Dublin’s most elusive restaurant Assassination Custard is closing up

Published 09:42 9 Jul 2024 BST

Updated 09:43 9 Jul 2024 BST

Dublin’s most elusive restaurant Assassination Custard is closing up

End of an era

After an incredible nine years, Dublin's most under-the-radar spots have called it a day. Assassination Custard on Kevin Street was as "if you know, you know" as they come. The tiny 10-seater spot opened the doors to their unassuming space at lunchtime Tuesday-Friday. Its brief opening hours, no booking system or website have had seemingly no impingement on its success, as it was a cult-favourite spot for foodies at home and abroad (most recently London's favourite Slutty Chef dropped by for a positive Table Magazine review).

Run by Ken Doherty and Gwen McGrath (who have served stints in Cornucopia, Café Paradiso, and Dax and Ely respectively) who served up Italian-influenced dishes, high-quality products were stripped back to the point of being bare. Whether you were going vegan or opting for the offal anyone who went there inevitably raved about it. The name is a literary reference to when James Joyce and Nora Barnacle reportedly visited their friend Samuel Beckett in a Parisian hospital after he had been stabbed by a pimp near his heart, they brought him a homemade cake that was later dubbed 'Assassination Custard'.

Taking to their now private Instagram account, the team wrote "Trialling this 'never opened' thing for real this time. Thanks to all you beautiful people who supported us and ate with us over the last 9 years. We might be back but not as you know it. Busy with some outside stuff so don't feel too sorry for us. And for those who never made it in or were busy giving abuse at the door or online, it was only lunch," Gwen and Ken signed off with the iconic line "tripe forever".

The Assassination Custard name has been seen popping up at food and drink lineups at some festivals this Summer, so hopefully that means they will be hitting the road a little more.