Search Results

The evenings are starting to feel that little bit shorter (though there’s still time to eek out the last of the summer ), supermarkets are hitting us hard with their back to school offers, and a certain Grafton St. department store opened its Christmas shop this week. Grr on all accounts (but especially grr to you, BTs). When life moves fast, you don’t always have time for languishing over long lunches and three course dinners, so we’ve singled out five quick eats that will have you ready to go in no time. 1) The Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich From Mad Yolks The Barbers , situated between Smithfield and Stonybatter, has always offered more than your usual boozer - it’s dog-friendly and houses a barbershop - and it's also now a temporary home to Mad Yolks , where you can indulge in a a range of egg-based sandwiches like this one with bacon and cheese that has us feeling sunny side up. You can also find them in the Red Stables Market in St. Anne’s park on Saturdays. 2) Halloumi Fries From The Shawarma Company The new kid on Dame Street, The Shawarma Company , has been catching our eye on Insta with their chicken, beef, and lamb shawarmas, but these halloumi fries are on our eating agenda - we can practically hear them squeak through our screens. Eating fried cheese has never been more acceptable, or convenient. 3) The Canelé From Meet Me In The Morning Look at this canelé. Look. At. It. Squidgy custard centre, caramelised outer crust, all topped with dulce de leche. We feel like the gang in Meet Me In The Morning have read our greedy little minds with this one. 4) Hangover Pancakes From One Society Not sure about you, but when we’re hungover we can never decide if we need sweet or savoury with our carbs. Thankfully One Society have removed the need for any independent thought and have put together this mountain of pancakes with ricotta, fried eggs, tabasco, and maple syrup which will have you refreshed and raring to go faster that you can say “pass the Panadol”. 5) The Cinema Dessert From Le Perroquet Le Perroquet on Leeson Street, the new opening from Nick Munier (formerly of Avenue and Pichet) and Chris Fulham (previously at Old Street and Forest Avenue), opened last week serving French-style small plates, and this dessert. Initially debuting at Old Street when Chris was sous chef there, it seemed to be cemented as his signature after the Michelin guide tweeted about it. It's inspired by a cinema sweet shop and features caramel, chocolate and popcorn to meet all of our sweet and salty needs.

August can be a tough one. Summer is ebbing away, your memories of two weeks in the sun are probably fading as fast as your tan (or maybe not, shout-out to the SPF squad) and if you’re heading back to work, or turning thoughts towards going back to college or getting the kids back to school, you’re likely to already be dreading the return to early mornings and drab packed lunches. Fear not, we’re here to help you eek out the last of the summer vibes in Dublin, for dishes and drinks that’ll make you feel like you’re still soaking up the sun, and not back in the office staring at a spreadsheet whilst longing for longer days... Brunch (because holidays deserve lie-ins) There’s no shortage of brunch spots that’ll make you feel like you’re anywhere else in the world but drizzly Dublin. An Argentinian adventure in Alma , middle-eastern mezze in Brother Hubbard North , or head to Herbstreet in Grand Canal Dock for a slab of American-style French toast with caramelised bananas, pecans, and clotted cream. It’s like the Eurovision of food - international, over the top and utterly addictive. Lunch The capital’s pizza obsession rages on as Pi continues to command the crowds and Bread 41 have (finally!) cranked up their pizza-oven. For another taste of Neapolitan pizza, Il Caffe di Napoli on Westland Row is a well-kept secret. Ask for chicken on your pizza and you’ll quickly be met with a raised eyebrow and told “that’s not how we do things in Napoli”. Service is efficient with the slightest hint of surliness that’d make any Italian feel right at home. Dinner One of our favourite things about holidays is being able to play fast and loose with your eating schedule. Lunch at 3pm? Yup. Dinner at midnight? Absolutely. Dublin might not be renowned for late-night dining but there are plenty of options to keep you going into the small hours. For serious night owls, Zaytoon ’s city centre locations are open until 4am midweek and 5am at the weekends if you need a Persian pick-me-up - visit to Coppers optional. For those of us who prefer to see our beds a little earlier, Nightmarket in Ranelagh will transport you straight to Chiang Mai for Pad Thai and green papaya salad, or see out the last of the semi-warm evenings by trying to nab standing space outside Fish Shop on Benburb St. Snacks Need a little pick-me-up between lunch and dinner? We’re all over that. From Frank’s to Eatyard , there’s plenty of places to keep you nibbling, or stroll to Las Tapas de Lola to soak up the buzzy atmosphere with a plate of fresh anchovies and a glass of manzanilla. It's the closest you'll get to Barcelona’s Boqueria . Dessert Have you even been on holiday if you haven’t eaten ice-cream after every meal? From nitrogen ice-cream at newbie Three Twenty to ice-cream rolls from Arctic Stone , you can find cool treats in all shapes and sizes. Extend that holiday feeling by joining the tourists in Temple Bar for an ice-cream stuffed egg waffle cone topped with fruit, chocolate, and sauces from Bubble Waffle Factory . Drinks Move over G&T's (fighting words we know), summer spritzes have elbowed their way onto cocktail menus across the city. While we’ll always love Aperol, some of our new favourites are the cherry spritz with cocchi from Circa , and the palate-cleansing Montenegro spritz (with Amaro Montenegro) from Host . Or head to the terrace in 1930's style Wilde in The Westbury for glass of Provence rosé, before pink wine season is officially over. Consider this your final klaxon-style warning.

