We’re back in The Dog house
Posted: 07 June '10 by Kelly
The Barking Dog restaurant, Malone Road, Belfast
I had been in Dublin visiting Ciara for the weekend and hadn’t seen Niall for a few days so we decided to catch up over a meal and a few drinks. You might remember that we had been to The Barking Dog before and thought that the food was delicious, so decided to go back.
The decor is really cool, a mixture of French chic and rustic farmhouse with its vintage cups and saucers and the huge wooden dresser that holds all of the wine glasses. It’s quite informal too – a chilled atmosphere in which to enjoy a leisurely lunch or evening bite-to-eat.
We were shown to our table by a very pleasant member of staff which, after our last experience, was a welcome change. Looking down the menu we were pretty impressed – a good range of dishes which were added to by 4 or 5 daily specials.
After some deliberation Niall chose the Crab with creme fraiche on sourdough toast to start while I went for the Scallops with black pudding and cauliflower puree. Niall’s starter was OK, but I thought that it was quite bland! My starter was OK too – the scallops were cooked perfectly however the black pudding was wafer thin and the cauliflower puree lacked flavour… although I am quite spoilt because Niall’s version of this dish is the best I have ever tasted. It also has to be said that the portion size was quite measly.
For our main course we decided to have the ‘Cote de Boeuf’ with thick-cut chips, roasted tomatoes and bearnaise sauce (for two people). Now, maybe we have been spoilt by our experience at ‘Robert et Louise’ in Paris, but whenever you order this dish you do have certain expectations!
The first taste is with the eyes, they say, and this did look very promising. Served on a wooden cutting board, the chunky chips were stacked beside a large rib and the sliced beef, together with the juicy roasted vine tomatoes – a rustic feast just waiting for you to dig in. Whenever I think of Cote de Boeuf my mouth waters as I think of a seared, charcoal-flavoured crust and moist, flavoursome steak that melts in your mouth. Sadly there were none of these attributes present as we tucked into our meal.
Although it had been cooked to our request (medium/rare), it had not been seasoned well enough and was actually quite bland. I got very bored of the dish after a few mouthfuls and just didn’t want anymore. The bearnaise sauce was a bit of joke too – there was absolutely no tarragon in the sauce which had a milky, buttery, non-flavour.. it was horrible!! Once again the portion-size just wasn’t generous enough for two hungry diners – while it may have looked impressive, the majority of the serving was the large rib-bone, after which there were only 4 slices of beef. The best parts of this dish were the thick-cut chips and the tomatoes which, for the £42.50 price-tag, is a bit rich.
For dessert I had the sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream and Niall had the chocolate and pear tart. My sticky toffee pudding was OK, but it wasn’t very ‘sticky’ and the only discernible toffee presence was the sauce that had been poured around the pudding on the plate. Niall’s dessert on the other hand was delicious, with the pastry being light and crisp and the chocolate rich and gooey. It worked perfectly.
| Starters: | |
|---|---|
| Crab and creme fraiche on toasted sourdough | £6.95 |
| Seared scallops, black pudding, and cauliflower puree | £8.50 |
| Mains: | |
| Cote de Boeuf (for 2) | £42.50 |
| Sundries: | |
| Buttered green beans | £3.00 |
| Dessert: | |
| Sticky toffee pudding, toffee sauce and vanilla ice-cream | £4.95 |
| Chocolate and pear tart | £4.95 |
| Total: | £70.85 |
Our verdict
The letters “O” and “K” on my keyboard have almost been worn away from this one review alone.
The food was very average, the portions were quite small, and the cost was fairly excessive. It’s such a shame because there is a lot to recommend about The Barking Dog and I want to like it.
The waitress was really polite and couldn’t do enough for us without being too over the top.
I do hope the food gets better as it could be an excellent restaurant.
