Martello Bistro, Sandycove.

Bistro Martello in Sandycove, located between Dun Laoghaire and Sandycove looks out to the sea. On a wet and windy October night I kept my head down as I crossed from the car park. Martello is on a corner, down a couple of steps from road level. Inside it is a revelation, the décor is cream and dark red, it wouldn’t be out of place in Montmartre, and it was full of people and candles. It’s really warm and comfy, and the staff are friendly and relaxed.

I sat at a table at the back of the room, and the waitress got me a bottle of water to keep me going. I was also given some bread and an olive oil and balsamic dip. Just that very morning I had a conversation with Paolo about great value eating out. He had just finished a review of Bentley’s, Richard Corrigan’s new restaurant in Stephens Green and was telling me he loved it and that it was great value for money. As I read the menu, I thought here is a place that can give anyone a run for their money in the value stakes.

Since I was early they were still serving the early bird menu, which offers two courses for €22 and three courses for €25. Ridiculously good value. The early bird is fairly long and offers a good array of dishes. The main menu is very reasonably priced as well, with starters ranging from €5.95 to €10 for the fresh Bullock harbour crab claws. Others include crab bisque, homemade chicken liver and whiskey pate, and the dish which caught my eye and I just have to have, pan fried lambs kidneys in whole grain mustard and Madeira sauce.

The main courses are equally good value and include sirloin steak, Barbary duck – tempting in cointreau, star anise and ginger sauce - belly of pork, prawns in a Provencal sauce with angel hair pasta and if you want something more exotic a Thai red curry. I picked the prawns and after giving my order I settled back to wait for my food. While waiting I took in the room and the other diners. I think it is safe to bet that most were regulars, or at least locals. Most tables seemed to be groups of friends or families out for a bite. As I said it was early, so there is probably a different feeling later in the evening, but as I watched the interaction in the room, it really is a very friendly place. The atmosphere is living room cosy, with the added advantage of someone else doing the cooking and serving. It wasn’t long until my starter arrived, and I was getting stuck into the lambs kidneys with the help of the bread brought at the start, perfect for mopping up the delicious sauce. I realise that this dish isn’t to everyone’s taste, but I love it and see it so seldom on menus. The kidneys were perfectly cooked and the sauce thick and flavoursome. Great dish. The main course followed after a respectable interval and again was a simple well executed dish. The prawns were juicy and tender and the pasta perfectly al dente. I followed this with a dessert of bread and butter pudding and a coffee.

I really liked this very special neighbourhood restaurant. It is a little gem of authenticity and retro originality in a world of increasingly fancy Andrew Martin style interiors, where all colour is from the Farrow And Ball card, and dark wood and stainless steel predominate – looks great but gets a little boring and clinical. This red and white room, with it’s cute blinds and warm atmosphere is a little find. Add into the mix the fact that the “early” menu is available until nine o’clock Monday to Thursday, then you get what is probably the best value in Dublin to be had after a toddler’s bedtime. Get along before everyone else and treat yourselves to dinner for two for €50! Ya wouldn’t get that in rural France!