Luigi Malones offers food from around the world
Lunch menus can vary from restaurant. Some can be small and some can be large. Large menus are my preference and I am stating the obvious when I say they offer more choice. This is especially apt in a restaurant that offers different types of cuisine. It can be fun having different cuisines as starters and main courses.
This week’s restaurant is?
There is a restaurant that William and I used to go to every few weeks. A restaurant that had a big lunch menu offering plenty of variety and offered great value. I am of course talking about Luigi Malones, which is based in Temple Bar. In 1997 Luigi Malones opened in Stillorgan and two years later moved to its current location. Just behind the old Central Bank building, with one thing making it unique amongst Dublin restaurants. It is built around the historic Dublin City Wall.
When you walk into the restaurant you will notice how wide it is. This is why Luigi Malones can easily seat two hundred people. The seating inside is great and you never feel too cramped or too close to the tables near you.
They also do walk ins so you don’t have to worry about rocking up on the day without a booking. It is also in a great location. Within walking distance of the red and green LUAS lines, and bang in the centre of Dublin City.
Freshly made food with natural ingredients really appeals to me. Pasta freshly made every morning and more importantly it did not come out of a packet. Using Molino Caputo flour imported directly from Naples, they make their sourdough pizza base daily. As a person who loves pizza this is great to see as it makes it more authentic. These attentions to detail make Luigi Malones more than just a restaurant.
What did I order?
The €14 two course lunch special with free soft drink had me thinking before I placed my order. I should also add that a glass of beer is €2.50 and a glass of wine is €3.50. If you don’t want a soft drink. For my starter I was looking at either Soup of the Day or Buffalo Wings. It had to be the Buffalo Wings as I have enjoyed them in the past. Regarding the main course, I was spoilt for choice, various pasta dishes hamburgers, pizzas and spare ribs were on offer. One dish stood out for me and that was the Chicken Tequila Pasta. Comprised of slow cooked chicken in a creamy tequila sauce, coriander, and tossed in fresh penne it sounded delicious. William went with Buffalo Wings, a Hamburger, Fries and a beer.
How was my meal?
The six Buffalo Wings had a slight kick and were not too spicy. They varied in size and tasted delicious and were just the right amount and size for a starter.
The Chicken Tequila Pasta was al dente, and beautiful with the creamy tequila sauce adding that je ne sais quoi.
You could taste the tequila but it was not overpowering and the portions were just right. It was a nice surprise as restaurants who offer different cuisines, tend to have average pasta dishes.
William enjoyed his Buffalo Wings but he felt his burger even though it tasted delicious was slightly over cooked. Our meal was great, however we one small problem that thankfully was quickly rectified. When William ordered a beer with his meal he had been given a pint instead of a glass. We noticed that the beer glass did not look exactly like a half pint beer glass. But we thought nothing of it and a second beer was ordered. When the bill came it had two pints on it. So, when we told our waitress that we thought two glasses of beer had been ordered, they only charged for one pint. I would highly recommend going to Luigi Malones for lunch, because the food was great and the service was excellent.
What did my meal cost?
Well, my 2 courses of Buffalo Wings and Chicken Tequila Pasta with a Coke cost €14.00.
Luigi Malones, 5-6 Cecelia St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.
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