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Brown food is the best food. We all know this right? Bread, pastries, chocolate, pasta, anything fried, roasted, baked, barbecued. Brown (usually) = flavour. So no surprise that everything we want to eat in Dublin this week is brown/donn/brun/marrón - whatever language you speak, this all looks taaaaasty... 1) Nam Jim Crab Claws, Hen's Teeth Hen's Teeth in Dublin 8 are banging out some of the most interesting plates of food in the capital, and the latest addition to their evening menu is these crispy Kilkeel crab claws with a nam jim sauce. You know they're going to taste as good as they look. 2) Peanut Butter & Jam Roly Polys, McNally Farm We've twice tried and twice failed to eat at the McNally Farm café (sold out), but are strongly considering making an early morning return to get our hands on one of these peanut butter and jam roly poly's, new to the menu this week. 3) Liege Waffles, Three-Twenty Ice-Cream Yes you've had waffles, but have you had Liege waffles? The Belgian specialty are made with a yeast dough as opposed to a batter like most waffles, have pearl sugar dotted throughout, and are soft inside and crispy on the outside. Get them with chocolate sauce or Three Twenty 's nitro ice-cream. 4) Wild Boar, San Lorenzo's The kitchen at San Lorenzo's seems to have found a new lease of life in recent months, and the latest shake up to the menu is wild boar. They're serving a roast loin plus confit shoulder, with cavolo nero, apple and cider, and a sage and mustard mash, and it looks verrrrry delicious. 5) Heart-Shaped Churros, Fade Street Social You can keep your chocolate fondants and Champagne raspberry possets - we'll have these heart-shaped churros rolled in cinnamon sugar, served with a chocolate caramel sauce and vanilla crème anglaise at Fade Street Social . Corny? Yes. Delicious? You know it.

This time last year we were cooped up in the confines of our own homes wondering what freedom would eventually taste like. Well, here we are, and it tastes pretty good. This month we’re dining in restaurants beyond 8pm, chatting to strangers in the queue for the toilets, and racing back to our dusty office desks (okay maybe not part). Our newfound freedom has also ushered in the return of events, and our calendar is chockablock between wine tastings, cooking masterclasses, and a date for our next ATF Insiders event. Read on to hear about 16 brilliant ways to spend your time this month... Food 1) Lunar New Year Banquet From Duck The Year of the Tiger is in full swing in Dublin, and to celebrate, Asia Market and Duck are preparing a festive banquet with Hong Kong-style duck, BBQ pork char siu, and all the trimmings for two. Collect the meal directly from Duck or order through Deliveroo . When? Monday 24th January to Saturday 15th February Where? At-home dining experience from Duck, Dublin 2 How much? €50 for two people 2) Live Jazz At Glovebox If you haven't been to Allta Winter House yet, their accompanying bar Glovebox is a very nice introduction. If you have been you'll be looking for any excuse to get back up to the top of that carpark. Enter live jazz every Thursday night (with more music to be announced Friday - Sunday). Live music, food, cocktails - it's almost as if that whole pandemic thing never even happened. Book here . 3) A Taste Of Lisbon At Ana's Escape from Ireland’s harsh wintery weather with a one-night excursion to Lisbon at Ana's in Rathgar. Ana, who is originally of Portuguese descent, is preparing a menu of traditional tapas and sangria for A Taste of Lisbon in their café in Dublin 6, with cod cakes, seafood rice and a creamy Portugese dessert. See the menu and how to book here . When? Friday 11th February from 19:00 Where? Ana’s Café, Rathgar How much? €40 4) Chocolate Masterclass With Proper Chocolate Company The cocoa bean has garnered a reputation for being the ultimate aphrodisiac, from its origins in Ancient Mexico to Flake ads romanticising “the crumbliest, flakiest chocolate”. Learn how the bean became a pin-up bar with chocolatiers and founders of the Proper Chocolate Company , Patrick and Kelli, at a special masterclass in Wren Urban Nest. When? Saturday 12th February, 18:00-20:00 Where? Wren Urban Nest, Dublin 2 How much? €52.89 5) Eatyard Street Sessions With Lily Ramirez-Foran The team from Eatyard are giving the chefs of Dublin a platform, well, technically a container, to serve hungry punters at the upcoming Street Sessions series. First up, Lily Ramirez-Foran will be on-site to trial recipes from her new cookbook Tacos , joining Journalist and food writer Ali Dunworth to chat about the book. When? Sunday 13th February, 14:00 until tacos sell out Where? Bernard Shaw, Drumcondra How much? Free entry 6) Howth Foraging With Nicole Dunne The Irish landscape is peppered with edible flora and fungi from pungent wild garlic to nutrient-dense mushrooms, but while we condone fresh, local and free produce, we wouldn’t want anyone to arrive at an “Into The Wild” scenario. Presenting Nicole Dunne , an expert forager from Howth who teaches attendees the lay of the land before tucking into snacks made using freshly-sourced ingredients. When? Sunday 20th & 27th February, 11:00-14:00 Where? Meeting at Howth Village How much? €50 7) Pasta Masterclass With Eric Matthews If you too have ogled over Eric Matthews’ mouth-watering recipes on Instagram, then you will know all about his hand-rolled pici pasta with Salsiccia sausage and parmesan. To learn how to make pici and two other classic Italian pasta dishes from scratch, snap up a ticket to his upcoming Pasta Masterclass at Warehouse Food Market by Weekl.ie . When? Thursday, 17th February, 18:00 Where? Warehouse Food Market by Weekl.ie, Dublin 6 How much? €139.64 8) Dumpling Masterclass With Holly Dalton Master the hand-folding techniques required to make dumplings with former Gertrude and 3fe chef Holly Dalton. Holly’s latest venture Conbini Condiments is inspired by the flavours of Japan, a theme that has run through many of her dishes, from dumplings to the breaded Tonkatsu sandwich originally served in Gertrude. This three-hour workshop based out of Weekl.ie 's Warehouse Food Market in Harold's Cross caters for all types of dietary restrictions, excluding gluten-free. When? Saturday 26th February, 16:30 Where? Warehouse Food Market, Dublin 6 How much? €91.61 9) Vito's Dinner And A Show At Hen's Teeth Now that Vito Spatafore is officially out of hiding, he’s making a cameo appearance at none other than Hen’s Teeth in Dublin 8. The event will feature a talk by actor Joe Gannascoli (AKA Vito) and a three-course meal with Joe's speciality cheese-wheel carbonara. This one is a while away, but tickets are guaranteed to sell out fast. When? Wednesday 20th & Thursday 21st April, 19:00-23:00 Where? Hen’s Teeth, Blackpitts, Dublin 8 How much? €75 Wine 10) Rhone Tasting With Killian Horan The team behind Neighbourhood Wine are banging out events in all of their stores, from specialised tastings to their upcoming Wine School, and they're in demand for good reason. Tickets for Killian Horan’s Côtes du Rhône event are still available and will feature his Le Charlatan wine made with a mix of Syrah, Grenache and Viognier. When? Friday 11th February, 18:15-20:00 Where? Neighbourhood Wine, Upper Leeson Street How much? €50 11) Wine Tasting Saturdays At Note Note is doing a stellar job at spreading the good word of wine, but if you want to take your natural wine knowledge a step further, get down to one of their Wine Tasting Saturdays. Tickets are available from noon each Sunday for the following Saturday but prepare those digits as it sells out quickly. And for all of you natural wine lovers, they’re also hosting a Valentine’s Day collaboration with London wine bar, P. Franco - the only acceptable reason to leave the house on the 14th. When? Saturday 12th February, 14:30-16:30 (weekly event) Where? Note, Dublin 2 How much? €30 12) Dublin Wine Trails Dublin is falling head over heels for wine, and so are we. If you’re hoping to bump into some fellow oenophiles or merely to share a glass of Shiraz or two, then Mari (who hails from the actual birthplace of wine - Georgia) is back with Dublin Wine Trails . The ticket covers the cost of tapas and wines in three wine bars. When? Saturday 12th & 26th February, 15:30-17:30 Where? TBC How much? €59 13) Pet Nat Tasting At Provender Wine Pét Nat ( Pétillant Naturel) is a juicy, fizzy wine that acts as a good entry point into the bubbles category. Using traditional methods, Pét Nat is bottled during the fermentation process, which allows it to carbonate naturally. Alright, we’ll stop babbling so that Jenny from Provender Wines can fill you in on the rest. Get tickets for their Pet Nat tasting here . When? Sunday 13th February, 19:00-20:00 Where? Provender Wine, Dublin 8 How much? €46.27 14) Exclusive ATF Insiders Wine Fair At Neighbourhood Wine Following the success of our first sold out Wine Fair at Neighbourhood Wine , we’re teaming up with them again for round two and a whole new line up. What better way to spend a Sunday? Tickets go on sale tomorrow and the link will be emailed to ATF Insiders. If you're not already signed up you can fix that here , and we've got lots more events coming up now that we're back to semi-normality... When? Sunday 27th February 2022 Where? Neighbourhood Wine, Upper Leeson Street How much? €25 (redeemable on purchases over €150) Culture 15) A Growing Enquiry @ The RHA Artists often use their practice to tackle critical social issues from gender inequality to environmentalism. Given the state of our current food systems, a collective of six female artists has joined forces to probe food production and its impact on the longevity of our environment. A Growing Enquiry runs from mid-February to the end of April at the RHA. Pop into Margadh wine bar for a snack and a glass of wine when you’re finished. When? Friday 18th February to Saturday 30th April Where? RHA Gallery, Dublin 2 How much? Free 16) Boiling Point, Lighthouse Cinema Imagine a day at work where everything that can go wrong does, and the eyes of your most prominent critic are witnessing each and every downfall. Boiling Point is one of those gripping watches that - thanks to the beauty of a 90-minute single take - feels like being immersed in the drama of a bustling kitchen from start to finish. A must see before it leaves cinemas. When? Running since 31st December Where? Lighthouse Cinema How much? €10-12.50 We're also keeping our eyes on updates for the Sprezzatura Pasta Club and Scéal Bakery’s upcoming sourdough courses - both to be announced soon.

It’s rare to have us turn down the offer of a night in a restaurant of our choice, but there’s something about Valentine’s Day that makes us feel so corny, so aggrieved at the jacked up set menus, and so rushed to get out so they can turn the table, so we generally opt to ditch the candlelit meal in favour of something a bit different. If you’re like us and are choosing to swerve the cringe this year, we've got some ideas to help you celebrate your relationship or woo the new person in your life, in a much more comfortable fashion. The National Gallery And A Wine Tasting The National Gallery of Ireland is one of the most peaceful spots in Dublin for a wander, and you could spend hours in the maze of galleries and exhibitions. Start with the portrait exhibition, and once you’ve had your fill of culture it’s just short walk to Note on Fenian Street. The relatively new arrival on the wine bar scene has already become one of our regular haunts, and they always have interesting bottles open. They're running wine tastings each Saturday afternoon, focusing on different regions, producers and wine, and don’t be put off if you’re not on expert - this is a casual affair. Tickets are limited so make sure to book, and if you’re looking for something to do on V-Day itself, Note are running an event with the guys from P. Franco in East London! It's walk-in only and they open at 18:00. Afternoon Tea By The Sea We've been keeping our beady little eyes on Haddington House in Dun Laoghaire since ex-Bastible Barry O’Neill took over as Executive Head Chef in their restaurant Oliveto . It's right beside Dun Laoghaire pier so enjoy a brisk walk along the sea to build up your appetite before heading in for their new Afternoon Tea in the Parlour bar. They serve three-courses, starting with five savoury bites, before moving onto scones and tea, and finishing with three pieces of handmade patisserie. The best part – not a soggy cucumber sandwich in sight. It comes in at €50 per person including a glass of champagne, which we think is good value for a Valentine's (or Galentine's) treat. Visit St. Valentine Did you know that the remains of St. Valentine are actually smack bang in the middle of Dublin? We kid you not. In 1835, they were gifted by the Pope to an Irish preacher John Spratt and brought to Dublin from Rome, and they now rest in Whitefriar Street Church on Aungier Street. If you’re spiritually inclined you may want to pop in and bless your own relationship, or if you’re single and looking for love, stop by to say a little prayer to cupid himself to do you a solid. You can follow that up with a short stroll up to one of our favourite taco spots in the city right now - Los Chicanos Tacos , which is currently parked up on Camden Row on Saturdays and Sundays. Order the cauliflower tacos - you'll thank us. Taco Pop Up Speaking of tacos, Lily Ramirez-Foran of Picado will be hosting a one-off pop-up in Eatyard on Sunday February 13th to publicise her new cookbook, which she's developed with Blasta Books. From snippets we’ve seen, including beautiful illustrations by Nicky Hooper, it looks incredible, and Lily will be serving up an exclusive taco from the book from 14:00 until they sell out. She'll also be interviewed by Ali Dunworth at 16:00 to launch the book. City Centre Food Tour If we were describing our ideal day out, a food tour would be high on the list of activities. It’s something we always do on our first couple of days in new cities to get our bearings and find out more about local cuisines, so why not do the same in our hometown? Delicious Dublin Tours is run by Ketty Quiqley who's originally from France but has been living in Ireland for years and knows the Dublin food scene inside out. She runs three-hour group tours Tuesday – Saturday which cost €62 per person, and your ticket covers the costs of six - eight tastings. Fab Food Trails is another well-known company which offers tours in both Dublin and Cork. Founder Eveleen Coyle devises all of the routes but there are a whole host of FFT guides including some familiar faces from the Irish food and drink scene, so you’re always going to be in good hands. Tours are held every second Saturday and are €65 per person, which includes six - seven stops over two and a half hours Could this be the perfect activity for a newly dating couple? We think so... A Sunrise Dip & Sauna With the influx of #swimrise posts hitting our feeds, we reckon there's an appetite for something a bit more active to celebrate the 14th. An excursion to Greystones can be kicked off with a visit to The Fat Fox to pick up coffees and treats for after your dip in The Cove - maybe you’ll even spot the Happy Pear brothers in their natural habitat frolicking in the waves. The swim will wake you up, and from there you can wander over to Fad Saoil Saunas nearby to get the heat back into your bones. If you’re feeling ambitious, take the walk along the cliff to Bray where you can hit up Catalyst Coffee for some plant-based brekkie wraps. We're tired just thinking about it, but each to their own... Be A Tourist If you’re anything like us there are probably significant sites around Ireland that you’ve never made it to – the Burren, the Giants Causeway, the Cliffs of Moher – we know, we know, it’s shameful. In our defence, you could name any random food truck in the country and we’ve probably been there – so you can tell our priorities when we travel. If this sounds familiar, take this as a push to delve into the list of places in Dublin you’ve never been. First stop could be Kilmainham Gaol, followed by a pitstop in Storyboard for some coffee and a takeaway lunch to enjoy in the grounds of the Irish Museum of Modern Art . Or perhaps you've walked past St. Patrick's Cathedral a million times but never ventured in? Pay the €8 admission and avail of the free tours run throughout the day, before you pop over to Two Pups , The Fumbally or Hen’s Teeth nearby for food afterwards. The options are endless, so get planning. Dumpling Masterclass A cooking class is a great activity to do with your partner, and even better if you’re in the early stages of your relationship and still getting to know each other. Figure out who’s the sous-chef of the couple in a dumpling masterclass with chef Holly Dalton. Her interest in Japanese food started in her teens, and ultimately led to her first job out of culinary school in Izakaya. Since then, she's worked in Gertrude, 3fe, Cocu and Bobby’s, before launching her own range of Japanese-inspired condiments, Conbini . The three-hour workshop on February 26th costs €91 and covers everything you need to make dumplings at home including hand-folding techniques and how to cook them perfectly every time. Find out more details here . Kilruddery House & Garden Kilruddery House in Wicklow are back hosting their Supper Clubs and while this is technically dinner, we think a relaxed countryside affair is the perfect way to shake up the usual date. They currently have tickets on sale for Saturday 12th February and Friday 25th February, where they’re planning on preparing a vegetable focused sharing plate menu using the bounty from their kitchen garden and grounds. It’s worth getting there early to explore the expansive grounds, and if you’re stuck for a last-minute present, Kilruddery Farm Shop sell a series of hampers including Bean & Goose chocolate (always a winner), dried flowers and seasonal potted arrangements. Find out more information here . Stay Home If none of these options float your boat, we have plenty of options for you to enjoy at home. Check out our feature her e for the best at-home boxes for you to enjoy in the comfort of your own kitchen.

If you're a long time reader you'll know how we feel about eating out on Valentine's Day, i.e. why would you do that to yourself. Set menus, jumped up prices and time limits, surrounded by awkward couples on early dates, others who can't stop touching each other, and the ones trying to pretending they're actually enjoying each other's company. So do it like a pro and stay in. Leave the unsatisfactory experiences to the rest of the city, and stay home with one of these cook-free, cringe-free options. Margadh's Valentine's Box L ast order's for Margadh's Valentine's box are TODAY, so if you like the sound of this jump on it. For €85 you and your lover/housemate/Mum will get five courses - olive focaccia with anchovy butter; langoustine cocktail with pickled vegetables, apple & crème fraîche; guinea fowl, truffle and ham hock wellington with morel sauce; sides of tenderstem broccoli with smoked almond vinaigrette, and crispy duck fat potato; frangipane tart with chocolate ganache, hazelnut & raspberry; and a strawberry pastil petit fours to finish. There's an optional red or white wine pairing for €15 (recommended), and it's available for delivery or collection from Saturday 12th - Monday 14th. Order here . ​ Ripasso's Meal Kits We've noticed quite a posts recently from Ripasso 's happy customers, alerting us to the fact that they deliver Italian ingredients and wine nationwide - including meal kits. Choose from an antipasto platter, lasagne, cannelloni, carbonara, or go rogue and do your own thing. See the range here . Wined own At Home We recently reviewed Winedown's at home box, and it's available for collection or delivery within 5km on Friday 11th February if you're celebrating over the weekend. It's freshly prepared that day so will last a couple of days in the fridge, and we think it's really good value at €55 for two (with another €5 for delivery). Read our once over here , or order here . SSI's Valentine's Seafood Supper SSI's " ultimate seafood supper " is available for nationwide delivery, and one for when you just need to throw money at the problem. Feeding two, €130 will get you oysters, caviar, lobster ravioli, whole roast turbot, champagne butter, and Irish handmade Chocolates. They suggest you add boiled potatoes and buttered broccoli to the mix. Delivery available between Friday 11th and Saturday 12th February, and you can order here . Barwachi, Killester We're completely intrigued by Killester Indian takeaway Barwachi . Food writer Jillian Bolger said it's the most authentic Indian food she's ever had from a takeaway, and that the Malabar prawn curry took her right back to Kerala. That prompted a visit from Irish Independent food critic Katy McGuinness who called their onion bhaji " the best I've ever had ", as was the palak paneer kofta (spinach and cheese dumplings in a creamy tomato sauce). They open Mondays and have a wide delivery area covering most of the Northside and across the water as far as Ringsend. Food by Sally Ann High end Dublin based caterer Sally Ann Lux has put together a Valentine's box for two for €120, with peach bellinis, sharing starters, a choice of mains (Jacob's ladder beef or almond and herb crusted sea bass), a white and dark chocolate mousse, and petit fours to finish. It can be delivered within Dublin for €10 or collected from their city centre kitchen. See the full menu and order here . Fallon & Byrne You can always count on Fallon & Byrne for a fuss free meal at home, and their Valentine's steak dinner for two with two fillets, greens, truffled mash and pepper sauce is currently on sale for €25. Add on a Coeur aux Fleurs goat's cheese, some chocolates and a bottle of the delicious Love and Grapes syrah and you've got the makings of a very nice night in. See the Valentine's shop here . Asador/Prado While there's nothing special announced for Valentine's Day, sister steak restaurants Asador and Prado deliver their meal kits nationwide, with a cut off of midnight on Wednesday each week for Friday delivery. They've got boxes with gambas and a Tomahawk, BBQ tacos and chicken adobo, and you can add on dessert, cheese, cocktails and wine. Order here . Naomi's Kitchen Meal prep company Naomi's Kitchen have a Valentine's meal for two for €70, with a grazing board to share, beef bourginon with honey glazed roots and potato mash, and giant jammy hearts to finish. Delivery charges range from €6.50 - €12, or it can be collected from their kitchen in Glenageary. Order here .

