It is a big claim when a restaurant promotes themselves as “the best”, and one that in my experience invariably leads to disappointment, so it was with trepidation that I booked a table at Whitefriar Grill on Aungier Street for a lazy Sunday morning brunch. After a walk up the canal to build up appetites, we arrived at a modest restaurant front below a red awning. The lack of ostentation surprised me – for a restaurant so ready to boast about itself, I was almost anticipating a red carpet welcome. A step through the small porch brought us face to face with another unexpected addition – a DJ booth complete with DJ – not exactly the ideal hangover cure. Or so we thought.

Actually, the atmosphere in the compact restaurant was exactly what was needed for the occasion. The DJ played well, with a good mix of well-known tracks and a few more eclectic jazz sounds, but nothing which interrupted conversation. Like its exterior, the inside of the restaurant is devoid of flashiness: exposed brick walls, wooden furniture and a central wooden bar keep things simple, with flashes of red from the curtains, a few quirky art works on the walls, and little plants in metal plant pots adding just enough detail to keep things interesting.

The restaurant was buzzing with fellow brunch-goers, many of whom appeared to be regulars, satisfied that they had settled on the best brunch spot in town. Despite the constant stream, service was slick but also friendly. My companions had suitcases which were immediately taken by the Maître D’, and a jug of water and glasses appeared on our table without request. Small things maybe, but they were noticed and appreciated.

So far, the Whitefriar Grill was ticking all the boxes, but obviously, the proof is in the eating, and so we began a comprehensive examination of the menu. If I am out for dinner, or even for lunch, I normally look to try something new, and appreciate a chef who picks unusual ingredients. However, brunch is the ultimate comfort food, and alongside twists on the classics, I was hoping for the choice of some old favourites: there are some dishes that just shouldn’t be messed with. Fortunately, the chefs at Whitefriar Grill agreed with me, and the Menu was an excellent balance of familiar flavours and a few more ‘exotic’ options. While we deliberated, we enjoyed the Whitefriar’s virgin cocktail, L’Orange – muddled orange with grenadine, fresh limes, sugar and topped with 7Up – which was not too sweet and deliciously refreshing.

After much consideration, between us we opted for the ‘Whitefriar Grill’, the ‘Vegetarian Eggs Benedict’, and the ‘Gambas Benedict with spinach, avocado salsa and lemon hollandaise.’ All three dishes were cleanly presented on rectangular white plates. The lack of distracting garnishes demonstrated the restaurant’s confidence in its food, and rightly so, as it all looked incredibly tasty. The meat components of the Whitefriar Grill were all top quality – the black pudding was a particular high point. The lack of toast was a little surprising, and we were slightly taken aback by having to pay an extra €2 for a side, but it was properly grilled sourdough bread so our irritation was swiftly forgotten. The Gambas Benedict was a very intelligently constructed dish. There was just enough lemon both to cut through the richness of the hollandaise and to complement the gambas. The subtle heat from the avocado salsa added an extra dimension, and the muffin was lovely and light, and acted as the perfect sponge for the sauce. Both the Benedicts came with thick cut chips: an unnecessary but nevertheless, welcome addition, especially when they were dipped into the homemade baked beans accompanying the Whitefriar Grill.

Full, but willing to indulge our sweet teeth on a special treat, we ordered the chocolate fondue to round off the meal. The proportions of the dish were a little out – we ended up inelegantly spooning the chocolate from the fondue bowl once we had finished off the pineapple chunks, homemade marshmallow and some out of this world peanut butter fudge – but the chocolate was excellent quality so this wasn’t too much of a problem.

I am hesitant to accept the Whitefriar Grill’s label as the ‘best brunch spot in Dublin’, but this is mainly because there are so many alternatives I have yet to try that it would be unfair to agree without further investigation. However, I am happy to conclude that for atmosphere, service, price (our bill came to €45), and most importantly, for food, the Whitefriar grill deserves a great deal of praise. Without any pretension, it delivers exactly what is needed on a Sunday morning.

More information: www.whitefriargrill.ie

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Miss, Lucy Freedman.