill.

Inventive and creative food, amazing taste combinations, interesting wines. Small restaurant.

Fantastic food, great service, surprisingly affordable for the quality