Dublin has six new Michelin stars, after the UK and Ireland additions were announced this morning. The announcements were supposed to start on their Twitter account at 10:00, but the sneaky Michelin man (or woman) started the ball rolling at 09:20, catching a lot of people off guard. No surprise to anyone who's eaten there, Mickael Viljanen has regained the two stars he won at The Greenhouse in his new position as Chef-Patron of Chapter One . If they hadn't got two there would have been a riot, and you'd find us right up front - read our recent review here . The guide had this to say: "Finnish-born Mickael’s name is now above the door at this celebrated restaurant which has enjoyed a stellar reputation for many years. His sophisticated, confidently delivered dishes include Dover sole enlivened by maitake and bonito, and delicious milk-fed lamb in two servings – the fillet and the braised shoulder." Anyone who got a booking in their last release must be feeling incredibly smug right now. Ireland has another new two-star restaurant in the tiny Liath in Blackrock. Chef/owner Damien Grey has made no secret of the fact that two stars (and maybe beyond) has been the goal here for a long time, and reviews since opening post lockdown seemed to indicate that they'd taken thing up another level again. The guide said: "...Damien Grey at Liath in Blackrock has also been busy reworking and perfecting his repertoire of dishes, with the result that they now show even greater harmony. The sublime aroma of the mussels served with cauliflower and saffron is more than matched by the flavour; while the melt-in-the-mouth pigeon is made even more exquisite by the Pedro Ximenez sauce that accompanies it." Bastible in Dublin 8 was awarded its first star for "generous portions of boldly-flavoured food" and "cooking which comes from the heart." Bastible opened in 2015 and there have been calls from critics and diners for years that they were cooking at star level - us included . The guide added; "Owner Barry Fitzgerald confidently takes the lead in the open kitchen. The modern set menu features top class Irish produce and each main ingredient is given the space to shine." Good luck getting a booking there any time soon. See their listing here . Glovers Alley in The Fitzwilliam hotel has also been awarded a star, something they have clearly been striving for since opening in 2018 , so we imagine their relief is very high this morning. The guide said "This chic, elegant restaurant is set on the second floor of The Fitzwilliam Hotel, overlooking St Stephen’s Green. Andy McFadden’s cooking is characterised by intense flavours and textures, and his experience shines through in creative, modern dishes which are skilfully prepared and artfully presented." New Bib Gourmands (for quality cooking at affordable prices) were released last week, and went to Cush in Ballycotton, Éan in Galway and Everett's in Waterford.

All eyes are focused on you, you start yapping away, and then Karen chimes in shouting, “you’re on mute!” We don’t miss the mortification of Zoom's gone wrong, and the psychological implications of staring at your own face all day, but the time has come to return to IRL meetings, ideally combined with our favourite past-time - food. The walls of an office can be stifling, so bash out some creative ideas over lunch, brunch, coffee or a drink instead. 1) Nutbutter, Grand Canal Dock Located in the heart of Grand Canal Dock (water views and all), Nutbutter serves a seasonal food menu that feels good to eat, with dishes like plant poke and jackfruit carnitas. The restaurant was also nominated for best design in the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards, so it's a great choice when you've got guests you want to impress. 2) 3fe, Grand Canal Dock Once upon a time, 3fe was one of the few cafés that could accommodate a business meeting over a good cup of Joe. Several creative enterprises likely spawned from this humble space, and it's managed to stand the test of time while other cafés popped up and quickly evaporated into the ether. 3) Brother Hubbard, Capel Street Another café that's withstood the trials and tribulations of Dublin’s café scene is Brother Hubbard , a space that's grown from a petite premises on Capel Street to a larger area next door, and three more cafés on the South Circular Road, in Arnotts and soon to be Ranelagh. The Capel Street café is particularly spacious, and if you go there often, you can tee up enough stamps to avail of a complimentary coffee and scone. Inflation shamation. 4) Urbanity, Smithfield It ground our gears when we saw Insomnia and Costa polluting Stoneybatter and Smithfield’s indie landscape, but at least Urbanity eased the blow when it opened in 2016. Their coffee is roasted on-site and their rotating menu features dishes like ham hock bubble and squeak Benedict and wild mushrooms on toast. The long tables are perfecting for gathering a team around. 5) Parklife, Kimmage Kimmage and Crumlin were suffering from a lack of decent places to eat and Parklife , adjacent to Eamonn Ceannt Park, arrived to save the day. The café has plenty of room for accommodating brainstorms, and you’ll be seated just far enough from prying ears attempting to steal your next big idea. The best part: they serve Cloudpicker. 6) The Commons At MoLI They say creativity thrives within limitations, but nothing is better than getting out of the house and sharing ideas over lunch or brunch after two years of lockdown. The Commons at MoLI is perfect for office catch ups, and the menu features simple dishes like Waterford Blaa with streaky bacon and carrot cake. 7) The Eatery At Bread 41 We pined over the Bread 41 café when we regularly queued for their pastry drop during lockdown. Finally they reopened, and only went and elevated things with the announcement of their eatery upstairs. It's perfect for face-to-face meetings, but you're not allowed open your laptop - conversations only. A word of warning: you might start your meeting with a proposal for a film and leave with the notion of becoming a baker. It's happened to the best of us. 8) The Pepper Pot Café, Powerscourt Town Centre The Pepper Pot has gone from strength to strength over the years with a bustling café in the Powerscourt Centre and the more recent addition of their bakery in the George Street Arcade. One thing that hasn’t changed - much to our delight - is the pork sausage sando with tomato and apple chutney. Recommend it to your colleague and hopefully they’ll thank you by footing the bill. 9) Network, Aungier Street It almost feels like Network was designed for networking… oh wait - maybe it was. It is located slap-bang in the city centre and flaunts a concise menu of dishes like the chorizo and mozzarella sandwich, ideal for ordering over a quick business meeting. 10) A Stór Coffee, Smithfield A ramen bar by night and a specialty coffee joint by day, Soup and A Stór have created the perfect partnership in Smithfield. The café opens at 8am, so it’s ideally suited for a morning meet-up over a flat white and homemade granola with almonds, coconut and fresh fruit. 11) Blas, Dublin 1 The Chocolate Factory lives and breathes creativity with in-house residents including illustrator Steve Doogan and printmakers Jando Design, and their in house café Blas brings it on the food side. Head in on any given day (except Sunday as it’s closed), and you’re likely to witness at least one creative idea coming to life over coffee. Their cheese toasty with provolone and cheddar with cider jam is the perfect lunch on cold days. 12) As One, Dublin 2 We love As One ’s ethos of farm to fork food. They source ingredients from local Irish growers and producers like McNally Farm and Jane Russell sausages, and their menu focuses on seasonal dishes like veggie boxty with carrot harissa and nut crumble. Book a table in advance and move your weekly check-in from a Zoom room to a plant-filled, high-ceilinged one. 13) Vice Coffee, Dublin 1 Many of the world’s most famous writers wrote their classics over a tipple, and we can’t argue with the idea of an award-winning Irish coffee to get the creative juices flowing. Flesh out ideas over a drink at Vice (and there's plenty of non alcoholic options if it's early), and order a cheese toastie or a Mud brownie once hunger kicks in. 14) The Fumbally, Dublin 8 The Fumbally food market filled the void of our lost social lives during the pandemic, but we missed the café and their famous eggs. The staff kindly allow you to mull over a meal for an hour (or four), and it almost feels like a co-working space without the lousy coffee. The Fumbally is the OG for creative brainstorming in cafés.

Even though the daffodils are popping up and buds are popping out, it's definitely still winter by the looks of menus around town, and the weather forecast. We reckon it's going to be all change for spring in the next week or two, but in the meantime we're languishing in broths, stews, and plums cake. 1) Spicy Tori Paitan From Nomo Ramen Oh hello Nomo, aren't you looking well. Due to open in March, Nomo Ramen are starting the social teasers and look at this spicy tori paitan - chicken broth infused with their homemade chilli oil. It's going to be a long few weeks... 2) Pork Belly With Asian Spices, Amy Austin We have a thing about bad pork belly, and this does not look like bad pork belly. Wine bar Amy Austin currently have it on the menu in a broth with Asian spices, and the skin looks shatteringly crispy. 3) Black Beans From Los Chicanos We're big fans of the tacos from Los Chicanos , but are now crushing on these black beans with lime crema and pickled hibiscus. The sooner these guys open a bricks and mortar restaurant the better. 4) Fish And Chips From Salt & Vinegar Sometimes it all gets a bit much and you just need to pare it back to basics. New Rathfarmham chipper Salt & Vinegar serve salt and pepper squid, pints of prawns and fish finger sandwiches, but how good does the basic one and one look, complete with handcut chips. 5) Plum Cake From Luncheonette We feel like we haven't seen or eaten half enough plums this winter, so were very happy to see this "cinnamonny, cardomommy" buckwheat, flour-free plum cake from Luncheonette appear on the grid this week. Find them at the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin 1.

It seems like just a few hundred antigen tests ago, but Pancake Tuesday is descending on us again. Here's what's happening across Dublin tomorrow so you can get planning... Slice, Stoneybatter Slice in Stoneybatter are pancake ready and excited. They're serving their fluffy buttermilk pancakes with either Belgian chocolate sauce, toasted hazelnuts, poached plums and vanilla mascarpone, or apple and walnut crumble with vanilla cream. They'll also have their usual pancakes on with stewed fruit, cinnamon mascarpone, peanut caramel and toasted nuts. Good luck picking from that line up. Fable & Stey, Blackrock Fable & Stey in Blackrock always bring it on pancake Tuesday, and this year is no different. Choose from vanilla pancakes with Ferrero spread, mascarpone cream, fresh berries and hazelnut praline, or go for more Autumnal vibes with roasted spiced apples, fresh blackberries, salted caramel and rum sauce, and mascarpone cream. The Orange Goat, Ballsbridge We love shaking things up with a crêpe cake, and this chocolate and berry version, served by the slice at The Orange Goat , looks reason enough for a trip to Ballsbridge. Edition, Brown Thomas I f you're anywhere near Brown Thomas on Pancake Tuesday, you can nip into Edition on level two for a one day special of banana brûlée pancakes, with coffee or prosecco - your choice. Le Petit Breton, Drumcondra Le Petit Breton in Drumcondra is pancake central every day, with 28 different options to choose from. Choose from savoury like "La Québécoise", with Comté, caramelised apples, streaky bacon and maple syrup, or go sweet with "La Plougastel", with berries drizzled in strawberry coulis, white Chocolate flakes and chocolate or strawberry ice cream. Sheridan's, Various Locations This one is going to take some work in your own kitchen, but honestly how could you not want to make this crêpe cake from Sheridan's , dripping with Fattorie Garofalo buffalo dulce de leche, and covered in Cocoa Bean chocolate 72% ganache. Pick up supplies in any Sheridan's location or online . The Cupcake Bloke, Rialto In this week's Sunday night "the news you might have missed this week" email to ATF Insiders, we pointed out that pancake cupcakes were a thing in Kerry, and needed to be a thing in Dublin. Well we manifested it, and it appeared, as just as the email was sent out, these babies popped up on The Cupcake Bloke's Insta . Pick from vanilla & sprinkles, lemon, nutella and red velvet, all with teeny tiny pancakes on top. Cuteness. Alma, Portobello Alma , one of the city's OGs for pancakes any day of the year, will be serving their usual dulce de leche pancakes with seasonal fruits, plus a savoury option with West Cork smoked salmon, goats cheese cream, mustard and maple dressing, fennel and house pickled beets. They're also be doing a special cinnamon roll inspired one, with chai mascarpone cream, maple syrup, blood orange and crispy bacon. Get in line. As One We love an As One pancake, and next week they're bring two new ones to a table. An 'in season' - crêpes glazed with house caramel sauce, zesty rhubarb coulis, sweet mascarpone and cocoa nibs, and a second option of crêpes with lemon and orange amaretto, and blueberry and honey ricotta. Decisions, decisions... Tang, Dawson Street Tang is an excellent choice for pancakes on any Tuesday, but next Tuesday you'll find a special of American style fluffy ones "Middle-Easternised", with house labneh, rhubarb compote, sweet dukkah and honey. Oh my... Eathos Eathos on Baggot Street will have their usual pancake menu running next week, including their buckwheat pancakes with poached banana, praline cream, toasted hemp and coconut, almond butter and coconut whip. They're also running a one day special of buckwheat pancakes with caramel, chocolate, crushed pistachio and mango honeycomb. Aventura, Portmarnock Aventura Coffee House recently announced a new location in The Masonry building in D8, and Pancake Tuesday is going to be their first official 'event'. They're serving their traditional Brazilian PacPac pancakes with either berry and lime jam with cream and basil; maple glazed and sea salt bacon; or chocolate and coconut crust. Pancakes are €8.50 or they're running a deal on pancakes plus a cup of their house coffee blend for €10.99. Social Fabric Café Social Fabric Café is the place to head in Stoneybatter on pancake day. They'll have three options this year - chocolate, pistachio and raspberry; maple syrup and free-range streaky bacon; or butterscotch sauce with fresh fruit and caramelised pecans. Le Chocolat du Fred It's pancake day every day at Le Chocolat de Frèd in Dun Laoghaire, and this place will be out the door for the day. Whatever you order, make sure it has chocolate - it comes from their special chocolate tap. Lennox Street Grocer Lennox Street Grocer won't be doing the cooking for you, but how about this for an at home option. They're selling bottles of their rich Jersey milk crêpe batter, along with a suggested service option of Dingle sea salt ice cream with their carmelised pecans and maple syrup (also available in the shop). 31 Lennox If you've yet to get to 31 Lennox to try their sweet potato mascarpone, you can head there next week to try it on their homemade buttermilk pancakes with peanut brittle, banana and maple syrup. Metro Café, South William Street The Metro Café on South William Street with be serving their famous buttermilk pancakes with honeyed butter all day and evening on Pancake Tuesday, with a side of people watching onto South William Street. Berry compote or nutella are optional extras. Lemon Crepe and Coffee Co. Lemon on South William Street is Dublin's original pancake house, open an incredible 23 years and still going strong. Expect queues all day on Pancake Tuesday, and it might be worth checking out their menu online in advance, because there's 38 different ones to choose from. Pick from sweet ones like apple cinnamon cream, or savoury like the smoked salmon with c rème fraîche , chives and black pepper. Did we miss a great looking Pancake Tuesday special? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie. We'll add more to this article over the week.