The Barking Dog
35 Malone Rd
Belfast,
BT9 6RU
T: 028 90661885
E: barkingdogbelfast@googlemail.com
W: www.barkingdogbelfast.com
You can also see The Barking Dog on Google Maps.
Categories: Northern Ireland > Restaurant Reviews > United Kingdom
2 Comments
L’Etoile – Non, je ne regrette rien
Posted: 09 October '09 by Niall
L'Etoile French Restaurant
After a VERY long day at work, Kelly and I needed a bit of a pick-me-up, and dining out was the order of the day. But where to go, where to go..
We’ve both read reviews of “L’Etoile” on Belfast’s Ormeau Road which were unanimous in their praise, but had been put off by the net curtains and (frankly) shabby exterior. Driving by we did notice that it’s had a bit of a face-lift so, armed with a trusty bottle of Bordeaux (the restaurant is “Bring Your Own”), we entered unchartered territory..
Inside the restaurant is small but cosy – French postcards adorn the walls, the lighting is low, and unintrusive music plays in the background which you could just hear over the murmur of conversation among the happy diners – a comfortable, welcoming, and relaxed atmosphere. The waiting staff were chatty and informal which immediately put us newcomers at ease, and both were French (yes, I know I’m superficial, but I think that sort of thing always helps!). No bright lights, no minimalist glass and steel decor – the sort of eatery that is now a rarity in Belfast now, much to our loss.
Like the restaurant itself, the menu is also small but reassuringly familiar – there’s a definite nod to the familiar French bistro dishes from the 70′s – and includes classics like Pate a la maison, Duck a L’Orange, and Beef Bourguignon. Added to these old favourites you’ll find Frogs’ Legs, Monkfish, and Pidgeon – along with vegetarian choices.
Kelly chose the Chicken Liver Pate with red onion jam to start, and it was delicious – rich and meaty, and the sweet jam was a perfect accompaniment. I had the Frogs’ Legs – a plate with 4 pairs duly arrived, delicate and slightly sweeter than chicken, drizzled with garlic butter and with a side salad. There is an unspoken competition between us as to who has ordered the best meal and, as we shared the starters, I was big enough to concede that Kelly’s Pate was the star.
For the mains Kelly went with the Fillet of Beef – requested as medium-rare and cooked to perfection. As good as the steak was – the meat just melted in your mouth – the garlic potatoes were wonderfully crisp and drenched in pungent garlic butter. Delicious. My Beef Bourguignon was rich and satisfying, the dark meaty-ness of the beef and sauce complemented by the small sweet silver-skin onions, and accompanied by a tower of white rice. My one complaint would be that you didn’t get that much beef but, given how tasty the dish was, I certainly wouldn’t let that put me off.
Now, I have said that desserts aren’t my thing BUT I’ll qualify that – if anywhere serves profiteroles and chocolate sauce with fresh cream like L’Etoile, I’ll make an exception! The chioux pastry was light and delicate, the chocolate sauce dark and sweet and rich, with a slight bitterness – so so good. Poor Kelly was bursting at the seams by this point, but man-fully managed the trio of ice-cream (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry).
| Starters: | |
|---|---|
| Chicken Liver Pate with Red Onion Jam | |
| Frogs’ Legs | |
| Main Courses: | |
| Beef Fillet with Garlic Potatoes | |
| Beef Bourguignon | |
| Desserts: | |
| Trio of ice-cream | |
| Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce | |
| Total: | £52.55 |
Our Verdict:
Like your favourite sweater – familiar, comforting, and comfortable. You won’t get fine dining, but you will get a good meal, good service, and a good atmosphere. An escape from the cold and wet weather, and the stresses of your workaday life – the sort of restaurant that you don’t tell your friends about because you want it all to yourself.
L’Etoile French Restaurant
407, Ormeau Road
Belfast
BT7 3GP
t:028 9020 1300
You can also see L’Etoile French Restaurant on Google Maps.
Categories: Northern Ireland > Restaurant Reviews > United Kingdom
