I’m a woman with needs.  Dietary needs.

So it was with steeled nerve and ready for a challenge that I ventured to Thornton’s on St Stephen’s Green with a pair of fellow diners, to avail of their lunch menu.  The reason for my fighting spirit is that I’ve heard of the many anecdotes of leading chefs from prestigious restaurants flying into the tizzyiest of fits at mere suggestions of sprinkling salt over their creations, or at requests for extra side orders to accompany a signature dish.

Well, here was I, a recently surgeried pleb presenting myself at one of Dublin’s top restaurants with an intolerance for lipids.

Yes, you heard me.  Lipids: that is, oils, fats, butters, grease, cream, cheeses.  I’m going to restaurants unable to eat the things that actually make food TASTY.  Am I insane??

Well, I can now confirm that I am sane, and that the frightening anecdotes are entirely mythical.

When we made our reservation, the restaurant was informed that one of our group had dietary restrictions, and we were happily informed that the maitre d’ could be informed on the day.  Eek.  So, off we toddled, and mentioned our difficulties as instructed.  The maitre d’ gave us guidance as to what possible options from the set menus – lunch and theatre menu – may be available, and upon returning to our table from the kitchen, provided clarification from the chef as to what would and would not be advisable to eat according to my needs.

As it transpired, the kitchen – with effectively only minutes’ notice – was able to offer and prepare an entirely modified selection of dishes, as well as some possibilities from the set menu.  As I had had a recent upset (shall we say) earlier in the week, my fear dictated that I opt for the non-oily fish options the chef offered.  My dining partners ordered from the €25 lunch menu, plus a glass each of the house red (I played safe, opting for water). And we were go.

The starters included a generous cream of celery soup for one of my fellow diners, while the other and I received a fascinating arrangement of our respective fish starters, one (not mine) including a light creamy sauce, whipped until almost the texture of a mousse: housed in glass spheres, our starters were provided to us in what I can only describe as a smoked steam which drifted away as soon as the lids were removed. The lids were glass cones, containing a clear, delicately flavoured liquid designed to cleanse the palette once the starter had been devoured. Typically, this is served as a gazpacho, but in my case, I was provided with a clear tomato juice which complimented my fish perfectly, and set me up for the main course.

One of the mains that arrived was guinea fowl – in my newly restricted state, this meat might ordinarily be okay for me to eat, but the fowl was prepared by being rolled with a layer of fois gras. It’s also served with a tarragon cream and carrot purée. (It sounds divine, but must be my nemesis!) Another of our dishes to arrive was Atlantic cod, topped with a layer of thinly sliced potato, with a spinach accompaniment. (I was starting to feel jealous..!) My arrival was a modified version of Thornton’s fillet of black sole with parmesan crust, confit of lemon, baby courgette and parsley puréé. Mine was minus the parmesan crust, but certainly wasn’t lacking in flavour.

For dessert, my other eaters opted for lemon tart with cassis sorbet. A fan of sorbet, I was delighted to finish my meal with a selection of sorbets, arranged in alternating tangy-sweet order: raspberry, lychee, blood orange, mango and cassis. These light and refreshing flavours in our desserts are the perfect way to end a meal, and I often wonder why they don’t feature on the menus of other premises!

At Thornton’s it seems that food preparation is where art and science meet: the flavours are all fresh, delicate and perfectly balanced; the presentations are compositions of perfection. The food – the animals, fish, plants that comprise ingredients – are understood, rather than just being hunks of mass to be plated up and fed to bellies. Creativity abounds.

That being said, then, if you are in Dublin’s south city centre and hungry for a big feed, Thornton’s should not be your first port of call. Dining here really is an experience. Even the obligatory end-of-meal cuppa is transformed into a type of tea ceremony. Everything is done, prepared and presented with a purpose.

The three course meal in total for three people – two glasses of wine and two teas were additional to the set menu price – came to €100 even.

Before we left, we noticed a beautifully presented book of photography, which appeared to feature some of the framed photographs hung in the dining room and the stairs leading up to the restaurant, including one image being “burned” onto glass while retaining the transparency of the glass. The restaurant’s reservations manager explained to us that all of the photography in the book – and in the restaurant – is by Kevin Thornton himself.

The book was prepared and published by Thornton (via a publisher in Thailand), after a family member had been diagnosed, and fortunately overcame, meningitis.

The book is on sale from Thornton’s restaurant for €80, and proceeds go to Temple Street Children’s Hospital.

All of the staff during our visit were entirely accommodating and extremely helpful – front of house, with seamless and efficient service, helpful advice and information on the photography and book; and in the kitchen, who went beyond the call of duty, preparing an entire meal for a woebegone diner.

Thornton’s is owned by Muriel Thornton and Kevin Thornton.

thorntonsrestaurant.com
128 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin
Reservations: +353-1-4787008

thorntonsrestaurant @ eircom . net

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