Charity begins in Clontarf

EATING OUT: My restaurant is your CASA. Clontarf diners can do a good turn simply by eating out at Ten Fourteen

'IT'S A CHARITYcase," said a chef-friend, when he suggested we visit Ten Fourteen in Clontarf. He was right, but not in the way you might think. Ten Fourteen is operated by CASA (the Caring and Sharing Association) and all profits go towards supporting their work in the community. The idea is you go, you eat, you pay your bill, and leave feeling like you've done a good turn simply by eating out. Not a bad proposition.

The restaurant sits facing the sea on the Clontarf Road, opposite the wooden bridge that takes courting couples and immortal boy racers to Dollymount strand. It’s a neighbourhood place that feels more family-friendly than fine dining, but it has got ambition. The food is cooked well, for the most part it tastes good, and there is nothing pretentious enough to scare off the locals (not that Clontarfonians are renowned for their simple tastes). It has a relaxed atmosphere, with little to get hung up about.

To start, we had the roast Wicklow field mushroom with risotto, seared haloumi cheese and sundried tomato salsa (€8.95), and Jane Russell’s artisan black pudding with apple and pear chutney in filo pastry with a blonde raisin jus (€8.95). The mushrooms were good, the risotto technically perfect, the haloumi’s sharp, salty skirmish through the roundness of the risotto a victory. The black pudding in filo was just okay, the pudding itself a great product – boudin noir-esque – but there was not enough punch from either the chutney or the raisin jus to make the dish sing. It might be better without the filo pastry.

The wine list has a reasonable selection without too great a mark-up. We initially opted for the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, Pinot Noir, but they were out of stock, so we chose a decent bottle of Le Sans Bres 2007 (€24.95), from Minervois. It has a pleasingly smooth, smoky finish that should go well with most of Ten Fourteen’s menu.

For main courses, we ordered slow-roasted Meath pork belly with crispy crackling, champ, spiced apple compote and pork gravy (€20.95), and organic Clare Island salmon with langoustine, spinach, potato cake, and garlic and tomato salsa verde (€21.95). The pork belly arrived crackling-free, as it so often does, so we inquired of the waitress. She took the dish to the kitchen and returned a minute later to explain that the chef would re-prepare it, and we would have it back in 10 minutes. The relaxed, friendly way in which the issue was dealt with softened any disappointment. Eventually, the pork belly returned, still without actual crackling, but crisped, which I suppose was as good as we were going to get that evening.

The salmon? Well, I’m thinking of giving up farmed salmon entirely. The “organic” moniker attached to it is misleading and the end product is too fatty for my tastes, as, regrettably, was the case with this poor, aqua-cultured fellow. The potato cake was fine, but overall this dish lacked excitement.

For dessert, a cheese plate (€5.95) and wild berry pavlova with fresh cream, ice-cream and toffee sauce (€5.95). The cheese plate was very good, with quality crackers, chilled grapes and generous portions of Crozier blue, smoked Gubbeen, and Milleens. Typically, the cheese board is a choice of just two items; I think we were given a third to make up for the crackling episode – caring and sharing indeed. The pavlova was good, a nice collection of zingy berries and real vanilla ice-cream.

Since writing this review, I’ve learned that the team at Ten Fourteen has, in line with many other restaurants in Dublin, tweaked the menu and dropped prices. This might simplify the menu but I think a more purse-friendly pricing structure will ultimately add to the Ten Fourteen package in a good way.

Overall impression? Certain amateurish moments aside, I thought Ten Fourteen was okay. It’s more sherry and comfortable shoes than sex on the beach and fast cars, but it still represents a positive step in the evolution of the Irish neighbourhood restaurant: an unpretentious destination that suits the family, and serves up plenty of “feelgood” on the side.

The bill for two people, including wine, came to €97.65.

Restaurant Ten Fourteen, 324 Clontarf Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3, 01-8054877; restaurant1014.com