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Café en Seine

Dawson Street

It's hard to describe Café en Seine, though one word springs to mind: Opulence. When Capital Bars rebuilt their flagship pub a few years ago they pulled out all the stops (with prices to match). This is NOT a traditional Dublin pub. Instead everything has been done, and very successfully, to evoke a fin de siècle Parisien mix of decadence and luxury over what is really three bars, a sandwich bar and a mezzanine. It has to be stressed: it all works wonderfully, from the huge mirrors and the bronze statuary and fittings to the fronded plants reaching up into the tall vaulted ceiling.

Darkly lit for mood, with localised lighting and candles, Café en Seine is like a bordello without so much red. It's probably what Caesar's Palace should look like.

Unsuprisingly, the clientele are largely upwardly mobile. (There have been more English footballers in Café en Seine than you'll ever find in a Chelsea team.) But this is in the evening. If you want to enjoy the most tasteful piece of kitsch architecture in Dublin call in during the day. The lunchtime fare is superb and throughout the day Café en Seine is as good a place to go for a coffee and panini as for a drink.

Better still, go on Sunday afternoon, when it's one of the best jazz venues in Dublin.

One warning. Prices are steep, about 15% above the average in Dublin. That said, it's worth it. The mirros alone cost 2,000 euro each (I heard) and there's ten of them!