Next week sees the first St Patrick's Day since 2019 that we might actually get to celebrate, but while our national holiday tends to feature plenty of booze, it's never really had an associated dish. While "Irish food" has long been boxed off as stew, bacon and cabbage, and varying forms of potatoes, a rise in contemporary Irish cuisine is leading us into a Michelin star-studded revolution. While we're die-hard fans of the potato (especially these pressed ones we had at Killruddery recently), there’s so much more to Irish food than Tayto and colcannon, so the next time a city centre tourist stops you and asks where to go to try our national cuisine, there's no excuse for sending them to a dodgy Temple Bar pub. This is your new Irish dish hit list... Casteltownbere Lobster - Lock’s, Dublin 8 Swiftly make your way from Temple Bar to any and all of Dublin’s buzzing modern Irish restaurants. The price tag might be similar, but the experience will upgrade from frozen cook-chill food to local, flavoursome produce cooked with vigour. Lock’s along the Portobello canal is the perfect space for contemporary Irish cuisine, plating up dishes like Kelly oysters with kimchi, and this stunning Castletownbere lobster with sea urchin and Wexford root vegetables. Irish Fish Plate - The Winding Stair, Dublin 1 Sally Barnes has garnered a reputation for being one of Ireland’s most renowned food producers, smoking fish in the wilds of West Cork. Similarly, Goatsbridge in Kilkenny prides itself on farming locally sourced, sustainable trout based on generations of fish farming dating back to 1180. The Winding Stair has assembled a fish plate showcasing some of the best Irish seafood from both, served with traditionally made Dillisk soda bread. Seasonal Boxty - As One, Dublin 2 Ireland has had a clichéd connection with the potato since it eradicated our native diet and led us into famine, but we love to hate it, and we hate to love it. Boxty, a recipe that dates back to the 1700's, is made using floury potatoes (the best kind), mashed, grated and transformed into a griddled pancake. Gallagher’s in Temple Bar serve the original iteration of this dish, but we’re into the As One alternative made with seasonal veg and poached eggs. Spice Bag - Saba, Various Locations Maybe a better suggestion for a post-Paddy’s day pick-me-up, the spice bag gained stardom approximately ten years ago when the Spice Bag Appreciation Society on Facebook became a forum for debating the “best spice bag in Dublin”. Compared with places like Sunflower, Pen Towers, San Sab, and Lin Kee, Saba up the ante with a Thai iteration of the Chinese-Irish fusion dish, and pair it with their signature yellow curry sauce. Chargrilled Dublin Bay Prawns - Octopussy's, Howth Tourists travel to Howth in droves to take in the smell and the sounds of one of Dublin’s best-known fishing villages, making it a fantastic destination for seafood lovers. Octopussy's serves a simple seafood menu with everything from Carlingford Oysters to Dublin Bay Prawns, and much of their catch caught fresh from their trawler, The Celtic Fisher . If you can resist the smell of the chargrilled Dublin Bay Prawns as you pass the door, you're stronger than we are. A Toastie And A Pint Of Guinness, Grogan's, Dublin 2 That same afternoon I was sitting on a barstool in an intoxicated condition in Grogan’s licensed premises. At Swim-Two-Birds - Flann O’Brien Since its inception, Grogan’s has been synonymous with Irish history and culture, with Irish literati Flann O’Brien featuring it as his local hangout in At Swim-Two-Birds. On any given day, the place heaves with locals and tourists who flock there for a pint of the black stuff and one of the city’s best vantage points. No trip to Grogan’s is complete without their traditional toastie made with Irish cheddar and deli ham, and a good schmear of mustard. Irish Seafood Platter - Michael’s, Mount Merrion Michael’s has warranted a reputation as one of the best seafood restaurants in Dublin, and it feels like a real treat to make the journey out to Mount Merrion for the occasion. The wine menu includes Von Winning Riesling and Komokabras Albarino, and the seafood platter brims with whatever is just off the boat - wild halibut, Lambay crab, Clogherhead prawns, Irish lobster, Dublin Bays, scallops, mussels, drowned in garlic butter with plenty of their hand cut chips. Roaring Water Bay Mussels - Matt The Thresher, Dublin 2 The iconic seafood restaurant Matt The Thresher is situated on the periphery of Stephen’s Green and a stone’s throw from the Oscar Wilde memorial sculpture. The menu combines a selection of native favourites inducing Dublin Bay prawns and Galway oysters, but the Roaring Water Bay mussels are the real showstoppers. Wicklow Venison - Spitalfields, Dublin 8 For a city that's peppered with pubs, Dublin has a significantly low count of places to get good pub grub - enter Spitalfields , a gastropub and restaurant located in the heart of the Liberties that specialises in Irish cuisine with a contemporary twist. Pick a cold day to indulge in the haunch of Wicklow venison with butternut squash, barley and chestnut mushrooms Chocolate & Guinness Cake - The Cake Café, Dublin 2 Guinness is so good for you that we Irish decided to immortalise it in stew and cake. The sweeter iteration comprises a dense, silky cake prized by Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver, and The Cake Café , hidden away off Camden Street, is the perfect spot to escape the madness of town with one of the best versions in Dublin. Salt-Aged Feighcullen Duck - Woodruff, Stepaside As the Guinness tagline says, good things come to those who wait, and in this case good things come to those who wait for Dublin’s precarious transportation system to take them all the way to Stepaside. Woodruff serve their salt-aged Feighcullen duck from Kildare with foie gras, leg boudin, red kale, parsnip, duck fat potato terrine and blood orange jus, and you can head up the mountains afterwards for some foraging - it's wild garlic season. Read our Woodruff once over here . Carlingford Oysters - Lobstar, Monkstown The South Dublin coastline features a couple of notable seafood spots from George’s Fish Shop to Fish Shack, but we love Lobstar . The casual Monkstown spot (of course) prizes lobster, but if it's not the season we love their personalised Carlingford oysters. Try to fit in a visit to the James Joyce Museum at the Forty Foot while you're out that way. Beef & Guinness Pie - Margadh, Howth Margadh is catering for at home St. Patrick’s Day celebrations with a beef and Guinness pie for four. We suggest pairing it with a bottle of the Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône with fine tannins and a peppery finish, for a very happy Thursday off work. The special will be available for collection on March 16th with orders being taken from the 13th. Teeling New (Market) Fashioned - Teeling Distillery, Dublin 8 Okay not food (unless you count honey), but the New (Market) Fashioned, aptly named after the location of the Teeling’s Distillery , takes a modern twist on an old classic by mixing Teeling small-batch whiskey with spiced rum, two dashes of bitters and honey syrup. Teeling keep it local by using honey from the Dublin Honey Bee Project made in the Liberties, and we'd much rather toast St Patrick with one of these than a commercial beer around town.

It has been two years since we were officially allowed to celebrate Mother’s Day within safe proximity of our parents. This year, the chance of actually hugging our mums or dining at the same table as them is beginning to feel more real so that alone is a cause for celebration. Get those antigen tests ready and prepare yourself for a Mother’s Day to remember, with 14 foodie excursions designed to thank your Ma for always being at the end of the line through thick and thin. Brunch at Bibi's, Portobello We usually spend brunch gossiping over incidents from Saturday night, but this Sunday is entirely devoted to the woman who birthed and bathed you. Return the favour by bringing your Mum to Bibi’s for one of the best brunches in Dublin. We can never resist the squash eggs, and we recommend ordering the brownies in every flavour. A stroll in Howth and Afternoon Tea at Póg We Irish love any excuse to talk about the weather, but we get particularly excited when the sun makes an appearance. What better way to salute spring than by wrapping up and heading to Howth Harbour for a sunny stroll, followed by afternoon tea. The one at Póg is vegan friendly with jackfruit and slaw sambos, and mini acai bowls, and comes with the option of bubbles or bottomless booze. Tableaux Vivants and brunch at the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin 1 Tableaux Vivants , translated as Living Images , pairs classical with contemporary art in a collection of work curated in response to the centenary of the Anglo Irish Treaty of 1921. The exhibition is part of several shows on display at the Hugh Lane Gallery , which doubles as the (somewhat) new space for Luncheonette . Immerse yourselves in art and chew over your thoughts with a coffee and cake afterwards. Dinner in Spitalfields, Dublin 8 Whether your mum prefers lunch or dinner, Spitalfields in the Coombe serves up the classiest comfort food in Dublin, with dishes like shrimp mayonnaise with trout caviar, and pork schnitzel with smoked garlic potatoes, not forgetting their famous chicken pie to share. Their dessert menu will resurrect your childhood nostalgia, with an orange and vanilla “super split” for 90s kids, and Eton mess for our parents’ generation. Whiskey and Food Pairing at the Powerscourt Distillery, Wicklow Enniskerry’s Powerscourt Spa usually gains the most attention, but if your mum is a gourmand, she'll love the Whiskey and Food Pairing at the Powerscourt Distillery . Combining experience in food science and gastronomy, Santina Kennedy curates a menu of snacks to pair with their range of Fercullen Irish whiskeys. The pairing costs €35 per person and kicks off at 4pm. Book tickets here . Rock Farm Tours, Slane, Co. Meath Rock Farm has had an exciting year, from providing the setting (and produce) for Allta Summer House, to recently winning the Environmental Award at the Irish Food Writer’s Guild Food Awards. Now, Dubliners can make the short trip to Rock Farm to sample the goods on-site with guided tours of the Slane Distillery and the bustling organic farm. Tours of the farm cost €15 per person, or go the whole hogg with an afternoon tour for €89 visiting a goat farm, cider mill and rapeseed oil producer too. Both must be booked in advance . Bread-making Course at Bread 41 There is nothing more comforting than a smearing of butter on your mum’s freshly baked soda bread… or is there? Sourdough has swept the nation with its crunchy, featherlight texture and its lighter impact on troublesome Irish guts and their sensitivity to Pat The Baker's worst. Buy your mum a Glenties malt loaf and a voucher for two for a bread-making class at Bread 41 . Note that classes are fully booked until September, but it's worth waiting for. A trip to the Polish Wine Festival, The Fumbally Stables, Dublin 8 We often associate wine with French châteaux and New World vineyards, but plenty of exciting growers hail from places like Brno in the Czech Republic and Zielona Góra in Poland. Give your mum an alternative gift this Mother’s Day with a trip to the Polish Wine Festival in the Fumbally Stables, which is on the day itself. Tickets cost €20, and hourly slots can be reserved here . A box of Bloomin' Cupcakes from Cake Box, Dublin 8 We're crushing hard on these Bloomin’ Cupcakes’ from Cakebox . Marta’s seasonal beauties are garnished with edible petals and come in two flavours - almond-lemon with violet buttercream and a cherry dipped in ruby chocolate, and carrot-orange with orange blossom buttercream and candied kumquat. Order via Instagram DM. A visit to the Museum of Decorative Arts and History and dinner at L. Mulligan Grocer From IB Jorgensen’s seminal runway pieces to Eileen Gray’s innovative furnishings, the Museum of Decorative Arts and History houses some of Ireland’s oldest artefacts and works by pioneering artists and designers. Spend the day soaking up culture and treat your mum to dinner and drinks in L Mulligan Grocer afterwards. A Gift Cooking Kit from Weekl.ie “Mum, why is there never anything to eat in this house?” We’ve all said it, and to be fair your fridge is probably emptier than hers was circa 1999. Fill your mum’s fridge and her face with joy with delivery a from Weekl.ie . Their current shop includes Italian blood oranges and a fresh pasta making kit , the perfect reminder of that trip to Rome that she never stops going on about. Sunday Lunch at Potager, Skerries From Howth over to Greystones, the Dublin coastline is one of Dublin’s best assets, but the small coastal village of Skerries in North County Dublin is often forgotten. Bring your mum for a coastal walk in Skerries and finish the day with lunch in Potager over a menu that showcases some of North County Dublin's finest produce. The chicken, bacon, leek and mushroom pie at home from Margadh, Howth The mother figure stereotypically spends a large portion of their life cooking and cleaning for their family. If your mum falls into that category, please do her a favour and break out the Dyson for a few hours and order Margadh’s Mother’s Day Menu . The dish of the day is a chicken, bacon, leek and mushroom pie served with champ mash and vegetables, with prosecco and a chocolate ganache tart for afters. 'Pop of Spring' chocolates from Praliné Chocolatiers Georgia and Daniel from Praliné Chocolatiers are among several Irish chocolatiers breaking the mould on tired, oversweet confectionary offerings in Ireland. The ‘ Pop of Spring ’ box is a signal for brighter days, and features flavours like yuzu cheesecake and Irish mint ganache. Hint hard enough and she might let you try one.

The time has almost arrived, the day for us to break our steadfast and unwavering commitment to Lent. Forty long days and nights sacrificing alcohol, crisps, chocolate … okay, our poker face isn’t holding, even behind the screen. It will not surprise regular readers that we do not partake in the annual fast, our love for good food wins over every time. We do, however, fully endorse the annual breaking of the fast, in the form of gorging on Easter eggs. But you can spare us the two-for-a-fiver eggs in your local supermarket, we've rounded up some of the best, artisan options out there, so if you’re looking for a gift or just to treat yourself, look no further... Koko Kinsale Koko is one of our personal favourites for chocolate - we regularly purchase from them as gifts as they come beautifully presented in their signature orange and turquoise packaging. We always look forward to seeing what they create for Easter, and this year the pièce de resistance is the handpainted Easter egg , each one totally unique and absolutely beautiful. They sell for €28 but there are other options at lower price points, including their take on the infamous creme egg - which we can absolutely recommend after ordering them last year. Arcane Chocolate Erik Van der Veken always had an interest in food, forgoing traditional schooling in Belgium for culinary school at the tender age of 12, and it was there that he discovered his love of chocolate. He did placements with chocolate masters around the world, and worked in the Middle East and London, but luckily for us he relocated to Dublin and set up Arcane Chocolate in 2019. His Easter eggs are on the higher end in terms of pricing, with the most expensive coming in at a whopping €70, but these are works of art, using the best ingredients, and they're filled with truffles, so no expense is spared. If this is a bit flush, they also have more reasonable hollow eggs starting from €27 and a selection box of mini Easter eggs so you can try a few different flavours. You can buy them online but theyre also stocked in a few Dublin locations like Brown Thomas and Fallon & Byrne. See the full list of their stockists on their website . Hazel Mountain Chocolate Based along the Wild Atlantic Way, Hazel Mountain Chocolate have taken inspiration from their surroundings for their Easter egg, which is hand painted to illustrate the wild sea crashing on the rocky shore. Hazel Mountain are a small batch, bean to bar operation meaning these are limited edition, so best to get your order in early so you don’t miss out (and they will sell out). If you do miss them, they also have very cute (and very delicious) salted caramel Easter bunnies. Even if you do get an egg you should order these as an add on. Grá Chocolates One of the breakout stars of the pandemic, Gráinne Mullins built her business Grá Chocolates from her family home in Galway when COVID scuppered her plans to work abroad. Having won The Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year in 2019, and worked as a pastry chef in Lignum, Ox and Ashford Castle, the direction slightly shifted for her when she began to experiment with creating hand painted chocolates for her friends and family. Since then, she launched her business, and is now stocked in Brown Thomas. You can buy her beautiful eggs there, or directly from her website . Praline Chocolatiers Praline Chocolatiers ethically source their chocolate from France and Switzerland, and they make sure to use only the best Irish cream and butter, creating the perfect sweet snack. While they have an Easter egg on offer this year, our jaws nearly hit the floor when they tweeted about their new miniature eggs, filled with a fluffy raspberry marshmallow and fruity raspberry ganache, or a light chocolate marshmallow and a layer of signature salted caramel and peanut butter. Their Easter products are available for pre-order now and will start getting shipped on April 5th. Cocoa Atelier Using the best of Irish produce, Cocoa Atelier creates some of the most high-end and intricate looking chocolates in their Dublin-based chocolate lab. They're stocked in Donnybrook Fair and The Butler’s Pantry amongst others, and you can also buy directly from their site . Their Easter collection starts at €16.95 for the carton of six assorted mini eggs and increases to €35.95 for a larger egg which also comes with some of their handmade marshmallows. We would strongly recommend rounding out your order with a bag of chocolate drops to stick in the press for a cold evening when only a luxurious hot chocolate will do – it's the best around. Lir Chocolates This is probably in the adult-only territory, not because of any alcohol content but we just can’t quite imagine many kids have quite developed that hankering for a creamy pint that we develop at the end of a hard week. These eggs are Guinness flavoured and decorated with the iconic Guinness Harp. It also comes with tiny little pint shaped chocolates. Not a Guinness fan? There's also a Baileys sundae. The Source Bulk Foods We love to see zero packaging stores popping up, and have been trying to change our behaviour and visit them as much as possible when picking up the essentials. It's usually cheaper to shop in these small independent stores rather than the big supermarkets, and can make a big difference to the amount of packaging we end up throwing out immediately after packing everything into the presses. Our favourites to frequent are Small Changes in Drumcondra and Inchicore and The Good Neighbour in Dundrum, but we spotted that The Source Bulk Foods , which has shops in Rathmines and Greystones, have launched an Easter range so you can pick up your Easter treats without the unnecessary plastic packaging - and you can buy by weight to limit the waste. Tony Chocolonely If you’re looking for some smaller eggs to create an Easter hunt around the garden, we spotted these handy packs of Tony Chocolonely eggs in Dunnes Stores, and should be available in all major supermarkets. If you haven’t tried Tony Chocolonely chocolate bars before, be warned, they're hard to stop eating, and at only a fiver a packet you may want to get a few extra bags for evening snacks. Bean and Goose Bean and Goose have a pretty avid following at any time of the year, and Easter is no different. They're based in Wexford where they hand-temper the chocolate on marble slabs, and they've created gorgeous chocolate animals this year which would be a perfect gift for people of all ages. Skelligs Chocolate Skelligs Chocolate , based in the wilds of Kerry, have been producing their wares since 1996. The Ring of Kerry is not your average location for a chocolate factory, and they're certainly not the industrial set-up that you might expect from such a recognised and accomplished brand. This is a destination spot, with a Chocolate Café which opens seasonally to welcome tourists and locals alike, and for Easter this year you can buy both hollow and solid eggs, with fillings like salted caramel, hazelnut praline and honeycomb marshmallow. Be warned, after we wrote about them last year they stopped production for the umpteenth time due to overwhelming demand, so be quick. They also have a vegan option for your dairy-free friends. Gåva And finally, these gorgeous eggs are too good to eat – which is apt as they are not actually edible. They're designed and produced by Gåva in Sweden to be used year after year, and you can fill them up with any little treat that you love. You may need to pay a bit more for shipping, but we love the idea of making a new family tradition and having these for years to come.

A new ramen restaurant, importing chef David Chang's ramen noodles of choice from the US, opens this Tuesday just off Camden Street. Nomo Ramen is the first restaurant from trained chef Kevin Hughes (who was initially lured into IT instead of kitchens), and he says its been seven years, and many ramen-research holidays, in the making. The small Japanese menu will change during the year, with two choices of "high quality ramen" the focus (one with chashu pork, the other with tofu), and other small dishes inspired by Izakaya-style menus in Japan, like crispy chicken wings in Nomo sauce, Hirata pork buns, and mushroom karaage with hoisin mayo. Ramen broths are made from scratch, including dashi, chicken broth, marinades and tares. All meat is Irish, supplied by Robinson meats, but unfortunately none is free-range for the time being, although they're hoping they can make the switch once they're more established. Eggs are free-range, and they're using Irish vegetables where possible, including onions, leeks and oyster mushrooms. After much testing, noodles are being imported from Sun Noodles in the US, who are a long-standing Japanese family business, and the supplier to David Chang's restaurants including Momofuku. Drinks will be limited to beer and soft drinks to start. Nomo Ramen soft launches this weekend (ticket holders only), and opens officially on Tuesday at 12pm. They're walk in only to start, but hoping to introduce bookings soon. Nomo Ramen 4 Charlotte Way, Dublin 2 Open: Tue - Wed 12:00 - 21:00, Thu - Sun 12:00 - 22:00 www.nomoramen.ie

