Roly's has been the family lunch spot for many years now, and with good reason. It always provides simple enough straight forward but delicious cooking, in warm andbuzzing surroundings with usually excellent service, and most notably at extremely competitive prices. With a 3 course lunch and coffee for €22.95 plus 10% service charge - value that was very hard to beat during the boom years - other establishments have now had to cut their prices to be more in line with Roly's.

The set menu is also served on the weekend giving an extra feeling of stability to it. It says to the customer that they're not just giving it to busy business types during the week and then jacking up the price for the same stuff for the family Sunday lunch. No, no, not here. This place is about more than money or profit - it's a safe haven.

That all stated, said and admitted, each time I go I'm apprehensive that this time I'll be disappointed, let down and dejected, thata another one of those little pillars of stability in life will be rocked and a cornerstone of food for me in Dublin will be diminished and tarnished forever.

Every time, I try and order a different starter, but I can never bring myself to ignore the immaculate Prawn Bisque, always accompanied by a shot of brandy, which I must note the quantity of which has been gradually been reduced as the last few years have gone on. However, when you politely point out to the staff that the drizzle of brandy barely wetting the bottom of the mostly vacant shot glass, used to be a good half shot, they kindly top it up without complaint. For the main, I went for the roast beef which was a very solid, comforting and satisfying choice. It was Sunday after all and this is a place of tradition.

My father, who normally has a deep affection for the Kerry lamb pie, was aghast to spot that it had been removed from the lunch menu to remain only as a dinner option. The ever helpful staff informed him that they could whip him up one if he so desired. He did. Wonderfully tasty, comforting, deep, slow stewed flavours. This is place where you get foodstuffs like cabbage, not the horrible over boiled atrocity many attempt to forget from their childhood, but real, tasty, enjoyable cabbage.

Their recent innovation has been the Roly's Cafe downstairs more appropriate at capturing the lighter lunch crowd and doing many of their most popular classics to take home with you, a deft and welcome move heartily embraced by locals. Both upstairs and down, long may it live.

 Roly's Bistro | 7 Ballsbridge Terrace, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 | tel:01 668 2611 | web: www.rolysbistro.ie