The Cellar Bar @ The Merrion Hotel Dublin, Ireland

Originally we wanted to have Christmas Brunch at Balfes, but unfortunately they were fully booked.

We went to the Cellar Bar & Restaurant at The Merrion Hotel and were lucky. They had a table available for us.

The Cellar Bar is located in the cellars of the main building of the hotel. It is an 18th century Georgian house and the cellar is magnificent, looking rustic with exposed bricks, arches and very thick walls.

We had a large table for two. The bar was already full, but the staff managed the crowd well.

Fellow diners were other couples and families, some with very small children, others with teenagers.  All of them were well behaved and the atmosphere was good.

Our waitress was attentive and no matter how busy it got, she was there when we needed her.

We ordered a large bottle of still water, a Red Nose Reindeer Cocktail, an Espresso Martini and a Cappuccino.

The Red Nose Reindeer was a Christmas special and contained Makers Mark, orange juice, grenadine and lemonade.

The Espresso Martini was made with Illy Coffee Liquor. It was delicious.

The Cappuccino was creamy and smooth, so very good as well.

He had a three course meal, while I had a two course.

He started with leek and potato soup. It was smooth and tasty.

Next came the pasta with aubergine, ricotta and tomato sauce and the steak sandwich. When ordering the sandwich I was offered fries or crisps. Since I'm not a fan, I received a generous portion of salad instead without prompting.
We liked both dishes. The steak sandwich was moreish and especially delicious thanks to the roasted onion and saffron mayonnaise.

Our desserts were a slice of Coolattin Cheese with condiments, mango sorbet and a glazed chocolate dome with clementine coulis. As always the dessert was the highlight.

The friendly staff found also time for a quick chat, but was never intrusive. That's how we love it.

The bill came in at 76 Euro (ca. 95 USD).

Would we return? Yes, it was worth our time and money.

 ©2014

The Kitchen Table @ The W Hotel Bangkok

Before going to Bangkok we planned also to try out The Kitchen Table at the W Hotel Bangkok.

Having good experiences with the W Istanbul, where we have stayed, and the W Hong Kong, where we stopped for a snack, we were looking forward to the sister property in Bangkok.

We were impressed by the grounds, the former Russian Embassy, which is now used for events, and the newly built tower containing the hotel.

The lobby was bright and modern and the lady of the gift shop was so nice to direct us to the elevators and the right floor.

The decor and design is stylish and contemporary. We liked it.

Unfortunately our dining experience wasn't exactly what we imagined.

We were warmly greeted and brought to our table. The restaurant was already buzzing.

Soon the menu arrived. There were a la carte choices or a two course or three course lunch with a soft drink included.

Having had two course options previously it meant for us either a starter/main course or main course/dessert combination.

Not so at the Kitchen Table. The waitress explained to us we had to order an appetizer and a main course or take the three course to have dessert.

In the end we decided to have the three course, even so we already knew we weren't that hungry. Thinking about it now, it would have been better to forgo the set menu completely and order a la carte.

We ended up with one mocktail (The Conscious), a mango juice, a large bottle of Voss water and two Sprite, one Caesar Salad, one paprika corn soup, two gnocchi in tomato sauce and goats cheese, one espresso tiramisu and a plum tart with vanilla ice cream.

The Caesar Salad, tiramisu and The Conscious were the best.

The salad was made with anchovies, which my better half and I love. It added a nice flavor to the salad.

My soup was good, but got a bit too one flavored after a few spoons. I was only able to taste the paprika.

The gnocchi were fresh, the sauce and the goats cheese tangy. Overall we were happy, but it was slightly too salty.

While his dessert was excellent, mine wasn't perfect. The plums and vanilla ice cream were in fact outstanding, but the tart crust was very hard and had been spiced with anise and wasn't what I really liked.

The staff was very friendly, efficient and concerned, because we couldn't finish our meal.

The price for the lunch was 1989 THB (ca. 46.60 Euro or 62.40 USD).

Considering our experience we wouldn't go back to The Kitchen Table for lunch, but instead go to the Woo Bar, enjoying cocktails and the dessert buffet instead, or enjoy coffee.

©2014