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Newspapers and Magazines written for include: The Observer |
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The following article was first published in Waitrose Food Illustrated and can be found on waitrose.com. In recent years, the elegant Georgian streets and squares of the Irish capital have been the setting for a gastronomic revolution, writes Seth Linder. There was a time when Dublin, for all the charm of its Georgian streets, atmospheric pubs and literary heritage, had little to offer the dedicated food lover. But the advent of the 'Celtic Tiger', Ireland's booming economy, has fuelled a revolution over the past few years. Travelling Dubliners have created a demand for international delicacies at home, and Irish producers have woken up to the natural treasures - dairy produce, seafood, grass-reared beef - on their doorstep. The delis of Dublin are now awash with pestos, organic meats, marvellous Irish cheeses, and much more besides. And within a few minutes walk from Dublin's main shopping thoroughfare, Grafton Street, can now be found countless excellent restaurants and cafes for every budget. If you're prepared to splash out, The Merrion Hotel is a great base for your gourmet tour of the city. Converted from four Georgian mansions, the hotel balances the grace of Dublin's past with the demands of today. Afternoon tea here (scones, tea breads, finger sandwiches, French pastries) is a Dublin institution. And next month sees the opening of the five-star Four Seasons Hotel in Ballsbridge. The Irish food renaissance owes much to a few seminal figures. One such is Patrick Guilbaud, whose Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud at the Merrion is the only one in Dublin to be awarded two Michelin stars. Prices, it should be said, are for those who have grabbed the Celtic Tiger firmly by the tail, but if you're after superb cooking, starters including roast foie gras with celeriac, balsamic and tarragon jus (or main dishes such as the exquisite roast sea bass) won't disappoint. From the Merrion, it's a short walk to two of Dublin's other top restaurants: the recently renovated L'Ecrivan (run by one of Ireland's finest chefs, Derry Clarke); and Peacock Alley, whose young chef-patron, the formidably talented Conrad Gallagher, is forging a restaurant empire - he runs two others called Mango Toast and Lloyds. The cooking at Peacock Alley, like the decor, is modern with an imaginative use of contrasting flavours and textures - wild guinea fowl, for instance, with red pepper polenta, Basque-style cabbage stir fry, prosciutto and a red pepper consomme. If you know where to look, you can eat well in Dublin for the cost of a tip at its pricier restaurants. In Chatham Road, barely an olive stone's throw from Peacock Alley, the intimate and inevitably crowded Steps of Rome has been run with friendly efficiency by the Santoro family for the past five years. Its menu features pizzas all priced less than a fiver (wiith toppings including aubergine, mozzarella, parmesan and basil, bruschetta, and crostini). A few yards away, Café Mao offers good Asian-fusion food in bright, modern surroundings. The restaurant is a favourite Dublin meeting place, and dishes like nasi goreng, chilli squid and Chairman's duck ), served by waitresses in red Chinese tunics, have won it a loyal following. Mark Harrell and Benedict Gorman's Mermaid Café in Temple Bar has won a legion of fans with its friendly service, soothing atmosphere and outstanding food. Everything is made on the premises, including superb ice cream. Grilled John Dory fillets with lime, aubergine and coconut curry is a typical main course, and don't miss the popular New England crab cakes with piquant mayonnaise. North of the river at 101 Talbot, off O'Connell Street, you can join the cast of 'As You Like It' (or whatever is on at the nearby Abbey or Gate theatres) for excellent food at affordable prices. Noisy, fun and great value, it reflects the belief of co-owner Margaret Duffy, who lived in Italy for some years, that people should be able to eat out more often. Starters cost less than £4 and main courses are rarely more than a tenner. If you need a break from your shopping, the Gloria Jeans Coffee Company, based in the busy Powerscourt Townhouse shopping centre, stocks a huge range of coffees from around the world, many of which you can try at their adjacent cafe. Speaking of cafes, Butler's, makers of handmade chocolate since the Thirties, opened its first, in nearby Wicklow Street, in 1998. Try the special hot chocolate, made with real melted chocolate and laced with chocolate flakes, served with a complimentary chocolate from their large range. Chocolate milk shakes, brownies, croissants or tortes, the choice for chocoholics is endless. The concept has been so successful Butler's has extended it to the original Grafton Street shop and opened another cafe in Chatham Street. Just over the Ha'penny bridge in Lower Ormond Quay, you can celebrate Dublin's literary heritage at the Winding Stair Bookshop and Café. The cafe has good sandwiches and salads but the real joy is browsing through the large range of second-hand and new books while you eat. An oasis of calm in a bustling city. The Porterhouse, on the edge of Temple Bar, is a gem of Dublin food and drink. The pub, run by Oliver Hughes and Liam La Hart, introduced Dubliners to microbrewed beers when it opened in 1996. The food is good (try Hick's Oyster Stout sausages), but it's the beers, ales and stouts - of which Wrassler's XXXX is the pick - that bring in the crowds. This month, for ten days around St Patrick's Day, they are holding a microbreweries festival with a choice of beers from around Ireland and live music. Mulligan's, in Poolbeg Street, is the genuine article - an unaffected pub that has been a Dublin institution for the past 200 years. Davy Byrne's, just off Grafton Street, is the most famous of the pubs frequented by James Joyce, receiving an honourable mention in Ulysses. Further south on Lower Baggot Street, Doheny and Nesbitt and James Toner's are both worth a visit - the former for its great atmosphere, fuelled by its clientele of lawyers, writers and Irish Times hacks; the latter for its cosy, conspiratorial ambience. Great Irish cheeses are a relatively new phenomenon. Sheridan's Cheesemongers is run by the Sheridan Brothers, Kevin and Seamus, who are happy to make recommendations, including Poulcoin,an organic goat's milk cheese from County Clare, and Desmond, which is, they say, "hard, strong and Irish, like Gabriel Byrne." At The Big Cheese Company, David Brown stocks Irish varieties such as Ardrahan farmhouse from County Cork. Magill's, run by Kim Condon, also has an impressive range of Irish cheeses, plus just about everything else you could ever want - Irish and European breads, unusual jams and preserves, and superb homemade sausages, including Irish whiskey salami. For a glimpse of Dublin history and a chance to view an unparalleled selection of wines, visit Findlater's in Harcourt Street. Built beneath one of Dublin's oldest (though now disused) stations, the atmospheric vaults seem to run for miles and you can trace the history of Findlater's, once the Fortnum's of Ireland, at its museum. Dublin's best fish restaurant, Caviston's in Sandycove is a 30-minute ride from the centre on the Dart (the city's light railway system). Noel Cusack's cooking - which includes roast monkfish and char-grilled marinated swordfish - is simple but perfectly judged, and the restaurant attracts fish lovers from all over Dublin. The adjoining deli - which is also run by the Caviston brothers, Stephen and Peter - sells the day's freshest fish, along with smoked, wild Irish salmon and a range of Irish and international foods. The ideal place to end your tour. See also 'To the Manor Born' - also published in Waitrose Food Illustrated. |
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