Deliciousness and disappointment in equal measures this weekend, starting with deliciousness. In the Irish Times Catherine Cleary thinks she's found the anti-Five Guys, at Flipside in Sligo. After that somewhat controversial review of the US burger chain last year, where their veggie sandwich made her gag, Flipside's was "everything that was promised, firm and tasty, crisp on the outside like meat and lightly spiced to keep it interesting." A buttermilk-fried chicken burger with gochujang mayonnaise was also "gorgeous", but excruciatingly she doesn't tell us about the beef burger, most likely the cornerstone of the whole place, apart from saying that the kids' burger was "juicy" in a "good" brioche bun. Halloumi poppers were "the best veggie offering in a burger joint anywhere", and she calls Flipside "a real find". In the same write-up she managed to detail a trip to surfer restaurant Stoked in Strandhill, where the food was "cheffier than the norm for an over-the-pub venue". Crab came lightly dressed lightly on red pepper with avocado, lemon emulsion and sourdough toast, oysters were "fresher than a pier jump", and Mexican beef-cheek chilaquiles were "breaded, thready, meaty croquettes". They were less keen on flash-fried squid with a sour burnt-lemon mayo, but she says Sligo is geting better every time she visits. Read her review(s) here . In the Irish Independent it's a shocker for Loam in Galway from Katy McGuinness - and we're sure no one was more shocked than Katy herself, particularly as Loam was named best restaurant in Ireland at this year's Irish restaurant awards . She says they seem to have lost their mojo, with service that's "almost rude", food that's "good rather than thrilling", and the jarring detail of a plastic bottle of UK made soap in the bathroom of a restaurant with a three-star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association . Snacks were "dull", roast potatoes came with half of them brown and the other half colourless, and a dessert of parsley, rhubarb and woodruff begged the question "why?". Seriously though, why? Sweetbreads with lettuce, egg and a savoury crumb, and scallops with hen of the woods mushrooms and Jerusalem artichokes were "good", and lamb loin with turnip, broad beans and garlic scapes was "beautifully cooked", but while she gives the food 8/10, the ambience gets 5/10 and the value 7/10. Read the full thing here . In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley had a "strange", "under seasoned" and partially burnt meal at Guinea Pig in Dalkey, whose menu he thought was straight out of the 1980's. Paté de foie gras was too cold, lobster "only tasted faintly of lobster", and strongly tasting lamb rump with mashed potato, vegetables and garlic puy lentils was "strange but pleasant enough". Duck was overcooked, came with un-summery root vegetables, and parts of the skin were black, causing them to leave most of it behind, and he calls the wine list "adequate ... with no great excitement". Considering the positive reviews off the bat when chef Jerome Fernandes took over the restaurant last year, you'd have to wonder if something's happened in the interim. (Review not currently online) More disappointment in the Irish Examiner , where Leslie Williams is surprisingly nice about his 6.5/10 food at FX Buckley, complete with "stingy" bone marrow, unseasoned, under AND over cooked steaks, and un-chocolatey chocolate mousse. Not exactly selling it, but he says he wouldn't be afraid of returning. He praises the comprehensive and fairly priced wine list, good meat, and "properly crispy" beef dripping chips, but says that next time he'd be issuing specific cooking instructions to the kitchen, with their "less than perfect cooking techniques". We're sure that would go down well. Read his review here . In the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis was filled with regret after a meal at the Wild Honey Inn in Clare, due to not ordering the rib-eye with horseradish butter that the editor of Michelin UK had shortly before giving them their star. The wild rabbit and foie gras terrine, crab cocktail with gazpacho, and blanquette of pork cheeks in a veloute of smoked bacon, beech mushrooms, broad beans and spinach don't sound like bad runners up, and neither do cherry clafoutis and poached pineapple for dessert. She describes chef Aidan McGrath's food as "classically delicious", with "flavour to beat the band", and you can read her review here . In the Sunday Times Niall Toner is marvelling at all of the unctuous, gooey food at Shouk in Drumcondra, but despite the mass of praise throughout only scores it 3.5/5 - we'd definitely rate them higher. Read that here . Finally from Lucinda O'Sullivan in the Sunday Independent, you guessed it. It's a list. A gastro-pub list. Getting a mention in Dublin are The Old Spot, The Legal Eagle, Botanic House, P Macs, Ryan's of Parkgate Street, The Dalkey Duck, carvery-central O'Neills and recently closed Bart's on South William Street - awks. They do however look like they're planning to relaunch as something different featuring music and Bloody Marys in 11 days time. No critic reviews next week. Back in two.

As another long weekend has come and gone, and we’re left with the dawning realisation that it’s ages until the next one. It may be a short week for most of us, but it feels like a very long way to go to Friday, especially if you’ve over-indulged this bank holiday. You’re broke, you’re tired, you’re probably a little cranky. That’s okay, we’ve not going to try to make conversation (or eye-contact) with you, we’re just going to show you five things that will get you over the hump and feeling ready to take on August, and then we’ll back away slowly. 1) Cheese and Bacon Danish from Strudel Bakery Absolutely hanging and heading for a jambon? Detour to Dún Laoghaire, have a brisk walk on the pier, then convince yourself that you’ve got your life together enough to merit upgrading your pastry choices to something much more upmarket than your regular deli offering. This version from Strudel , made with cheese sauce, smoked cheese, and bacon, looks like the cure. 2) Saucy Eggs from Little Frieda's When you’re feeling a little delicate, it often feels like eggs will either cure you or kill you. We reckon Little Frieda’s fried eggs on toast, with roasted garlic yogurt, smoked chilli oil, and dukkah are enough to see you through the hard times. You can do this. 3) Ricotta Toast From As One A new addition to the quays, As One is promising us “Food with Purpose”. If the purpose of their ricotta toast is to lure us inside, it’s working. Le Levain sourdough topped with Toonsbridge ricotta, banana, stewed apples, and caramelised walnuts is the crunchy, creamy mix that will help you rest and regroup after a long weekend. 4) The Breakfast Salad From Póg Overdid the carbs at the weekend and made yourself a 3am promise that you’d eat nothing but salad for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? The guys at Póg heard you. Their new breakfast salad is a colourful mix of grilled halloumi, poached eggs, avocado, quinoa, radish, and picked onions, which is basically a pile of vitamins on a plate, and will make you seriously smug when the rest of your sesh buddies are crying into their Centra potato wedges. 5) The Rhubard Crumble From Beo Kitchen + Wine Bar Look, we’re not saying you’re an emotional eater, but if you insist on eating your feelings, they may as well be delicious. Beo ’s take on a classic rhubarb crumble with lemon curd, vanilla crème, and prosecco gel looks like the motivation you need to get dressed, get out, and get dessert.

