Review: Faat Baat // Dawson Street

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WORDS Kerry Brennan

Hidden under the boutique Dawson Hotel is Faat Baat, an Asian restaurant and home to the impressive Gogo Bar. The candlelit descent leads to what is, in fact, a hotel restaurant, but one which is trying very hard not to be. It is also the location of the latest Students’ Union Deal of the Week, with 20% off food bills from now until June.

Having made it just in time for the early bird (17.00-19.00 Monday to Friday), we each had two courses for €18.95. There seemed to be only two waiting staff, who were quick to take our order. I opted for Vegetable Spring Rolls and then Chicken Cashew Nut in oyster sauce, served with rice, while my dining partner chose Satay Chicken and Pad Thai, which turned out to be the better choice. The spring rolls were good and chunky, if a little bland, and the chicken skewers for the satay were juicy and tender, though the small side salad was tired and the cucumber had completely dried out. The chicken was dry and the oyster sauce had an overtly fishy aftertaste that hit the back of the mouth; the chunky cashew nuts were the highlight of the dish. The Pad Thai, however, was very fresh and tasty.

The dim lights and volume of the musak set a comfortable atmosphere although we had to wait for half an hour for our starters, and another 45 minutes for the main. During the long wait between the courses, both waiting staff apologised and just before the food arrived, offered us a complimentary drink. We politely accepted (and perhaps abused) their offer. I opted for a Strawberry Elderflower Collins, €9.50, which was deliciously sharp and ended all too quickly once you got past all the ice. Channelling an inner Bond, he ordered a Golden Martini, which turned out to be the highlight of the meal — worth waiting an hour for — and would have cost €9. It was a concoction of vanilla vodka, Kahlua, espresso and a tiny bit of fresh cream, topped with three coffee beans. Even as a non-coffee drinker, I knew this one was good. Unfortunately they incorrectly added a €4.95 bottle of sparkling water to our bill, so that when it finally came, we had to send it back. Though the staff’s apologies suggest that it was a rare occurrence to have to wait so long, the quality of the food was a little too inconsistent on the night to warrant two and a half hours of an evening. All in all, I would return, but only for a drink.

Grade: II.2

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