Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud

A suitably grand stage for the city's eponymous temple of gastronomy, this generous-sized, contemporary-styled dining room is light, airy and elegantly furnished. A high-domed ceiling and glass wall along one side - overlooking an inner-courtyard garden - give a real sense of space and light, while the room is brought to life by an impressive collection of modern Irish art and a profusion of green, leafy fronds. Immaculate napery graces well-spaced tables, while service - from a veritable brigade of waiting staff - is impeccable with a friendly touch. Before descending the steps to the dining room, there's also a small - but equally stylish - bar-lounge for aperitifs. And, while the restaurant's location in the opulent Georgian splendour of the Merrion Hotel is equally fitting, it does have its own street entrance as well as access through the hotel lobby itself. Patrick Guilbaud's modern-focused, classic French cuisine more than lives up to the billing, and focuses on the very best seasonal Irish produce to grace his intricate cooking, delivered via an impressive array of menu options that includes a good-value fixed-price lunch, extensive and enticing carte (including a vegetarian option) as well as a tasting offering. Expect plenty of sophisticated flair and innovation, silky technical skills and luxury. Think pan-roasted T-bone of turbot with Roscoff onions two ways and an ale glaze, or squab pigeon from Brittany, poached and slowly roasted, served with buttery cabbage, bread mousseline and a mead and almond jus, and to finish, perhaps a transparent Granny Smith apple with light chicory jelly and rosemary ice cream. Ancillaries, like canapés, amuse-bouche, breads, pre-desserts and petits fours also impress and add to the high-end experience factor. Reservations are essential though, as it attracts the rich and famous and the highflying business crowd.

Opposite government buildings, next to Merrion Hotel

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