Portobello is not just for cans and staring at swans, it’s one of the spots to be in after work when it’s sunny and you’re looking for coffee, food, swans... and cans. There’s a glut of places to eat and drink as well as a long pleasant stroll along the canal, and it’s a good place to spend a lazy afternoon, where filling it with eating and drinking will make you feel like you’ve accomplished something on your day off. Breakfast Start off the day in Alma , the new shiny cafe on the block fresh from a glowing review from Catherine Cleary (you can also read our once over here ). Alma quickly rose up the hype train and now be prepared to queue a lot of the time. The cafe is family run with large Argentinian influences and you’re going to like everything on the menu. Brunch Up early for weekend brunch? Cross the canal to get to perennially packed Grove Road , who serve brunch all day every day, but whose outside (and inside) tables are permanently in demand. The menu here is of the simple but excellently executed variety, like toasted breakfast sandwiches, and poached eggs on sourdough toast with sun-dried tomato pesto and parmesan Coffee If you still need to feel caffeine coursing through your veins, walk down the road to Brother Hubbard South and have a seat in their front terrace. All of their cakes are baked in house if you need a pick me up, and their iced lattés are almost unbearably photogenic. Lunch Onto the next meal, where we would suggest Bibi's . Hidden behind the houses of Portobello, Bibi’s offers a chance for you to feel like you’re living a more aesthetically pleasing life through the cute pottery you’ll never obtain and the dishes that you’ll never make the effort to cook at home. Go for the Turkish eggs. Wine After you’ve spent your afternoon pondering life’s meaning by the canal whilst being plagued by those swans, put an end to all that thinking with drinking. First Draft Coffee and Wine has turned into quite the neighbourhood evening wine bar, inserting a buzz into Lennox street throughout the week. Dinner If you’re looking for something more casual, hit up Richmond , which exudes that relaxed neighbourhood dining feel. If you’re feeling spontaneous their Tuesday night tasting menu, consisting of five courses for €38, is where they experiment with new dishes, and they're big supporters of seasonal, Irish produce, which we like a lot. For a more involved dinner, Locks along the canal should be on your bucket list if you haven’t already tried it. Request a table by the window and sit back and enjoy bread with sea trout and dulse butter, and Delmonico salt-aged rib-eye (read our Locks once over here ). Their Sunday lunch should be a sub-bullet point on your list. Your other dinner option (and one we'd strongly advise booking well in advance) is Bastible . They’ve recently recruited Cuan Greene, a Dublin native who has spent the last few years working as a chef in Noma , and after a recent glowing review from Cleary they seem to have stepped up their game even more. Afters And then, if you’re not really feeling the sit down dinner, you can linger around Eatyard for a few light bites, or just get some dessert to round off your long day of eating. Grab a pint from the Shaw (or else spend some time cleaning up the canal and swap a bag of empty cans for a pint), and finish off the day with another drink and a gig in Bello Bar on Portobello harbour. Did we miss your favourite spot in Portobello? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.

Bullet Duck and Dumplings , a new restaurant specialising in Cantonese roast duck and dim sum has opened on Little Mary Street, with chefs from Hong Kong and mainland China - who are all grandparents. Bullet says that all of their chefs have at least 30 years experience cooking Cantonese food, and their bullet oven that their roast ducks are cooked in has been flown over from China. The menu features dishes like whole roast duck, roast char siu pork and roast pork ribs, as well as dumplings like har gow, siu mai, and pork and prawn soup wontons. They also serve Chinese soup noodles, and all meat is Irish, with free-range chicken and Silver Hill duck. Bullet Duck and Dumplings is open now for lunch and dinner seven days a week on Little Mary Street, just down from newly opened Fudo Izakaya and Hacienda Bar . Bullet Duck and Dumplings 27 Mary Street Little Mon - Sun 12:00 - 22:00 www.bulletrestaurant.ie

In between showers, that big yellow ball in the sky has been hanging in there (albeit intermittently), and the accompanying wash of colour on plates across the city is making us feel berry happy (sorry). Everywhere we look right now we're seeing brightly coloured berries of every type, so we've pulled together some of our favourites. Go forth and eat. Elderflower Ice-Cream With Berries at Shelbourne Social Soft-serve ice-cream is enjoying a resurgence at the moment (thank you Gertrude and Two Pups ), and Shelbourne Social ’s version with fresh strawberries, freeze-dried raspberries, and sauces makes us forget we ever wanted a 99. Raspberries With White Peach At Clanbrassil House Crispy sable biscuit, white peach, tart raspberries, and a scattering of verbena, this dessert from the gang at Clanbrassil House is ticks all of our boxes for texture and taste. Vegan Oat Ice-Cream Cookie Sandwich From Bear Lemon We struggled to pick just one item from Bear Lemon to showcase what the're doing with berries right now. From strawberry and chocolate vegan, oat-based “ice-cream” sandwiches, to raspberry loaf cakes, Ciara Lennon is turning out cakes and treats that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. You can find her creations in a number of Dublin cafés like Unfiltered Coffee in Inchicore, who will be selling these mega looking things this Saturday. Pancakes At Eathos With a focus on healthy dishes and fresh ingredients, it’s no surprise that the menu in Eathos is heavy on seasonal fruits and berries all year round. These buckwheat pancakes with berries and coconut whip will give you that feeling of indulgence, with no excuse for guilt of any kind. The Summer Salad At The Cake Café The tang of goat’s cheese combined with the sweetness of strawberries from The Cake Café isn’t a traditional pairing, but one we very much approve of. More sweet/savoury combos please Dublin. Strawberry Mojito, Rustic Stone Is it a cocktail? Is it a dessert? We’re not sure, but we don’t really care. Give us a spoon and a straw (paper, natch), and we’re happy to have the best of both worlds with Rustic Stone ’s take on a strawberry mojito with sorbet and lime mousse. The Tonga Toast At One Society Our love of French toast here in ATF is well-documented , but this Tonga Toast from One Society is a new one on us. Thick bread stuffed with banana (bananas are technically berries - honest), fried, and topped with berries is the breakfast/dessert hybrid we didn’t know we needed. The Berry Tart From KC Peaches We’ve long been fans of the baked goods from KC Peaches , and this tart looks like instant nostalgia, evoking memories of summers spent harvesting hedgerows for blackberries when visiting our grannies down the country. The Strawberry Parfait From One Pico While never attracting as much attention or accolades as its sister restaurant The Greenhouse , One Pico has always had a quiet confidence, and this parfait with gariguette strawberries (a sweet French variety), tarragon ice-cream and a Sichuan pepper sable is the perfect illustration. BuJo's Summer Wine Mixers Our milkshakes may bring all the boys to the yard, but seriously, who wants to have a milkshake when you can have wine instead? BuJo ’s Catalina wine mixer is a refreshing mix of Sauvignon Blanc on-tap with summer berry puree, mint leaves and a lime kick, and it's about to replaced by the Sandymount sangria, with organic Malbec, freshly squeezed OJ, strawberry purée and loads of crushed ice. Fill our glasses. The Raspberry Rhapsody Doughnut from Off Beat Donuts Does Dublin have a doughnut shop at every turn? Pretty close. That said, there’s a reason Off Beat Donuts have secured a loyal following, and creations like this raspberry-glazed doughnut topped with crème aux framboises will give you your berries on the go… or on the couch, we’re not here to judge you. The Summer Berry Pavlova From China Sichuan Because sometimes retro is right. Especially when it's topped with all the berries and comes with a side of lemongrass cream, like at China Sichuan in Sandyford.

