not the best of dining experiences

Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2: the place is a barn, a wide open space with nothing to deaden sound reflections off the walls and high ceilings. The waiter had the sort of heavily-accented-with-French English that makes you think he's actually putting it on (think John Cleese in The Meaning of Life offering Mr. Creosote "a wah-fair thin mint") and a smirking air of condecension about him. The prices were ok, running from somewhere around €8 for starters through €25-35 for main courses, and a few splashy items like the cheap caviar for €65 and the €300 bottle of bubbly. Le Waiteur smirked knowingly when I ordered the beef burger avec cheddar and bacon, and neglected to ask how I'd like it cooked; when it arrived, it was overdone and dry. And trying to attract any Waiteur to bring the bill was difficult to say the least. Oh well. mopti's steak looked pretty good and he's good company, and after dinner we spent the rest of the evening in The Porter House which made up for the less-than-stellar food.