I’ve been hearing loads of buzz about Brother Hubbard on Capel St in the papers and on social media; and when I droppped by to check it out for lunch recently, it was clear I wasn’t the only one – every table was full and there was a ten minute wait for a seat.
The menu is quite short, just a few sandwiches, soup and salads. I felt like something light and healthy so ordered their soup, which was described as: “green soup (broccoli, parsley, mint) with a surmac yogurt and a touch of chilli, served with our special recipe Arun sourdough bread and our spread, with dukkah” – €6.50.
It was clear from that description that this is a cafe that pays special attention to food. When it arrived, I thought the bowl was a little on the small side for €6.50, but everything was so good that I didn’t really mind. The soup was fresh and beautifully green, and the yogurt and chilli was perfect. When I make soup at home, I often put a swirl of yogurt and a sprinkling of spice on it and have often wondered why so few cafes bother to do the same. The tart yogurt was a perfect accompaniment to the soup.
The bread and dip was also a perfect pairing. This one was a hummus with aubergine, seeds and a dusting of some hot spice and was really delicious. It was another clever idea that made the bread into something that was both more substantial and more interesting than plain old bread with soup.
It was a lovely light lunch for €6.50, the service was friendly and quick and it’s a really nicely-designed place. I’m looking forward to going back and trying out their sandwiches and salads. Brother Hubbard is at 153 Capel St; a sandwich with a side salad is €6.90, sandwich and soup is €9.90. Recommended, even if you have to wait 10 mins for a table.