Restaurant review: Monty’s new wine bar has a legendary wine list and sophisticated atmosphere

Monty’s itself has a bright new paint job, and the new wine bar downstairs (formerly a private dining room) is now a rich warm burgundy colour with comfortable bentwood chairs

Monty’s Wine Bar

28 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Our Rating: 9/10

Dining out has become a luxury but what if you just want a nice glass of wine and a couple of small bites? It used to be impossible, but Dublin now has wine bars dotted all over the city serving exactly this, the city centre has 20 or more to choose from and every suburb has at least one.

So lots of choice, but menus can be rather samey and some now expect you to commit to ordering a lot more than just a glass and a bite. Hold on though, Monty’s has entered the chat.

Shiva and Lina Gautam opened Monty’s in 1997 serving subtle, sophisticated Nepalese food, and they will continue to do so every day except bank holidays. But now you can opt to go downstairs for a glass of Pol Roger Champagne and maybe have some saag chat fritters on the side (an excellent match it should be said).

Monty’s itself has a bright new paint job, and the new wine bar downstairs (formerly a private dining room) is now a rich warm burgundy colour with comfortable bentwood chairs; think sophisticated speakeasy but with better lighting.

What has me so excited is Monty’s wine list which is legendary, it has depth and sophistication, and 1,500 wines on offer from Ch Margaux to Ch Musar. The food options are snack and tapas focused and the wine menu is also shorter, both will change regularly. Alternatively choose from the restaurant menu or wine list, and there is now a blast chiller on hand if you prefer your Fleurie served cool.

Badam sandeko, peanuts in a spicy salsa (€4.50), arrived with our first glasses of wine. A simple well-executed idea, skinned peanuts mixed with tomato, coriander, lemon juice, and just a touch of chilli, plus helpful teaspoons to keep our hands clean. Nocellara olives (€5) had been marinated with chilli, garlic, and orange juice to add a little heat and pungency, the orange juice providing a touch of sweetness. Olives and nuts are in every wine bar in Ireland but invariably served plain, these simple upgrades worked well, the extra flavours knitting in well with our wine choices.

Next some tareko sabji popcorn, fried vegetable fritters (€6.50) in a light chickpea batter. Crisp, sweet, and savoury, the fritters were a mix of pea, potato, carrot, and courgettes not unlike a pakora. On the side a fruity kiwi chutney for dipping lifted the flavours nicely.

Ordering momo dumplings (€19.95) is a must in Monty’s. These simple but addictive little wonders are found in Nepal and India’s bordering states, and in Monty’s you can choose chicken, goat, or vegetable versions. The dough is just flour kneaded with water with a soft filling, popped into the mouth whole they explode with flavour. We went with the chicken version, tender chicken in a lightly spiced sauce, while a smooth barbecued tomato chutney for dipping added depth and extra savoury notes. They were stunningly good and my Oliver Merlin Bourgogne Pinot Noir (€13) coped admirably although I think herself’s Jean Leon Rosé Pinot Noir (€13) worked even better.

Garlic naan breads (€4.50 each) were feather light and crisp with a light coating of ghee to add richness. Honestly I could eat them on their own but they were particularly useful for mopping up the remaining tomato chutney from the momo.

Our two ‘nepas’ (Nepalese tapas) had a rather similar sauce which was a mistake on my part but I didn’t care. Chuso ko lollypop (€11.95), was barbecued chicken wings with the flesh pushed down to form a ‘lollypop’, the sweet and sour tomato sauce adding depth that countered the chilli spice. Masu ko bari, barbecued minced lamb, also came with a rich tomato sauce (€12.95) but somehow the flavours remained separate, the chicken spicier and richer, the lamb earthier and sweeter.

By now we were on two new glasses of wine, a ‘Risky Grapes’ bobal (€12.50) from Atance winery in Valencia for me and a Larga Historia Aragon garnacha (€11.50) for the Engineer. Both were well priced for the quality, the garnacha packed with ripe strawberry fruits, and the bobal with dark cherry notes. Both were served at around 15 degrees, the perfect temperature for these wines especially as they were matching rich meat dishes.

Desserts are not listed on the wine bar menu although cheese is available with Lina’s chutney which varies with the season. Desserts are available from the à la carte menu (including honeyed gulab jamun puddings) but the Engineer wasn’t interested so I opted instead for a glass of nutty, raisiny, Graham’s 10yr Tawny Port (€9.50) served chilled, I gave her a sip, I promise.

It is early days for Monty’s Wine Bar but I already love its points of difference, I can see it fitting brilliantly into Dublin’s wine bar scene.

• Wine and several tapas for two, €126