Another week, another blasting for the Old Post Office in Blackrock. Surely you'd just stop letting the photographers in? You don't really need to read this to guess what Tom Doorley in the Irish Daily Mail thought, but the topline is - shockingly expensive, pretty crap food. He went solo to try the €50 'early bird', and for that princely sum had a "very small" vegetable wonton, salt and chilli prawns (a whole three of them), in a batter both crispy and oily, and fillet of Hereford beef, broccoli and green pepper, with no discernible green pepper, and a taste akin to a takeaway. The beef itself however is described as "extraordinary ... quite mushy, turning to a sticky paste in the mouth". That Wongs menu is looking ever more appealing. After that feast it was time for the "Irish cheese selection", featuring Wicklow Blue the texture of plasticine, smoked Gubbeen, and the pièce de résistance - Dubliner cheddar. Don't all run to book at once now. He calls the wine list "staggering" with prices starting at €50 a bottle and "gibberish" tasting notes that look like they've come from google translate. And for this multi-sensory experience he had little change out of €100. Anyone else think this could be some sort of social experiment? (Review not currently online) A far more pleasant experience for Catherine Cleary in the Irish Times , who calls Argentinean café Alma in Portobello "very special". She says the "daughter-dominated" business are "serving the food they love to eat", and that there's a "friendly thoughtfulness" to everything. She describes a loaded batata with Argentine sausage ragu, limed sour cream, spicy nuts and fresh leaves as "the perfect lunch dish", and steak with chimichurri, eggs, potatoes and kale was "cooked as it should be: steak juicy, potatoes crisp and the kale freshly sauteed". A lemon and poppy-seed pistachio cake for dessert was "an excellent piece of baking", and a brownie "gorgeously fudgy", and she says Alma are "cooking the food you love, with excellent ingredients". She gives it 9/10 and you can read her review here . We're also giving Alma the once over in this Tuesday's mail out - you can sign up for that here . In the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis was silenced by the "gorgeous, uninterrupted" views in Portmarnock Hotel's Seaview Restaurant - and the food wasn't bad either. We're currently borderline obsessing about the "chicken and rabbit sandwich" - a meaty terrine between wafer-thin slices of pastry, on a nettle purée with truffle aioli and slivers of raw asparagus, which she calls "beautifully balanced and full of flavour". Salmon cheesecake also delivered on flavour, with "fatty and unctuous" tartare, and halibut was perfectly cooked, if the lemon emulsion seemed to be missing the lemon. Another main of duck was overcooked, but the garnishes of white onion and truffle purée, beluga lentil salad and new season cabbage were "great", and she "adored" her dessert of Floating Island with local strawberries and a strawberry and elderflower consommé. She even liked the other dessert of white chocolate mousse with marinated sweet peaches and oat crumb, despite being a lifelong white chocolate hater. She calls it "an impressive showing", and says the food more than matched the views. Read her review here . In the Sunday Times Niall Toner is falling for Frank's on Camden Street, and doesn't bat an eyelid at all the rules, like having to order sherry with your almonds or the possibility of standing around for two hours to get a table, saying it's worth the wait. Read his review here . In the Irish Independent Katy was having the summer meal of our dreams in the wilds of Connemara. She was at the Sea Hare long-table pop up in Joyce's Bar in Cleggan, complete with "hyper-local" ingredients like seaweed pesto, horseradish crab, and pollack with a tomato and shallot concasse. Her highlights were the veg - freshly shelled garden peas and French beans, floury potatoes in seaweed butter and simply dressed bowls of garden leaves, and a raspberry fool for dessert was "simple and perfect". The only disappointment of the night was the pub wine (standard), but she gives the food, ambience and value 8/10. Read her review here . Another pretty unhappy camper in the Irish Examiner where Joe McNamee was at Table Restaurant in Brown Thomas, Cork, with "The Granny" in tow. A penne pasta with pesto and Parmesan impressed, and a Moroccan lamb tagine with couscous was "a decent dish", but things went downhill with his bacon cheeseburger, whose meat was "overworked, dry" and "grievously under-seasoned", and the "skinny fries" he'd been craving were actually chunky, skin-on chips, which were "mealy and bland". The Granny's cod was good, save for soggy sautéed potatoes, and he says that while Table is an improvement on the last BT's restaurant, it was "an underwhelming lunch". Read it here . Finally in the Sunday Independent, you guessed it. It's another top 20 from Lucinda . This week featuring the country's best "foodie views", and unusually there's nowhere in Dublin on there. Places that do get a mention include Aghadoe Heights in Killarney, The Lodge at Ashford Castle in Mayo, and Spillane's in Dingle, and if you fancy dinner with a water view in Dublin it sounds like you could do worse than reverting to Gillian's Nelis' review above. (Not currently online) Lastly, if you work in the hospitality industry you might want to sign up for our jobs emails starting tomorrow. Find out more about ATF Jobs here . More next week.

