The Oar House

Worst of Maritimes
Ye olde sea dog! Ye shanty-singing, barnacle-biting landlubber! Shiver me timbers... Aaarhh! Here at the Oar House, the theme is marine. And to some extent it works, but for the most part the eye-catching, jet-loud decor is more of a distraction than an accompaniment to the food, in a ‘Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain... I am the great Wizard of Oz!’ kind of way. To start, a not bad crostini with sea bass. The Thai coconut soup was lamentable, a great big hunk that tasted something like old ginger lodged in a molar. It reminded this reviewer of a time long ago when he worked in a pub and swabbed the floor every evening with a dirty old mop and a bucket of industrial-strength floor cleaner. Not the best memory.
West Pier, Howth, County Dublin. 839 4562.

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