S0195 Farmer Browns Clonskeagh

This branch of the pub-and-restaurant chain Farmer Browns was formerly the Clonskeagh House pub, and some signs inside and out still reflect this. Quite busy, I got what seemed to be the last internal table - which I wouldn't recommend as being great for eating, at least when you're 6'4" - it was a barrel with high stools beside the bar; but which would be fantastic for just drinking at - and there's a decent range of draught here.

With the previous pub - Ashtons - so close up the road and both pushing the idea of being a gastropub; comparisons have to be made. Going on obvious factors - the number of customers, the range of product and the competence of the staff - were all significantly higher in Farmer Browns. Customers are choosing this over the neighbour, and I'd agree with them. There may have been a slight distortion factor that specific evening from Farmer Browns having a large carpark, and there being maybe a minibus of Finn Harps fans there for the UCD game (of which I was one, albeit arriving on Dublin Bus), but that amounted to a small fraction of the total customer base.

On the staff thing, I noted that the uniform appeared to require white runners for bar staff. Anyone who has worked in a bar, or even just been in a bar for long enough will know that this is a very strange decision and that even the most dedicated sneakerhead isn't going to keep white runners clean in that environment. Any other colour of runners will obviously get the same amount of gank on them but just not show it.... but this is a very odd aside.

The food was good, albeit what I ordered was not what I thought it was - entirely my fault misremembering what something actually was and not asking or checking. In the old days, S0253 The Goat was my usual pre-Belfield pub; but its been a long time since I worked on that side of the city, so this will probably be my replacement.