The recent heatwave may have been short-lived, but it gave us a taste of longer days and balmy nights ahead, and now that the clocks have gone forward the 'grand stretch' is giving us the perfect excuse to head into town after a busy day at work. This month, we’re psyching ourselves up for tasting menus (lots of them), boozy festivals and an exciting drop from one of our favourite bakeries. 1) Sticks at Saltwater Grocery Saltwater Grocery ’s Karl Whelan is programming a series of foodie collaborations with Dublin’s most innovative chefs. After the first event's success, which featured Ken and Gwen from Assassination Custard, Karl is partnering with Jonny Boyle from Sticks to bring dry-aged Yakitori (Japanese skewered chicken), and we presume plenty of fish, to Rathgar. Email shane@saltwatergrocery.ie to reserve your space. When? Sunday 10th April Where? Saltwater Grocery, Dublin 6 How much? €65 2) Karen Smith's Dessert Pop-Up At Roe & Co March saw the return of the D-8TE pop-ups at the Roe & Co Distillery, and this time they've curated a three-part series of dining experiences that take the form of the starter, main course, and dessert. For the first instalment, The Salt Project temporarily relocated from the West to give Dublin diners a taste of contemporary Irish cuisine, while Dan Howell and Catherine Keane from Man Street Kitchen presented an al fresco dinner for the main course. The final pop up in the series will see pastry chef Karen Smith prepare a dessert tasting menu, including her much-hyped Ferrero Rocher and Twix domes, each paired with a cocktail from Roe & Co's expert mixologist. Book here . When? Thursday 14th to Sunday 17th April, and Thursday 21st to Sunday 24th April Where? Roe & Co Distillery, Dublin 8 How much? €40 for the tasting menu and €30 for the cocktail pairings 3) No Messin' Dudnuts Pop Up At Proper Order Coffee We thought we had finally seen the back of the doughnut trend, but the team at No Messin’ Bakery are bringing us back to Dublin circa 2014 with their upcoming ‘Dudnuts’ pop-up in Proper Order Coffee . The 'misshapen doughnuts with messed up flavours' will be available for one day only (April 18th), alongside drip coffee, and if they’re anywhere near as tasty as their Cardi-B cardamom buns (they will be), they’re going to sell out fast. When? Monday 18th April, 08:00 until sold out Where? Proper Order Coffee, Smithfield, Dublin 7 4) Drag Brunch, The Bernard Shaw Bodytonic provides the perfect antidote to the Sunday fear by hosting a weekly Drag Brunch in the Bernard Shaw. The brunch is on the naughtier side with dishes like buttermilk chicken and waffles and a loaded breakfast burger with Jane Russell’s, sausages, smoked bacon and a fried egg, and there's naughty cocktails, of course. When? Every Sunday, 13:00-17:00 Where? Bernard Shaw, Dublin 9 How much? €35 (includes entry, one main and three cocktails), or order items individually 5) Easter Cacao Ceremony, Fumbally Stables Google “Easter events Dublin” and you’ll land on a cornucopia of egg hunts and bunny trails, but if you're feeling more grown up than childlike, Darragh Stewart and Lauren Meyler are lead a three-hour Cacao Ceremony on Easter Monday in the Fumbally Stables. Connect and energise with pure Guatemalan ceremonial cacao, and a guided meditation. Get tickets here . When? Monday 18th April, 19:00-22:00 Where? The Fumbally Stables, Dublin 8 How much? €40-50 depending on what you can afford 6) Sustainable Wine Dinner, The Marker Hotel The production process for wine starts deep within the soils, but all types of unsustainable interventions can occur, from pesticides that stave off bugs to plastic packaging used on bottles. The Marker Hotel has recruited Mick O’Connell MW (co-owner of Neighbourhood Wine ) to curate a selection of wines from European producers that incorporate sustainability into all facets of their winemaking process. Mick’s picks will be paired with canapés on the roof of The Marker Hotel, followed by a five-course tasting menu. Call the hotel on 01 6875104 to book. When? Thursday 7th April, 20:00-00:00 Where? The Marker Hotel, Dublin 2 How much? €80 7) An Evening With Mark Moriarty, Arnotts Look, you’ve eaten the same lamb roast for the past three decades, so now it’s time to shake things up with a fresh approach to Easter 2022, and TV presenter and former Greenhouse chef Mark Moriarty is here to help. He's popping up at Arnotts in April to cook an Easter dinner that promises to provide the inspiration you’ve been seeking, followed by a three-course dinner with a glass of bubbles in the Kitchen restaurant afterwards. Book tickets here . When? Thursday 7th April, 17:45 - 19:45 Where? Arnotts, Dublin 1 How much? €40 8) Sensory Supper, Café en Seine Between Guinness 0.0 and Seedlip Gin, alcohol-free booze is beginning to trend, and we're on board with the idea of waking up with a fresh head and having the option of driving home after a night on the tiles. Peroni is the latest brand to cash in with the announcement of their Nastro Azzurro 0.0. To coincide with the launch, Café en Seine’s Head Chef Stephen Gibson has come up with a five-course tasting menu designed to engage with each of the five senses, based on iconic Italian flavours. Book tickets here . When? Friday 15th April, sittings at 17:30 and 20:30 Where? Café en Seine, Dublin 2 How much? €55 (+ €4.58 booking fee) 9) Festival of Food Soverignity, Maynooth University The food systems that we regularly depend on are being battered from all sides through the pandemic, climate change, supply-chain issues, and, more recently, the ongoing troubles in Ukraine. Alistair Fraser and Louise Fitzgerald are organising a series of sessions to identify ways of achieving food sovereignty in Ireland to tackle such threats, for the deep-thinkers amongst you. Get tickets here . When? Wednesday 13th April, 10:30 - 15:00 Where? Callan Building, Maynooth University How much? Free 10) Fish & Shellfish Workshop, Howth Castle Cookery School Ireland shares its seas with a plethora of seaweed and sea life, but we make little relatively use of it when dining at home for a country with such an offering. Learn the basics of skinning a fish fillet to correctly preparing shellfish at Howth Castle’s upcoming Fish and Shellfish Workshop. Book tickets here . When? Saturday 23rd April, 10:00 - 14:00 (doors open at 09:30) Where? Howth Castle Cookery School, Dublin 13 How much? €150 11) Wigwam Rumbullion Festival, Dublin 1 We’re still dreaming about that four-day bank holiday around St. Patrick’s Day, but at least the May Bank Holiday is on the horizon. Wigwam has once again curated their three-day Rumbullion festival as an ode to their favourite distilled liquor, and daily tickets cost €5 and come with two complimentary cocktails. See more information on their website . When? Friday 29th April to Monday 2nd May, 12:00 - late Where? Wigwam, Dublin 1 How much? €5 entry 12) Happy Days Beer & Food Festival, Rascals Brewing Another event to pencil into your calendar ahead of the upcoming May Bank Holiday is Rascals’ annual (well, obviously not for the past two years) Happy Days Beer and Food Festival . Rascals have outdone themselves with pop-ups including Beatbox, El Milagro, Cold Boi and Aventura Café, and featured breweries that include Wicklow Wolf, White Hag, and O Brother. Tickets cost €20 for access to the main HQ and the yard and outdoor areas, so let’s hope the sun shines for it. Get tickets and see the full line up here . When? Saturday 30th April to Sunday 1st May, 13:00 - 21:00 Where? Rascals Brewery, Inchicore, Dublin 8 How much? €20 (+ €1.85 booking fee)

Now that we have consumed enough chocolate to feed a small island (Innisfree is relatively compact), we’re waving farewell to Easter and biding our time until the next bank holiday weekend. Thankfully, May is only a short spell away, so open that Google Calendar and slot dates in the diary before someone tries to drag you on another foggy hike. Next month is all about markets, wine fairs, and a congress dedicated to celebrating the humble potato. 1) The Hen's Teeth Monthly Market , Dublin 8 In typical Hen’s Teeth fashion, their monthly market pairs the best in material culture with great food and wine. Treat yourself to that Pearl Reddington geansaí you’ve been ogling over and tuck into food by the killer kitchen team, plus an Irish Craft Cocktail or two. BLK Dog Bakery will also be in-store to ensure that your pup is well-fed, which is always a plus in a dog-friendly diner. When? Saturday 30th April & Sunday 1st May, 12:00 - 18:00 Where? Hen’s Teeth, Blackpitts, Dublin 8 How much? Free 2) Bahay at Hen's Teeth, Dublin 8 And in even more Hen's Teeth related news, Filipino street food providers Bahay , who finished their pop up at The Glimmerman last month, are coming to the Dublin 8 diner on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th May. Commended by Katy McGuinness as “ones to watch” in 2022, the mobile operation run by Richie Castillo and Alex O’Neill, is guaranteed to fill up. When? Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th May, 12:00 - 17:00 Where? Hen’s Teeth, Blackpitts, Dublin 8 Menu? TBC 3) The Eatyard Monthly Market, Dublin 9 The Eatyard programme is jam-packed with events from weekly bingo on Fridays to Drag Brunch on Sundays, but their monthly market is our highlight. The next one features a variety of makers and vendors selling everything from vinyl to freshly-made pasta. When? Sunday 1st May, 12:00 - 17:00 Where? The Bernard Shaw, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 How much? Free 4) Stillgarden Gin Tasting, Dublin 8 Dublin 8 has become the unofficial home of Irish spirits and beer. The original Power’s Distillery reclaimed its roots at the National College of Art and Design’s Red Square, one of Ireland’s biggest tourist attractions, Guinness, is a stone’s throw away, and Teelings and Roe & Co have also made it their home. In 2020 the Stillgarden Distillery joined the crew, and you can sample some of their concoctions at their next gin tasting on Sunday 8th May. When? Sunday 8th May, 15:00 - 16:00 Where? Stillgarden Distillery, Dublin 8 How much? €55 (+ €4.58 booking fee) 5) Fermentation Workshop: Kimchi & Kefir, Glenageary Researchers have uncovered an abundance of information on the benefits of friendly gut bacteria in maintaining a healthy digestive system and mind - try chicory root for prebiotics and kimchi and kefir for probiotics. Learn to make kimchi and sample homemade kefir at Helen Cassidy’s Fermentation Workshop - your gut microbes will thank you. When? Saturday 14th May, 11:00 - 12:30 Where? Foodhugs Kitchen, Glenageary, Co. Dublin How much? €48 6) Grow Your Own Gourmet Veg, Dublin 9 Today's youth claim to be on a quest toward culinary transparency, but nothing is more local or sustainable than growing your own produce. Learn how to Grow Your Own Gourmet Grub , from the essentials of crop rotations to tips for staving off pesky pests in the National Botanic Gardens, and bonus - it's one of the most beautiful times of the year to visit. When? Saturday 14th May 2022, 11:30 – 13:00 Where? National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, Dublin 9 How much? €50 7) Taste and Listen with Crash and Imbibe Coffee, Dublin 8 Crash Ensemble and Imbibe Coffee Roasters are collaborating on an event curated as part of Music Town 2022, exploring the parallels between the aural and the oral. Imbibe will host a cupping demonstration in their roastery, while Crash will perform a live soundtrack inspired by contemporary Irish music. When? Sunday 11th May, 11:00 - 12:30 & 13:00 - 14:30 Where? The Millennium Centre, Dublin 8 How much? €20 8) Vins de Copain, Note They say that good things come in threes, and Le Caveau, Veraison and Brian’s Wines are a trinity of independent wine importers proving this theory. Their Vins de Copains pop-up is happening in Note in Dublin, The Universal in Galway, and L’Atitude 51 in Cork, with an evening of food served with 36 natural wines - 12 from each importer. Contact hello@notedublin.com to reserve your space. When? Monday 16th May, 17:00 - 19:00 Where? Note, Fenian Street, Dublin 2 How much? €20 9) Foraging, Wild Food & Herbal Extractions Workshop, Dublin 9 The forests and parks are dappled with vibrant florals and fruit now that spring has finally sprung, and 'Wild Síog'’s next Foraging, Wild Foods and Herbal Extractions workshop provides the skills required to put the wild flora to use. Learn basic foraging skills, and how to make tonics, honey and cosmetics from wild herbs, hips and berries, in her three-hour workshop. When? Saturday 21st May, 10:00 - 13:00 Where? The Rediscovery Centre, Ballymun, Dublin 9 How much? €45 10) A Taste Of Sicily Cooking Class, Dublin 2 If the scenes of chaos at Dublin airport are deterring you from international travel - for now at least - then stay local and book a space at Pinocchio’s Italian School of Cooking. Classes range from pizza and calzone-making to A Taste of Sicily - AKA the home of cannoli and the source of some of the best Italian citrus dishes around. When? Saturday 21st May, 14:00 - 16:30 Where? Italian School of Cooking, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 How much? €60 11) Czech Wine Tasting, Dublin 8 The Embassy of the Czech Republic is spearheading a movement to highlight the country's breadth and diversity of wines. While places like Prague are typically affiliated with Pilsner, many Czech regions are home to low-intervention wineries, including Moravian Milan Nestarec. Learn more about Czech Wine at their free upcoming wine tasting in The Radisson on Golden Lane. When? Monday 30th May, 12:00 - 19:00 Where? Radisson Blu Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 8 How much? Free 12) Dublin Gastronomy Symposium, TU Dublin, Dublin 7 Similar to the way in which food assimilates through our bodies, recipes and ingredients migrate across the globe bringing exotic cuisines to new places. This year, the Dublin Gastronomy Symposium returns with a two-day conference and gala focused on the theme of Food and Movement, and you can watch online or attend talks in person. Register for the symposium here . When? Tuesday 31st May - Wednesday 1st June, 09:00 - 18:00 Where? TU Dublin, Grangegorman, Dublin 7 How much? Tickets start at €30 for online access, €230 for regular attendees, and an additional €110 for the gala dinner. 13) Oldbridge Floral & Food Fair, Meath Situated on the grounds of Oldbridge, where the Battle of the Boyne took place in 1690, is the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre and the historic space that will host the next Oldbridge Floral and Food Fair. Chef Lu Thornely will lead an Indian Street Food cooking demonstration, while Rosemary Mulchrone will showcase seasonal florals in a floristry workshop. When? Sunday 29th May, 11:00 - 16:00 Where? Oldbridge, Co. Meath How much? Free 14) The Bective Seafood Festival, Meath The Bective Restaurant in Meath will host a three-day seafood festival as part of the 2022 Boyne Valley Food Series. Expect a medley of Dover sole, lobster, oysters, bream, and hake with a curated wine pairing - the perfect way to escape from Dublin for the long weekend. When? Friday 29th April & Saturday 30th April from 17:00, Sunday 1st May from 15:00 Where? The Bective Restaurant, Kells, Co. Meath How much? Pay as you eat/drink 15) The World Potato Congress, RDS Just when we thought Ireland had reached a culinary awakening, the World Potato Congress comes back to haunt us. Now in its eleventh year, the congress dedicated to the starchy spud, will feature some of our favourites, from Tayto Snacks to Keogh’s crisps, and is in reality an extremely niche event that will only appeal to people in the biz. Ticket prices vary and can be booked here . When? Monday 30th May - Wednesday 1st June, from 15:30 - 17:45 on Monday and 09:00 - 18:15 on Tuesday & Wednesday Where? The RDS, Dublin 4 How much? Tickets range from €450 for early bird for students to €790 total price Our eyes are firmly fixated on Scéal Bakery’s Sweet Pastry workshop and Sarah from the Cake Café’s Baking Classes . Unfortunately, both are fully booked but keep an eye on their social media and newsletters for upcoming openings.

