Sophie’s Restaurant is located on the rooftop of The Dean Hotel, Dublin, Ireland.
We
had heard only good things about it from Hotel Chatter and after
checking the menus online, we decided to reserve a table for brunch,
dinner and breakfast during our stay at The Dean. Please see also our
review.
Arriving at the landing on the 5th floor we were intrigued by the swings.
When entering the restaurant the rest rooms are to the right and the open kitchen to the left.
The
interior design was modern. The bar was the center piece with some bar
stools to sit around it, booths to the left and tables at every floor to
ceiling window, which covered three sides.
The views were stunning.
There is also a heated rooftop terrace, where cocktails are served for those, who don’t want to have a meal.
Our brunch
The
Maître d’ welcomed us, but had at first problems finding our
reservation. We learned it had been booked under my fiancé’s name. As
soon as it was cleared we were brought to our table.
It was buzzing on the Sunday
afternoon. There were families with small children, a birthday party
and couples. The noise level was amazing, but conversations could be
still had.
Sometimes
it was difficult to get the attention of the waiters, because they were
so extremely busy. When we got hold of them they were friendly and
accurate.
We
ordered two carrot, ginger, apple and kale juices, two cappuccinos, two
Eggs Benedict, one homemade granola with Glenilen natural yogurt and
honey and one French Toast with Canadian Buckwud maple syrup.
The syrup came in a squirt bottle – a good idea, because customers can decide how much they need.
The coffee and tea are from Clement & Pekoe. The cappuccinos were smooth and milky, just as we like it.
All was very delicious.
We also liked that the Eggs Benedict came with a grilled tomato and herbs.
The cost for our brunch was 49.15 Euro (ca. 51.95 USD).
Our dinner
The
atmosphere was different when we arrived in the evening. The music was
upbeat and the lightning reduced. It might looked like you wouldn’t be
able to see what was on your plate. The lightning was cleverly placed,
for example over the bar, creating a bright island and over the tables
too.
This time around the guests were couples and a small group, celebrating a birthday.
A waiter soon arrived and took our order.
We
had a large bottle of water, a Capone cocktail, an orange juice, the
corn fed chicken with charred leeks, potatoes and chorizo foam, the
baked hake with kale, brown shrimps, potatoes and tomato dressing, an
avocado salad to share, the pana cotta with blueberry jelly and the
frangipane with rum raisin ice cream and prunes.
The
cocktail was refreshing and similar to the one I had at the Merrion’s
Cellar Bar during brunch there earlier in the year (See also our
review).
The chicken and the fish melted in the mouth. The flavors of each dish were very balanced, light and healthy.
Of
course the highlight was the dessert. The pana cotta wasn’t sweet at
all, but tasty. The frangipane was fragrant and the contrast between hot
cake and cold ice cream was nice.
The staff was attentive and always there when needed. Somehow dinner seemed slightly better organized than brunch.
We enjoyed our experience and thought the meal was a good value at 82 Euro (ca. 87 USD).
The
meal had very high standards and was comparable to our dining
experiences at other hotels in Dublin, like The Merrion or the Westbury.
We believe Sophie’s management team has higher ambitions and there is maybe a Bib Gourmand on the horizon in the future.
Our breakfast
After
a good night’s rest we arrived for breakfast. Originally we had
reserved a table for 08.00 hours, but were running late. It wasn’t a
problem. We were the only ones at this early hour on a Monday morning.
In
room dining was also in high demand, though, and by the time we left
the restaurant had filled up a bit, but wasn’t that busy.
We
were given the best table in one of the corners of the restaurant,
allowing an at least 180 degree view over Dublin including Dame Street,
the Central Bank, St. Patrick’s and Christchurch Cathedral amongst
others.
We had also “spies” during brunch and breakfast. Curious seagulls flew by, looking what we humans were up to.
The breakfast and brunch menu were identical. They offered enough choice to try something new.
In
this case we had two cappuccinos, carrot, ginger, apple and kale
juices, two bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon, two bowls of
fruit salad and a pancake stack with orange butter. Originally we had
intended to have a portion of porridge each, but felt this would stuff
as too much, so we shared the pancakes. There were three and they were
big. The orange butter was melting and all smelled delicious. Buckwud,
which means maple syrup in native Canadian, was supplied again.
The juice this time around contained more carrot and ginger than the day before.
The bagels were delicious and easy to eat. The amount of salmon was just right and the presentation was creative.
The
bowls, where the fruit salad came in, were vintage looking with chipped
enamel. The other plates, cups and saucers were by Ras Al Kheimah
Porcelain. The crockery fit well with the ambience.
Our
waitress was one of the members of staff we had the previous afternoon.
She recognized us immediately, which was a surprise and pleasure,
considering how many guests she had encountered. She was very attentive
and took good care of us.
Breakfast came in at 45.45 Euro (ca. 50 USD).
Our
take: We liked the contemporary interior, the friendly staff and the
different atmospheres during our meals, plus the wonderful views over
Dublin from the rooftop.
Brunch, dinner and breakfast were of a very high standard.
The value was good.
We will return later in the year.
