Review: Itsa4, Sandymount

Brunch! Being partial to a Sunday roast, I’m rather late to this hybrid party. But a good brunch in a nice restaurant, surrounded by the papers, is surely one of the nicest ways to while away a weekend afternoon.

Somehow I found myself in Sandymount a few weeks ago, and we quickly settled on Itsa4. I’d eaten here when it first opened, but was madly underwhelmed.

This time was much, much better. A reasonably varied menu offers a good selection, and it left me torn between a big fat fry, a burger, a steak sandwich, fried hake, a club sandwich, or bangers and mash. After some seriously intense negotiation, Andrew and I “agreed” to share the bangers and mash and the club sandwich.

The club sandwich was served open, with a full chicken breast, fresh and crisp salad, a strip of bacon, and warm, toasted bread. MY bangers and mash were utterly scrumptious with just-so spiced, tender sausages served with creamy, melty, and delicate mash and a generous amount of rich, lip-smacking gravy.

A fresh orange juice, a double espresso macchiato, and a slab of rich chocolate cake brought the bill to €39.95 before service. The service was friendly and efficient – all you could want.

Unusually – and most welcome – for a restaurant, Itsa4’s menu lists the provenance of all its food. It’s particularly nice to know where the meats come from.

Itsa4 runs an early bird offer: €20 for two courses.