Oliver Dunne Is Opening An Exclusive New Pop-Up Next Week – For 16 Nights Only

aidan

You’ve probably walked past Fiorentina a hundred times without ever noticing that it’s there.

Located on the corner of Parliament Street and Dame Street/Lord Edward Street – straight across the road from The Ivy – it’s a perfectly anonymous Italian restaurant with an interior that looks like your granny’s gaff.

It’s a solid, traditional joint with a menu that you could practically recite before even walking in the door. Of course there’s nothing wrong with that, per se, but still easy to miss in a city that’s awash with new openings, experiences and adventurous chefs doing adventurous things.

But that’s about to change

The entire building has just been taken over by Oliver Dunne, of Bon Appetit and Cleaver East, who’s planning to relaunch it as something new in five weeks. Something niche, he tells Lovin Dublin – but more on that later.

Today, it’s the time between now and then that we’re particularly excited about.

What the hell did I just watch?

You know, we’re not sure. In fact, Oliver himself doesn’t seem too sure.

What he is sure about is that his new pop-up restaurant EATily, which opens next Wednesday for a very limited period, is going to be quite an experience.

But when we say very limited, we’re not kidding – it will open on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday for four weeks, while the new restaurant is quietly developed on the side, then disappear forever.

Fiorentina as it currently looks

And what should I expect there?

“An Italian restaurant that doesn’t serve pizza or pasta”.

“If you go to Michelin Star restaurants in Italy, they’re not serving pizza or pasta. And there’s nothing in Ireland that’s doing that kind of food right now,” he says. “Nothing.”

That’s about as far as Oliver delves in terms of what’s going to be on the menu. But what he does tell us is that it’s a fixed price of €100 for two people – including a circa-€40 bottle of wine – for five courses “and a few surprises”.

There’ll also be a bar serving up drinks, as well as supplements for wine upgrades if you fancy.

And maybe it’s the exclusivity, maybe it’s Oliver’s own involvement, but the interest is already huge; he’s received 450 email signups from having just posted the clip online, and it’s looking very like this is going to be a hotly sought ticket over the next few weeks.