SOLE Seafood & Grill
After months of tasting, training, polishing and finessing, SOLE Seafood & Grill has opened its doors. Located in the heart of one of Dublin’s most spectacular areas – the Creative Quarter – the restaurant is set amongst Georgian architecture, vibrant night spots and cultural landmarks, in the heart of the city centre.
SOLE Seafood & Grill is the complete dining experience and is home to a warm, welcoming environment. From the moment you walk in the door, the captivating décor sets the tone for premium hospitality.
The restaurant itself has been designed with a chic interior; bronze and grey tones create an atmosphere of urban refinement, making it a destination dining venue. Belfast-based Graham Barrow was behind the design of the stylish finished look and was on-hand to oversee the transformation of the restaurant. The owners inherited an open plan layout from the sites previous incarnation and their initial objective was to make this a more inviting and intimate configuration and space.
Speaking to Premier Hospitality, Graham Barrow said: “The Brief was to create a ‘high end’ seafood & steak restaurant with plenty of wow factor that would ensure a unique dining experience in the heart of Dublin, with an emphasis on comfort and luxury that would encourage the customer to stay longer and enjoy the myriad of choices on offer along with impeccable service.”
Most notable in the room is the amazing bar area; with the sweeping colonnade creating a central feature incorporating distressed steel apertures bolted onto bespoke rusted pillar capitals, designed to be vaguely reminiscent of Victorian paddle steamers. This is a focal point giving the space an individual look, whilst providing a wow factor as soon as you walk in the door.
The bar seating is comfortable and informal with high seats and tables for customers who like to be in the centre of the activity. Behind an opaque curtain lies a strategically more secluded area for diners perhaps looking for a more private table with booths in the back of the restaurant acting as a fun, familiar option for families and groups.
In fact the restaurant was designed with a deliberate heir of the familiar. Salvage brick and antique brass has been used alongside sumptuous leather textured timber and comfortable furnishing designed to encourage customers to stay longer, enjoy the food and hospitality and feel as though they’ve enjoyed a real treat. Comfort was key to the interior design so the seating choice was critical in that regard.
SOLE Seafood & Grill launched at an incremental time in Dublin’s restaurant scene, which has never been more buoyant and full of variety and life. However, joining this bustling industry is a restaurant with a charisma that sets itself apart from any other in the capital. A sophisticated venue, its stylish interior is matched by its extensive wine list and taste-provoking menu.
Graham added: “Feedback has been great – both from the diners, via various platforms and restaurant critics alike. As you know Dublin commands a level of sophistication these days, on a par with any major European city, and as such, producing an interior to this standard is a little like cutting diamonds. I’m particularly pleased to have satisfied the expectations of my clients Larry, Padraic and Sharon who, although are resilient task masters as far as attention to detail, are quality restaurateurs with a great team around them. All credit to them and I wish them all good things.”