Over the past decade in particular, the Irish food scene has changed vastly for the better, and we're seeing more and more restaurants open without a Eurocentric approach to dining. While Chinese and other Asian restaurants have been popular since the early nineties, they haven't always been respected as places of fine or elevated dining, but many have been hanging their own duck, making their own condiments, butchering their own meat and truly cooking from scratch for decades. It's now the norm to see places like M&L, Lee's Charming Noodles, Lao, Pickle, 3 Leaves in Blackrock and many more identified as top dining experiences across the capital, and we were more than ready for the changing restaurant scene. Richie Castillo and Alex O'Neill of Bahay In my research for this piece, I spoke to Richie's Dad, Lito Castillo, on what it was like to get Asian ingredients when he first moved to Ireland from the Philippines 30 years ago. "Asia Market was the only place you could buy anything. The selection was very limited at the time, you couldn't get Indian, Thai or Filipino stuff, it was mostly just Chinese. There were so few immigrants here at the time. But now you can get everything you need." Lito was the first Filipino to work at The Mater Private Hospital, where he worked until 2019, and Ireland has changed hugely since he first starting walking the wards. Bahay We know diners have become more adventurous, and over lockdown when many of our favourite international spots were closed, people got braver with their home cooking. Asia Market on Drury street has been filled with Gen Z's picking up the latest product that's gone viral on TikTok, young professionals grabbing their Korean ramen packs, everyone buying dumplings, and I've noticed that my favourite fermented pickles, chilli oils, shrimp pastes and spiced vinegars are more frequently out of stock. While we love to see it, we want people to try more, so started doing Asian Market guides on Instagram , which have been getting 10-15k views apiece. To help you eager and intrepid home chefs, we've put together a guide to our top Asian stores across Dublin, local businesses who are importing the best of Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and of course, The Philippines. There are so many more we couldn't include in this particular feature, but keep an eye on our Instagram feed where we'll continue to post quick guides to the most popular places, and the lesser known ones. Special shoutout to Oriental Emporium on Abbey Street, which recently closed since being open since 1991! They continue to operate their shop in Rathmines, which we'll be sure to visit soon. 1) Pinoy Sari Sari, Mary Street Pinoy Sari Sari is a gem. The owner is a warm and welcoming older lady from the Philippines, who has her family and friends working alongside her. This place is pretty small, but jam-packed, with every corner of the shop stacked with pretty much anything you could want for a Filipino feast. While the array of goods she imports directly from the Philippines can only be described as vast, she also makes space to include locally made products from Filipinos here in Ireland, with fresh baked pan de sal, pan de coco, siopao and hopia from Gold Ribbon Bakery on Dorset Street. Every Saturday she has freshly made chicharron, puffed and golden pork skins that are delivered fresh (sometimes still with residual heat), that are always snapped up within hours. If you're feeling adventurous, and I mean really adventurous, they often have Balut , which I'll leave the reader to google themselves. They often have fresh, home-cooked ready meals if you want to try some classics from a Filipino kitchen, as well as locally made langonisa, which is a sweet smoked sausage (similar to chorizo in flavour) but it must be cooked as it's not cured. They have the best selection of savoury snacks, including Boybawang and Ding Dongs. Grab any packet you see and be ready for your new salty snack addition to take hold. Bahay's shopping list: Calamansi (fresh or juice). Sauteed Bagoong. Datu Puti Soy and Sugar Cane Vinegar. Pinkaurat Vinegar. Chicharron. Ube (purple yam, used mainly in dessert and what gives Filipino sweets the incredible purple colour). Ding Dongs. 2) Asia Market, Drury Street & Ballymount Founded in 1981 by Harrod and Helen Pau, Asia Market was the first of its kind to open in Ireland, and has grown and thrived in Drury Street the whole time. It is still very much a family-run business, and they've added a larger premises in Ballymount, as well as opening Duck restaurant on Fade Street. They source ingredients directly from producers in Asia - Hong Kong, China, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines and more. They source a lot of their Asian vegetables from farms in Dublin, and import produce that can't be grown here directly. They also maintain a seasonal approach to many of their vegetables, which is great to see. They have a fantastic relationship with many restaurants and chefs, and are hugely respected in the community. They have pretty much everything you could need here, and if they don't have it, let them know and they will try to get it for you. Their noodle section is huge, and they have every spice and paste your heart could desire. We love their drinks selection and they've an excellent range of kitchenware and utensils. Bahay's shopping list: Fresh veggies and mushrooms. Golden Lion AAA Rice. UFC Banana Ketchup. TK NANG Crab Paste. Healthy Boy Light Soy. Pearl River Bridge Dark Soy. ABC Sweet Soy. Pretty much whatever Laoganma oil they have on the shelf. For a Friday treat - Tsingtao Beer. 3) Oriental Pantry Supermarket, Moore Street Oriental Pantry is huge and has a wide variety of products from all over the world. Their Asian and Middle Eastern section is particularly impressive, but they have a great South American section too. When I want to buy chillis, ginger, turmeric, galangal, and lemongrass in bulk, as well as pretty much any Asian vegetable we need, this is the first stop shop. They also have a huge selection of pretty hard to come by root vegetables, from all across Asia. In my experience, this is the best place to get the likes of bitter gourd, taro root, giant daikon radishes, green papaya, fresh bamboo shoots, as well as fresh fruits like kaffir limes, lychee, Asian pears and dragonfruit - although you have to be careful with quality sometimes, so make sure you're picking produce that looks and feels fresh. Like the rest of Moore Street, you'll find some brilliant characters in this place and sometimes you can feel a bit lost, but go in with a list and the staff will be happy to help. They also have a large fishmonger, but at times the aromas are not for the faint of heart. They've a brilliant frozen bread section, especially for Indian, Nepalese and Pakistani favourites; roti, stuffed paratha, kulcha, so many varieties of naan, chapati and more. If you see mooli paratha, get it! It's radish stuffed flatbread that's almost like a pastry. Delish with dahl. Bahay's shopping list: Stuffed frozen paratha and stuffed kulcha. Chillies! Every single one you could imagine, they have them all. Fresh turmeric, fresh ginger and fresh galangal root (Thai root spice, closely related to ginger and turmeric. Loads of health benefits!) We always pick up plantain here, as well as whatever new hot sauce we see. 4) Han Sung Asian Market, Strand Street Han Sung is one of my favourite spots for a couple of reasons. Its pretty small, but quality over quantity is something I always think about when I'm in here. The shelves and freezer are packed with Korean household favourites and they have one of the best Japanese sections here too. They have some really fun items, like every single flavour of snack you can imagine, as well as some crazy hot sauces. There's an extensive selection of ramen, as well as everything you could think of to jazz up your noodles. This is where you'll find the TikTok revered Kewpie Mayo, as well as huge bags of dried mushrooms and seaweed, every kind of sesame variety you could look for, and a great selection of frozen dumplings, wonton wrappers and cases. They have a huge variety of ferments, pastes and broth bases too. The restaurant at the back of Han Sung is always so busy and filled with locals grabbing authentic Korean food. The food here is properly delicious, and the free miso soup you get with every meal is rich and full of flavour. I love ordering the Japchae here, and all of their Jjigae broths are incredible, especially the kimchi jjigae and yukgaejang. If you've room for dessert, try the pistachio cheesecake, its divine! Bahay's shopping list: Nongshim Shin Ramyun. Indomie Mi Goreng noodles. Samyang Noodles (SO SPICY!). Samyang hot sauce (INSANELY SPICY!). Housemade kimchi. Miso paste. Sesame paste. Yopokki. Doenjang paste ( a little bit like a Korean version of Miso, fermented soybean paste with a brilliant umami flavour). 5) Super Asia Foods, Capel Street This is a jewel in the shining crown of Capel Street. No, really! Super Asia Foods is the home of White Rabbit Korean Fried Chicken , a favourite amongst lunch-goers, students, office workers and foodies alike. They have a lovely bubble tea shop at the front entrance, and the place is always full of a real mix of people. The shop itself can be a bit cluttered, and may not always have everything in stock, but it has a great variety of condiments, sauces and pantry staples like oils and pickles. They have one of the best Laoganma chilli oil selections in the city, and always have a great mix of authentic Thai, Chinese, Filipino, Malaysian and Japanese cooking staples. Their fridge section has a brilliant selection of sweet drinks, and we love to pick up cans of thick, rich mango juice, fresh coconut water and they sometimes even have cans of calamansi juice. They have a great dried ramen section and a large variety of sweets and snacks. Bahay's shopping list: Aloe King drinks. Pickled enoki mushrooms. Pickled Szechuan peppers. Frozen dumplings. Frozen bao buns. Pancit canton noodles. Boba bubble tea. Also worth a visit: Golden Beach Supermarket, Parnell Street Golden Beach is a large, 24-hour Chinese supermarket that stocks a wide array of Chinese products and items. They also have authentic Chinese BBQ for takeaway, and while we haven't tried it yet, it looks legit and always has a queue. They've a great tea section, and I pick up dried mushrooms here a lot - Lion's mane, reishi, chaga - which are all superfoods and delicious in broths, ramen and stews. Halal, Clanbrassil Street For middle eastern groceries, we love going to Halal on Clanbrassil Street. This spot is wonderful, it has a great butcher and often has fresh middle eastern breads. The staff are brilliant and are part of the community of the area. They've a massive spice section, a freezer section stocked to the brim with samosas, stuffed parathas, delicious breads and vegetable sides, and they have every kind of eastern tea you could think of. Try the cardamom, it's like a fragrant black tea and is delicious with milk and honey. Shop Easi, Clanbrassil Street Also on Clanbrassil Street (working at Bastible and Clanbrassil House will get you very familiar with the area!) we love to drop into Shop Easi . They have a great selection of Asian grocery staples, as well as a lovely range of incense and candles. We love their sweet treat section and drinks selection, and they've a load of spices and dried goods here too. Don't miss the stacks of Indian mangoes when they're in season. You'll want to buy them by the box. Bahay is a Filipino pop up run by Richie Castillo and Alex O'Neill - read our once over here . From Wednesday 27th April they're collaborating with Happy Endings on a 'Filly Bistek' sandwich for a month - a Filipino take on the Philly cheesesteak, with beef cured in soy, calamansi and black pepper, onions and Coolea cheese sauce. They're also popping up at Hen's Teeth in Dublin 8 on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th May, with a menu of small plate street food and cocktails. We'll bring you more details on that when we get it.

We're all about the food here at ATF (in case that wasn't obvious from the name), but we're also partial to a pre-dinner stop for a great cocktail. Whenever we’re thinking of where to go for dinner, we're generally checking if there's a decent spot nearby for a pre-dinner tipple, and while Dublin is not short on pubs and bars, we’ve been caught out by places serving mediocre drinks at premium prices more times than we’d care to admit. These days, we're more careful about where we're spending our beer money, so we've curated a list of old reliables and some new kids on the block where you’re certain to get the cocktails, service and ambiance you deserve... Bar 1661, Smithfield It’s no secret that we're smitten by Bar 1661 , and will think of any excuse to visit this talent-filled spot in the heart of Dublin 7. They won 'Best Cocktail Bar in Ireland' at the Irish Craft Cocktail Awards in 2019, and with the creativity and innovation they put into their drinks it's not hard to see why. Their menu is uniquely Irish, using poitín in some of their cocktails and having a really impressive range of Irish-made gin, whiskey and wines, and because they're not tied in with a big spirits conglomerate their bartenders have carte blanche when it comes to getting creative. For us this is the bar to beat right now. The Sidecar at The Westbury, Dublin 2 If you’re in the mood for a bit of glamour, head straight for The Sidecar in The Westbury Hotel. The 30’s style, dimly-lit bar feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of Grafton Street, despite being a stones throw away. They have a great cocktail menu including a dizzying array of G&Ts which now includes their very own Sidecar Gin, as well as a martini trolley. They also give you a little glass of bubbles while you wait for your chosen concoction, and between this and the nuts and olives they provide, you get surprisingly good bang for your buck. The Sitting Room, Camden Street This very aptly named bar above Delahunt restaurant really does feel like you’re stepping into someone’s ‘good room’ when you first arrive. The high ceilings and well-chosen furniture in The Sitting Room make for a really pleasant setting, and while it’s a small space and walk in only, anytime we’ve visited we’ve been able to get a seat. The cocktails are masterfully made with great service, so make sure to add this to your list for when you’re next in the area. Note, Fenian Street One of the newer additions to the city, Note has quickly become one of our regular haunts. The natural focused wine list is the big draw, as are the creative small plates, and you could happily settle in for a full evening but it’s also the perfect place to pop into for a loosener before dinner. While the wine gets much of the coverage, the cocktails are worth a detour too - ours is a 'Cherry Cherry'. The Blind Pig, Suffolk Street We remember the manic hype about The Blind Pig speakeasy as if it was yesterday. You had to book a table before getting the address, then descend a set of stairs beside Pacino's Italian on Suffolk Street, pull on a pig's snout, and a bookcase would part in front of you letting you in. It's no less cool now than it was then, and the drinks are still amongst the best in the city. Dashi, Smithfield A new addition to the Dublin cocktail scene, ramen specialists Soup recently turned the basement of their Smithfield restaurant into a dog-friendly, music-filled bar called Dashi . The cocktail list is properly original - try the 'Milkshake Penecillin' with Maker's Mark Bourbon, ginger & rosemary syrup, lemon vermut and milkshake IPA, or cool down with a gin cherry rooibos soda slushee. Peruke & Periwig, Dawson Street Once the coolest cocktail spot in town, Peruke & Periwig is still a solid choice for a pre-dinner drink, especially if you like a bit of theatre with service. The cocktail list has a music theme, ranging from pop to jazz to alternative, and they do a clever range of dessert cocktails if you feel like something sweet after dinner. The Big Romance, Parnell Street Located on Parnell Street, The Big Romance has become something of a mecca for music lovers in Dublin since opening in 2018 due to their vinyl-only policy, custom sound system and casual vibe. They have an outstanding draught craft beer selection, and their cocktails are also super tasty, so everyone in your party will be taken care of. The perfect spot for a pre-dinner drink, but with the amount of guest DJ’s they host, it might be even better for a post-dinner drink when the music takes over. 9 Below, St. Stephen’s Green From the team behind House, Xico and 37 Dawson Street, 9 Below is the sophisticated older sister of the group. It’s hidden in a basement off Stephen’s Green so you won’t be short of food options nearby, but give yourself enough time to bunker down and enjoy the space. It's been carefully curated to create a romantic speakeasy vibe, with countless cubbies and corners to get cosy in. The perfect way to start or end your evening. Glovebox, Trinity Street If you’re looking for something a little bit out of the ordinary, the folks behind Allta have taken over the top level of a carpark and transformed it into the hottest ticket in Dublin. If you can’t get a spot in the restaurant (or if you can’t justify the prices), you can still get a piece of the action in Glovebox , their art gallery and cocktail bar on the same level. They have a small number of tables kept for walk-ins, but we'd recommend booking if you want to secure a seat. The Virgin Mary Bar, Capel Street Whoever thought that a pre-dinner cocktail needed to be laced with alcohol has obviously never visited The Virgin Mary Bar . Dispel any thoughts of the sugary mocktails that you’re used to seeing as an afterthought on a drinks menu, these cocktails are creative, fun and tasty, like your usual favourites, but hold the hangover. If you still feel like a bit of soakage would stand you in good stead, they’re collaborating with their Malaysian neighbour Kopitiam , to offer a small vegetarian street food menu for their guests. Three Storey, St. Stephen’s Green If you’re after something a bit lighter, a bit summery, a bit ‘spritzier’ if you will, look no further than Three Storey . The newly opened establishment spans three floors, with a cocktail bar at the top, a restaurant in the basement, and a Spritzeria on the ground floor. The ideal spot for a drink before lunch during the summer, and you can always come back for more and try their cocktail bar for the more hard-hitting stuff. IdleWild, Fade Street IdleWild took its inspiration from the infamous airport bar in New York, and it bears more than a passing resemblance to a New York style dive bar, on the ever-buzzy Fade Street. It’s small but perfectly formed, however its compact nature can sometimes make it tricky to nab a seat. If you can, perch yourself on the bar and watch the bartenders work their magic, and if you're looking to have a nibble with your tipple they have a tapas style menu. The Rooftop at The Marker Easily the city’s best view, The Marker Hotel 's rooftop is a pre-dinner drink worth getting into a lift for. Their G&T menu is robust if expensive, and the cocktail list ranges from classics to seasonal sips to new creations. Major "are we still in Dublin" vibes.

So many new bars, so many expensive drinks, so little time (and budget) to see where's worth spending your spondulicks. That's where we come in. We'll be doing the heavy lifting on the city's new bars and telling you whether the drinks, food, surrounds and service are worth dedicating a pre or post dinner drink, an office night out or a night catching up with that friend you haven't seen in an age. Lennan's Yard, Dawson Street Lennan's Yard , comprising a bar, restaurant and pub called 'The Lennan', opened on Dawson Street at the end of 2021, after a reported multi-million euro build . It's from the same owners as Asador in Ballsbridge, and the head chef came from the Press Up group and Shanahan's. The money that's been spent fitting this place out is very evident, from the exposed brick walls in the former stables to the red leather seats, the art work to the staff uniforms, and it's also evident in the pricing. Cocktails (from a menu that should have been spellchecked before printing) are between €14.50 and €15, which is heading towards five-star hotel territory, and while they read well and were pleasant enough they didn't deliver anything special in terms of flavour or excitement, and weren't particularly well balanced. The wine menu has little of interest either, apart from some random curveballs like Cucu's easy drinking Spanish Verdejo, and Luis Seabra's ultra complex Xisto Limitado from Portugal. Why anyone would pay €18 for a glass of Moet et Chandon when Note are serving grower Champagne for €17 a glass a 10 minute walk away we'll leave this earth trying to understand. From the snack menu we tried the Nocellara olives (good but €5 a bowl worked out at about 31c per olive), and an extraordinarily dry beef pie, which even some bone marrow gravy couldn't rescue. The ATF verdict: Somewhere to see and be seen, when the surroundings are more important than the substances you're consuming - ideally when something else is footing the bill. Three Storey, St Stephen's Green Three Storey has opened very quietly by all accounts and hasn't had a lot of coverage, but our interest was piqued by talk of their ground floor spritzeria - Dublin does not have enough (any?) spritzerias. On a quick visit we enjoyed their rhubarb version and the generally chill vibes about the place so much that we immediately earmarked a return to check out the upstairs cocktail bar, where the serious stuff happens. It's a full on lounge, complete with very comfortable seating, beautiful Georgian windows and really welcoming service. Every cocktail sounded good (see the menu here ), although it would have been nice to see some more unusual spirits on there as opposed to the Diageo all-stars, and both the Rhubarb Gimlet and the Birdy were excellent, and potent. There's an attractive sounding menu of small plates, from which we tried arancini (good but missing a molten centre), hummus on sourdough (pleasingly light and airy as if it had been whipped), and anchovies on toast which we would go back for again and again, and again. They've just opened their basement restaurant, the last piece of the trifecta, and we're very keen to see what's happening down there. The ATF verdict: We really liked Three Storey . Good drinks, good food, good service, a really nice setting. It feels special and swanky without any accompanying attitude. Also let's make 2022 the summer of spritzes. Winedown, Montague Street Meltdown , the site of *those* cheese toasties, announced at the end of 2020 (i.e. the year we're all trying to forget) that their Montague Street branch was going to start turning into Winedown at night - a relaxed wine bar with meat, cheese and sharing plates. A quick facelift, a few neon signs and multiple wine deliveries later and they were ready to go. Like everything else over the last two years their opening has been stop/start, buffered with some at home meal kits (we reviewed one here ), but in February of this year they announced they were back for good. Downstairs feels very café-like so make sure you're upstairs which is a nicer space to relax in, with booths, low tables and counter dining. We would have liked the lights lower and the music higher to give it a bit more atmosphere and plunge it more into sexy wine bar territory, but it was quiet when we visited so that might have had something to do with it too. The wine list is a mix of styles without a laser focus, featuring everything from very commercial to super natural - stick to the natural. We had the Fuchs & Haze pet nat which is a great sparkler, and the Ciello Bianco catarratto which was less interesting than previous vintages we've had, but the lovely manager gave us a taste of Fabien Jouves' orange wine which was electric. The menu reads very well with loads we would have liked to try, and there's a nice mix of snacks, small and large plates, and cheese and charcuterie - ideal if you're not looking for a three-course situation or if there are varying levels of hunger/different tastes among your group. We tried their famous 'mac mama' croquette with macaroni cheese, bacon and spring onions, as well as a small cheese plate with Délice de Bourgogne, truffled comté and Saint Agur, with grapes, chutney and crackers. It was all very good, with the only complaint being that the cheese was a little too cold, but a bit of patience and restraint would have fixed that - we just don't have any. The ATF verdict: Winedown isn't a 'serious' wine bar on the level of Note or Piglet, but it's laid back and fun, and not everyone is looking for an education with every glass. Dashi For our final stop of the night we hightailed it to Dashi , the new cocktail bar under Soup Two in Smithfield, in the company of a VERY grumpy taxi driver with some very dangerous driving skills. We stumbled out shaken and pissed off, descended some grubby, old man pub stairs, and floated into one of the best jazz performances of our little lives. Turn off reality and you could have been in New York/Berlin/Paris - were we really in Dublin 7?? As far we can see, live music is going to be a big part of the Dashi vibe, as well as the cocktails. The cocktail list is full of original creations using homemade syrups, infusions and delicious sounding spirits like sesame and butter-washed bourbon, and strawberry and camomile-infused rum. We tried the cachaca old fashioned with macadamia, dark chocolate, orange bitters, olive oil and a dilsk garnish, and a (face-grimacingly sour) whiskey sour, which weren't our favourites from the night, but we've had plenty of good cocktails from Soup before so are keen to try more. There's clearly not been a big interior design budget in here, and it's still throwing off major old man pub vibes, but they've done a good job with dried flowers, lanterns, and a Rolls Royce fender in front of the DJ box. There's no food but Soup Two is right upstairs serving deep-fried kimchi, ramen and an umami salad we dream about. The ATF verdict: We loved Dashi, particularly for its teleportation properties and exemplary taste in music. If we lived in Smithfield Thursday night jazz would be in the diary until the diary pages ran out. What bars would you like us to visit on our next bar crawl? Send us at email at info@allthefood.ie, or shoot us a message on social.

