Yamamori North City

You'll smell the rich tonkotsu broth before you even walk through the door of this bustling Japanese spot on Ormond Quay. The dining room hums with conversation as office workers and students slurp their way through proper bowls of ramen while tourists fumble with chopsticks over generous bento boxes. The menu doesn't mess about with fusion nonsense – just honest Japanese comfort food done well. The katsu curry arrives golden and crispy, the sauce properly thick and sweet, while the gyoza have that perfect crispy-bottom-to-soft-top ratio that's surprisingly hard to find in Dublin. Service moves at Dublin pace rather than Tokyo speed, but the staff know their menu inside out. It's the kind of place that's become essential for anyone working in the city centre who's tired of sad desk lunches.