Gillian Nelis on dining out: From Italian dumplings to a barley malt panna cotta, Volpe Nera’s versatile dishes are a treat worth sharing

Chef Barry Sun opened the restaurant in Blackrock in Dublin after a highly successful stint in the kitchen at Etto on Merrion Row.

Volpe Nera in Blackrock in Co Dublin: the dishes on offer demonstrate chef Barry Sun’s skill at balancing flavours. Picture: Fergal Phillips

The concept of the shared main course is proving a hard sell to the youngest member of our dining party. It’s the côte de boeuf at Volpe Nera, the restaurant in Blackrock in south Co Dublin that chef Barry Sun opened a couple of years back, after a highly successful stint in the kitchen at Etto on Merrion Row.

“Why can’t I have one to myself?” junior asks. There’s the price, for one thing. It’s ...