Restaurant news is brought to you by Meiko UK
Banba has opened at 35 Harcourt Street in Dublin, introducing a new produce-led restaurant to the rear of The Dean Dublin Centre.
The restaurant opened on 16 October and is centred on seasonal Irish ingredients, with menus changing throughout the year according to availability from farmers and growers.
Executive Chef Ross Bryans has spent the past 12 months developing relationships with producers including Reilly Mushrooms in Athlone, Iona Fruit Farm in Oldtown, McCormack Family Farms, Archer Farm and Carrick Farms in Rush.
Much of the cooking is carried out over open fire, while fermentation and pickling feature across both the kitchen and bar.
Irish produce forms the foundation of the menu, alongside dishes influenced by other cuisines but prepared using locally sourced ingredients.
Only part of Banba’s wider repertoire will appear on the menu at any one time, with dishes rotating as ingredients move in and out of season.
Bryans said: “The menu will change regularly. In just the same way as going to a friend’s house for a dinner party, it’ll be something different each time. The philosophy is simple: a love of great cooking, exceptional local produce and the pleasure of eating and drinking together.”
Bryans brings experience from senior positions including Director of Culinary at Corrigan’s Mayfair and roles within Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Pollen Street Social.
He also previously led Les 110 de Taillevent London and has appeared on BBC’s Great British Menu.
The drinks programme is led by Beverage Operations Manager Fergus O’Leary and places particular emphasis on Irish winemakers and producers with Irish connections.
The wine list includes Lusca Wine from David Llewellyn in Lusk, Andrew Eakin and Naomi Murtagh’s Château Puynard, Arnault and Áine Clopin’s Fáda Wexford Wine and wines associated with the Horgan family of Leeuwin Estate.
Other names featured include Simon Tyrrell, Charles Derain and Gerard Maguire of Les Deux Cols and the Barton family.
The restaurant’s bar has been designed to resemble a kitchen island, while the dining spaces extend through the original Georgian townhouse.
An open kitchen connects the cooking area with the dining room, while the lower ground floor includes a private dining room for groups of up to 10.
Artwork throughout Banba has been curated by Jenn Ellis of Apsara Studio under the theme Stories of Place, exploring the evolution of Harcourt Street from a residential area developed during the 18th century into one of Dublin’s principal hospitality districts.
The collection includes works by Irish and emerging artists including Cian Handschuh, Oisín Tozer, Sorcha McNamara, Lea Kampff, Tim Millen, Luca Cosentino, Angelika Stochla and Cillian Quearney.
Associated Articles
Bereen Brothers and The July to Launch Onóra on Dublin’s Capel Street
Onóra is another recent Dublin restaurant opening centred on Irish produce, with the Bereen Brothers and The July developing an all-day neighbourhood concept on Capel Street.
Bereen Brothers and The July to Launch Onóra on Dublin’s Capel Street
Dave’s Hot Chicken Opens First Irish Restaurant in Dublin
Dave’s Hot Chicken entered the Irish market with its first Dublin restaurant on Dame Street, adding to the city’s expanding restaurant sector.
Camile Opens 3rd New Site in 3 Months – First Mainline Rail Location
Camile Thai Kitchen expanded its Dublin presence with a new Petite Camile at Connolly Station as the Irish operator continued developing its smaller-format restaurant estate.
Camile Opens 3rd New Site in 3 Months – First Mainline Rail Location
