Woodruff is a class new restaurant that recently opened up in Stepaside

A brand new neighbourhood restaurant, Woodruff, just opened up in Stepaside and we got a first look for our Early Doors series.

I absolutely love the name as it's named after a wild foraged herb that grows in the woodlands around Stepaside. The food was unbelievable in this restaurant. Take a look for yourself: The decor was also inspired by the wild herb which has green leaves and a white flower and you can see this immediately. One thing I really love about this place is that they really put a huge emphasis, and really embrace, sourcing ingredients directly from local farms. On top of that, they literally make everything in-house. Bread, butter, creme fraiche, ricotta, kombucha, cured meats, kimchi, apple chutney, apple vinegar, and the list goes on. This also ties into there hopes of being completely waste-free. Their menu is written up daily as it depends on what's freshest and available to them on the day.

So what did I eat?

First up was Cuttlefish Risotto al Nero with fermented fennel dressing. As you can see from the video, it is a dark black colour which comes from the squid ink. I was slightly hesitant about diving in because of the rich black colour but it was really delicious and didn't have a fishy taste that I was expecting. Next up was wild line-caught Sea Bass with Jerusalem artichoke, leeks, pink fir apple potato and mussel sauce. I loved the mix of flavours in this dish. Finally, and my favourite, was the eight-hour braised daube of beef with organic sprouts, heritage carrots, mash and braising jus. You just have to look how tender it was being pulled apart in the video to see how good this was. I was in heaven eating this. Stepaside might seem like a tad bit of a trek if you're not from around that area but let me tell you, it's worth the trip. There is free parking right beside the restaurant which is rare and very helpful if you want to head out. Woodruff have an early bird menu. It runs all night Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday, and it's available until 7pm on Thursday, Friday & Saturday. They also do a brunch menu Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10.30am until 4pm.

If you're on the hunt for a hidden gem, check out our review of Gursha.