Green Nineteen

A sneaky little restaurant at the top of Camden street, Green Nineteen is a pleasure to visit and proof that simplicity sells. It's lunch time heaven, €10 for every main, a short and yummy wine list, a tight, accessible menu and smart service. The sandwiches and burgers will keep the gluttons happy. I've tried the lamb twice. It's inconsistent. That's not a good asset for a new kitchen. The first time I had it the meat was frugal. Little bones stood up off the flesh like toothpicks on chicken nuggets. Despite the scale, the flavour excelled. I was so impressed I ordered it the following week. I could hardly recognise the dish. It was hamfisted, chunky, stringy with thick fat and chewy as an inner tube. Good things, as they say, sometimes come in small packages.

I'm not sure why they hang the menus off the tables like medical charts, or why some of the staff are snooty, or why the coffee is watery, but this will all be fixed by summertime, I'm sure, when their balcony will be exploited. I can visualise myself over Camden street with a rich coffee and a cigarette finally forgetting the chill of winter.

In the mean time, I hope they have the wisdom to keep their prices in control.

DIARIT: 8/10