The Exchequer pub opened last year to great fanfare, promising high-quality “Gastropub” food. There’s few enough places in Dublin city where you can get a pint and a bite to eat, so they’re always a welcome addition.
Snackbox and I went to the Exchequer beside the Central Hotel a few weeks ago for a drink and a spot of lunch. A long bar leads to a seating area in the back, but I found the layout and interior quite off-putting. It’s grand for a bite to eat, but not somewhere you’d wish to linger for a few pints.
That aside, the food is very good. I particularly enjoyed my bowl of Spiced oxtail soup with sourdough bread (€4.95), which was rich, substantial, and full of sweet flavours. Snackbox had a Smoked chowder with potato and leek (€4.95), another winner. We split a very large “gourmet” chicken caesar sandwich (€6.50), which was decent value given the large portion size and quality of ingredients.
Our French waitress Helen was very friendly and helpful. That said, I’m not sure that I’d go back in the daytime, although the free bottle of house wine with any Sunday roast might change my mind.
There’s just something so unwelcoming about the decor here, so we promptly left for a drink somewhere else. Perhaps it’s more enticing in the evening?
Have you eaten in the Exchequer?