As you may know by now, at ATF we're partial to a little splurge . We can get easily carried away when we find that special something that hits a bit different, and often end up with less in our wallets at the end of the month than we had planned for due to that extra pastry (or five) that we definitely did not need but absolutely don't regret . Because of this we've also become adept at pouncing on a good old fashioned bargain when we spot one, so behold 10 great things to eat in Dublin for under €10. Think of this as something to have up your sleeve when you're stuck for cash but need a treat. It may also serve as a map of that bumpy middle ground between you and that miserly mate you've remained friends with over the years, despite many a heated debate about the pleasures of dining high on the hog. Tenners at the ready! 1) Spaghetti Al Limone, Fasta - €9 An unassuming location, nestled neatly in the basement of Connolly train station, Fasta is fast pasta made fresh and served simple. The majority of the menu is under €10 but we have a particular soft spot for the Al Limone, with spaghetti in a sauce infused with lemon zest, a hint of nutmeg and finished with fresh parsley and pecorino cheese. 2) Lanzhou Hand-Pulled Noodles, Lee's Charming Noodles - €9.20 Lee's Charming Noodles have a somewhat legendary Instagram account , featuring everything from weekly pop quizzes on what various Chinese symbols mean, to videos of Shrek dancing on the roof (superimposed - Shrek wasn't actually on Parnell Street). The small team is indeed charming, and it's a great place to pop into for a warm welcome and a spicy dinner. The hand pulled noodles (available in six different thicknesses) with clear beef broth are perfect for a rainy afternoon - silky, umami and hot if you add the homemade chilli oil. €9.20 very well spent. 3) Pecorino Pizza Portofoglia, Southpaw - €9.90 We've quickly become big fans of Southpaw 's folded pizza, and it's €9.90 we're happy to part with on the go. The dough is perfectly puffy, and the toppings (or fillings) beautifully judged. The 'Pecorino Portafoglio' is topped with crushed tomatoes and folded and finished with Pecorino Romano, Oliveiri's extra virgin olive oil and Achill Island sea salt. They're also open until 22:00 so it's a perfect pitstop for a late evening bite. 4) Double Smash Chipotle Cheeseburger, Dash - €9.95 A small independent smash burger joint inspired by the legendary 'Burger Scholar' George Motz, Dash Burger 's pattys are made from aged Irish beef sourced by Pat McLoughlin Butchers, and they are ultra juicy and bursting with flavour. The double smash Chipotle cheeseburger is smoky, a little spicy and oh-so-cheesy - in other words, a very tasty burger. You can also take away rather than sitting in to save yourself the glutinous temptation of tripling your patty which would send you marginally over your €10 budget. 5) Tenner Tuesdays, Salt & Vinegar - €10 Salt & Vinegar opened its doors in January and was a very welcome addition to the neighbourhood. It's worth a spin out to Rathfarnham Village for their tenner Tuesdays where, save for the scampi, every main costs just €10. We're partial to a fish finger butty but the real bargain here is the fish and chips, battered and cooked to order. The winning formula: fresh ingredients, a simple menu and traditional techniques. 6) Chicken Gyros, Yeeros - €7.95 Yeeros' authentic gyros pack a punch of flavour and are deliciously filling for just €7.95. Chargrilled chicken is wrapped in a soft and pillowy pita that's filled with fresh tomato, lettuce, red onion, mayo mustard and curly chips. Their vegetarian options are also excellent, and we have a particular penchant for the Athens wrap with zucchini, feta fritters and tzatziki. They're the perfect bang for your buck when you're craving Santorini skies. 7) Chettinad Chicken Dosa, Dosa Dosa - €9.99 This regional dish from Chettinad in Southern India is made with an abundance of spices in the marinade - fennel seeds, black pepper, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and red chillies, to name a few. The dosa (dosa) itself is similar to a pancake but is made using fermented rice and lentil batter, which turns crispy and crunchy as it's cooking, then is stuffed with it's chicken filling. Dosa Dosa open Wednesday to Sunday at their Grand Canal location, and Thursday to Sunday at Hynes Bar, Stoneybatter - but beware, the great drinks list at the latter location may well throw your €10 budget out the window. 8) Baja Prawn Taco, Los Chicanos - €8 Having travelled extensively through Mexico and worked in some of the best restaurants in the world (including Arbutus in London and State Bird Provisions in San Francisco), Scott Holder is more than qualified to dish out Mexican tacos with the spirit of Los Angeles running through them. Los Chicanos is energetic and delicious truck grub, with the Baja Prawn tacos a case in point. Chili morita, red cabbage, spicy mango salsa - close your eyes and you just might convince yourself you're in Cabo and not outside a cash and carry off Camden Street. 9) Bahn Mí, Vietnom - €9 Food trucks are definitely the way forward for budget friendly dining, and there's a plenitude popping up across the city. This casual style of street food has been woven into the fabric of other major cities for a long time, and we want more. One of the OG Dublin food trucks is Vietnom , who popped up in The Glimmerman in Stoneybatter in 2018 and have been bossing the neighbourhood ever since. Their Bahn Mí are sensational - super fresh ingredients treated with care and respect, and while they change the fillings regularly they're always under €10. We love the Teriyaki Paneer Bahn Mí with crispy shallots, carrot pickle and smoked paprika aioli for €9, but you might need to Bahn Mí from ordering more than one… 10) Carnitas Burrito, El Patron €9.35 It's near impossible to find a burrito in this city that you'd actually want to eat, unless you throw your taste buds out the window in one of several sub par chains that mar the metropolis. Fret not friends, we've gone on the hunt and found a little donkey that's legit. El Patron serves freshly made Mexican street food in a relaxed, vibrant setting, and the Carnitas Burrito is our go to, leaving your wallet just €9.35 lighter. The 12-inch tortilla comes with slow cooked, marinated pork belly, rice, beans, cheese, lettuce and pico de gallo of your desired spice level (beware - we once tried the super spicy and there were actual tears). Do you have a sub-€10 dish in Dublin that you love? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie or sending us a message on social.

More than a few reservations are made in Uno Mas purely on the basis of their flan. The wobbly, caramel covered custard has reached legendary status amongst Dublin diners, and at this stage it should probably have its own fan (flan?) account. Flans feel complicated, like there's a bit of kitchen magic needed to turn out the perfectly round, sweet, set dessert, and many of us are too intimidated to try it at home - so we go to Uno Mas instead. We wanted to see if we could get close to it in our own kitchens, so we asked chef and recipe developer Beth O'Brien to try nine different recipes, and give us her verdicts... Before attempting to recreate the legendary Uno Mas “flan de queso”, I first had to figure out exactly what a flan is. This brought me down a flan-shaped rabbit hole, in which I discovered the following... Origins Flan as we know it originated in Rome, and was adopted by many European nations, including the Spanish (who added caramel, and brought flan to the Yucatan peninsula). French flan is typically baked in a tart crust, and the custard usually includes cornflour, while the Spanish/Latin version is an egg-based custard baked in a water-bath, with a layer of caramel on the bottom (which ends up on top when you turn it out). Variations on a flan theme have been adopted by many countries including most of Central and South America, China, the Philippines, Germany, Japan and Vietnam. Ingredients Flan usually calls for multiple types of dairy products (milk, cream, evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese etc.). There are also many flan-adjacent desserts which involve some form of baked egg-based custard. Crème caramel, for example, has a layer of caramel on top, and uses only whole milk or cream, eggs, and sugar. Crème brulée is similar but the sugar is baked on top so that it forms a hard caramelised layer which shatters when you eat it. Textures Crema Catalana seems to be very similar to a crème brûlée, but originates in Catalonia. Leche asada (literally “roasted milk”) is similar to a flan, but instead of being baked in a bain-marie, it is baked normally in the oven, so the texture ends up a bit firmer/tougher. There’s also clafoutis and Far Breton which are also baked custards, but usually with fruit (in my experience, Far Breton normally has prunes). The Experiment For the purposes of this experiment, I decided to focus on Spanish/Latin style flans, and chose to order them by country: Vietnam, Venezuela, Chile, Philippines, Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil - and finally, a crème caramel (just to compare). I'll do a brief rundown of each one, and then give a few tips from my flan-tastic (sorry) day of recipe testing. 1) Food 52's Vietnamese Flan This was made with condensed milk and whole milk, and flavoured with coffee and vanilla. It took a long time to bake, but the flavour was great - very into the coffee/condensed milk combo. Fine the recipe for Food 52's Vietnamese Coffee Flan here . 2) Venezuelan Flan (Quesillo) Also condensed milk and milk, flavoured with vanilla. This one was delicious - very light and smooth, with great texture. It didn't have the best structure though, could have probably done with a longer chill in the fridge. Find the recipe for Venezuelan Flan here . 3) Chilean Leche Asada This one used condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla. It had a really interesting, almost sticky texture and great flavour - sweet but in a bitter, caramelly kinda way. Excellent jiggle. Find the recipe for Hispanic Kitchen's Leche Asada here . 4) Filipino Leche Flan Used condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream cheese. I really liked the texture of this one, and structure was spot on - came out of the ramekin perfectly, held its shape well (nice and tall). Find the recipe for Filipino Leche Flan here . 5) Cuban Flan de Queso Also used condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream cheese which seems to be a winning combo. Loved the flavour of this one, and it was probably the prettiest - so smooth and perfect structural integrity. Find the recipe for Cuban Flan de Queso here . 6) Mexican Flan This flan used milk and cream, as well as eggs and a yolk, which was a fun addition. The flavour of this one was lovely (chamomile, à la Susan Spungen ) and the texture was great. Find the recipe for Susan Spungen's chamomile flan here . 7) Argentinean Dulce de Leche Flan The no-holds-barred flan. It used milk, cream, condensed milk and dulce de leche and was flavoured with cinnamon and vanilla. Loved the flavour of this one and it had really nice texture and structure. Find the recipe for dulce de leche flan here . 8) Brazilian Flan (Pudim de Leite Condensado) No extra flavourings but it did keep its structure very well and the texture was nice - just took ages to bake! Find the recipe for Brazilian Flan here . 9) French Crème Caramel In comparison, much simpler - just milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla. This was lovely, not too sweet, held its shape v well and had a good wobble. Much lighter and more refined, but I think my sugar-crazed brain at this point missed the texture you get from condensed/evaporated milk. Find the recipe for crème caramel here . Lessons Learned - There's no need to butter the molds when pouring in the caramel, but I do think it adds to the flavour, and also strongly believe that the addition of butter can only ever a good thing. - I baked all in a bain-marie at 165C,and found that it was best not to cover them with tin foil. No matter how tempted, do not remove from the bain-marie until baked - the texture starts to do weird things when you get impatient and pull them out of the water bath early (I would never). They took between 40 and 80 minutes, but you do need to check them regularly and bake until they wobble a little in the centre, but don't jiggle across the whole surface. WOBBLE, don't JIGGLE. - When making the caramel for the bottom, you can take it pretty dark - it won't get any darker during baking, and the contrast between the bitter caramel and the custard is pretty lovely. Don't put too much in though, because it will not stick to the flan, it will stick to your ramekin and stay there for a long time. - The best texture, in my opinion, came from a combination of evaporated milk and condensed milk, with the additions of cream cheese and dulce de leche also welcome. - For flavouring, you can't go wrong with vanilla (vanilla bean paste, or a bean if you can get one). Coffee is nice too. - When taking them out of the moulds, loosen around the edge with a knife and then put a plate on top and flip it over with FORCE. You have to kind of hurl it to make sure it comes out in one go (it also makes the most satisfying "whoomph" sound which is fun). - It's v important to let these chill overnight before turning out of the ramekin, so definitely bake them the night before! My joint favourites, and the ones that I feel come closest to the Uno Mas flan are Cuban and Filipino. Both of these incorporate a small amount of cream cheese, which feels appropriate given that the Uno Mas flan is a "flan de queso". I think the combination of condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream cheese is perfect - really smooth, holds its shape well, sweet but relatively complex from the variety of dairy products. I would recommend adding vanilla though, both for flavour and the lovely black flecks you get from bean paste/pods. Enjoy!

The Costa del Sol is not generally thought of as one of Spain's food destinations - it certainly doesn't get gourmet travellers hyped up in the same way that San Sebastien, Madrid and Barcelona might - but there's plenty of good stuff there, you just have to weed it out amongst the tedious tapas bars and full English breakfasts. We've been going there for years and have some favourites, both pre and post covid, so if you're one of the many people headed to the costa this summer, bookmark these seven places to eat and drink. Los Marinos José, Carvajal In the sleepy seaside village of Carvajal, two train stops from Fuengirola, Los Marinos José is somewhere seafood lovers (from Spain and abroad) go on pilgrimage to each year. You can end up with a hefty bill here - most seafood is charged by weight, and the grower Champagnes, about half the price on the wine list that they would be at home, are very hard to turn down - but it's a holiday blowout worth allocating budget to. If being entrusted to pick your own fish, and having a price per 100g makes you anxious, there's enough on the menu at a set price to ensure you avoid bill anxiety at the end. Late spring/early summer is tuna season, and the tuna tartar and tuna 'rib-eye', fresh off the boat from Cadiz, will probably be the best versions of the oily fish you've ever tasted. The massive, bright red Carabineros (gambas rojas) are around €24 each, but you only live once. Bookings are essential but you can usually get them the same week. Bodega Charolais, Fuengirola We spent many years lamenting the lack of a go-to restaurant in tourist-thronged Fuengirola, until we found Bodega Charolais - the only restaurant in the town listed in the Michelin Guide . Everything about this place is pure joy - the large sun-trap terrace where everyone wants to sit, the cheerful staff (bring your baby along for free kisses), the modern take on Spanish food, the fact you can simply order red or white wine by the glass knowing what you get will be a world away from house wine everywhere else - it's somewhere you'll obsess about once you're home. A lot of plates come in racions or half-racions, but you'll want a large plate of the Cantabrian anchovies with tomato, avocado and spicy olive oil, the Russian salad, and the aubergines with honey (more like treacle). We're also dedicated fans of the pluma iberico with potato 'risotto' and chestnut, and the whole stuffed Spider Crab, and sherry nuts will swoon at the by the glass selection here. Bookings are essential, and specify if you want outside. If you show up at 8pm don't be surprised to see the place empty with a "reservado" sign on every table. Things don't kick off in here until after 9pm, when the Spaniards come out to play. It's also a great place for a long, lazy lunch. Café Costa del Sol, Fuengirola Spanish breakfasts mean one of two things to us - churros con chocolate or pan con tomate y jamón, and we've finally found a go-to place for both. Café Costa del Sol does the best homemade churros, and the thickest, velvetiest chocolate for miles around, and it's packed with locals from first thing in the morning until late at night. The bread roll with tomato, jamón, excellent olive oil and plenty of salt is another grade A start to the day, but a surprising recent discovery (thanks Google reviews) has been the 'Mechuga' sandwich (meatloaf), which is more like braised, marinated beef than some kind of congealed meat slice, with peppers and mayonnaise. Excellenté. Coffee is good and while staff aren't falling over to help they're very efficient. Your bill will be embarrassingly low. La Encina, Fuengirola Jamón comes in many forms and grades, and when in Spain you want the best. If you're self-catering, or more importantly stocking up for home, head for La Encina off Fuengirola's main square. The best stuff is the 100% Iberico Bellota and usually seems to come in black packaging wherever you go. The red packaged (50% Iberico) is still good, but the nutty, melting fat on the black labelled won't be beaten. La Encina is also brilliant for chorizo, salchichón, Manchego, crackers, and the lovely staff will give you tastes as you chat. Distinto Vinos, Los Boliches You might think in a country so famed for wine, that getting served killer bottles everywhere you go would be standard - not so much. Commercial, factory-made wines blight the majority of restaurant wine lists in this part of the country, which is why finding somewhere like Distinto Vinos is all the more sweeter. The owners' passion for the good stuff is clear from the second you walk in the door, and they'll open any bottle on the shelf if you want a glass of it - so the selection changes every night depending on who's in there. It's all the good stuff and never boring - you want Brancellao from Valdeorras, old Albariño, Malaga Pinot Noir, they've got you covered - and the prices are so good you'll probably drink more than you planned, and buy more bottles to take away with you. Food is simple and for snacking alongside the wine, with cheeses and meats cut as they're ordered, and if you luck out and find yourself being served by one of the owners, expect to have stories of winemakers, growers and vineyards peppering your evening. Martirio Limon, La Cala Down the coast towards Marbella lies the beachside town of La Cala. There are lots of places to eat here, but there's never been much of note (unless you count Elliott Wright's Olivia's - we don't), but last year Martirio Limón opened on the main street, and chef Ángel Urzay had clear intentions to do something different. The patatas bravas are worth the trip on their own - cubes of deep fried potato with aioli in the centre, and a dropper on the side to add as much hot sauce as you dare, but we love the spankingly fresh tuna tostada too. The terrace outside is perfect for a post-beach lunch or a relaxing dinner as the sun goes down, and staff are lovely. Malaga Malaga needs a whole other article (and we promise we'll do it) - there are just too many fantastic places to eat, and it's forever a source of bemusement that so many people just use it as an airport and never wander into the city to fall in love with it's food, wine and charm oozing from every wooden doorway and winding street. For drinks you've got to start at Antigua Casa de Guardia , the oldest wine bar in the city (there since 1840), with drinks served straight from the barrels, and gildas plucked from glass cases at a wave. El Pimpi is another prime drinking destination, with a cavernous inside and a terrace complete with views of Malaga's striking Alcazaba. The food and drink isn't ground-breaking but the cava, sangria and beers are all perfectly acceptable. Antigua Casa de Guardia | El Pimpi | Mercado Atarazanas Another great place to stand around with a sherry in your hand and fried fish at the end of your fork is Malaga's Mercado Atarazanas . We love the 'Café Bar Mercado Atarazanas' for a fino and some fritto mixto, but we doubt there are any duds in here. Some restaurants have outdoor seating with table service, and there's an abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and cheese if you've got food shopping to do. Mesón Ibérico is somewhere else we loathe to miss out on. Either jostling for space at the bar, standing outside with your plates perched on a ledge, or sitting in the more formal dining room, the food is simple, delicious and local, the drinks top notch, and the staff ever gracious. For something more casual and louder head for La Tranca , where staff and customers spontaneously burst into song (always Spanish, often rock), and tapas and vermouth are totted up with chalk on the bar. If you're a cheese fiend like the best of us, make a beeline for Picnik , a covid-opening and the only place in the city to find the most vast array of Spanish and European cheeses - most places are Manchego or die. Think of it as the Sheridan's of Spain, and you'll uncover goat's, sheep and cow cheeses that have never travelled outside the country before. When it comes to Malaga chefs, Dani Carnero is the darling of the city, and we can never pass up a meal at his original restaurant La Cosmopolita (the high end tasting menu focused Kaleja , and more modern tapas bar a La Cosmo have also been added to the fold). This is classic Malaga cooking, with dishes like Russian salad with jamón, baby squids from Fuengirola, and the most incredible panna cotta with olive oil and sea salt. They're big on sherry in here and staff love to offer an off the cuff pairing for each course. Do you have a favourite place to eat on the Costa del Sol? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.

