Divine inspiration

ST AUGUSTINE is the patron saint of brewers, printers, (what a convenient pairing) theologians, the alleviation of sore eyes, and, as you would expect of the man credited with shaping the concepts of original sin and a just war, a number of cities and dioceses.

After a visit to Brendan and Carol Cashman’s Augustine’s it would not be too hard to believe, if you are susceptible to those kind of things, that he has a guiding hand in that kitchen too. The food is so beyond the hum-drum, so as it might be, so as it should be, that it is as easy to believe in some sort of divine intervention.

Augustine’s has enjoyed a gilded reputation since the Cashman’s moved from Washington Street. The praise has been so very universal, so effusive, it could turn a weak head. All of this must put enormous pressure on a restaurant and create expectations not always met. So, it is such a pleasure then when the actuality matches the hype.

The food at Augustine’s is really excellent and one of the courses we — a colleague NH and I — enjoyed was exceptional.

It may be disproportionate in these grey, troubling times to be so very enthusiastic about a plate of mackerel but that is the alchemy of excellent cooking — transforming the everyday into something spectacularly uplifting.

Small pieces of marinated mackerel, some more fried and a wonderful sushi sausage-type roll of raw fish, all enhanced by wonderful gooseberry sharpness, may not be the lasting answer to any of our problems but the effect was so sublime they could be put aside for an hour or two.

NH started with what has become a feature on very many menus — risotto. In this instance it was a combination of crab, broad bean and shellfish. Sometimes risotto can show signs of the early stages of rigour mortis but not here. It almost had a pulse it was so fresh and stimulating.

Main courses were as impressive.

NH had calvados-and-cider braised belly of pork with savoy cabbage garbure, pomme lyonnaise and a sauce au aromat. It was so well presented it almost seemed wrong to eat it. The simplest of ingredients — pig, potato and cabbage — plated with the kind of symmetry that would have made an impression at the bauhaus school. Such precision engineering can seem an excessive distraction. It’s not quite the deceit of an old sow dressed as a bonamh but it does seem an un-necessarily high hurdle to negotiate, especially as the food is so very capable of making its own impressive statement.

I had that lovely, earthy cut of beef that has become so very popular. It was onglet, which can only be served rare to medium rare if it is not to be ruined, all resting on a robust and well-matched vegetable/potato cake bed. It echoed the simplicity of NH’s pork but seemed less contrived. It was an excellent plate of beef and easy to recommend highly.

Desserts were impressive and really enjoyable. NH had that stalwart of nearly all good restaurants, crème brûlée. Like running for the presidency, cooking it looks easy until you try it.

I had a lovely combination of hazel ice cream, bitter berry sauce and chocolate and Tia Maria sauce. Seductively sweet and a perfect end to three excellent courses selected from a very wide and interesting menu which usually offers a six-course tasting option for two people.

The wine, Château Calon 2004 at €46, was a shade or two on the expensive side but it was, like the unobtrusive and attentive service, very good.

Augustine’s, if there is to be a criticism, seems like one restaurant in two rooms, with the back section more like dead hotel space press-ganged into unexpected service.

Nevertheless, this was one of the very best meals I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy in a long while, even if St Augustine had no part in its preparation.