"Thanks be to Cod" is the moniker you'll find on the door of Eamonn's A Dublin Chipper, a vision the Armstrongs dreamt of ever since opening their celebrated Restaurant Eve. The 20-seat 'chipper' is a dedication to Dublin native Chef Armstrong's son, Eamonn.
"The notion stems from the first time Cathal introduced me to the Irish ritual of fish and chips. He took me to Leo Burdock's, a Dublin institution. It was a hole-in-the-wall take-away, but the identity was immediate with a queue out the door and a young 'Jackeen' behind the counter."Ya wunna salt and vinegar with ya Cod and large, missus?" he said to me in a thick Dublin accent. From that day on, I was hooked and understood why THIS was the food of the people."Meshelle Armstrong
The Irish “chipper”-slang for a traditional fish and chip joint-is the playful ying to sibling Restaurant Eve’s swankier yang, offering a no-frills alternative that still manages to feel like a gourmet fish fry. Service is a mostly carry-out affair, although patrons are invited to mingle with fellow seafood lovers at the handful of communal tables.
A chalkboard menu touts lightly-fried cod filets (4- and 6-ounce portions of flavorful fish), battered ray (a delicious block of bone-in skate wing) and rotating fish of the day specials (swordfish yields a meaty mass of seafood goodness). Fried sausages (spice to spare) and salty, hand-cut "chips" hit the spot.
Meanwhile, virtually every flash-fried delicacy gets a boost from one of the "secret seven" dipping sauces, a cadre of mayo-based blends including a terrific hot chili aioli and the savory Chesapeake (spiked with Old Bay seasoning).
Come dessert, Snickers bars get dipped in batter, deep-fried and then rolled in cinnamon sugar (absolutely debilitating), while homemade fried dough balls provide just the right balance between starch and sweet.
Worthwhile liquid accompaniments include frothy Guinness pints, as well as bottles of Harp, Smithwick's and Amstel Light.
Sláinte!
Many of the products used in the kitchen at Eamonn's, Bar PX and Restaurant Eve are available for purchase at our market, Society Fair, a short walk from Eamonn's.