Ah yet another ATF anomaly - our glad rags are on, we're in the mood to celebrate (do we even need an excuse anymore?) and our never-ending urge to eat out is palpable, BUT inflation's going up faster than mms of rainfall in June, and we're still trying to find that money tree in the garden centre. We're spoilt for choice at either end of the spend-spectrum in Dublin, from cheap eats to spendy splurges (getting spendier by the week), but the middle ground sometimes feels like a vast, lonely no man's land awash with stale restaurants, average service, mediocre wine lists and, let's face it, boring food. We've been busy researching the best restaurants where there is value to be had whilst still feeling like you're dining high on the hog. From newcomers to mainstays, here are some of the best places worthy of a special occasion that won't give you heart palpitations when the bill lands... Early Birds & Set Menus Needless to say, the rarely spotted (these days) early-bird/pre-theatre menu seems like an obvious solution to our predicament, but there are some brilliant value set menus around town too, for those evenings when you don't want to be constrained by the limits of time. Margadh RHA, Ely Place There's a definite sense of quiet confidence about Margadh RHA , the newish city centre wine bar from the same team as Mamó , with their recently expanded kitchen. The tasting menu here is €38 per person for 8 plates (you can add cheese as an extra) which change seasonally, and at the moment includes things like a market cheese and onion croquette with tarragon aioli; fresh burrata, asparagus, garden peas, hazelnuts and summer truffles; and a fennel sausage ragu with tagliolini and pecorino. With lots of wine choices under €35 we can see this becoming a go-to celebration spot in the city centre. Read our once over here . Charlotte Quay, Grand Canal Is there any better view on a summer's evening than the one from Charlotte Quay overlooking Grand Canal Dock? Yes, the view of your healthy bank statement after a pre-theatre menu in Charlotte Quay overlooking Grand Canal Dock. Treat yourself to two courses for €32 or three courses for €38 between 17:00 - 19:00, Tuesday - Saturday, and expect locally sourced, fresh Irish produce, and for every stool in their bar to be filled before sundown. 777, George's Street The mere mention of those two little words 'Margarita Mondays' conjures up debaucherous images of late night dancing and candle wax shape-shifting over the course of too many cocktails in the alluring cave that is 777 . Go there on a Sunday and you may not have the same intensity of merrymaking as on a Monday, but you will have a budget friendly feast with selected dishes and cocktails costing, you guessed it... €7.77. Lucky Tortoise, Temple Bar Lucky Tortoise opened the doors of their second location just over a month ago in Temple Bar, serving family-style modern Dim Sum. Their 'All In' Menu will set you back just €28, with vegan and vegetarian options available too. We won't be very slow or steady getting ourselves there to taste our way through it. One Pico, Molesworth Street Sometimes there's just nothing better than a swanky lunch to mark a special occasion, especially one that doesn't bankrupt you. One Pico 's lunch menu offers two courses, canapes & bread for €55, or throw caution to the wind with a third course for another €10. With glasses of wine starting at €10.75 you can get in and out for a very civilised, well-executed, first-rate lunch for approximately €70 per person. Not cheap, but considerably cheaper than dinner. Wine-Focused By now you probably know we have intense feelings about a good food menu accompanied by a mediocre (at best) wine list. Here are a handful of our favourites offering quality wine at the heart of what they do, that won't have your chin grazing the floor when your bank statement comes through. Piglet, Cow's Lane Piglet straddles the line between 'wine focused' and 'set menu', offering a three course menu for €39 that won't have you breaking your piglet bank. You're guaranteed both French flair and classic fare here. Perhaps not to everyone's taste, we are somewhat obsessed with the confit duck gizzards, but there are plenty of reliable classics to choose from as well, like the Piglet ragu, oven baked scallops or steamed mussels with smokey bacon. The mammoth wine list can be intimidating upon first glance but is very user friendly, and staff are adept at finding exactly what you want to drink, whatever your budget. Fish Shop, Benburb Street Cast your wine net wisely in Fish Shop and you won't be shell shocked by the bill at the end. With their white-washed brick walls, high stools at the bar and some of the friendliest service in town, this is a spot we're all too willing to spend our hard earned cash in whiling away a special occasion, perusing the wine list and lusting after other people's plates. We usually play it one of two ways: a couple of small bites, like the anchovy and Russian salad on toast (€5.50) and the cockles with chorizo and sherry (€10.50) followed by the fish burger (€15.95), or dive straight in with fish and chips (€15.95) depending on our appetite and how hard our wine choice is going to hit that bill. There are always a couple of very decent bottles just under the €40 mark so your average bill for two here can range from €70 - €100. Winedown, Montague Street Tucked away on Montague Street, Winedown is the self-professed older, more sophisticated sister to Meltdown , serving dishes like chermoula-marinated half chicken with mango salsa (€17.50), and a wine menu with choices for every palate, whether natural or classic, and at a fair range of prices. You can spend around €85 for two small plates, two large plates and a bottle of house wine, which sounds like pretty good value to us. Amy Austin, Drury Street The menu at Amy Austin reads like a romantic date night dream with dishes like roast bone marrow (€12), hard hay crust baked potato (€9), and torched fennel (€11) flirting with us at very reasonable prices. The menu is concise but varied and you could easily have five plates shared between two with a bottle of wine for around €95. For groups of 6+ they also do a €40pp 7-plate tasting menu, meaning minimal decision making, maximum food tasting. Suburban Spend Perhaps it's the slightly slower pace of suburban surrounds, the neighbourhood vibe that can't be replicated in restaurants in town, *sings the theme tune to Cheers*, or maybe its just the good old fashioned value-for-money that has enticed us to these suburban spots, saving us rambling the streets in search of a suitable celebration restaurant that won't leave us in the red. Grano, Stoneybatter It's no secret that we're massive fans of Grano and will find any excuse to book here, all in the name of our lifelong pursuit of cheese and carbohydrates (and cheesy carbohydrates). We can hear those pillows of fresh silky pasta calling us now... A nibble, starter, pasta and dessert for two with a bottle of house wine will set you back about €110 and you'll feel like you've spent the evening in Southern Italy without having to step foot near any dreaded airport queues. Little Forest, Blackrock We often find ourselves in Blackrock, post Seapoint swim, the odd bit of seaweed in our hair, craving a restorative meal (read carbs) that is a notch or seven above Papa John's, but a price tag or seven below Michelin star. Enter, Forest Avenue's suburban sister restaurant, Little Forest . We're not saying you can turn up here in your soggy togs but you could certainly spend a post-swim evening here feeling smug about your pizza/life balance. Expect to spend anywhere between €30 for two pizzas to €80 for a snack, an antipasti, pizzas and a cocktail each. Or, depending on the tide and your swim of course, you could try their lunch menu for €39 a head. King Sitric, Howth King Sitric is another seaside spot smashing out quality seafood at reasonable prices. With something on the menu to suit all budgets from seafood chowder (€9) and fish burgers (€12), to Dublin Bay prawns in garlic butter (€26) and whole lobster with chips (circa €40). Keep the wine spend low with a bottle of Hugel Pinot Blanc (€30) that they import directly from Alsace, and have a feast fit for a King (Sitric). There's also a lovely outdoor seating area and it's great for kids, with mini mains €8 and plenty of colouring equipment. BYO A foolproof way of keeping your spend down is by bringing your own booze, and there are a host of good restaurants who will allow you to do it at a fair price. M&L Szechuan Chinese, Cathedral Street M&L is our go-to spot for Sichuan food and a great shout for a large group celebration with a private room that can seat 10-12 people, but even with a large group the menu is so big it's impossible to try everything. We usually order from the Chef's Specialty section on the menu and both the stir fried French beans (€11.80) and the deep fried sweetcorn with egg yolk (€11.80) always make their way onto our bill. Corkage is €6.50 per bottle of wine and if you allow €50 per person you'll be leaving very full, probably with leftovers. Lee's Charming Noodles, Parnell Street Although they don't advertise it, Lee's Charming Noodles will allow you to bring your own if you ask them charmingly. They charge €10 corkage per bottle of wine and we've been to two birthday celebrations here recently, spent less than €50 both times and had a really fun and tasty meal. As spice lovers, the Szechuan Spicy Lamb Noodles with their famous hand-pulled noodle is our first port of call, but there's plenty to choose from on the menu for all tolerance levels. Book ahead for any large groups. Full Moon Thai, Parliament Street Serving “authentic Thai street food and classic Thai favourites” in the heart of the city centre, we went to Full Moon Thai last August and three of us left having had plenty of food with leftovers to take home, and one beer each for €99 - read our once over here . They launched their new wine list in December, but if you do fancy bringing your own wine there' a €10 charge per bottle of wine (€15 for sparkling). Dada, South William Street Dada is an old favourite of ours. Serving traditional Moroccan cuisine on South William Street with the option to BYO for just €4 per bottle of wine (€1.50 per beer and €7 for Champagne), and an early bird menu that's three courses for €27.95. Their lamb tagine is €22.95 and with a side of cous cous for €3.95 you're looking at serious bang for your buck whether you choose to go early-bird or not. Where are your favourite restaurants offering great value for money in Dublin? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie

So many new bars, so many expensive drinks, so little time (and budget) to see where's worth spending your spondulicks. That's where we come in. We'll be doing the heavy lifting on the city's new bars and telling you whether the drinks, food, surrounds and service are worth dedicating a pre or post dinner drink, an office night out or a night catching up with that friend you haven't seen in an age... Electric Circus, Talbot Street What was formerly Le Bon Crubeen on Talbot Street has morphed into Electric Circus , with the brightly coloured, eclectically decorated bar opening up at the end of April. You guys were very keen for us to go and check it out, and we weren't sure what to expect from this one (Talbot Street isn't somewhere we generally think of going for drinks), but it was rocking when we arrived on an early evening midweek. There's an ideal for a sunny evening outdoor (yet enclosed) section out front, with a myriad of seating spaces inside, each feeling like a different bar to the last. There's a 10-foot high metal robot outside the door, a lot of silk draped from the ceiling, a jar of sweets as you enter, a semi-private booth with your own Space Invaders machine, a Moroccan-styled section with tassled chairs and Arabic-style lights and art - there's a lot going on, but it works in a slightly headachey way. Cocktails (€9 - €13 or two for €14 on Monday and Wednesday) taste like cocktails used to taste before Ireland knew what cocktails could taste like. This is no Bar 1661 . We didn't partake in their shot boards or cocktail trees, but you get the idea. Beers, ciders and spirits are as standard, and the fast food-style menu focuses heavily on chicken (wings or 'tendies' with no hint of it being free range), with burgers and messy fries too. We tried the 'Puff Puff Pass' tenders with a Piri Piri cheese sauce, jalapeños and crumbled cheese puffs, and prison food must taste better than this. It's been a while since we described a plate of food as 'offensive', but here we are. The ATF verdict: Electric Circus is more about fun than the food and drink. If you're looking for somewhere atmospheric and eclectic to grab a drink on the Northside head on over, and that terrace is very pleasant in the evening sun. Personally we're long past shot boards, but each to their own. Amy Austin, Drury Street Wine bar Amy Austin is part of restaurateur John Farrell's 777/Dillinger's/Butcher Grill family of restaurants, and opened about two weeks before we went into full on Covid shutdown - imagine. They've opened and closed more times than a barn door at this stage, but they're now up and running at full speed (despite we're sure chronic staff shortages). There's a couple of tables outside, a lot of counter seating inside, and a few tables to gather around. Seats at the window are prime for people watching and this would be a very easy spot for a solo dinner, but it's all high seating so not wheelchair (and small child) friendly. They serve wine only so there's no use bringing friends who don't partake (unless they're happy with water), and most is on tap but there's a small bottle list too. Prices feel good by current Dublin standards (ranging from €6 - €13 for a 125ml glass), although the two we tried from the tap needed a few minutes and a bit of swirling to come into their own. The small plates menu feels like sweet relief in a city of set and tasting menus, and there's enough to keep meat-eaters, pescatarians and veggies happy (we know a lot of you have friend groups that make eating out awkward). The best thing about the black cod fritters was the zingy lime leaf dip, the fritters themselves having a somewhat gloopy consistency, and the flavours in the roast bone marrow with chilli oil, chimichurri and hazelnuts were immense, but the marrow itself was too firm. We liked the seabream crudo, and you guys have told us you love the cheese and meat plate, so we'd try it again. The ATF verdict: A supremely central wine bar with prime people watching, good wines and a menu that should satisfy all tastes, bank balances and hunger levels. The Sitting Room At Delahunt, Camden Street The Sitting Room cocktail bar, upstairs from Harry and Megan's restaurant of choice, Delahunt , has a lot of fans - we lost count of how many love heart emojis we got when we started posting about it on Instagram. It was opened to function as a waiting/pre-drinks area for the restaurant downstairs, and on the night we visited a lot off people were going down to dinner afterwards, but it's also open to anyone who climbs the stairs and finds a free upholstered seat. It's very "the good room" vibes, and if you can grab the seats in the bay window you'll be sipping a drink whilst floating over Camden Street. It's quite hushed so perhaps not the place for intimate conversations you don't want others to hear, but it's calm and relaxing, and feels like quite a grand setting for a cocktail. And these are proper cocktails. We loved the Toreador and the White Lady, but it was obvious there was talent at work here so we would have tried anything from their cocktail shaker. There's wine too, and with the restaurant downstairs we'd imagine you'd have access to their drinks list if there was something else you really wanted. There's no food in here, so eat before you come, or make sure you have a reservation for after. Those cocktails are potent. The ATF verdict: A glam, sophisticated spot for a pre or post dinner drink. Somewhere you might take visiting friends when you're trying to show our fair city in her most flattering light. The Beer Market Galway Bar Brewery have been quietly cranking out the bars, with a total of 15 island-wide so far, and probably more to come. They claimed The Beer Market near Christchurch Cathedral was Ireland's first "beer only bar", but they've since diverged into serving pre-mixed Craft Cocktails too. About half of what's on tap is from Galway Bay Brewery, and there's a bottle and can list too. We tried a wheat beer and a Belgian sour and enjoyed both, but would have liked to see a bigger range of beers from different countries and breweries across the board. They have a pub style food menu which we were too late to try, which has all of the nachos, burgers and sweet potato fries you might expect, and readers have told us it's decent. There's plenty of seating areas, from long tables to gather your mates around, to nooks for a bit of privacy, to tables overlooking the street outside, and there's a few tables outside in case summer 2022 ever decides to show up. The ATF verdict: A good pub to visit for beer lovers looking for something more than the Diageo roll call. We'd love to see them go further with the variety on offer, but it's a big step above the majority of the pubs in the capital when it comes to interesting beers on tap, by the bottle and in cans. What bars would you like us to visit on our next bar crawl? Send us at email at info@allthefood.ie, or shoot us a message on social.

Covid has brought many benefits to our lives. We slowed it down, made less plans, spent less money on trying to look good because we had nowhere to go, and with petrol prices at frankly laughable levels we've never been so grateful for the hybrid and remote working models that have become the norm. But one unexpected effect of Covid has been the number of restaurants pivoting to tasting and/or set menus, forcing a minimum spend and maximum stomach space. Sometimes we just want all the small plates, a lengthy debate on what to order from many, many choices, or aren't particularly ravenous (okay that's probably not us but maybe it's you). When that's the case we're going à la carte all the way, and here's 10 places happy to oblige... Orwell Road, Rathgar Recently opened Orwell Road in Rathgar (from the owners of Charlotte Quay and Coppinger Row - RIP) has a menu with snacks, starters, mains, sides, desserts and cheese. Do it all, do some of it, you do you. The only problem is going to be whittling it down to a healthy amount of plates for one meal, because with dishes like mackerel tart with chilli ponzu; beef tartare with Hegarty's cheddar and pesto; and BBQ monkfish on the bone with smoked mussel and caviar sauce, you're going to want all the food. Note, Dublin 2 Note 's bistro menu is off to the races, and while they do have a chef's menu requiring no brain power on your part, you can pick and choose from dishes like ceviche, Vitello Tonnato, handmade pasta and a hunk of a pork chop. They're getting busier by the day but if you've nothing booked it's always worth throwing an eye in and seeing if you can sidle up to the bar for some small plates. Read our Note Bistro once over here . Forest Avenue Wine Bar, Dublin 4 Forest Avenue Wine Bar 's menu was designed for sharing, meaning you can share a little or a lot depending on who you're with and what your budget/stomach allows. Play it safe with charcuterie and a comté tart, or mix it up with Cantabrian anchovies "matrimonio"; potato paillasson with vadouvan mayonnaise; or duck and foie gras terrine with black fig and celeriac. Read our once over here . Loretta's, Phibsborough The menu (and photography) at Loretta's seems to have gone up a gear recently, and we've been greedily eye-balling their tomato gazpacho with dressed crab and pickles; Skeaghanore duck with plum szechuan, scallion & cucumber salad; and lemon posset with raspberry frozen yoghourt, meringue & buckwheat. The space is big and airy, the vibe is totally laid back, and you could make it fit into everything from an unplanned Wednesday night bite, to a special occasion Saturday. Osteria Lucio, Grand Canal Dock Ex-Chapter One Don Ross Lewis is now firing the stoves at Osteria Lucio , his other restaurant, so there's never been a better time to visit. There's a good-sized Italian-style menu to choose from with all the antipasti, pastas and pizzetes, secondis and sides, and you can mix and match. There's a fully Italian wine list, plenty of Italian cocktails, and on a summer's evening you could fool yourself that you're in Grimaldi rather than Grand Canal Dock. Oliveto, Dun Laoghaire Oliveto at Haddington House in Dun Laoghaire, with its "Italian heart, Irish soul", has a pretty extensive menu of small plates, pasta, pizza and mains of meat and fish. If you love the sweet torture of agonising over what to order, this one will keep you busy for a while, and there are so many options it's guaranteed to work for anyone with a stomach. Order all the small plates, plump for handmade pasta, or go all out with a whole grilled lemon sole for two. Hang Dai, Camden Street Ain't no party like a Hang Dai party, and the Camden Street Chinese is still going strong - book in advance or you'll be stuck with very early, or very late. They can thank their menu of crispy squid with chilli and lime; Typhoon softshell crab with lemongrass mayo; and duck heart rice with summer truffle, and there's a separate menu for vegetarians. Pull up a tube carriage, order a 'Kick In The Eye' cocktail, and order as much as or little as you want - but you'll probably want a lot. Crudo, Sandymount Crudo in Sandymount has the kind of neighbourhood-focused menu that will keep everyone happy. Snack on marinated olives and tinned fish, gorge on 'spaghetti a la crema di scampi', or work your way through plates of parma ham with melon and burrata; gambas with burnt lemon aioli, and courgette crostini with sheep's ricotta. The €10 kid's menu also makes it very appealing to anyone with a little one in tow. Glovebox, Dublin 2 Want a piece of Allta without the price tag and required hunger levels? Make a booking at the cocktail bar just below the restaurant. Glovebox has a small, frequently changing menu full of "snacks", but some are definitely more starter sized. Perfect for the person who always wants all the starters instead of a main. They're known for their cocktails but there's a short, beautifully done wine list too, including sweet wine to go with dessert. Bonsai Bar, Dublin 2 Dylan McGrath's Bonsai Bar , above Rustic Stone, is back open, with snacks like deep-fried crispy pork skin; tempura like crispy rice cakes with truffle mayonnaise, sesame and chives; and bao including pork and tofu. There's plenty to choose from, a good proportion of the menu is vegetarian, and the cocktail menu is "an ode to the culture, taste and aesthetic vision of Japan". The stuff of date night dreams.

It's back! Our list of the most talked about restaurants in Dublin right now, based on column inches, Insta love and the general pain involved in getting a booking. It started at 20, increased to 25, but post pandemic we struggled to get it under 30, so here they are, in alphabetical order, with four new entries...

