Caviar. Is it worth it? There’s a burning question I’m sure you find yourself asking on a regular basis. In case you haven’t noticed, it is having a moment, along with wisps of gold leaf, gilding the dishes of fine dining restaurants.
I’ve been afflicted with a first world caviar habit – yes, thoughts and prayers – a side effect of a brief stint as an air steward in the last-century Middle East. Clearly, it’s a “Houston, we’ve got a problem” situation as a severe lack of funds is a cruel hindrance to my mile high indulgence. It’s my birthday, however, and I muse for a moment as I see it listed on the menu at Forbes Street by Gareth Mullins, the restaurant in Anantara, the hotel formerly known as The Marker. It’s a family of swanky resort hotels, hence, I suppose, the caviar. So, I’m all in. Even at €50 for 10 grams.
It arrives with its own set of accoutrements: the golden flecked pearls glistening on the upturned tin of Ars Italica Oscietra Imperial caviar, sitting on a salt filled glass bowl, which, in turn, sits on a specially designed wooden tray. It looks impressively self-assured. A bowl of crème fraîche is dusted with chopped chives, another bowl is filled with Ballymakenny potato crisps and a third has two mother of pearl spoons sitting on top of Ballymakenny potato blinis. I guess I’m sharing.
I had expected the caviar to be a darker colour, more of a silvery grey, but I later discover that the amber Imperial caviar is twice the price of the Classic caviar from Ars Italica. It’s the only option on the menu, unless you spring for a 30 gram serving for €140. Indeed, you could add Bollinger Champagne to that as a trolley is on the way but to balance out the excess of my habit, I am sipping De Sol Picpoul de Pinet (€35), which is perfectly chilled and delicious.
Caribou restaurant review: A hip Dublin bar where the best thing on the menu isn’t even the roast
Hana Izakaya review: This fun and friendly Dublin restaurant is a solid addition to the city. It will do well
Chilangos restaurant review: Bold, tasty and unapologetically real Mexican street food
Three new Michelin stars for Galway, Laois and Kildare restaurants show trend for great food outside Dublin
Back to the caviar. If you want to be all TikTok and Gen Z about it, you’ll be loading it on to the crisps for a high low snack but, for me, it’s got to be the blinis and crème fraîche routine, the deliciously salty pearls popping as I roll them around my mouth. I do, of course, demolish the crisps because 10 grams, well, it’s as dainty as it sounds.
[ Best places for fish and chips in IrelandOpens in new window ]
You would think that a starter as flashy as this would beat everything into submission but the ricotta and spinach raviolo (€14) is equally good; silky pasta stuffed lightly, perfectly seasoned and bathed in the most wonderful cheesy sauce.
For main course, we have taken the steak route as dry-aged beef, displayed in the custom-made fridge, is quite the thing here. It’s an 8oz strip steak (€34), cooked to what I am beginning to realise is an Irish medium-rare (ordering steak rare may be advisable), with a very good Béarnaise and two sides, included in the price. There are four sizeable slices of black pudding and potato hash and a generous serving of purple sprouting broccoli which would more than cover off a few of our five a day.
[ Sign up for our Food & Drink Club newsletterOpens in new window ]
Turbot on the bone (€43) is one of the more expensive main courses but, again, it is a generous portion and this king of fish never comes cheap. Served with a caper and chicken jus, it sits on top of spinach purée with some broccoli florets to the side. It’s a lovely piece of fish but I’m not convinced of the benefit of cooking on the bone when it’s in portion sizes rather than as a whole fish. A tranche is more elegant and while the saucing is good – the chicken jus adds richness – I think it’s hard to beat a beurre blanc.
Dessert will have you absorbed, certainly if you opt for the rhubarb with smoked vanilla, herbs and crispy potatoes (€12). I know, it doesn’t sound like a dessert but it works in a beguiling way. The soufflé strips of potato add a crunch to the savoury smokiness of the cold parfait and a snappy basil sorbet brings it all into focus.
Forbes Street is not what you expect from a hotel restaurant. With Gareth Mullins at the helm, provenance is key and there is a huge emphasis on quality Irish produce. The cooking is assured, the service is notably good and the caviar is worth a try, especially if it’s your birthday.
Dinner for two with a bottle of wine was €188.
THE VERDICT: Caviar, dry-aged beef and turbot, what’s not to like?
Music: A hotel-type mix
Food provenance: Flaggy Shore oysters, Italian-farmed caviar, John Stone beef, Ballymakenny Farm, Goatsbridge Farm, Young Buck, Ballylisk, Coolattin and St Tola
Vegetarian options: Two starters and two mains including vegan options – summer tomato salad, ricotta and spinach ravioli, courgette with tempura courgette flower and roast aubergine
Wheelchair access: Accessible room with accessible toilet
