From the raving word of mouth recommendations that seem to emanate from La Caverna in Temple Bar, you’d be expecting simple and authentic Italian dishes created with fresh, high-quality ingredients. You might also expect friendly service, some nice décor and a pleasant atmosphere. Expect to have these expectations crushed.
From our arrival we were disappointed. We were hoping to be seated in the wine cellar dining area, the barrel vault from which the name derives, but were shooed into the street level dining area. The waitress absconded before we could inquire about the cellar dining. Seated in a mini booth at a tiny table, we surveyed our surroundings - the menstrual red carpet, uncomfortable pine canteen chairs and generic art work all generated a sense of unease. The ABBA music oozing from hidden speakers added a bit of sparkle to the drab surroundings, but not enough to lift it from depressville.
Left with tatty menus, we surveyed the options. There are apparently specials, but these were not advertised on blackboards and not given by our waitress. No specials or anything special to be found on the menu either – potato skins, chicken wings, garlic mushrooms, burgers, chicken curry, ‘Italian’ omelette all feature, alongside the usual pizza and pasta dishes. It is a menu of overpriced pub grub - €19.95 for battered cod and chips (!). Our soft drink and glass of house white arrived at the table, neither chilled. Not wanting to linger, we decided to just get mains and get out.
My companion had a simple Margheritta [sic] pizza (€9.95), which looked like it was steam rolled out of the oven to our table. Nothing to write home about - although the tomato sauce had an unexpected zing to it, which is good if you like spicy, but not so good if you were expecting a plain ole pizza. I ordered two starters; the large Calarmi rings (€6.95) were over-cooked, rendering them rubbery and served with out-of-the-bottle sweet chilli sauce, which was an odd combination. The Brie Salad (€6.95) involved a giant wedge of brie with a side salad of iceberg lettuce, cucumber, pepper and three olives. The accompanying home-made cranberry sauce was overbearing and completely smothered the over-cooked brie, which managed to have a chewy coating. Truly awful. I had to nick a pizza slice from my companion to rid the taste.
After waiting an age for the bill, we grabbed our scrunched up coats from the side of our chairs (no cloak room and no backs of chairs to hang your on) and made a swift exit. An awful dining experience. Dissmissive staff (although a very smiley Maitre d’/manager), drab surroundings and a menu seemingly thrown together with no pretence of Italian. How places like this thrive and great Italian’s like Café Piedescalso on Thomas Street had to close is beyond me. It you don’t like Italian and want over-priced pub grub, you might enjoy a trip to La Caverna.
La Caverna, 12 Fownes Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. 01 6703110, www.lacaverna.info
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