Ristorante di Napoli a stylish Italian restaurant
This food blog started 2 and a half years ago and a lot has happened in that time. The pandemic changed the way we eat food. Restaurants and Gastropubs had to pivot to survive becoming takeaways. This also resulted in members of their staff being put on furlough or being let go.
Reopening Changes
When Restaurants and Gastropubs finally reopened, they had changed, the pandemic was their 9-11 moment. They had to change how they operate, with shorter opening hours, and they had difficulties getting staff. This resulted in their prices increasing and the war in Ukraine alongside the increase in utility bills hasn’t help either.
Some restaurants and Gastropubs now have limited lunch openings or only open in the evening. Lunch times used to be a busy time especially if they offered a carvery. That has dramatically changed as carvery’s are now like a needle in a haystack. I used to love getting a carvery in Lagoona, a bar and restaurant in the IFSC. They are now open at 3 pm on weekdays with a revised food menu. O’Neill’s pub on Suffolk Street, Buswells hotel on Kildare Street and The Duke on Duke Street have stopped carvery’s too.
During the pandemic, this food blog had to pivot and I started reviewing Restaurants and Gastropubs that were now takeaways. This was strange at first to me but I soon got used to it. Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats became my new best friends. Thankfully I am back eating in restaurants and this blog is growing from strength to strength. Earlier this year I was listed as number 7 in the 15 best Irish food blogs and websites to follow in 2022. This week I was pleasantly surprised to see that I have moved up to number 6, and hopefully I continue to rise higher.
This week’s restaurant is?
There is a restaurant that I have been to before that deserved to be reviewed on this blog. A restaurant that I have visited for lunch on numerous occasions. Mainly because it is near where I live and I have never had a bad meal there. I am of course talking about Ristorante di Napoli, which is based in Westland Row.
Ristorante di Napoli, is less than a minute’s walk from Dublin Pearse train station. Based beneath ll Caffe di Napoli a well-known Italian coffee shop. Ristorante di Napoli opened in 1999, using the best ingredients prepared in the simplest way. Paying homage to mid 20th century Italian restaurants from Naples.
The stairs leading down to the restaurant was at the back of the coffee shop. The restaurant itself was spacious, with the tables well-spaced out.
One thing I really liked and that you don’t see enough of, is the open plan kitchen.
How often do you get to see the magic that’s going on behind the scenes in the kitchen?
What did I order?
Their menu offers a very extensive choice of Italian cuisine. From exciting pasta dishes and pizzas through to meat, fish and chicken dishes. My starter was fairly obvious, it was going to be the Minestrone Soup which I have had before. For my main course two things stood out for me. Pizza Margherita and the Gnocchi Sorrentina, both which I had before on numerous occasions. In the end I went with the Gnocchi Sorrentina, which is potato and pasta dumplings in a fresh basil and tomato sauce with fresh mozzarella di bufala cheese. I also had a coke. William went with the Minestrone Soup followed by Scallopine Al Vino Bianco, which is Veal escalopes in white wine sauce and 2 glasses of white wine.
How was my meal?
The Minestrone soup came with 3 pieces of home made bread drizzled with olive oil.
The soup tasted delicious and the bread was the perfect accompaniment. However, being a fussy eater, there was too many large chunks of vegetables for my liking in my soup. So, I only had the smaller pieces of vegetables. The Gnocchi Sorrentina, was absolutely delicious with the melted cheese matching the basil and tomato sauce.
The serving dish was piping hot, so I had to wait a few minutes before I could eat my Gnocchi. My gastronome buddy loved his soup. As for his veal, served with garlic and rosemary potatoes and a bouquet of vegetables.
He had no complaints, and his empty plate showed how much he loved it. I did not go for a desert but my coffee loving friend had 2 Latte’s and a Tiramisu.
What did my meal cost?
The Minestrone soup was €5.75. The Gnocchi Sorrentina was €14.10 and a glass of Coke was €3.00. My bill came to €22.85 before tip. My fellow foodie’s Minestrone soup was €5.75. His Scaloppine Al Vino was €17.45 and 2 glasses of Sauvignon Blanc cost €16.00. The 2 Lattes at €6.80 and the Tiramisu at €6.95 brought his bill to €52.95 before tip. The food and service in Ristorante di Napoli is always good and I am looking forward to having their Gnocchi again.
Ristorante di Napoli, 41 Westland Row, Dublin 2.
See more reviews here.