After weeks of teasing and a very gradual opening of doors, The Well on St Stephen's Green officially opens today. Encompassing a café, bar, restaurant and co-working space, they're calling it "the local for the digital generation", and hope their 'millennial' cocktail list and the fact that they have Dublin Pizza Company on site will help in attracting them. The main space at ground level is a bar/café/meeting space with free co-working desks (complete with wifi, plenty of plugs and USB connections - the dream), Dublin Pizza Company in the back and loads of seating. ‘These Hands’ coffee shop opens into the ground floor space and out onto the green serving Imbibe coffee, pastries and yoghurts from 07:00 - 19:00, and Dublin Pizza Company will serve wood-fired pizza, cheese and charcuterie boards from 12:00 - 22:00. The drinks list is definitely a step up from the average city centre bar with several wines more commonly seen in some of the city's best wine bars and restaurants, and a beer list featuring craft breweries and missing a lot of more well known brands - you won't find Heineken or Guinness but you will find Pilgrims Pale Ale and Shandon Stout. The 'millennial' cocktail list includes ingredients like matcha, aloe vera and collagen (whatever you're having yourself), and one comes dipped in edible glitter - the stuff Instagram dreams are made of. While the fit out of the old Dandelion building (remember those nights?) looks pretty high end, most of the materials have been recycled or refurbished, and they're pledging to only use materials that are sustainable and have been ethically produced. They have eight wines on tap, won't be giving out straws or napkins, and are aiming to keep waste to a minimum. The basement level will get going in September as an events space, late bar and live music venue, and they're planning on showing sport on big screens too. We can't help thinking The Well is the answer to two eternal Dublin questions. Where can I set up my laptop to work with no pressure to buzz off as soon as my coffee's finished? And where can we get good food and drinks on a Sunday/Monday night? Liquid collagen on request. The Well 130 - 133 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 Sun - Thu 09:00 - 12:00, Fri - Sat 12:00 - 02:30. www.thewelldublin.ie

This weekend's Irish Times review illustrates the importance of finishing the job after a restaurant rebrand. It's pretty widely known (and if not easily googled) that the former Dunne & Crescenzi in Sandymount has been taken over by the owners' two sons and rebranded as ' Crudo '. It's already featured in the critic reviews three times (as 'Crudo'), but CC flips between calling it 'Crudo' and 'Dunne & Crescenzi', noting that the only place she can see 'Crudo' is at the top of the menu, and Dunne & Crescenzi is still over the door. We're not sure if this is a misunderstanding on her part or an attempt to not confuse the Sandymount socialites, but either way, time to get a new sign lads. Despite the name confusion, she calls it "a hearty neighbourhood place" with "rustic Italian cooking". Chargrilled asparagus on toast with whipped ricotta and an egg and mint dressing had a "picnic vibe off it, in a good way", battered monkfish was "lovely" and came with an equally lovely apricot and cumin ketchup, and veal with truffle gnocchi was an "all-Italian tribute". Her main of puttanesca with mackerel was "gutsy" but the leathery green olives had to go, and panna cotta to end was as good as any she's had in Dublin. She gives it 8/10 and says they're serving food "several notches above what you might get on a trip to the brighter lights of the city centre." And the even better news is that they're closing tomorrow for refurbishments - including a new sign. Read her review here . In case we needed any more proof about how the standards in Irish food are currently going through the roof, Katy McGuinness in the Irish Independent gives her third set of full marks in two months to Aimsir , after also awarding faultless scores to Chapter One and Liath . We'd make a guess that this has never happened before - 10/10's (or in this case 30/30's) are a rarity, and to have three in such short succession is an eyebrow raiser. We presume it also made up for last week 's insect in crap salad incident. Like the critics before her she doesn't even attempt to go into all 18 courses, but cites standouts as the opener of violetta potato with Boyne Valley Bán cheese, pickled black garlic and Irish truffle, a Flaggy Shore oyster with roasted koji butter and apple balsamic, and the soda bread cooked in beef fat with "celestial" raw milk butter (above). She says Aimsir has "soul, a commitment to beauty and a deep understanding of flavour and texture", and urges you to go for yourself before the new Michelin guide comes out in Autumn and prices will surely go up. Read her review here . In the Irish Examiner Leslie Williams is the latest critic lured back to Chameleon after their little refresh earlier this year (amazing what some new paint can do), and calls the food "supremely tasty". Particular praise for the "deeply flavoured complex Satay Ayam" with free-range chicken, the "pillowy soft" bao with pork belly and 'fish fingers' (not in the same bun), and the perkedel - a crispy potato and chickpea cake. He says the joy in Chameleon is in the mix of dishes and flavours to try, and recommends going with as many people as possible so you can have all the food. Read his review here . In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley was living it large at Michelin-starred L'Ecrivain , where he says eating feels like "a proper hug", in comparison to some other restaurants cooking at the same level. Amuses bouches of ice cream cones filled with tuna tartare and Dublin Bay Prawns in Ketaifi pastry were "jewel-like and ethereal", and starters of foie gras and poached Irish lobster tail were "absolute classics". Earthy squab pigeon was "rich, moist, nicely bloody", and John Dory was "roasted to the nanosecond of perfection". Crème brûlée and cheese to end didn't let the standards slip, nor did the wine pairings throughout, and he calls it a "splendid repast". (Review not currently online) In the Sunday Independent we're probably half way through Lucinda 's summer of round-ups, and are counting the days until normal service resumes. This week it's her best seafood spots, and getting a mention in Dublin are Aqua in Howth, Fish Shop , Little Mike's , The Seafood Café and Sole . It's not currently online but clearly we've all got seafood on the brain as we also did a guide to the best places to eat it in Dublin last week. Find that here . In the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis was very excited about taking a spin on the extended M11 to Wexford (it gets three mentions), but even without it says she'd go back to Crust in Wexford town. The Neapolitan style pizza with Irish ingredients "more than stands up to what the capital has to offer", with a base "as light as air", sauce "full of flavour", and a mushroom deluxe with smoked black ham and truffle oil is described as "a triumph". Affogatos for dessert were "great ice cream, topped with equally great coffee", and she recommends checking out the new road (and the pizza) for yourself. Read her review here . Finally in the Sunday Times , new food critic Niall Toner is impressed by the whole, chargrilled fish at Prado - less so by the raw red pepper in the salad and the charred, bitter broccoli. He gives it 3.5/5 and you can read his review here . More next week.

