B Bar

The Brandon Hotel

IF these walls could talk.

I’m in the B Bar in The Brandon Hotel on a cold and wet Thursday and I’m remembering the nights of old when Spirals was but a short walk out the double doors from The Fiddler into debauchery (not that I was doing the debauching).

But times changed and the swirling disco lights have long been switched off signalling an end to large crowds socialising at the famed hotel.

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I visited there at about 1.30pm on Thursday. The outside  isn’t very inviting with no sandwich boards offering specials or even a proper sign to advertise that there is a bar inside (it was a bad, windy day so in fairness, maybe they usually have sandwich boards there). But it strikes me that the passing lunch trade in that part of town has diminished over the years.

In fact, having covered almost every other cafe, bar and hotel for lunch in town, it is one of the last places I thought to visit.

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As a consequence, no doubt, the large B Bar was quiet. There were three tables taken up, along with a Christmas lunch party of about 20 middle-aged men, so I was able to get the couch alongside the artificial fire and in front of a huge TV with the sound turned down.

Lack of atmosphere aside, the very pleasant waitress arrived promptly to take my order and after having a good look, I went for the ‘Grilled Irish chicken breast on ciabatta bread with fresh tomato, crisp lettuce, caramelised red onion served with garlic mayo and fries’ (€10.95).

This was from the ‘deluxe sandwich selection’ where prices ranged from €8.75 (BLT) to €10.95 (my selection and the Steak Burger) while there were other mains of chicken curry (€12.75) and traditional fish and chips (€12.75) to name just two.

After a short time, the dish arrived with a generous amount of chips and a huge sandwich. I have to say it was very tasty, especially the red onions and tomato which go great with chicken and ciabatta bread.

I had a good cappuccino to finish. Maybe if the B Bar was better advertised people passing would be more inclined to pop in.

3.5/5