A Great Deal at Waterstone’s

I met my friend Marc for lunch yesterday, and we ended up in The Reader’s Cafe in Waterstone’s on Dawson St. Some of you may remember Jean pointing and laughing at a rubbish offer they had a few months back: scrambled eggs and tea or coffee for €6.75.

But it got better. A few weeks later, they were offering a hot chicken sandwich, glass of wine, and coffee or tea for €8.95. Not too shabby, said Jean.

I suggested Waterstone’s Cafe to Marc because, as I’d been craftily plotting all along, I wanted my lunch to consist solely of wine. They’re currently running a special offer – a glass of white or red for €2.95. I was already sold, but doubly impressed to find that my substantial glass of wine came with a fairly decent bowl of cheese, olives, chorizo, and crackers. The wine may have been Chilean; it was very pleasant and drinkable. The food was quite good, although the crackers could have been a bit fresher.

But I’m nitpicking. For just €2.95, this is outstanding value; I really enjoyed it and left feeling I’d found a great bargain. I can see myself getting pleasantly tipsy in this bookshop and, as long as they run this offer, I’ll certainly be back for more – possibly every single time I’m near Dawson St.