The Original Of The Spices

Asheesh Dewan TUES25JULY23

ith a reputation for its modern Indian dining that goes far beyond Wicklow – and even Ireland, for that matter – we’re very lucky to have Chakra in our town.

Having first opened its doors on Dublin’s Georges Street in 1998, it didn’t take long before Asheesh Dewan’s attention to detail and Chakra’s impeccably tasty food sparked a fanbase, and a need for expansion.

First came Dalkey in 2002, then Malahide the year after, the new outlets soon followed by – inevitably, if you’ve been joining the dots – Greystones. Three years later, Dundrum succumbed too.

“We’ve always been very careful about where we go,” says Chakra founder Asheesh Dewan this afternoon as we take a seat near the back of the recently-refurbished Greystones restaurant. “We don’t do anything by halves, so, making sure that we’re truly ready, and that we can deliver everything that we’re known for, that’s always first and foremost.”

Hence all those awards. Along the way, like any great football team, they’ve created stars too, some who went on to open their own restaurants.

But there’s something about the Michelin mothership, the original of the spices…

“It’s wonderful, seeing the ripples going out from the centre,” says Asheesh. “It means we’re doing something right, and that we’re always moving forward.

“We have some incredible young chefs joining us here at Chakra all the time, and it keeps us fresh, keeps us on our toes…”

Just how Chakra cooked up such a tasty dish, we decided to find out…

You can find out more about Chakra on their website here, and our archives here, and get in touch directly on 012017222.