Maybe it's ennui or weltschmertz, maybe it's no more than a palate that's had more than its fair share of dull and pedestrian food, but it's rarely that I get the urge to enthuse whole-heartedly over a meal. Even when I'm happy with a meal, there's often some small niggle that takes the edge off the pleasure. But for once I had a meal that was unrelentingly excellent, from start to finish.

I'd arranged to meet Marian Kenny in the Merrion Hotel, a place that I like more and more each time I visit it. She had had a hard day of work plus a long drive back to Dublin, so if anyone was in need of the restorative powers of a good meal it was her. The quiet elegance of the Merrion started us off well, and after a quick aperitif it was time to eat. The last time we'd had dinner together was in One Pico, where we both had an excellent meal. When I heard that Eamonn O'Reilly had opened a new restaurant in Temple Bar, I was eager to try it and Marian didn't need a lot of persuading to join me.

The restaurant is where Belgo's used to be, in Sycamore Street, which runs past the stage door of The Olympia. As you walk in there's a counter in front of you and there are sofas and chairs where you can sit in comfort while making your choices. There's an abundance of wood in plain, simple expanses, interesting and effective lighting and carefully chosen bits and bobs all in keeping with the overall design. I have no idea who designed it, but if it was Terence Conran I wouldn't be surprised - except the lighting's better. The whole effect is crisply modern, yet comfort was obviously a big consideration in the design brief.

I don't normally comment of the lavatories, but I'll make an exception this time. The gents is as modern and as well lit as the dining room and the <it>pissoir</it> itself looks exactly like a state-of-the-art stainless steel feeding trough. I used it with much care, fearful of the dreaded splash-back, but I needn't have worried. Stepping over to the wash-hand basin I found exactly the same design as the pissoir, only higher up and with a faucet above it. It took me a while to find the foot-pedal that worked the faucet and when I did, I stamped on it triumphantly. Thank god I was wearing dark trousers - the water hit the trough with such force that I could have been left with a very embarrassing and visible damp spot all around my fly, which would have meant ten minutes with my knees held under the hand drier.

Anyway, after reading the menu and choosing the wine, a South African Chardonnay called De Wetshof, we were shown to our table. As an aside on the wine list, it's quite short and marked up higher than normal, but for once this didn't upset me - there are well-chosen wines on it, you get to drink it out of quality glassware and it's properly served. Beats a lower mark up and sloppy service any day.

The menu is described as 'new world cuisine', a phrase that doesn't mean much to me. What I can tell you is that there are some interesting dishes and imaginative combinations of flavours on offer. Starters include Pacific oysters with pickled ginger and cucumber; soft shell crab risotto; avocado ice cream and shellfish cappuccino; glazed goats cheese terrine with celeriac and mozzarella, sweet peppers and aubergine salsa and a terrine of foie gras, which gives you an idea of the kind of dishes they do. After some discussion Marian settled on the cured salmon with Sushi rice, soy, coriander and radish salad, while I chose the hot asparagus with poached quails' eggs and truffle aioli. The main courses were in a similar vein, plenty of choices and surprising combinations, all of which looked tempting. Eventually Marian chose the pea and morel risotto and I picked the assiette of pork. There's an element of infanticide on this menu - it includes baby aubergine, baby beet, baby fennel, baby beetroot and roast baby brill - so you have to harden your heart to eat the delicious little babies. The starters are clustered around the €10 mark, while the main courses run from €18 to €26 and side orders are €4.50.

Once at the table there was a jug of iced water and a tray of various breads was offered. Shortly later came an amuse bouche of the terrine of foie gras, very prettily presented in the middle of a large plate. It's worth mentioning that all the plates, glasses, napery and table accoutrements have been chosen with care and are all both functional and attractive.

The starters were sensational, perfectly cooked, beautifully presented and very good to eat. Could it get better than this, I thought? As it happens, it could. Next came an inter-course sorbet made of passionfruit, which had me oohing and aahing with pleasure. No wonder they call it passionfruit. And so we moved to the main courses, already having had three plates before us. The pea and morel risotto was exquisite. Mushrooms and risotto are far from easy to combine, it takes a deft hand. Whether it was the hand of Eamonn himself or his chef de cuisine Nick Woollard I don't know, but it was exactly of the same high standard as the risotto I'd eaten in One Pico. The assiette of pork, a mixture of different pork cuts, was equally good.

Despite being overly well fed we managed a palette of sorbets between us to finish one of the best meals I've eaten in a while. A bill for €113.44 including service represented incredible value for food of this quality. My advice is go there.