La Maison used to be a bakery that did the most wonderful French pastries and breads, but I’m guessing the economics didn’t quite stack up with the high rent in the area, and so it morphed into a bistro. The space is tight but between the two floors and the terrace they’ve managed to squeeze in a good 50 seats.
The menu could not be more French if it was painted on a French flag. During the boom years, Ireland was dominated by fine French dining but with that came starched linen, snooty waiters and prices to match. In the bust years, however, we’ve gone back to a simpler (and cheaper) way of eating. We’re closer to America in our cuisine than France now – with big portions and a burger culture. French food has kind of fallen to the wayside, so I was delighted at the offerings on La Maison’s menu – which emulated classic fine dining.
Unfortunately things didn’t get off to a great start when the bread I was served had a plastic label accidentally cooked into it. This could happen to anybody, I guess, but it was messy given the prices being charged in here. Label aside, the bread was great and the sauce verte it was served with was spot on.