This review is the second among a set of two and a part of the Turned Tables series. You may find the first review in this set on Instagram.

This year brought more Dublin wine bars to the forefront than ever before, so much so that it’s now more respectable than ever to spend an evening in one. Row Wines has been a firm favourite name, perhaps more for the pedigree it comes from than for how well it manages to hold its own. After all the adulation it’s received, I had walked in expecting to be blown away but sadly left thinking of the bucks I had blown on culinary mediocrity.

It’s a well-located, lively spot to spend a few hours in, no doubt, but didn’t manage to find its way into my top ten Dublin spots. I wondered whether it’s because of the unspoken agreement that it’s near blasphemous to criticise what might otherwise be a “trendy” spot in Ireland, which might have given the kitchen the impression that it could do no wrong.

I enjoyed a glass of wine despite the fact that the place isn’t conducive to conversation (too loud overall), but it felt like the food had suffered because the ownership’s priority seems to be the atmosphere.

Gilda on a wine bar menu is always a winning bet, but the ones here need more attention if they’re ever going to be able to compete with the city’s adoration for Uno Mas. They don’t come together as a well-integrated mouthful, but rather as an over-cautious, abacus-like assemblage of gilda ingredients.

The padron peppers are served with a sprinkle of what can only be described as deconstructed za’atar. It’s an interesting flavour combination to experiment with that doesn’t quite hit the spot, mainly because the crunch from the sesame seeds competes with that of the peppers. 

I expected better from the stuff in the small plates section (the first two were snacks), but both showed a similar lack of understanding of complementary flavours. Both the seabass with ponzu and king oyster mushrooms with dashi and shallot xo missed the mark: the base ingredient and accompanying condiments register separately rather than as one dish in both cases. However, I had no complaints about the quality of the fish or the mushrooms. The mushrooms were meaty and the seabass appropriately delicate.

The burrata served with charred courgette shavings on a bed of pea veloute didn’t have much to show for itself in terms of flavour. The creamy cheese clashed with the thick veloute, but the strips of courgette worked as a saving grace and were the most enjoyable part of the dish.

Row Wines didn’t leave me as impressed as it has other Dubliners. Having sampled a good portion of the menu, I see no reason to give it another chance unless they’ve either revamped their food offerings or upped their gilda game. Also considering that there are now enough elegant spots for a glass of wine in the city, it would be easy to give returning here a miss.