Irish pub fare just steps away from the chaos of the center of Dublin. Stoneybatter’s L. Mulligan Grocer is far from a grocery store, although it’s name might deceive you, but rather a pub with fresh and locally-sourced produce.
Temple Street and Grafton Street are nice and all, but if you’re looking for good food in Dublin staying away from possible tourist traps is your best bet. That’s why Pat and I walked farther up North to Stoneybatter in search of dinner at the highly regarded restaurant among locals, L. Mulligan Grocer. Unlike lower Dublin that might be packed with chains or larger brands and restaurants, Stoneybatter shines when it comes to independent businesses. In fact, many call it the little Williamsburg of Dublin. The area is synonymous with hipsters. Think mountain beards, craft beers, hot yoga, art spaces, and more. If you’re looking for a bite to eat in Dublin and want to escape the crowds, than L. Mulligan Grocer’s classic and local Irish pub atmosphere should be on your list.
A reservation was a must since it was a Friday night and the place was very popular among locals. We waited for our table by the long wooden and highly detailed bar table, hung our jackets on the hooks underneath the table, and ordered ourselves two beers. But wait a minute…no Guinness on the menu?! How could that be! L. Mulligan Grocer was the first pub in Ireland to not list Guinness in their beer list. The establishment only features craft brews such as Whiplash, Larkin’s Lager, and The White Hag. You’ll even find some curated craft brews created by one of the owners himself who visits international breweries and makes beer the old fashioned way. He calls it “the gypsy brewery.” We ordered a Whiplash and White Hag. My White Hag had a lemony flavor that reminded me of a summer shandy. Delicious and not too heavy of a beer!
Locals were chatting it up around us, which to me is a great sign. Anytime I see locals, I know it’s a good place to be. Beer bottles and whiskey bottles lined up the back bar and board games where shoved into shelves here and there. Live music was being sung in the front. After taking in the bar scene a waitress took us up a few steps into the dining room. We were seated towards the back and handed two old books. I was handed The Saviour of the Navy by Samuel Pepys and Patrick was handed Plain Tales from the Hills by Rudyard Kipling. What were we supposed to do with these old Victorian books? Upon closer inspection, we realized these were the menus. Menus were typed on paper like on an old school type writer and placed into the books. Quite a unique touch.
L. Mulligan specializes in Irish produce, something that many may overlook when it comes to cuisine. But L. Mulligan Grocer believes it’s worth celebrating. This is perfect for anyone looking for traditional Irish cuisine. The menu is seasonal and they change it every week. As a starter we ordered duck liver pate and organic black pudding. Foie gras is a classic choice of ours when we are on vacation, so we went for the lighter version by ordering pate. It wasn’t foie gras, but it was a healthier alternative and not too bad. It came with cranberry & walnut Sourdough,
cherry Compote & caperberries (something I personally had never heard of). It’s nothing I would rave about, but if you’re in the mood worth trying.
But if I could go back in time, I’d order the Black Pudding as you all should. Black pudding is a dish Pat and I have only tried once in London at a French restaurant called Otto’s. But since it is a common dish around these parts, and a favorite at L. Mulligan Grocers among locals, we decided to give it a go. The quality of the sausage was outstanding. The composition with the flavors of melon and rhubarb relish was unbelievable. It was definitely different than the other more traditional black pudding, but just as unique in flavor.
For our mains, I ordered Venison stew and Pat ordered beef. I don’t recall ever having tried Venison so I wanted to try something different. The stew was flavorful and the Venison tasty yet chewy compared to other meats. It was rich in veggies. My only one criticism here is that the sauce was a hair too rich for my taste and almost overcame the flavor of the Venison, but others might like that. I wouldn’t say that I would order Venison again because personally it’s not a meat I am extremely fond of, but I’m glad I tried it! Pat’s was perfectly cooked and he loved how they paired the cantaloupe with the scalloped potatoes and hints of beet adding for an extra layer of flavor.
We were too full to order dessert unfortunately so asked the waitress for the check. The bill came either in a geometry box or pencil case, so strange yet such a neat touch. We paid our bill and were on our merry way. We walked back to Trinity City Hotel passing under the Christmas lights strung above our heads from one building to the other. We walked over James Joyce bridge, walked along River Liffey, passed through the bustling and rowdy Temple Street, and made it home were we feel asleep instantly with contempt bellies.
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