Lucinda O’Sullivan’s restaurant review: ‘Sitting atop roast and mash potatoes were two of the most overcooked grey slices of beef I’ve ever encountered’

For what seems like forever, Ireland was famous – not for the grub, but the pub – where the extent of the culinary fare was usually the ‘auld ham sanger’. It all changed in the 1990s as many took on the mantle of ‘gastropub’, serving restaurant-quality food in a relaxed pub atmosphere. The diehards couldn’t stand the idea of food aromas sullying the enjoyment of their pint, but most were in favour. Nowadays, good pub food is a given, but with the economic turmoil of recent years, over 2,000 p...