Two years ago I ate in a well-regarded Sligo Town restaurant and chose the vegetarian option, a "vegetable wellington". It turned out to be some chunks of root vegetable in some pastry. It was a uninspiring as that sounds. For some restaurants, "vegetarian" seems to be an afterthought and, I suspect, never actually eaten by the chefs preparing the dish. My experience in Dylan McGrath's Fade Street restaurant has been totally different from this!
I hadn't eaten in Fade Street Social for a while. The last time I wasn't 100% meat-free but actually chose their roasted celeriac, accompanied by pan-fried king oyster mushrooms, and it was delicious!
Today I was there for Sunday lunch with my main squeeze. I went for the Sunday Roast option of the vegetarian pie. It was chalk and cheese when compared to the Sligo experience.
First, the presentation was excellent. So easy to get right, but so often done wrong. Here the pie is served in a perfectly sized cast-iron pan, with a beautifully latticed crust.
Digging into the crust, there were perfectly sized pieces of root vegetables and mushrooms. All deliciously in a perfectly seasoned sauce, which was perfect to dip in pieces of crust (and a handful of skinny fries!)
I think that, for me, a mark of a great restaurant dish is one that I think I might have a stab at making, and am enthused to have a go at. There are others that I am very sure I can achieve at home, but I just won't bother!
I recommend a visit to Fade Street. The food, the location, and the staff, all combine to deliver a great experience.