Serenity in the city is the theme of newly opened brunch spot Ebb & Flow, which has moved location from Clontarf to 71 Camden St. Dave and Louise Smyth, the husband-and-wife duo who run the establishment, have plenty of experience in the industry – the pair took over a small café, Milligram Coffee, in Sligo in 2020. They have certainly instilled the sense of calm and serenity from their time spent in the west of Ireland to the usually chaotic destination of Camden St.
The 21st of October was the eatery’s first day opening, and everything ran impressively smoothly, despite the bustling queue that quickly formed outside. Large windows, a sage-green colour scheme and custom oak furnishings lent to the calm aura the cafe exudes. The menu was packed with delicious dishes that are respective of seasonal foods. I ordered the grilled halloumi melt and it was one of the nicest toasties I have ever eaten – stuffed with halloumi, mozzarella, avocado, pesto, sundried tomato and zhoug, sandwiched between tartine organic sourdough bread. This would have been more than enough on its own, but I was provided with the option of paying an additional €2.50 to add a side of pumpkin and almond soup, and as someone who’s weak spot is anything autumnal, how could I refuse?
Other contenders on the menu were the vegan eggs on toast which combined chilli and lime hummus, scrambled tofu, crisped kale, topped with zhoug. Zhoug (pronounced “zoog”) made a regular appearance on their menu and was an item which I had never come across before. It consists of a spicy coriander sauce originating from Yemen. It is made by blending coriander, garlic, chilis, spices and olive oil. The “ebb bowl”, Ebb and Flow’s version of a poké bowl, is loaded with warm sushi rice, sautéed seasonal greens, citrus flaked salmon, pickled onion and cucumber, chillies and edamame beans. Topped with wasabi cream, it is another dish I will most definitely be returning for. For meat eaters, the Korean pork bao bun with crispy onion, kimchi and a fried egg sounded simply scrumptious.
There is no doubt that Ebb & Flow’s loyal customer base has largely been formed by the speciality coffee that they offer as well as the excellent food. Their coffee is roasted at Dave and Louise’s own Full Circle Roaster on Grantham St and customers have a choice of filter or espresso coffee. However I opted for a chai latte, (I did say that I was a sucker for anything autumnal). It was sweet, creamy and served in a cup that warmed my hands.
Speaking with the owners, they told me that their Clontarf spot will remain closed for the moment and that “Ebb & Flow Camden is just phase one”. If the couple’s brimming track record of opening businesses is anything to go by, the story of Ebb & Flow is still only at its beginning.
