We love the Heyraud's basement bistro on Clare Street, a welcoming, warming room just at the end of Nassau Street, where M. Heyraud cooks up smart, clean, moreish food five days a week.
The ambience is cosy – the kind of place you could go on a first date – but with a buzzy atmosphere, so the BB is good for a loud weekend group of friends. And it’s good value too, especially the early bird menu. Unlike so many other restaurants, the BB understands the simple art of risotto, and a starter of leek and bacon risotto with fresh oregano, lemon zest and crème fraîche proves this point beautifully, with all the flavours balanced, expressive and just right. Everythig else that comes from the kitchen is just as precise, and the Blackboard Bistro is giving Dublin a taste of the simple French food the French like to eat the most.
