Review: Permit Room

There’s a long standing concept of the sophomore slump; the idea than once the smash hit debut is released - let’s say the Strokes’ Is This It? - that the follow up is going to be disappointing, if not outright baws - the Strokes’ Room on Fire. You get all your life to write your first album, and 2 years to do the second and in some cases this is how it goes with restaurateurs.

Howard Street has been one of the more recent success stories, bringing casual dining to the city centre, having the buzz of a local restaurant with the quality of a starred hotspot. It’s thrived in an unenviable address (mere yards from the biggest outpost of Michael Deane’s empire) and still, years after opening it a hot ticket for a weekend night.

Their second effort, Permit Rooms has just opened on the spot formerly occupied by La Boca, before the ill-fated Remedy took tenure. The room’s been gutted, leaving both those giant pillars in the middle, now with a carefully placed banquette ensuring maximum use of the minimum space. We’ve moved away from shabby chic here, with leather and wood panelling suggesting that the designer has spent some time in the Errigle’s esteemed Oak Bar - and it’s all for the better.

"The dish, clocking in at a tenner, holds a surprising amount of deep fried and perfectly seasoned beef, showcasing that sort of heat that gently builds over the course of your meal, until you’re sweating and satisfied."

Howard Street’s signature dish, the salt chilli beef starter, has made the jump over, and upgraded to a main course with, naturally, a bowl of perfectly performed chips. The dish, clocking in at a tenner, holds a surprising amount of deep fried and perfectly seasoned beef, showcasing that sort of heat that gently builds over the course of your meal, until you’re sweating and satisfied.

There’s no better combination than spice and beer, and with draft Estrella on offer you could almost think yourself in one of Barcelona’s upper end eateries give or take a few degrees on the thermometer. There’s a dessert menu of sticky looking favourites, but for our rapid lunch it’s maybe a bridge too far.

We’re here for a flying visit, but all the other items on the menu are intriguing enough to warrant a return should time permit.

Shane Horan

The Permit Room can be found on Fountain Street, Belfast. It is open from 08:00 until 18:00 Monday to Saturday, extended to 20:00 on Thursdays.
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