BLACKBOOK White-cloth service: a selection of beautifully presented canapés at The Greenhouse Restaurant URBAN PRIMER DUBLIN DELIGHTS The Irish capital is on the up with renewed confidence and a clutch of noteworthy openings BY AOIFE O’RIORDAIN Dublin has had precious little to boast about in recent years, but a slow surge of optimism has led to a flurry of activity, starting with the debut of the city’s latest five-star hotel, The Marker (themarkerhoteldublin.com). Set right opposite the audacious lines of the Daniel Libeskind-designed Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in the Docklands quarter, it boasts bold, contemporary shapes of its own and one of the capital’s only rooftop lounges, with far-reaching views across the city to the heatherflecked Dublin Mountains beyond. Those with more traditional leanings can check into the city’s grandee, The Merrion Hotel ( merrionhotel.com) in the heart of Georgian Dublin, where they can expect gracious proportions, crackling fires and one of the country’s finest private art collections adorning the walls. as well as one of the city’s most august eateries, the two-star Michelin Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. But Dublin’s dining scene continues to evolve. Its latest metamorphosis is a move to smaller, casual eateries in marked contrast to the starched linen offerings of yesteryear. And Super Miss Sue ( $ supermisssue.com) is a perfect harbinger: an arrestingly designed fish and chip shop, seafood café, oyster bar and gin bar all under one roof in a city that, despite its coastal setting, remains woefully short of fish restaurants. SHANE O‘NEILL 24 departures-international.com