Welcome to the point in the Irish summer where the conversation has drifted from the current state of the weather to how the summer is running away like a bold child, thus cutting the actual summer in half. If you’re trying to ignore the summer haters, eating seafood in the sun is a good way to hang on to the warm weather, because we’re back to potatoes in around a month. Little Mike's and Michael's Owner Gaz Smith has set his restaurants Michael's and Little Mike's out from the rest by making a point of sourcing a lot of his seafood straight from the boats, an unusual (and successful) tactic for a city restaurant. Also this is one of those places where everything is cooked in floods of butter but in the best way possible and you’ll never want to leave. Octopussy's Seafood Tapas We all need a spot on Howth pier for seafood tapas for when you’ve gotten too hot because you’re Irish and feel the need to fling yourself at the sun whenever the opportunity arises and you eventually need to find shelter inside because you’ve now turned yourself into a lobster. You'll feel at home at Octopussy's . Get the seafood platter for one or two and cool off with some white wine. Klaw and The Seafood Café Niall Sabongi’s Dublin fish empire has become a mainstay in Dublin. Between Klaw and the Seafood Café , you’ll find a casual setting that will make you feel like you’re living the carefree summer life you intended. Crab on toast and skewered prawns are some of our go-tos, but they have regularly changing specials. Lobstar Lobstar in Monkstown provides a very suitable and soothing space to ease you back into the warmth of autumnal cooking in the form of meaty Irish lobster and steaks - because it will probably be raining outside. We love them for their commitment to Irish Lobster year round. During a stormy period last year when they were no lobsters coming in from the Irish sea they were explicit in telling guests that they'd had to buy in Canadian, while some other restaurants around town claimed they were still serving Irish. Cliff Townhouse & Urchin A more sophisticated place to dine on seafood because you’re not always straight from the beach with sand clinging to every item of clothing you have. You also have two options for whether to go to the Townhouse for a blowout (might we suggest the seafood platter) or else go downstairs to Urchin for some small plates and cocktails. Fish Shop Benburb & Queen Street The place you go in town for a casual dinner that turns into you being over excited by the wine list and blowing your midweek budget on booze and fish. Both sites are just as good as each other so it’s up to you if you want bougie fish and chips in Benburb or a table d’hote menu down the street in Queen Street . If you're around on a Monday don't miss Benburb's Monday Wine Club, with quite frankly ridiculous prices on wines by the glass - but beware, they sometimes only open one bottle so get there early to avoid devastation. Sole Sole seems to have done a turnaround after a few, if not many, bad reviews that mainly focused on their lack of provenance when it came to seafood and their sky high prices. They seem to have listened and their menu now boasts sourcing from the coasts, with a much bigger focus on Irish seafood. Shaka Poke If we can get over eating fish as an ‘island nation’, we can get over eating raw fish, especially if it’s incorporated into a poke bowl with a load of healthy toppings to make you feel even more virtuous. Shaka Poke are in Blackrock Market and St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, as well as several markets around the city. Did we miss your favourite seafood spot? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.

It’s increasingly clear that we’re going to have to make the most of whatever ‘summer 2019’ is - so that means grabbing any sunshine you can. Step outside, find a patch of grass and kick your shoes off, not with a sad sandwich, but with a bright box of something special. More picnic guides to follow but for the time being we’ve ticked every gate close to St Stephen's Green (or Iveagh Gardens, or Trinity. Go nuts). Weather permitting of course. Tiller + Grain Tiller + Grain has been a hit from day one and proof that you can be both instagrammable and incredibly tasty. Generous bowlfuls that are worth a blow out every now and then, it’s genuinely hard to choose from the heaped platters of salads, fishes, roasted meats and grains which all manage work beautifully together. All of it is good, all of the time. Tang Tang's rainbow colours will brighten up even a cloudy day, as their Middle Eastern flavours make you warm from the inside out. An always friendly spot where some of the best Irish producers meet the souk, their daily changing salads and flatbreads are full of spice, crunch and of course tang. Green Bench Café Rain or hail the (fast moving) queue is deep on Montague Street where every element of the Green Bench Café 's food shines. Thoughtful, creative and full of daily surprises, house made cakes and their sausage rolls on Fridays are often gone before 1pm. If you get the hot pot and sandwich combo that’s dinner taken care of as well. Kokoro Sushi Bento For premade fridge bento Kokoro 's are as good as it gets in Dublin. Pretty and lots of choice of nigiri, hosomaki and sashimi, all with miso, or build your own box with fishy pick-n-mix for a quick grab and go. And maybe a little aduki bean dorayaki for afters. Shaka Poke Showing no signs of being a fad, poke now has a permanent spot in Stephen’s Green shopping centre, where Shaka Poke will pile you up a towering bowl of freshness to eat in or take away. Any of their signature bowls are worth trying (even the fishless ones) but ours is an "off the wall", with salmon, edamame, carrot, red cabbage and mango. Cloud Picker Café A bit of a hoof to the Green from Cloud Picker Café but there’s plenty of green space in Trinity either. The Dublin coffee roasting favourite are now packing it out daily at their own space with chunky exciting salads and breads, and they offer discounts for people who bring their own food containers. Don't forget a Polish yeast bun for afters. Sisu Another bento, this time from Sisu on Stephen's Street, whose €10 bento is now available for takeaway. It changes every day and you probably won't need dinner after the generous amount of food. Industry Another of our salad favourites, Industry on Drury Street is Dublin's answer to Ottolenghi (them and Tiller + Grain - see above). The portions aren't huge, but thankfully the flavours are. Balfe's Cash rich and time poor? Need to make a really good first impression or make a serious apology? This is the answer. Balfe’s will make you up a wicker basket of cheese, charcuterie, paté, bread, crackers, salad and strawberries along with a blanket, plates and real cutlery, and either mini bottles of Pommery pop champagne for €110 or pink lemonade for €60. You will feel like a legend in your lunchtime. Then it’s back to work. Bah. Contact Balfe's directly at least 24 hours in advance to arrange.

