On descending to the basement at Kaldero, a new Asian restaurant tucked away beside St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre in Dublin, you’ll find some of Japanese artist Matsumoto Hoji’s disgruntled-looking frogs staring back at you.
The name Kaldero, which translates to pot in Filipino, hints at the melting pot of cuisines on offer in this new restaurant – a mix of Indian, Chinese and Filipino food.
Irish hospitality group Press Up opens Kaldero on Friday in the former Wagamama premises on South King Street.
Kaldero’s menus have been compiled by chef Richie Castillo (Filipino), Daren Liew (Chinese) and Alfred Prasad (Indian). The restaurant will employ 40 full- and part-time staff, of which 36 previously worked for Wagamama before its three branches closed in September, when receivers appointed to Press Up failed to reach an agreement with the UK-based Wagamama chain on a restructuring of their franchise arrangement.
The restaurant’s cosy interiors have been designed by Irish team O’Donnell O’Neill, known for their work for Press Up on the Stella Cinema, Doolally and Mama Yo, with artwork curation by Kate Farnon. Hand-tufted wool pieces by Dublin-based artist Domino Whisker bring additional colour to the space, while orange leather seating and soft LED lighting on the main floor create a warm atmosphere.
White marble countertops on the bar and open kitchen have been retained, as has the wooden flooring, but otherwise it is almost unrecognisable from the minimalist interiors of Wagamama after 12 weeks of retrofitting. Reclaimed timber and terracotta tiling envelop the room, and music has been specially curated by neo-soul artist Uly.
Kaldero will launch a lunch menu at the end of next week, with brunch options to be unveiled in the new year. Shared dining is encouraged with small plates, sharing-sized mains, and a variety of sides to choose from, all complemented by a cocktail and drinks menu created by Gareth Lambe, founder of the Vintage Cocktail Club and part of the Press Up group.
Seating up to 110 guests, the venue will open from midday, taking bookings until 10pm. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Kaldero’s operations manager Kelan Lowry-O’Reilly says the goal is “to bring something new and exciting to Dublin”. “In a time where there’s a lot of places closing it’s great to have something like this.”
Referring to the Indian, Chinese and Filipino influences on the menu, Lowry-O’Reilly says: “Naturally, bringing three different cuisines together you’re going to get a whole range of flavours, but they all complement each other nicely. There’s a bit of something there for everyone.”
“It’s quite a unique menu and a unique idea to bring these cuisines together, especially Filipino which doesn’t really have a presence here in the city ... For customers, it should be something fresh and original and I think people will come in and experience a menu that they haven’t had before,” he adds.
With prices ranging from €9-€18 for small plates and €24-€39.50 for larger dishes, some highlights include lobster and prawn rolls with a ginger butter dressing, and Chicken 65.
Some other items on the menu include: Amritsari fish (€11), scallops (€16), burrata chat (€13), crispy jack fruit chicken (€13), sizzling seafood clay pot (€34), Malaysian laksa beef (€33) and XO Toban octopus (€24).
The restaurant is open to the public from Friday. A spokeswoman for Press Up said the company “will not be implementing anything at the former Wagamama Dundrum premises, however details will be announced in the new year for a new restaurant concept at the Blanchardstown restaurant”.
