ICIAR, a new gourmet deli specialising in artisan french cheese has opened in Blackrock today.

Owned by longtime cheese enthusiast Julien Comte ICIAR is the newest addition to Frascati Shopping Center.

He plans to source cheeses for the shop from small-batch producers. The cheeses will have a sense of place, be focused on using sustainable dairy, and more traditional cheesemaking methods. Selections will heavily feature small-batch family-produced cheeses.

Julien spent 30 years in pharmaceuticals before saying ‘au revoir’ to the corporate world. He moved to Ireland and set about bringing France’s finest cheeses to Dublin.

At ICIAR he has curated handmade cheese box sets. They feature cheeses made by families and from people who have a lot of passion. They come in two sizes; medium and large. Each feeds three to four or six to eight people respectively. The wooden packaging is decorative and biodegradable. Boxes are available online for delivery or click and collect. Alternatively, you can pop by the shop and pick up some cheese the old fashion way.

There are handmade gourmet baguettes available for lunch too.

They’re open Monday – Saturday 10.00-18.00 and Sunday from 12.00 to 18.00. In the run-up to Christmas, there will be late night shopping on Thursday and Friday evenings.

Elsewhere on Char: The Guide to the Irish Cheese Renaissance