Rock Lobster

The Dublin food blog scene isn't as well-developed as in London so hearing about new places to eat can be a little challenging. I first heard about Rock Lobster last week whilst checking into a blog I read from time to time. The author had just added a post about a place which had what he claimed to be the best and cheapest lobster in Dublin , which was to be found at Rock Lobster. I then rang the resto and managed to bag a reservation on Saturday evening :)

The resto was already quite busy when we arrived, a good sign!  Once seated, service was prompt, polite and efficient; just how it should be at restos. There were a few blips such as poor management of seating customers at the beginning. The entrance to the resto only allows 2 people to stand comfortably; any more, results in a complete clog. Secondly, JD ordered mussels for his starter which did not come with a bowl of water to rinse his hands (yet they remembered for my lobster main). Lastly, it took 2 servers over the space of 10 minutes to find out if the resto served any dessert wine. The food was pretty decent and prices quite reasonable. I overheard a conversation on the table next to us just as we were leaving that the resto had only been open for 5 weeks. If they continue to maintain this level of food and service, then I wish them continued success for the future.

(One of JD's pet peeves in restos is asking for the bill and then having to wait an eternity to pay - if there is one thing that restaurateurs should look at improving in 2013, then this should be it!! Not a problem usually, but if we had to wait any longer for our bill at Rock Lobster, we would've run the risk of getting a parking ticket!!)

Loving the backs of the menus!! A shame they go to all the trouble of pointing the different cuts of meat on a cow yet only the prime cuts appear on the menu :(

Starter of crab cake - lovely taste of flaky crab meat in the middle. To be honest, could've done with less of the fried potato strings on the outside, which overpowered the crab slightly. The onions in the roasted peppers were not cooked down enough.

Whole lobster and fries - very generous portion for 20 yoyos! I was given a nutcracker and pick for the getting out the meat from the claws but I think it would've been nice if the kitchen had given us a helping hand and maybe crack the claws slightly before serving. My claws were too big for the nutcracker and I nearly lost them in my efforts to crack them open!

Cheeseboard - nice but not as good as the one at One Pico :)

Also unfortunate that our server did not bother to tell me what the names of the cheeses were...