Cafe Bar Deadly

At last, at last! Bray has a bit of a dearth of nice restaurants. There's Campo di Fiore down from the Albert Walk, a very authentic Italian place, with a big Italian style menu. I have really liked it there, but the last couple times I went the service was so bad as to mess up the evening and the food just didn't make up for it. So I went off it a bit. It needs to be bigger, and they need better tables.

Axel won't go to the Barracuda on the seafront opposite, because it's on top of the Aquarium, and he wouldn't eat with fish swimming below him (!?). Anyway, I've heard very mixed reports. Palazzo opposite again sounds okish, and looks nice, but I'm not sure. The Porterhouse do nice pizza and burgers, but it's not always what you want. The main street has two Chineses, The Orchard Court used to be lovely, but it's not now, and the Jasmine House across the road has cute retro bamboo booths and the food's good. There's a real Chinese for the Chinese on Albert Walk, otherwise known as Brayjing, which got good reviews, but I've never been. And that's it, really. I don't know why, Bray's big, there must surely be enough people to support a couple really good restaurants?

Chakra at Jaipur is award winning Indian Cuisine and is doing really well in Greystones. The Hungry Monk is still going strong, though I've gone off it for a couple reasons, and would go to Jaipur or 3Q in a flash before I went to it - I was in school with Paul Quinn from 3Q, it's named for the three Quinn brothers, and they have a photo of themselves as kids on the wall, which I think it extremely endearing. And I really like the food too. They do brunches on the weekend, I think that might be my birthday treat next year. It's quite haute cuisine-y food, but it's great. And I love their decor, which they did all themselves even though it looks all designery. I think they're moving to bigger premises soon.
Greystones also has Indian Spice, which is the best and most gorgeous Indian Takeway food I've ever had. Bringing it home in the car makes me almost turned on - I want to get it home and eat it off someone, or even myself. Mmm, god!

Which brings me to my point: Bray has a Cafe Bar Deli now! I have to admit, this place has never been my favourite. I've been to the one in George's St and the one in Ranelagh, and while it's been fine, it's never been fantastic. But Axel and I sneaked out last night, and had a bite. It's in a huge restaurant opposite the Town Hall (a mock Tudor building which now houses McDonald's, making it a McTudor building in my book), which has been an Italian called 'Soprano's' and a Greek restaurant, without success. I hope CBD succeed where they did not. I suspect they will - while I was looking for their number, I read a messageboard review of the Italian restaurant that said that eating there had felt like eating in an empty canteen. Not any more - the place is painted a soft white, giving it a cosy and opulent French basement restauranty feel. The tables are nicely placed, and not too crowded. After their second round of fancy cocktails, I started to hear the amusingly foul exclamations of one of the girls in the party of women across from us, but not so much the conversation. And towards the back of the restaurant, there's a row of booths to seat six, banquettes (?) decorated in rich red velvet. It feels old fashioned and charming and Christmassy, a lovely place for a Christmas party.

It smells gorgeous, foody and of coffee. There's lots of wood, and the lighting is low but not dim. The staff were lovely, and friendly, and when I asked the Italian girl if I could have a glass of Prosecco, she responded with this great frowny face, a mix of 'why wouldn't you?' and 'oh, you shouldn't even have to ask, you deserve it, you silly' which I found completely endearing.

I know the menu is set, but I had feta and hazlenut salad, which was really nice, and Axel had the spaghetti Bolognaise, his favourite of yore. The dips come with LOADS of veg. Axel swooned over his frosty Heinekken and my Prosecco was strong and lovely.

And then we had dessert, which for reasons soon to be revealed is a post in itself. But I was decadent (having resolved to just whizz in and out for a main course) and had their apple and berry crumble with cinnamon ice cream. The crumble comes in an individual little pastry shell, with tasty tart fruit and loads of crumble, and a meltyfirm scoop of creamy spicy ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce. In the Christmassy atmosphere of the place it was perfect. I could almost have had an eggnog - well, if I wasn't needing to lie on the floor from stuffedness, that is.

Happy happy! We'll be there again!