Liath Restaurant — Restaurant in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown

From sceptic to convert – what an INCREDIBLE meal!

We tried Liath to go as ‘an experience’ last week – a fun adventure where two culinary luddites tried to recreate a Michelin star meal at home. Impossible, right? We expected a car crash. Or at the very least something pretty to look at but a bit ‘fur coat no knickers’ in the taste department.

WE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG.

We eat out a lot, and since lockdown commenced we’ve tried many of the ‘eat at home’ experiences on offer by top restaurants. This literally blew them all out of the water. I honestly don’t know how Liath are turning a profit on this take-away venture. The pop of colour as we opened our box with trepidation revealed the care and attention with which these meals are prepared. Even before combining them into their designated course, we naughtily dipped into the pots – curious to get a ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse at what makes a ‘Michelin’ standard dish. The answer I think is ‘a lot of work’. The flavours in each were just incredible. And these was just the building blocks!

When you combined these as per the (ridiculously easy to follow!) instructions you really experienced what top end dining is (plus have a slight smugness in having ‘cooked’ it yourself!). So clear were the instructions that we created a the most juicy, translucent, perfectly cooked piece of cod I have ever eaten AND smothered it in home-made beurre blanc – something we would have been too intimidated to attempt prior to this, but which, when well explained, was easy!

Having treated ourselves to Liath’s wine pairing option, as the courses continued, we were increasingly grateful for the step by step picture book instructions available on Instagram… through competition led us to try out our own artistic interpretations – a bold and perhaps foolhardy move, but one which introduced an added element of fun into the Liath to go experience.

I just can’t recommend it enough. A starter of braised minty peaches, the main of buttery lemony fish, strawberries tinged with black pepper floating some a cloud of fluffy deliciousness , and washed down with the best damn cheese course I have ever tasted – it blew our mind. And we are not novices in the world of fine dining. The tastes were surpassed only by the fun experience of creating and plating up together (in a spirit of the rivalry!). We immediately vowed to book againg next week, and this time to invite friends to share the experience. I honestly don’t know how Liath are making money on this but I advise anyone who can, to get in there and book to ‘To Go’ experience while its...

Liath is tiny. Upon entering the glass doors, it had a feel of a back street Tokyo sushi bar - there are only 12 seats - It's cosy, just dark enough, organic, and it manages to feel both intimate and immense at the same time. We were shown to our table by the Sommelier/Maitre'd, Niall, who was exceptional all evening. He was ably backed up by Louise, a genuinely enthusiastic and passionate restaurant manager. The two of them conduct the symphony in front of the pass at Liath by themselves, albeit with cameos from effervescent head chef Damien. He skips between the four person chef team in the open kitchen and the restaurant, chatting to guests, discussing dishes, and being just generally cool and down to earth. There is no pretence here. It is all about the majesty and love of the food.

The menu is adventurous, exciting, thoughtful and considerate - they waste nothing at Liath, and manage to incorporate a playful nature with dishes, the likes of which I have rarely experienced before. The tasting menu progresses through a series of sensory tastes - bitter, sour, salt, savoury, sweet - with each accompanying dish leading the diner down a different path. The wine pairing was an imaginative selection of European wines, while my wife had the non alcoholic pairing, which was extremely impressive - such incredible concoctions which really tickled the taste buds. Mindblowingly good, and all mixed up thoughtfully by Niall, who discussed the processes and ingredients succinctly.

This little restaurant at the back of Blackrock Market is a very special place. I'm sure Damien Grey has had lots of offers from people with big cheque books to move to larger premises, closer to the centre of town, and I have no doubt that he has the ability and hunger to do something on a larger scale, however I hope he never changes Liath. It is an immersive experience, and one that is so special. An...

My best friend surprised me with an incredibly special lunch at Liath, a restaurant located in Blackrock, just outside Dublin, Ireland. Saying that the experience exceeded all expectations would be an understatement. Writing a review for a restaurant is one thing, but writing a review for Liath is another entirely. I’ve never felt as comfortable or as welcome in any place as I did here.

Liath offers more than just a chance to share a meal. This isn’t simply about food this is about stepping into the chef’s world. The owner and chef, Damien, invites you to experience his passion, his dedication, and his deep respect for his craft through his dishes. He shares a part of himself in every plate, revealing his character and his spirit in a way that goes beyond traditional dining. It’s not just a meal; it’s a journey where you get to know him a little better with every bite.

This was a memorable experience, not only because I was with people who mean the world to me, but also because I had the honor of understanding a little more about Damien through his cooking. Each course was a revelation, paired beautifully with wine that enhanced each flavor, and the attentive staff ensured we felt right at home. You truly feel like part of a warm, welcoming environment, sharing something extraordinary.

While I’ll let others discover the individual dishes for themselves, I wanted to focus here on the feeling, on the kindness, and on the powerful sense of connection I experienced at Liath. Rather than simply describing the food, I felt it was important to highlight how deeply I was moved by the whole experience.

Of course, Liath is a place I wholeheartedly recommend, and I look forward to returning, seeing these incredibly kind people again, and reliving the magic...