All posts tagged: dublin

A secret spot for a great martini – The Funky Fish on Dawson Street

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Oh I do love a proper martini. And it’s all the sweeter when it is being created and served by someone who knows how. The barman in Dublin’s “The Funky Fish” bar which is tucked in like a secret to the back of The Seafood Bar by Wrights of Howth, makes one of the best I have ever had. A soothing haven for all martini lovers right in the centre of town. The Seafood Bar by Wright’s of Howth 35 Dawson Street, Dublin 2 http://www.theseafoodbar.ie T: 01 5312260

Italian restaurants in Dublin

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I love Italian food precisely because it is that, Italian. It is beautiful, delicious, simple, coveted and nurtured, and spoken of with the same passionate pride as parents of a newborn baby. It is love. From the water that quenched thirsty hot tomatoes that grew to turn into passata to the cows that grazed in the fields of Lombardy to make milk for Taleggio cheese or the pigs that were reared to make us prosciutto to the olives grown for silky oils to make salads glisten. The food is grown, prepared and eaten with love and, importantly, with respect. I revel in seeing Italians and their unabashed excitement for their food. They seem to have an inherent, magical understanding for the absolute joy that can be had from the table, the things that are laid upon it, and those they love around it. Here are some of my favourite spots for Italian food in Dublin. Mamma Mia President Michael D. Higgins adores Mamma Mia, and rightly so. I discovered the joys of this restaurant while …

Recipe – Derry Clarke – Roast spicy, sweet and sour chicken

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There’s nothing like roast chicken to soothe the soul. Chef Derry Clarke, owner of Dublin’s Michelin Star l’Ecrivain, has kindly shared this lip-smacking recipe for spicy, sweet and sour roast chicken to warm up your Sunday lunch. He suggests serving it with roasted vegetables seasoned with spices and it is also delicious with a Mediterranean cous cous. Ingredients 1 whole chicken (not too big: about 1.3 – 1.8 kg or 3-4lb) For the paste: 2 red chillies (- and chopped) 2 tablespoons of curry powder or any spice mix 50g ginger chopped 6 cloves garlic chopped 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons chopped thyme 1 tablespoon chopped sage 1 tablespoon sea salt 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar Method Preheat oven to 190C Mix all the paste ingredients together except the oil and vinegar. Rub the chicken with the olive oil and vinegar and sprinkle the dry mixture over the chicken. Season with some freshly ground black pepper. Roast the chicken for about two hours (30- 35 minutes per 500g/ 25 – …

Recipe – Earl Grey Tea Cured Salmon by Stephen McAllister

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This elegant starter recipe is a signature dish in Stephen McAllister’s restaurant ‘The Pig’s Ear’ in Dublin. He has kindly shared the secret to getting the beautifully delicate balance of the tea infusion just right in this recipe. Stephen said: ‘This salmon recipe has been on The Pig’s Ear menu in some way, shape or form ever since we opened in 2008 and has always been a big hit with our guests. It’s also a great dinner party starter as all the work is done ahead of time leaving you free to mingle with your guests.’ Earl Grey Tea Cured Salmon, Apple, Cucumber, Yogurt & Dill Ingredients : (serves 4) 500g organic Irish salmon, skin off & pin boned Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon 70g sea salt 90g sugar 30g dill or fennel Tea from 2 Earl Grey tea bags 100g yoghurt strained in a muslin cloth over night 1 Granny Smith apple, sliced into crescent shapes 1 cucumber, one half sliced thinly length ways, seasoned with salt to soften The other peeled and …

Review – The Cavern, Baggot Street

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One of the surest ways to my heart is a good cheese board. I don’t tend to order them in restaurants as they are often a menu’s lonely, back of the fridge afterthought, dragged out and given a quick shave in the hope the diner doesn’t notice. We do. It’s like the guy who douses himself with Lynx instead of showering. We just know.  So I was very excited about seeing what the Cavern, the new baby offshoot of Baggot Street Wines, offered on their cheese board. I’m a big fan of the wine shop, their staff are lovely, unpretentious and helpful and when they introduced a very good selection of Sheridan’s cheeses ‘to go’ by their cash register, I hoped it would evolve into a wine cellar. Enter The Cavern. I went on a Thursday evening with a very good friend who kindly ordered champagne to toast a recent happy event. It was delicious with star-like tiny bubbles. The staff members were attentive and warm, answering any questions we had and topping up drinks at just …