Tom Doorley takes heart in the good food on offer at Dax, Dublin 2
I used to think that Dax was just a substance, not unlike Vaseline, used to control unruly hair. The only reason that I'm aware of this is because Dax was not equal to the job of subduing my gory locks when I was shooting a corporate video in Milan a few years ago. I ended up looking wet, and quite punky, but perhaps I exceeded the recommended dosage.
Anyway, Dax is also a town in Les Landes in south-west France, and a place where I've eaten exceptional chicken, wild mushrooms and cheese. These delicacies, with the exception of the cheese, are to be found in the vast Landais pine forests. Chicken doesn't get any more free-range than this.
Dax is now, of course, a place to eat and drink in Dublin. It's much more than a wine bar and rather less, thankfully, than your typical restaurant. In the dining room you can choose from pork, beef, lamb and a vegetarian dish, along with a modest selection of starters. Short menus like this always cheer me up. Brevity is almost always a harbinger of good grub.
Olivier Meisonnave, formerly of Thornton's, is maitre d' and co-owner, and it was he who named it after his home town. The concept owes something to The French Paradox in Ballsbridge and something to Ely in Ely Place. But Dax is essentially an original.
We decided to stick with tapas in the bar, rather than having the full-blown affair in the dining room, and this perhaps explains an uncharacteristic decadence in relation to aperitifs. The companion put away a Paulaner wheat beer and a glass of Riesling, while I stuck with a couple of glasses of the latter. What is it about eating bar food (however grand) that encourages alcohol consumption?
Tapas cost €6.95 each, which is what you pay for a starter in a modest restaurant these days. The quality here at Dax, however, puts these little dishes into a different league. We started with what the menu coyly describes as Dax Speciality. Olivier explained that when he actually spelled out the dish as ducks' hearts sauteed with mushrooms, demand was negligible. But now that people think of it merely as a speciality of the house, they tuck in. Personally, I think I'd call it Dax Dux, but such frivolity is not encouraged in French gastronomy.
What was it like? As a confirmed eschewer, as distinct from chewer, of offal, I'm probably not the best judge, but I can confirm that the hearts were pleasantly chewy in texture, faintly livery in flavour, and bathed in a jus spiked with lots of fresh thyme. Needless to say, the mushrooms provided a counterpoint to the chewiness of the hearts and a complimentary earthiness. All in all, quite a new experience, but I was glad that the companion was there to lap up the lion's share.
There was also a good chicken and ham terrine, nice and dense and well-seasoned, served simply with crunchy, sharp cornichons: a reminder of how seductive the simplest of good food can be. Anchovies - big, white, intensely flavoured ones - were marinated in olive oil and skewered, zig-zag fashion, on toothpicks.
I'm not sure I approve of calling something made from white beans hummus, particularly as its resemblance to the real thing was rendered even more remote by a lack of cumin, modest amounts of garlic and only a hint of lemon. But as a white bean puree it was fine, and was served with superb grilled bread and little strips of marinated red onion. I could have eaten a large bowl of this stuff.
Sweet potato and spinach ravioli were tops in taste, but rather leathery in texture. Making your own pasta and preparing it properly, in a restaurant context, is a tough job. And these ravioli were unfortunately tough, particularly on the underside. Their buttery, cheesy, creamy sauce was very good.
We also tucked in to some very simply prepared sauteed shrimps (actually small tiger prawns) which were unusually and very successfully flavoured with thyme. It's good to encounter a kitchen that shares my love of this wholly under-rated herb.
The trolley, laden with perfectly matured cheeses, all from the great Sheridan's, is a pure joy and, yes, everything is in impeccable condition. With Dax's own crusty white bread, a plateful (at €13) with a couple of glasses of wine would offer great value for money.
With aperitifs, an espresso, a large mineral water and a bottle of Minervois, our bill came to €109.20.
Dax, 23 Pembroke Street Upper, Dublin 2, 01-6761494
WINE CHOICE
Prices are steep at Dax. Perhaps habits learned at Thornton's are hard to shake off? But the selection is excellent, relying on the quality of certain producers rather than trying to be encyclopaedic. Mind you, I do think that Veuve Clicquot NV is not a great choice as house fizz and that €92 is a shocking price for it. Our Minervois Cuvée Tradition Domaine Cros 2003 was elegant, perfumed and a fair €32. Other highlights, for me, would be Domaine de la Bouissiere Gigondas 2002 at a steep €48, Zenato's silky Valpolicella at €31, and the stunning Domaine des Baumard Cuvée l'Ancienne, a blend of old vintages from this fine Côteaux du Layon property, a superb digestif for €6 a glass.