Italian that's well worth an excursion.

(From Irish Independent)

Eating out Alan Stanford

There are still those of us who live and work in Dublin, who would regard the coastal strip to the south of the city as a place of resort and adventure. To me, the Wicklow coast is still 'foreign parts'. The reality is far from that. Most of north Wicklow is now part of the Greater Dublin commuter belt, and more and more people who live and work in the city have homes in such delightful seaside spots as Greystones and Kilcoole.

But for those of us still city dwelling, the trip to Greystones, even in that most uncomfortable of trains, the Dart, can feel like an excursion into the unknown. The air is certainly different there; and at night the reduction in the quantity of street lighting certainly tells you that you are, beyond question, in the country.

So off we went on the Dart one evening to visit an Italian restaurant on the harbour in Greystones. Just a five-minute stroll from the station, the restaurant 'Diva' is situated above the Beach House Pub overlooking the harbour and the sea.

The Beach House has the look of a building that has been there a very long time, even though the restaurant has only been operating for a very few weeks.

Climb the stairs to a positively buzzing Trattoria-style eatery and you will receive a most charming welcome. The dining area is in three parts, each with a warm glow. We were brought through to the innermost room, the Piano Room, where there was not just a piano (electric, but hey) but also a pianist/singer with the darkest brown voice you could wish for.