Maybe I am becoming harder to please in my expectations from restaurants and indeed it would be fair to say that I came away from the Bleeding Heart having enjoyed a good meal, fine wines (perhaps too much) and very pleasant company. However, I couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed by the whole experience. When I sought to reflect on it, two things occurred to me: first, there was a tangible absence of a ‘wow factor’ or a ‘buzz’, the place felt somewhat sleepy, perhaps trading on past glories and certainly without the energy of many newer restaurants (such as the recently again-visited Pollen Street). Second, and perhaps more egregious was the diffident service. Per the above, one got the impression that the waiters were really not that bothered about the job they were doing. There was a wine spillage on a nearby table that we witnessed and the word sorry was not part of the vocabulary used. In terms of the food and wine, I would undoubtedly be more praiseworthy and in particular the main of maize-fed chicken, baby artichokes, spring onion risotto and red wine sauce was superb, both in terms of presentation and execution. The wine list also deserves favourable mention, not just for traditional French, but also interesting (and perhaps better value) options are available from countries such as Italy and New Zealand.