Dax occupies a basement on Pembroke Street Upper in the heart of Georgian Dublin and has been a reliable destination for classical French cooking since 2004. The menu is rooted in French tradition — foie gras, duck confit, rack of lamb — with Irish ingredients worked in where they make sense. The wine list is one of the best in Dublin, with particular depth in Bordeaux and Burgundy.
The room is intimate and candlelit, with exposed stone walls and a wood-burning fire in winter. It is a good choice for a serious occasion without the tasting-menu formality of Chapter One or L'Ecrivain. The lunch menu is excellent value. Olivier Meisonnave, who has run the room since opening, brings warmth and expertise to the service.