I seldom order a Scotch egg. They’re just pimped-up boiled eggs, aren’t they? Research (a quick Google) indicates that the sausage-meat-coated eggs could have their origins in Africa, India or Yorkshire, though Scotland is an unlikely contender. In any case, after sunset, I expect my eggs to rise to the occasion – preferably whipped into an ethereal soufflé, bolstered with cheese – something with drama.
I quickly learn I’m spared this tortured decision-making – the chorizo Scotch eggs are off, says our waiter at Hera, the new restaurant in Juno, a pub on Dublin’s Dorset Street. It’s the only unavailable item, which suggests plenty of love before we arrived. One less thing to ponder, clearing the path to a menu of snacks, “smalls”, “bigs”, sides and desserts – part Mediterranean, part sturdy Irish winter.
It’s three years since Jamie McCarthy and Sean Crescenzi of Achara and Crudo fame, and Brian McCarthy and Jonnie Foley of The Fourth Corner and Bedlam Events, took over the Red Parrot pub. While they had quite a few dishes on the menu, it was solidly in the pub canon, with battered black pudding sausages, smash burgers and fish sandwiches. Now, with a new name and revamp – softer tones, acoustic wood panelling, more booths and a customised Hertz U Audio system – the food shifts towards an elevated gastropub vibe.
Joe Smith is running the kitchen – an experienced chef who worked in Bastible for many years and was there when it landed its Michelin star. There are no such lofty ambitions at Hera but the menu dodges anything predictable, serving up dishes that feel imaginative.
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You could take the traditional three-course route, and opt for the 42-day dry-aged Delmonico rib-eye (€30), or the lobster fish pie for two (€58), but we decide to focus on the small plates. Who could resist smoked cod tarama with Ballymakenny crisps (€8), a perfect crunch of pub and gastro in each bite? Or the sourdough focaccia with chicken and mushroom butter (€5) – golden and robust enough to handle the decadent earthy butter, which tastes foie gras-adjacent.
If you fancy starting with cocktails, the Smoke and Mirrors (€13.50) is the one to order (Connemara peated whiskey with Valentia Island Vermouth). There’s beer on tap and a one-page wine list. A bottle of Garganega (€35) matches nicely with our dishes.
The Carlingford oysters (€3 each) bring a touch of theatre, torched tableside until the rondelle of house-made smoked butter on each one foams and glistens, cloaking them in a glossy coat. You’ll want to pause for a moment to avoid scorching your lips on the shell but move quickly enough to catch the butter while it’s still warm and liquid. I’d prefer if the oysters had not been pre-poached, however gently, but I can appreciate how this step broadens their appeal.
The purple broccoli fritti (€12) is a crisp and airy take on tempura, paired with an intense miso bagna càuda. They are everything you want from a pub snack – salty, crispy and addictive. The fried taleggio with pear and ginger mustard and black lime dressing (€12) is gooey, like a posh mozzarella stick.
We have been advised that the chicken and pancetta meatballs (€16) are a must-order item. Three enormous spheres, dense yet tender, arrive in a tasty smoky mushroom and chipotle ragu with a flurry of Cloonbook cheese on top.
We opt for one of the large dishes, a pumpkin lasagne, which is rich and packed with textures (€19). Layers of pumpkin and Toonsbridge scamorza are enriched with cavolo nero, and hazelnut pesto adds a crunch that keeps each bite interesting. The pumpkin, playing a dual role as both creamy filling and solid base, anchors the dish.
And then on to dessert. The brown butter and miso tart (€7) is an ambitious creation. The pastry is crumbly, the filling a perfect balance of sweet and savoury, the miso adding depth without veering into overkill. A dollop of crème fraîche, lightly infused with tonka bean, balances it all out beautifully.
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While the phrase “gastropub” feels like a bit of a misnomer, with the emphasis falling resolutely on “gastro” rather than punters drinking pints in a pub (take Tom Kerridge’s Michelin two-star The Hand and Flowers in Marlow, for example), it does, in Hera’s case, strike a balance. Here, the food is clever, there’s a delicacy and originality to it, and the old-school boozer still lives on in the room beside it.
Dinner for two with a cocktail and bottle of wine was €133.50.
The Verdict: A gastropub, minus the cliches.
Food provenance: Glenmar, Feighcullen chicken, McLoughlin’s meat, Annalitten eggs, The Mushroom Butcher, and La Rousse.
Vegetarian options: Broccoli fritti, fried taleggio, roast beetroot, aubergine schnitzel, and pumpkin lasagne.
Wheelchair access: Fully accessible, with an accessible toilet.
Music: Neil Frances, Szymon, Olivia Dean, indie pop and R&B.
