WORDS Cian Clynes
The brainchild of John Farrell, the serial restaurateur behind some of Dublin’s most popular establishments such as 777, The Butcher’s Grill and Dillingers, Super Miss Sue aims to fill the void for a top-end seafood bar in the city centre. Sue is currently divided between Cervi: an Italian fish and chip shop that will stay open late into the night, and the main cafe bar that offers an inventive menu of seafood options that many Dublin diners will not have come across before.
On first glance at the menu, I was immediately lured to the Oyster shot, vodka bloody mary that finds itself among the starters. In the spirit of adventure, my dining partner and I opted for one each to begin proceedings. The oyster swims in a shallow pool of tomato vodka juice and resembled a concoction Bear Grylls would swallow on some remote tropical island. Our brave choice was rewarded by the brilliant combination of oyster and tomato sauce that balanced surprisingly well and wasn’t overpowered by intense spice and the mash of flavours which dominate many such cocktails.
For starters, I couldn’t look past the SMS Seafood Chowder while my partner went for the Battered Morsels, Clams, Cocktails and Mussels selection. My usual wariness of watery chowders was allayed by the presence of salmon and mussels sitting in the well-seasoned, rich, creamy sauce that arrived; one of the best chowders I’ve had in Dublin. The battered morsels selection came served in a simple metal tin topped with a lemon wedge and couldn’t compete with the chowder. Many of the morsels were coated in excessive batter and lacked any great taste. She was left somewhat unimpressed by her choice.
Such was the scope of appealing options on the menu, settling on a main course was a near impossible task. Our choice was greatly aided by our waiter who demonstrated a significant comprehension of the kitchen’s offering — a welcome quality not always found in restaurants still finding their feet.
I opted for the cod, cooked a la plancha, while her selection was trout cooked in a similar fashion. The cod was presented simply on a bed of pine nut, raisin and butter sauce. This sauce was the culinary highlight of the meal. Its mild sweetness lent itself beautifully to the cod which came away at the touch of the fork. However, I found the portion size to be rather small, unaccompanied by an additional side; a minor criticism of an otherwise impressive dish. The trout was a more substantial offering, perfectly cooked and the highlight of her meal. Our only regret was not sampling more of what this menu had to offer. As our neighbours at a nearby table tucked into what was the most visually impressive seafood platter I have set eyes upon, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I paid Sue another visit.
Opting not to indulge in dessert (which changes daily), our bill in total came to €51.50. Super Miss Sue is a welcome addition to the cluster of high quality but reasonably priced restaurants which comprise Dublin’s dining quarter. With a fine-dining restaurant, as well as a gin and Campari bar to open in the spring, one can’t help but feel that Sue has even more to offer.
