Very different. Serious Money has been spent in the hope, presumably, of attracting even more Serious Money.

When I rang to book dinner, it didn't go too well.

The receptionist put me through to the restaurant, no problem. "Hello, " a voice said then. "I wanted to book the restaurant, " I said.

"Yeah?" I didn't know what to do with that so I waited.

Time passed. "Hello?" he said again after a minute.

"It's two people, halfsevenf" I said. "Wait, " he said and silence rose up again. Off to get a pen I suppose. For a restaurant where dinner may cost you north of 100 a head, it wasn't a great start. They may have style, I thought, but can they back it up?

Lantern-lit steps lead you into a calm dark reception area. The smiley girl behind the desk brought us through the bar to the restaurant and handed us over to wait staff who took us to the table.

The bar is a cosy space, with sporadic interesting couches and chairs and low tables, a gas fire behind glass. The restaurant is more of the same with plenty of white everywhere, stained glass, mirrors, chandeliers, padded walls and occasional enormous chairs. The overall effect is as if the Mad Hatter and Dali won the lotto together, bought some drugs and got into design. Comfortable and fun but a little unsettling.

The restaurant staff know what they're about.

Our waitress was able to advise and recommend on both food and wine. The menu is short and serious in its intent. A ballotine of chicken came with trompette mushroom and mustard seed in a pea soup.

The light essence of chicken was given weight and texture by the trompettes and a glowing sweetness from the soup.

Seared foie gras came with pork belly confit. It was really excellent, the slow cooked pork crisp and tender, the delicate luxury of the foie gras bringing flavour and a contrast in texture, the whole thing grounded by the earthiness of cep puree and a lentil jus.

Seared blue fin tuna was served with sorrel aioli and salad in ponzu dressing. The flavour of the aioli was too subtle to be detected, the tartness of the citrus dressing working better with the almost buttery tuna.

Pink grapefruit granita, a rough Sicilian sorbet, came next, fresh and barely sweet. Then roast venison with parsnip puree and a little stack of thinly sliced vegetable terrine, an appropriate seasonal dish that was full of robust flavour and beautifully cooked.

Duck came three ways: a perfect confit leg with a small stack of potato, seared thinly-sliced medium-rare breast and a ballotine of duck foie gras, its subtlety overpowered by spiced red cabbage that worked well with the rest. A side dish of good mashed potato came with these.

We were brought lime and tequila granita with watermelon jelly. Then we shared a cheese plate, a quality selection of ripe Irish and French exceptional in both stinkiness (the blue was light relief from a whole load of seepers) and price at 22.

Coffee came with petit fours.

The prices are high. We balked at paying 9 a bottle for Norwegian mineral water though if you got to keep the ludicrous bottle it might be worth it. Starters run through the twenties and that feels expensive.

But the wine list has a good selection under 30 and plenty more below 40. We drank a very French Australian chardonnay and a very old-school Portuguese red.

Service was relaxed, wellinformed and fun. The room filled over the course of the night with a crowd that was more established money than bright young things. In this restaurant with Padraic Hayden's cooking and very good staff, Dylan has got some serious substance to match its style. Impressive and enjoyable but it'll cost you.

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

Highlight: Food, fun, service

Lowlight: Pricey

Seared blue fin tuna 21.00 Foie gras and confit pork belly 26.00 Roasted venison 35.00 Duck confit, magret duck breast, foie gras ballotine 33.00 Artisan cheese, biscuits 22.00 2 x coffee @ 3.95 7.90 Zilzie Chardonnay 2003 28.00 Castelinho Douro 2000 34.00 Total: 206.90 Still Restaurant Dylan Hotel Eastmoreland Place Dublin 4 Tel: 01 660 3000