I arrive at Gaffe already primed to like it. On the outside wall beside the entrance to Leonard’s Corner pub, the tipping policy is clearly displayed. How many restaurants have you seen it in? Here, it’s impossible to miss: 100 per cent of tips, gratuities and service charges go to staff.
Gaffe came about after John Mahon – the operator behind Lucky’s Bar and The Circular Bar in Dublin 8 – met Yorkshire chef Dan Chambers. Chambers has covered quite a bit of international ground: five years in the Netherlands , followed by six in London , where he was head chef at 10 Greek Street and Bambi in the East End. He also did pop-ups and residencies around the globe before eventually landing in Dublin.
Mahon was looking for something quite specific for his pub and was convinced that Chambers “got it”. After running a pop-up for a few weeks, Chambers took over the compact kitchen on a permanent basis, with its four hobs, a two-shelf oven and one small fryer. He says that his time cooking in small kitchens in France definitely helped.
As I settle into a comfortably padded banquette over to the right as you walk in – the section reserved for eating – it strikes me that no attempt has been made to define the area, so apart from the dinner set-up, it feels like a neighbourhood pub, with the room divided into booths by dark-stained partitions, the walls peppered with old photos and prints. There’s a decent gap between our table and the next one, so you can have a good natter, although I do hear an order across from us, “cheeseburger and squid” followed by “the usual” and a nod from the server.
It’s not surprising that there’s repeat custom here, with that personal touch and prices that are notably low: small plates €4-€11, large plates €15-€20 and desserts €7. But first, the drinks. This is a pub after all, so it’s a pint of Guinness (€6.95) and a spicy Margarita on the rocks (€13.50). Instead of a red chilli-salt rim, there’s a house spice mix with a bit of a kick. It’s a long drink, more for having with food than knocking back.
A single soft-shell crab (€10), hot from the deep-fryer, has juicy, delicate flesh protected inside a pale, shattering batter. I generally associate soft-shell crab with southeast Asian flavours, or an American pile-up with tartar sauce; here, the influence is closer to our shores. It sits on a generous slump of cool yoghurt, scattered with finely chopped chives and briny trout roe that bursts in your mouth. The yoghurt has the effect of cooling down the crab quite quickly, which I’m not sure is intended.
Four merguez sausages (€11) play similarly with flavour, although they are tightly packed and less crumbly than I would expect, the aromatics leading with heat rather than spice. The accompaniment of sprightly peas and Coco de Paimpol brings richness to the dish, the Breton beans creamy in a butter enhanced sauce which quickly disappears.
[ Fine dining and cocktails, street food and pints: 20 perfect bar and restaurant pairings Opens in new window ]
Then there’s the quarter pound cheeseburger (€15), charred, meaty and juicy, with pickles underneath and a slick of melted cheese on top, finished with burger sauce. Dribblingly good – it is not a day for wearing your finest clobber. The side of fried potatoes (€5) with its thwack of garlicy aioli is barely necessary, such is the girth of the burger. And the roast aubergine (€16) – always a test in vegetarian cooking – has a charred skin capable of containing the glossy f…