We're seeing an abundance of stuffed foods on the Insta this week, and let's face it. What's better than taking a food that you love (say for instance an artichoke) and stuffing it with another food that you love (like cheese - see below). Here are the ones we most want to stuff in our faces. 1) The Sushi Burrito From Take A Veg Forget the terrible name. This has nothing to do with a burrito. It's just an enormous, vegan sushi roll that we need in our lives. Take A Veg have a very dedicated vegan following and we could possibly be converted (maybe for a portion of the week) by this creation with grilled tempeh, Pad Thai sauce, spring onions, sriracha, carrots and Teriyaki dipping sauce. Available in deep-fried or fresh - there's only one right answer. 2) The Batata From Shouk We can't get enough of Shouk (and neither can a lot of other people as it's permanently packed) and their new loaded batata stuffed with lamb and beef on a labneh and sumac sauce has given us another reason to plan ahead to eat there. 3) The Ricotta-Stuffed Artichoke From Osteria Lucio Love artichokes. Love cheese. Love artichokes stuffed with cheese. Especially when it's ricotta and there's also has some Gubbeen guanciale hiding in there. Osteria Lucio have set the stuffed bar high. 4) Tempura Cauliflower Tacos From The Pepperpot Café When it comes to tacos, the answer is always yes, and these ones from The Pepperpot Café actually sound quite healthy, with tempura cauliflower, pickled cabbage, chimmichurri, brown rice and black bean salad. It's an excuse to eat even more. 5) The Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwiches At Chimac We waited, and waited, and to be fair they look worth the wait. Chimac 's stuffed cookie ice-cream sandwiches have landed and we are eager to get involved. Cornflake coating FTW.

A few months ago we asked on Instagram stories what cuisines Dublin was missing, and were surprised at the amount of people saying Ethiopian food. Well your dining prayers have been answered, as an Ethiopian supper club is coming to Dublin, complete with marinated lamb, berbere chicken stew and Ethiopian greens, all served on injera (a type of African flatbread). Mel Roddy is from Ethiopia but has been living in Ireland with his sisters and parents for more than 20 years. They've never had the chance to eat the food from home in restaurants here as nowhere was serving it, and after a trip home last year he decided he wanted to introduce the Ethiopian way dining to Dublin. The supper club is called Gursha , which means 'mouthful', or the act of feeding someone else at the table - a sign of friendship and love. Ethiopian food is generally eaten from a communal plate with four or five people, but you can ask for your own plate if that's not your thing. The injera that the food is served on is used as a plate, and to pick up the various dishes. Gursha's chefs are two family friends who have also been living here for years, one of whom used to be the chef in the Ethiopian Embassy in Dublin, and the seven course supper club will take place from 7pm on Friday and Saturday nights in Cloud Café on North Strand Road. If it goes well they want to look at opening a permanent site. Gursha starts on Friday 9th of August and tickets are a ridiculously good value €25, with wines and soft drinks available to buy on the night. Get tickets here .

First up, in yesterday's Irish Daily Mail, Tom Doorley was dining solo at Shelbourne Social , and says the "eccentric meal" left him "underwhelmed". He says he's given them time to "bed down" after initial mixed reports, but like the critics before him, felt "confused" by the multi-sectioned menu . Akami tuna (below) was fresh and summery but the portion was "minute", while torched Dexter beef with garlic, confit egg, Parmesan and kohlrabi was "slightly strange" but he liked it, except for the odd gristly bit. Pork belly with artichoke and squid was "a pleasant enough bowlful" but ambitiously priced at €30, and a dessert of strawberry kakigori with green tea dust, pistachio cream and "outstandingly delicious" strawberries sounds like the highlight. He says he expected more culinary fireworks, and a more coherent menu, and left "a little underwhelmed". Those guys cannot catch a break. (Review not currently online) In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness found an unwelcome visitor in her salad at Bewley's on Grafton Street, which only added to her "quite shocking" lunch. The wriggling insect was living in some "past-their-prime, brown-spotted lettuce leaves", on the side of a "not good" quiche Lorraine, with "adequate" potato salad. Yum-my. A macchiato was good and a Mary cake (almond sponge, apricot centre, chocolate mousse) "rich and delicious", but her main gripe resided around the fact that as somewhere that's likely to be on every tourist's hit list, Bewley's should be a showcase for excellent Irish food, and on that front it's "failing miserably". She describes the menu as "all over the place", and cites the Coronation Chickpea Tartine (an open sandwich to the unwashed) featuring chickpeas mixed with vegan mayonnaise, soya yoghurt, mango chutney and curry spices, topped with grated carrot and red cabbage on walnut and raisin sourdough bread, as an example of food that looks as "dispirited and confused" and it sounds. She calls it "a missed opportunity to showcase great Irish ingredients", and gives the food and value 4/10. Read her review here . In the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis was purging herself after her trip to The Old Post Office in Blackrock a couple of weeks ago, and the antidote to a "laughably expensive ... poor to mediocre" meal was China Sichuan in Sandyford. She could have eaten the "man and wife" beef slices and the Chinese turnip cake all day, baby back pork ribs were "a simple, delicious delight", and a ‘golden apricot’ for dessert made from almond crème brûlée, hazelnut sponge and a sea salt and apricot gel centre was "the perfect light, zingy finale". She says, "everything about China Sichuan is generous: the flavours, the service, the welcome, the range of dishes on offer", and she's now fully cleansed. Read the full thing here . In the Irish Times Catherine Cleary calls Chimac "addictive chicken for a new generation". Despite the wait list for a table, and the 30 minute wait for food once they got in there, she says it was absolutely worth it. XL nugs with sriracha caramel were "delicious", as was a cucumber salad, and they nailed the cauliflower wings "right in the middle where this vegetable gets silky and nutty". A chicken burger with Korean hot sauce had "funk" and a "savoury growl to the spicy heat", and the chicken had "shellac crispness". Desserts of cookie ice-cream sandwiches were "jaw-achingly sweet" and felt like a work in progress, but she's hopeful that any teething issues will soon be ironed out, as Chimac has "the kind of complex layers and brilliant flavours that you hardly ever find between two burger buns". She gives them 8.5/10 and you can read her review here . Also feeling the Chimac love was new Sunday Times food critic (and long-standing Lifestyle editor) Niall Toner. It's a marked improvement on last week's write up of The Donnybrook, both in food quality and entertainment value, and you can read it here . In the Irish Examiner Joe McNamee enjoyed the "stunning ocean view" at Stranded in Kinsale, as well as the pan-seared scallops ("delicious little bonbons of juicy marine umami"), gambas pil pil ("exquisitely meaty prawns") and a Spanish tortilla ("an extremely tasty dish"). He says Stranded are cooking "straightforward dishes but with real care and regular flashes of considered originality", and gives the food 8/10, and the value 10/10. He also compares himself to a whale, so if you see him around give him a hug. Read his review here . Finally in the Sunday Independent it's another round-up from Lucinda , this time of the 20 best spots to eat along the Wild Atlantic Way, including Michelin-starred Mews (below) and Restaurant Chestnut in Cork, The Fishbox in Dingle and Little Fox in Ennistymon (watch a lovely video about them here ). Not currently online but should be on her website soon. More next week.

