Updated review: Bits and Pizzas

Bits and Pizzas was a childhood favourite. I wrote about it last week, but for the first time since I started this blog, I wasn’t entirely comfortable with what I said. I have such fond memories of this place, and still think it’s a great little restaurant. I have no personal connection to the owners or staff, and the only response to the original review came from the first three commenters.

But I think it might have been a little bit unfair to give out about the lack of atmosphere, as it was an early bird dinner on a Wednesday. So, I’ve updated this review, although I think most of my criticisms were valid, and they remain. You might argue that this damages my credibility, but I’d rather own up and say when I’m slightly wrong (it’s impossible for me to ever be completely wrong, you’ll understand).

Like Blake’s in Stillorgan, this Dun Laoghaire pizza joint harks from a pre-boom time when there wasn’t much choice of restaurant. But unlike Blake’s, which dated with the 80’s, Bits and Pizzas stood the test of time. standing out a shining example of a “cheap and cheerful” lunch or dinner.

From childhood to teen years, I went there regularly: birthday parties in childhood, cheap night out in teenage and student years. It was a reliably “cheap and cheerful” joint. I moved away from that area, but a few weeks ago, I went to Bits and Pizzas for the first time in five years.

The pizzas here have a thicker base with a nice crispy edge, which is still as delicious as ever. The toppings were still good but rather ordinary, particularly the olives. The side salad, which once used really fresh baby leaves and had the nicest French dressing, was grand, but now like a run of the mill few crispy leaves thrown together. I wouldn’t pay €3.95 for it again.

We were there quite early on a Wednesday night so unsurprisingly the place only had two or three other covers. Perhaps it’s a bit cheerier when there’s more people there, so maybe I was a bit harsh on them in the original post.

I reckon Bits and Pizzas has suffered greatly from being on the same street as Alexis, which I’ve heard many good things about. Indeed, only for my dogged insistence on taking a trip down Memory Lane, we would have cancelled our meal in Bits and Pizzas and opted for the very busy Alexis instead.

I’m really glad that Bits and Pizzas is still in business, but it looks like they’ve had to cut their costs and I think it reflects in the ingredients. This is a shame. Bits and Pizzas has always been a  well-liked neighbourhood restaurant, and it can be buzzing when there’s a few people there.

The total bill a starter and main from a fixed menu (€15.90), a 10-inch Florentine (€14.90), a mixed salad (€3.95), and four glasses of Coke (€8) came to €42.05 before tip.

Bits and Pizzas also offer an

• Bits and Pizzas, 15 Patrick Street, Dun Laoghaire, Phone 01 2842411