In a cone, on a stick, or sandwiched between cookies, there is no wrong way to eat ice-cream, and we're going to make sundaes while the sun shines. Here’s our guide to 16 of the best ice-cream spots in Dublin right now. Three Twenty, Drury Street Dublin is lacking in lots of things - affordable accommodation, accessible childcare, a functioning airport, but most despairing is the absence of decent dessert-only options. Three Twenty to the rescue with their Drury Street lab dedicated to all things ice-cream. From Bakewell tart to lemon meringue and the signature crème brûlée, you could probably have a different one every day for a month and still not try everything. Chimac, Aungier Street Hands-up if you love Chimac . Hands-up if you regularly do an ice-cream sandwich-only Deliveroo order just to have these icons in your freezer. We’d raise our hands but it takes two to hold these monster sammies. Seasonal flavours often feature, but our hearts will always be with the OG- salted caramel, malty chocolate chip cookies, and salted caramel ice-cream. Chi-mazing. Cream of the Crop Combating food waste by eating ice-cream is some seriously futuristic schizzle. Cream of the Crop create artisan gelato and sorbet from surplus food to save it from landfill. Not only does it taste really, realllllly good, the flavours are constantly changing depending on what the COTC crew can get their hands on. Caramel popcorn, chocolate and pumpkin seed, and banoffee pie are some recent offerings, and you can find them at stockists around Dublin, or order for home delivery. Check out their Insta for all the info. Leamhain, St. Stephen's Green Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free, Leamhain makes ice-cream that’s as delicious as it is accessible. On top of their scoop shop in St. Stephen’s Green shopping centre, they’ve expanded to supermarkets and delis across Ireland so you have lots of opportunity to get a hold of tubs or sandwiches packed with flavours like lemon curd and strawberry shortcake. Two Pups, Francis Street Two Pups in The Liberties covers a lot of bases - fantastic coffee, great brunches, dog-friendly outdoor seating, and the cutest little miso caramel and brownie soft-serve sundaes in the city. Cold Boi, St. Anne's Park & Online When it comes to ice-cream, the wackier the flavours the better. Strawberry limeade, tiramisu, and pineapple cheesecake with white chocolate are just some of the combos Cold Boi are sandwiching between blondie cookies. Lots of vegan options here too. Catch them in St. Anne’s every Saturday or have a look on the website for delivery options. Le Chocolat de Frèd , Dún Laoghaire If you’ve been on Instagram even once in the last five years, you’ve probably seen a hot chocolate or galette from Le Chocolat de Frèd in Dun Laoghaire. Lovely as those are, the real pull here is the ice-cream. Tubs of soft-serve vanilla with strawberry shortcake, or pecans with whipped cream and an embarrassing amount of chocolate are what we’re after. Add a waffle and maybe plan for a long walk on the pier afterwards to get the heart, and blood sugar levels, going again. Betty's, Tallaght Originally operating out of Arnott’s, Betty’s has moved to the multiplex in The Square, Tallaght. Sad news for those of us who needed a city-centre pick-me-up, but great news for D24 move-goers. Kahuna Pops Less “cream” more “pop” from Kahuna Pops who do the park rounds throughout the summer (currently Bushy and Tymon on Saturdays, Herbert on Sundays) with their handmade popsicles. Flavours like watermelon, Oreo, and raspberry ripple for dessert on the go. Sorrento's, Arbour Hill Our frustration with the phrase “hidden gem” is well-documented, but this one is sailing pretty close. You’d walk past Sorrento’s thinking it’s just another run-of-the-mill chipper, but stick your head in and you’ll find fresh sourdough and focaccia, and enough house-made gelato to make you super glad to have a second dessert stomach. Scrumdiddly's, Dún Laoghaire and Donabate Have you been to Dún Laoghaire on a sunny day if you haven’t queued with a bunch of teenagers outside of Scrumdiddly’s ? Have you really had an ice-cream if it doesn’t come with your choice of loads of sauces and sweets on top? No, so just make peace with it and get in that queue. With any luck, one of the teens will be blasting out some modern new music, like Kate Bush. Sicilia in Ireland Gelato-stuffed-brioche, people; this is not a drill. You’ll find them from Sicilia in Ireland ’s food truck every Saturday in St. Anne’s Park, and Sundays in Herbert Park. Arctic Stone, Blackrock Market Does food taste better if it's made right in front of you? It really does. Rolled ice-cream from Arctic Stone is just that; your fruit or chocolate of choice is mangled onto a freezing cold metal plate by someone we can only imagine has really well-managed anger issues, then mixed with a creamy custard. The resulting ice-cream is then spread and rolled into a cup, with even more topping and sauces. They also have full tubs retailing from stockists across Dublin, or you can order from their stand in Blackrock Market. Cloud Nine, Bachelor's Walk We tend to raise a collective eyebrow when a new opening describes themselves as “the most Instagrammable pink ice-cream shop in Ireland”, but we’ll park any preconceptions we have to give Cloud Nine ’s Kinder Bueno and strawberry sundaes a go. Teddy's, Dún Laoghaire There’s probably some law against compiling a list of the best ice-cream spots in Dublin and not including Teddy’s . It’s the Granddad of Dublin ice-cream and its legacy is well-deserved. We’re not sure if it’s the quality of the ice-cream, or just the massive nostalgia element, but we defy anyone to walk past Teddy’s and not immediately want a '99. ... and one to watch- Tuck, Howth Since opening last year, Tuck hasn't maintained much of an online presence, but we've spotted this reel from a fan promising homemade gelato, and now we absolutely need to know more.

In the past few years, Dublin has seriously upped its bakery game, thanks in no small part to a group of entrepreneurial flour-obsessives who have moved us away from sub-par pastries and firmly into the house-made camp. While we all know the icon places to go, this is the ATF guide for what you need to get order while you’re there, because being Insta-famous doesn't mean it's the most delicious thing in the window. Bread 41, Pearse Street What you think you should get: Morning Buns and Cruffins What you should actually get: Custardos No surprise that we’ve put Bread 4 1 first on this list as it’s the place that comes to mind when most people think about fantastic Dublin bakeries, and for good reason. You’re probably all about the Cruffins and Morning Buns and we do love them but hear us out - lemon and vanilla flavoured pasteis de nata that you won’t have to brave Dublin Airport to get your hands on. Scéal Bakery, Fumbally Stables What you think you should get: Twice-Baked Almond Croissants What you should actually get: Demerara Sugar Kouign Amann Originating in Brittany, we’ve seen Kouign Amann pastries pop up in some Dublin bakeries over the last year or so, and we’re sad and amazed that they don’t get more love. Layers of buttery, sugary, laminated dough under a caramelised top should get top billing more often. Scéal describe theirs as “butter bombs”, and it's not hard to see why. No Messin' Bakery, Smithfield What you think you should get: Cardi B What you should actually get: Hun Bun We love a Cardi B - sticky, spicy deliciousness from No Messin' is never not on our list of things we could eat at any moment - but for something full of elegance (and decadence), we're all about the cream choux of a Hun Bun. Flavours change with the seasons, natch. Il Valentino, Grand Canal Dock What you think you should get: Raisin Danish What you should actually get: Madelines One of our favourite people-watching spots, Il Valentino is known for its long counter full of fresh pastries and colourful cakes, but we recommend going a little low-key for once, and getting your hands on their fresh Madelines. The shell-shaped sponge is light, sweet, and the perfect addition to a coffee when you want something, but not something OTT. Strudel, Dún Laoghaire What you think you should get: Fruit Brioche What you should actually get: Babka Walk into any Jewish bakery in New York and you’ll come out a babka convert. Sweet bread layers with chocolate or cinnamon, it’s comforting and very hard to stop eating. While Strudel doesn’t have their mini-babka every day, get there early on Friday or Saturday and you should be in luck. Bread Naturally, Raheny What you think you should get: Cinnamon Swirls What you should actually get: Choux Buns While not always on the counter thanks to Bread Naturally constantly changing things up to keep everything seasonal and fresh, when they have choux buns, you need to make sure you’re getting as many as you can carry. Smartbear Cakery, Liffey Street Upper What you think you should get: Mille Crepe Cake What you should actually get: Shokupan We’ve had the mille crepe cake from Smartbear Cakery and loved it, but for something a little different you need to keep an eye out for their Shokupan, a traditional (and usually square) Japanese milk bread that’s fluffy and perfect for really thick toast, or sandwiches. Dolce Sicily, South Anne Street What you think you should get: Cannoli What you should actually get: Fruit Tarts In what may be a controversial move because we really do love a Dolce Sicily cannolo, we’re suggesting you have a very Parisian moment with a cute glazed fruit tart while sitting in the upper floor window of an Italian café, looking out onto the streets of Dublin. They're as good as any you'll find in France. Camerino Bakery, Capel Street and Merrion Square What you think you should get: Cookies What you should actually get: Stacked Cookie Cake This one will take a bit of forward-planning and ordering ahead of your visit to Camerino Bakery , but why have a cookie when you can have a cake made up of two 6” sugar cookie rings with vanilla buttercream and fresh berries? The Pepper Pot Café. Powerscourt Town Centre What you think you should get: Victoria Sponge What you should actually get: Bacon, Pear and Cheese Sandwich… followed by the Victoria Sponge While the Danish pastry version of this monster sandwich isn’t currently on the menu (but can be ordered a day in advance for collection), The Pepper Pot Cafe ’s bacon, pear, and cheese sandwich is too iconic to pass up. But then again so is the Victoria sponge that’s so big it should have its own Eircode. There’s only one thing for it - go hungry. Queen of Tarts, Cow’s Lane What you think you should get: Scones What you should actually get: Baked Raspberry Cheesecake Cheesecake in Dublin can often be a sad, over-sweetened, moussey affair but the New York style baked version from Queen of Tarts is firm, creamy, and full of tart, punchy raspberries. Scone schmone. Artybaker, Dalkey What you think you should get: Twice-Baked Stuffed Croissant What you should actually get: Classic Croissant Seeing a classic so well executed is an art form in itself and the croissants from Artybaker are like the Mona Lisa - if she was smiling at a pastry (which, let's be honest, she could be). Airy, buttery, crumbly and so very far away from those 2 for €3 grease-bombs from your local convenience store, sometimes the original is the best. The Cupcake Bloke, Rialto What you think you should get: Cupcakes, obvs What you should actually get: Tea Brack While Dublin has benefitted hugely from an influx of ideas and recipes from across the world, there’s nothing like an Irish classic, and The Cupcake Bloke ’s tea brack is a traditional bake that still endures - especially when it's done this well. Owner Graham Herterich has a book called Bake coming out in September and we’re really hoping this recipe is in there. Bakeology, Meath Street What you think you should get: Empanadas What you should actually get: Alfajores Alfajores, or “alfies” are a traditional Argentinian treat with two crumbly biscuits surrounding fillings like thick dulce de leche, and then dipped in chocolate. They’re as much a speciality of Argentinian café Bakeology as their fame-hogging empanadas, and their selection is unparalled. Gorditas, various suppliers across Dublin What you think you should get: Alfajores What you should actually get: Montecitos More Argentinian baking thanks to Gorditas who have a seriously strong alfajores game, but they also do the only montecitos we’ve seen in the city, so we recommend you give them a go. They’re similar to alfies, but it’s one biscuit heaped with topping, and dipped in thick chocolate. Personally, we think they have a better biscuit to topping ratio. The Cake Café, Pleasants Place What you think you should get : Afternoon Tea What you should actually get: Trio of Cake Bites We know what it’s like, you’re surrounded by cake and want to try all of it, so you end up going for Afternoon Tea. It’s a solid decision, but not one that’s entirely practical all that often, so we were very happy to find out that The Cake Café do a selection of 3 mini cake tasters along with a hot drink for €14.50. Practical, purse-friendly and very satisfying.

Grano 's new wine bar A Fianco opens this Thursday, and we'd wager that these 16 seats are going to be some of the most sought after in Stoneybatter - scratch that, in the whole city. Their "little Italian vineria" will have a special focus on Calabrian wines, and a menu of small plates using seasonal ingredients from Italian and Irish producers, and owner Roberto Mungo says he wants it to be "a relaxed and comfortable space for people to enjoy new wines and share a selection of small plates". In other words right up our street. A Fianco means beside or next to (it's next door to big brother Grano), and they say they've created the food to make the wines shine. The opening menu features dishes (including some Grano classics) like aubergine caponata; anchovies marinated Calabrian style with toasted bread; wild sea bass carpaccio, tuna tartare; scaldanduja (spreadable Calabrian sausage); polpette; and all the Calabrian black pig charcuterie, as well as cheese, and tiramisu for dessert. Expect different types of Mediterranean style crudo fish dishes throughout summer, paired with different natural wines, and before you ask, there's no pasta - we imagine they're working with a very small kitchen. When it comes to wine, glasses range from €7 - €10, with a decent amount on the bottle list under €40, but there's plenty of big hitters too. It's a who's who of Italian winemakers from "the south", "the centre", "the north" and "Calabria", and we would be a long time getting bored of drinking options in here. A Fianco opens this Thursday 28th July at 17:00. It's currently walk in only but bookings are coming soon. Get in line. A Fianco 6 Norseman Court, Manor Street, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 Open: Tue - Thu 17:00 - 22:00, Fri 17:00 - 23:00. Sat 12:30 - 00:00. Sun 12:30 - 23:00. instagram.com/afianco_dublin

One day recently while walking along St. Andrew Street we looked across the road and saw a big blue and white hoarding, looking pretty Portugese. What was this now... A snap and a story later and you guys were all a fluster at the promise of Dublin's first dedicated pasteis de nata shop. We went looking for them on social media and found accounts for not only @lisboadublin but also @cafelisboa_dublin . We were hardly getting two were we!? Yes reader, we were... Lisboa Pasteleria, St. Andrew's Street After some digging we found out that Lisboa Pasteleria is owned by the people behind The Port House Tapas Bars (we knew that branding looked profesh), and it's going to be for takeaway only, serving coffee, pasteis de nata, breads and sandwiches. There's also going to be Francesinha - The Porto classic ‘hangover’ sandwich with steak, ham, sausage, chorizo and cheese topped with a rich secret Port sauce) and breakfast, lunch and dinner options to take away. They're promising their pasteis de nata will be the best in Dublin, which are BIG WORDS. They say it all started with a trip to Lisbon, where they decided that the city's best foods deserved to be enjoyed in the Irish capital. Both chefs have come from The Port House, who say they have spent over 16 years sourcing and importing Spanish and Portugese produce for their restaurants, and that this is a natural progression from their night time brand. Lisboa Pasteleria is due to open in September and we'll be first in line to tell you if it's the real deal. Café Lisboa, Little Mary Street So what about the other one? There's no expensive branding or a high footfall location here, but there is a Portugese owner who travelled home to Lisbon to train in making those magical custard tarts. Café Lisboa is just off Capel Street (in the former Little Dumpling site), and are currently making only pasteis de nata (oh we love a bit of specialisation), alongside Portugese roasted coffee and tea, coming from the only tea plantation in Europe in the Azores. In a couple of weeks breakfast and lunch will start, and by the middle of October they hope to be serving wine and tapas in the evening. Owner Sergio Fernandes owns a small Portugese wine company here, as well as being employed as a hotel manager (he's currently on holidays to get the café up and running - if you want something done ask a busy person), and bakes the tarts himself each morning. He says he opened Café Lisboa because Irish people love Portugal but there was no good food offering here, and the plan is to move into the café full time in the next few months - the more pasteis de nata we can all eat the sooner he'll be able to do this. Café Lisboa is open now, and the race for the best custard tart in the city is on...

It's a wicked week out there, but if you can bear to leave the house, here are five things we think will bring you added cheer, on IWD, Taco Thursday, and focaccia Friday (it's a thing okay)... 1) IWD Cookies From Bakeology Liberties-based Argentinean bakery Bakeology are being uber cute today by giving out these wonder women cookies for International Women's Day. Only for the girls obvs, and you'll want to stock up on all the alfajores while you're there. 2) Sea Salt & Dark Chocolate Cookies From The Morning In other cookie news, we're almost sorry to show you these sea salt and dark chocolate ones from The Morning , because like us you'll probably spend a good portion of the week thinking about little else. 3) Freshly-Made Focaccia From Toonsbridge Toonsbridge are cranking out their homemade focaccias in George's Street and Serpentine Avenue, and one of our all time favourite dinners is a slab of this, a load of antipasti and dips (their basil feta is non-negotiable) and all the cheese. 4) El Milagro Tacos At Love Supreme W e went cuckoo for El Milagro's tacos when we first tried them, and now Dublin 7 residents are getting a chance as they're popping up in Love Supreme each Thursday in March. Beef birria FTW. 5) Côte de Boeuf To Share At The Butcher Grill It's hard not to feel ill at the rising menu prices around town, wondering how we're going to sustain our eating habits of yore, and one thing that's been creeping up is the sharing côte de boeuf - we saw one for €85 last week. So we were pleasantly surprised to see that The Butcher Grill are serving theirs with smoky beans and onion rings for the relative bargain of €55. Next steak trip sorted.

Babka, breakfast sandwiches, and carnage nachos for brunch - this is what we most want to eat in Dublin this week... 1) Babka From Fable + Stey There is not enough babka in this city, that is just a sad fact, despite the good percentage of us who are wholly obsessed thanks to Bake Off. Fable + Stey in Blackrock are saving the day with this babka/cinnamon bun hybrid, filled with chocolate, espresso and cinnamon, and topped with spiced syrup and pistachios. 2) The Breakfast Menu From Tír Deli Tír Deli have just launched a full breakfast menu in their Hatch Street café, and while we're not huge breakfast meat people, when we're talking about Donabate Dexter sausage and bacon, homemade beans and Bretzel Bakery brioche buns, we'll happily make an exception. 3) Nachos Con Carnage At Mad Yolks Mad Yolks recently opened their first permanent site in Smithfield, and while they're known for their hangover-busting egg sandwiches, we're eyeing up their 'Nachos Con Carnage', with smoked chilli con carne, applewood cheddar, a fried egg, scallions, fresh chilli and sriracho mayo. 4) Victoria Sponge Cake At Slice There are few things more beautiful than a perfect Victoria Sponge - fluffy sponge, a generous amount of jam, the cream to cake ratio just right - and this one from Slice in Stoneybatter will be consuming our thoughts all week. 5) The Savoury Croissant From The Pepper Pot Bakery Shopping centre pitstops at La Croissanterie for their cheese and ham filled extravaganzas formed a substantial part of our childhoods. It seems to be easier to find sweet croissants than savoury around town these days, so our faces lit up when we saw this sun-dried tomato, comté cheese & béchamel sauce version from The Pepper Pot Bakery in George's Street Arcade, who as we all know can do no wrong.