The Hot Stove – Parnell Square West
WORDS Declan Johnston
Such is the way of things in the last few years, emigration parties have become the staple of my social life. I was delighted to find that an old school friend who had resettled in the Netherlands was home for a week. Most of my education stemmed from the long and far-reaching debates and bizarre conversations we had over mystery soups, sheet metal-pressed cutlery and the array of interesting and unique odours perpetually passing from the kitchens. When you eat school lunches six times a week for six years with the same people, you end up covering pretty much everything. To rekindle the conversations of old, but to improve the setting, I suggested a luncheon at The Hot Stove, a newly-opened basement restaurant on Parnell Square West.
Sharing a street with the Garden of Remembrance’s sedentary drug addicts, the Teacher’s Bar’s more beleaguered national educators, and the “boys” in the Sinn Fein shop drinking tea surrounded by more flags than a royal wedding, the atmosphere in the Hot Stove is decidedly more relaxed. A waiter met us at the bottom of the stairs and ushered us through to the dining hall, which is pleasingly laid out. The large windows allow plenty of light, and the hot stove which lends its name to the restaurant is aurally silent but visually noisy, providing the room with an agreeable hub. The whitewashed walls, chequered tiles, and freshly painted wood skirting are all conducive to a welcoming atmosphere. The waiters are helpful without falling over themselves.
The lunch menu is interestingly set out so that you can either pick a soup or open sandwich for €5 and €10 respectively, or choose two courses for €19. We splashed out the €19, which taking into account the quality, is not bad value at all. For starters, I had a pork croquette while my companion tucked into a tasty mackerel rillette on crisp bread. My pork was shredded and slow cooked, and every bite dripped with delicious juices. The mackerel rillette was refreshingly cool, soft and moist over the crispy bread. Textures were evidently at the heart of the chef’s thinking.
THE MAINS WERE SIMPLY TO BE SAVOURED. MY PAN FRIED RAY WING WAS SLIGHTLY CRISPY ON THE OUTSIDE WHILE THE INSIDE WAS SOFT, FALLING AWAY AT THE TOUCH OF A FORK
The mains were simply to be savoured. My pan fried ray wing was slightly crispy on the outside while the inside was soft, falling away at the touch of a fork. The braised beef cheek my school friend ordered was the highlight. Served over mashed potato and slow cooked in a red wine sauce, it was so tender it was hard to distinguish between sauce, cheek and mash as they melded into one soft plate of flavour. Tucked away in this little enclave and feeling the hedonistic rush of good food, the conversation flowed in all directions.
We ended up staying so long that all of the other patrons drifted out leaving just us, an authoritarian maître d’ and one very dissatisfied waiter. Our chatter by the window faded as an angry row erupted over shifts, pay and unfilled forms. Words – angry, hurtful ones, although they lost some points for a lack of creativity – were exchanged, and an object or two was thrown with very little conviction. It all added to a very pleasing afternoon.
We settled up nearly three hours after arriving and emerged to wander the streets of Dublin, before parting ways until the next time he happens to return to the scene of childhood. The Hot Stove won’t be a student lunch staple, but if you’re looking for somewhere to do something special and treat yourself to good food while you’re at it, then it is very competitively priced while still emerging strong on the food front. And who knows, they might even throw in some added mealtime entertainment for your benefit too.
