Set in the heart of the city, Pichet leans heavily into its Michelin Bib Gourmand rating. Although physically in Dublin, everything about the place screams French bistro: the decor and ambience, the limited but tasteful cocktail menu and of course the menu offerings. One might easily find Pichet in Lyon or St. Étienne.
And for the most part, it is a very well thought out menu. There is a variety of first course options, including several haute cuisine, old school dishes (e.g. beef tartare or roasted scallops). Some equally traditional mains appear (Barbary duck, roasted hake, lamb loin). They even offer a posset for dessert, something I have not seen in a restaurant of any quality for a long time.
And in general, the food is very good. The ingredients are clearly well-sourced and the meals attractively plated. The serving sizes are just about right–not too minimal and not too much. Generally speaking, they do red meats slightly better than fish and fowl, but all are estimably edible.
The wine list, while not huge, is also well-balanced, and they offer about 20 reds and whites by the glass. It leans heavily to France and Italy (as might be expected), but a variety of European, American and African vintages appear as well (Australasia is missing apart from one Marlborough). I was particularly heartened to see Napa Valley’s Grgich Hills on the list.
The only real negative came in the spacing between courses. It may be coincidence, but there seems to be a tendency in Irish eateries to serve appetizers fairly quickly, followed by a considerable lag time until the main course is served. In the case of our meal, it was over 45 minutes–long enough for me to inquire about the wait.
That hiccough apart, our party was quite pleased with all our meals. It is perhaps slightly ironic that Pichet probably caters to visitors–indeed, it is in the heart of Dublin’s most touristy center. In spite of that, the owners have not chosen to phone it in and have offered a genuine bistro experience at fairly reasonable prices.
Recommended.