The Post. ie

Situated on a corner of buzzy Oliver Plunkett Street, Market Lane has a fresh and welcoming exterior. Inside, a heavy, draft-excluding red velvet curtain gives way to a space filled with light, painted carved wood and polished dark counters.

I was with a fellow reviewer so they were in for a drilling, though the immediate warm welcome and choice of seating enthused us. We sat at a corner table which gave us a view outside and in.

The menu comes on a sheet of paper which is a sort of place mat, so the feel is essentially casual, but there’s plenty of stylish options on offer. Indeed it was one of those occasions when you struggle between interesting dishes.

To start I kicked off with the sweet potato and Crozier blue cheese with spinach, dates and roasted pine nut oil (€7.20).What a beautiful combination, a classic with the clever addition of sweet notes from the sweet potato.

My companion had the crispy confit of duck with rocket, pickled pear relish, croutons and sweet soy dressing (€7.70). You can almost imagine the chef trying each element, weighing up the effect, then building the dish with a touch of red onion and a flourish of honeysweet croutons. Beautiful. And very big. Which concerned us a little, as we’d ordered gutsy main courses.

We mused over drinks, a simple Fentiman’s Curiosity Cola (€3) and a glass of the house white, Basiano, a Viura Malvasia blend from Spain (€5.70). (There was plenty we could have indulged in, but it was a midweek lunch, so we abstained.)

Id o think there’s room for a restaurant that offers ‘recommended portions’ or smaller portions, and includes the proviso that you can get extra helpings.

I t would make for a USP that reflects today’s more conscientious buyer, concerned about waste, health and the environment, as so much food is discarded.

The main course was a very tough call, with several humdingers tempting me, including braised ox cheek stew with smoked bacon, field mushrooms and roast root vegetables with red cabbage and thyme mash (€13.50); and pan-fried hake fillet with broccoli, bok choi, peppers, sautéed potatoes and a walnut and lime pesto (€16.95).

In the end I went for a vegetarian option, always a good indicator of a really caring restaurant - butternut and feta gratin with polenta, caramelised red onions, sundried tomatoes, breadcrumbs and toasted almonds (€13.95).

It sounds too complex, but all the flavours folded perfectly into each other with texture shining a light on some and sharper herbs cutting through creaminess. Superb, though sadly let down by a very limp salad.

My reviewer friend had ordered the lamb tagine (€15.70) with rich, perfumed lamb, light couscous, crispy bits, smoky saffron and warming, sweet courgette, peppers and onions. This was quite the winner of a dish and we felt it was ideal to order and make fellow diners jealous.

Time was ticking as we were heading back to dirty old Dublin, so we bagged a takeaway of Baily’s tart mousse (€6) and a bundle of Roly’s Fudge (€4). Both were consumed later, like a sweet memory of a great lunch.

There are big flavours here, big portions and a big space too, and even the service feels like the staff have given their job a big hug.

The prices are impressive too, with main courses averaging the €14 mark, and yet the dishes deliver flavours and creativity several notches above the price. Lucky Corkonians

Lonely Planet Guide

It's always hopping at this bright corner bistro with an open kitchen. Service is quick and attentive, but you may want to pause at the long wooden bar anyway. The menu is broad and changes often to reflect what's fresh. Smoked haddock perched on creamy potatoes is better here than it ever was back in the day. Steaks come with awesome aioli. At lunch, however, you might just get enraptured by the bacon sandwich. Lots of wines by the glass.

Hot Press

Situated in the heart of Cork City, Market Lane provides its population with hearty food that has a touch of class and genius. The restaurant's philosophy lies firmly in creating excellent food, served in a vibrant environment, sold for a very reasonable price.

Every effort is made to use local producers from the Peoples republic and the rest of Munster. In truth the end product is fantastic.To start the pan-fried king prawns with sweet chili and ginger was marvelous, both light and flavoursome, it's a definite winner. However the real treat of the night came in the form of the Phantoms second starter, beetroot risotto with char-grilled asparagus. It was absolutely immense. Soft and creamy, the risotto melted in the mouth and despite beetroot not being a regular part of the Phantom's diet, it complimented the risotto perfectly and created something of a culinary masterpiece.

After the quality of the starters, expectations were high and by no means did Market Lane disappoint. We had pan-fried hake with lime and dill crust, roast salsify and braised scallions and the special which was rack of lamb, baked-baby potatoes and carrots in an exquisite red wine jus. The rack of lamb was as good as they getand with main courses from as little as €12.50 it's hard not to fall in love with the place.

Then began dessert, the warm chocolate and nut brownie was rich with a cool chocolate sauce drizzled over it. Eating it one feels gluttonous in the extreme. However, whoever said that was a sin obviously hadn't tried Market Lane's brownie. We also tried the orange bread and butter pudding, which was equally good.

Market Lane delivers on food, wine, service and atmosphere and with such reasonable prices, it'd be mad not to see for yourself.