osa Madre is an authentic Italian restaurant located on Crow Street, in the heart of Temple Bar. Their specialilty is fresh fish, which is delivered daily by local suppliers. It is a beautifully decorated, open plan restaurant spread across two floors.
The minute you step into this establishment you are greeted with a warm welcome. The owner came straight over to us, as we entered, shook our hands and introduced himself. The personal touch this restaurant provides is very special. The staff were all very pleasant. Even though every table was occupied and they were run off their feet, we never felt rushed. They were always helpful, they answered all of our questions and provided us with recommendations.
The manager certainly runs a smooth and efficient operation, and she even made time to bring us to our table personally.
They have an extensive wine list, which runs to 41 pages in total. Many of these are premuim wines. The wines start at €42 per bottle. I was ordering by the glass – my husband is a beer drinker – and even so there was still a wide variety of choices available to me. I went for the Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc, which was divine.
Now let’s talk about the food.
First up was the complimentary bread. The white sourdough bread was so fresh it felt like the chef had just taken it straight out of the oven. We even asked for seconds it was that good.
Next up was our starter, I opted for the Spicy Prawns and my husband chose the Pappa al Pomodoro and Buffalo Burrato. Both were equally delicious. I couldn’t resist tasting his too!
We then moved onto our main course. I chose the Spaghetti with Local Irish Clams and my husband had the Cavatelli with Sausages Ragu. There is nothing nicer than homemade Italian pasta, and they certainly know how to make a good pasta! Both portions were generous and the clams were very fresh.
When the time came around for dessert, I certainly felt I had eaten enough to feed a small family, so I gave it a miss. My husband had the Tiramisu, which came with hazelnut ice cream.
All of the food was beautifully presented and of excellent quality. The attention to detail was exceptional.
In terms of pricing, it is expensive, but you get what you pay for in terms of quality and service. They run a pre-theatre menu every Tuesday to Thursday from 5pm to 6.30pm, with two courses €38 and 3 courses €45.
Rosa Madre pride themselves on providing superior service, and they did exactly that. There is a great ambiance throughout the restaurant. Our whole evening was thoroughly enjoyable, and we are already looking forward to our next visit.
For more information, visit www.rosamadre.ie.
