It was a momentous day, an historic day, a day that will be forever remembered in the annals of the city; it was the day the spike was topped out. Such is my luck when it comes to great moments of history that I didn't see till after dark, when an unlit spike hasn't quite got the majesty that you might hope for. There was a little red light at the top, although that might have belonged to the crane alongside, I'm not sure, it was dark you see. From Sarah's apartment you get a great view of the spike, or you would in daylight, or if it was lit.

You could call this serendipity, because I really had no idea that the millennium project was at long last so close to completion - I'd sort of lost interest about a year ago and thought that the main purpose of the spike was solely to constrict traffic in O'Connell Street. I'd come to Dublin to meet Sarah Owens because we'd decided to go to dinner on the Liffey some time ago and we'd finally made the arrangements. A few times during the last year I'd found myself driving towards The Point from O'Connell Street and I'd passed D One, which looked interesting enough as I went past. So this turned into my evening down by the riverside, because before we went to D One we stopped to visit Irene who also lives by the river and who also has a spectacular view over the night-time city sky-line.

D One takes last orders at nine, so I finished taking tea with Layla and we set off for Custom House Quay. D One is a new building, set at the river's edge opposite The Clarion Hotel. It's got lots of glass and brushed stainless steel and inside the dining room is nicely furnished, warm, very modern in feel and has interesting lighting. We took a table by the window and watched the Liffey flowing past. Two things came to mind: firstly that peculiar sensation of movement as you watch the river, believing that you're moving upstream in a boat and the water is stationary, and secondly the waterfront at the harbour of Santa Lucia in Naples. Okay, I'll explain the second thought. There are two restaurants in Santa Lucia harbour, Zi Teresa and La Bersagliera which are side by side and have water lapping up to them. D One is side by side with another called Gloria Jeans and they both have water lapping alongside them, but there I suppose the similarity ends.

Go out in Dublin often enough and you start to think you can recognise patterns instantly. I'm in a smartly decorated modern room in a great location near the heart of the city, so it's going to be expensive, right? Wrong. Dinner for two was €82 including a tip and the food was good, so let me tell you about it.

It wasn't very busy on the mid-week night when we went, but I like that, you get much better service that way. The menu and wine list arrived promptly and both Sarah and I shared a pair of reading glasses from necessity, so either print is getting relentlessly smaller or it's time I got my eyes checked. Starters are mostly under €10 and main courses are clustered around €16, which is starting to look like good value these days. The wine list also carries a very reasonable mark up, about forty wines in all, and most of them under €20. It's very global, wines are listed from Europe and also South Africa, South America and Australia. I chose the Guardian Peak from it, a Cabernet Sauvignon from South Africa, well-priced at €19.95 which went down well.

The music was very global as well, moving in geography and style, a bit like the menu itself, which has Asian and North African as well as European influences. For starters Sarah asked for a half portion of pasta which they were happy do. She chose the penne with smoked chicken and chorizo which came in a cream reduction sauce and was very tasty. I could be picky and say it needed a little more reduction, but it was none the less good and the pasta was properly cooked. I started with a crab and sweetcorn veloute, which is basically a soup thickened with cream, and it too was really good.

Next Sarah had chosen the medallions of pork fillet, probably the most complex dish on the card, but it came beautifully presented on a large, square plate and looked great. Tasted good too, but I was very happy with my choice, which was perhaps the simplest dish on the menu - fish and chips. I suppose they could have called it tempura of cod with deep-fried julienne of potatoes, but a rose is a rose is a rose. Mine also came on a large white plate and the chips were big and crisp and accompanied by a tartare dip and ketchup in little ramekins. Both dishes were a lot more generous in size than either of us could cope with and we had to leave some uneaten, but then we needed a little room for a dessert between us.

We finished with a rhubarb and apple crumble, which was competently made, and then two espressos which came in the daintiest little glasses, making them look for all the world like two miniature Guinnesses. I found myself enthusiastic about D One, and so was Sarah, who realised with some pleasure that it's in walking distance from her place. Good food, good service, good value and all in a pretty setting in Dublin's new smart banlieu of the North Wall. If I wanted to show a visitor to Dublin some of the newly emerging parts of the city, I think I'd start right here.