Is French Toast even French? Well, kinda. The French did invent it (as pain perdu, or “lost bread”), but it’s not until it hit British shores in the 1600's that French Toast as we know it today got its name. We can never get enough of the good stuff, so to make up for missing Bastille Day on July 14th, we’ve put together some of the best Dublin cafés and restaurants leading the French (Toast) Revolution. Two Pups Coffee The toppings change with the seasons, but the guys in Two Pups never fail to deliver incredible looking (and tasting) plates of French toast all year round. Recent takes have included salted-baked pineapple with white chocolate and coriander, and Speculoos with rhubarb. Five Points Not being dramatic, but Five Points ’ summer French toast is the fix you've been crying out for. Try and nab an outdoor table to soak up some sun, and take your time over these wedges of gooey bread topped with berries and tart lemon curd. Utter vibes. Brother Hubbard North When this picture popped up our Instagram feeds we had to take a moment. Brother Hubbard 's inspired combination of fluffy brioche French toast with peach compote, peach slices, and a white chocolate mascarpone has monopolised our thoughts ever since. Déjà Vu Ever classic, ever totally delicious, Déjà Vu in Malahide's homemade brioche with perfectly crispy bacon and maple syrup is faultless every time, and proves that it if ain't broke, don't even attempt to fix it. Slice While not a constant feature on the menu, Slice in Stoneybatter regularly serve up French toast specials that are joy in food form. This recent dish with poached rhubarb, walnuts, and berries gave us all the summer feels. Yes, it’s indulgent, but we’re jotting this one down under “Self Care”. The Cake Café Not to be outdone by its little sister Slice, The Cake Café ’s brunch menu has a weekly French toast special. Head there for coffee in the courtyard, and a stack of toast that will take all your Monday worries away (or at least let you momentarily put off the Sunday fear). San Lorenzo's “What did you have for breakfast?” “Oh, just some cereal, with a banana.” You’re not technically lying. The guys at San Lorenzos serve a mash-up of French toast coated in crispy Coco Pops, served with caramelised bananas, peanut butter, mascarpone, and a chocolate drizzle. You won’t want to eat it too often, but you won't forget it in a hurry. Ladurée Hungover AF and need to pretend to be a functioning adult sharpish? Grab your biggest sunglasses, a faux-Hermes scarf, and nab a table by the window of Ladurée to do some serious people-watching while sipping tea, and delicately dolloping chantilly cream on dainty slices of French toast. Did we miss your favourite place for French Toast? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.

There's a bit of a café vibe going on this week - must be summer in the air and the need for salads and outside seating. In The Irish Times Catherine Cleary reckons she might have found the two best cafés in Dublin, after visits to Cloud Picker and Bread 41 , both on Pearse Street. In Cloud Picker she found salads that "deserve a bit of time", including sweet potato, sheep's yoghurt and rayu, and lemony aubergine with bulgar wheat, walnuts and cranberries. A seasalt caramel square and paleo ginger cake did exactly what they should, and coffee was "great". She calls neighbours Bread 41 "a beautiful operation", making "delicious sourdough breads and dangerously huge morning buns". A Thai noodle salad and chicken banh mi were "delicious" and "gorgeous", with the sandwich doused in a house fermented hot sauce with pickled carrots and roasted peanuts. She says she loves both cafés for "their food and their philosophy", and that they're making Dublin "better from the inside out". Read her duo review here . In the Irish Independent , Katy McGuinness is the latest person to fall in love with Argentinean café Alma on the South Circular Road, calling it "a small restaurant with big personality". A salad bowl of sautéed kale, spiced chickpeas, pickled onions and carrots topped with soft-poached eggs in an anchovy and tahini dressing was "filling and tasty", while a loaded batata (whole grilled sweet potato) with Argentinian sausage ragu, fresh peas, spiced nuts, herbs, leaves and lime sour cream had flavours and textures that were "spot on". Tomato, red pepper, basil and Parmesan soup was "delicious", banana and pistachio bread with dulce de leche needed more caramel but was still good, and she thought the coconut and raspberry dark chocolate bounty bar gave vegan desserts a good rep. She found the service as charming as everyone else who's walked through the door, and says she loves it, giving the food 8/10 and the ambience 10/10. Read her review here . In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley was also swooning, this time for Frank's , (who have yet to have a negative word said about them), calling it "a cracker of a new restaurant". Some of the swoon-worthy dishes included watermelon, cucumber, almond and herbs - "delicious ... a very happy combination of textures and herbs" - and ripe nectarine with ricotta, brown butter and shortbread crumbs - "one of the simplest and best things I've had in ages". He says Frank's is "not just brilliant, but generous almost to a fault". (Review not currently online) In the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis was feeling all the good vibes at Tiller + Grain on South Frederick Street, who she says are making business green in "the right way". Salads, meat and fish, including rare beef and broccoli cooked on a Big Green Egg were "far removed" from most others in the city, and carrot cake was "divine", with a polenta and lemon curd muffin so light and fresh that it tasted almost healthy. She says that Tiller + Grain "injected plenty of sunshine and good vibes" into her day, and that if there was ever a café to prove that eating well and sustainably isn't a chore, this is it. Read her review here . In the Sunday Independent Lucinda O'Sullivan 's on her annual reviewing hiatus, instead giving us various round ups, this week of the best food trucks and trailers in the country. Making the grade in Dublin are Container Coffee , Eat My Veg , Happy Out , Lala Poutine , The Market Kitchen , The Taco Truck and Vietnom , and from what we're hearing Órale Street Food in Stoneybatter should probably be added to that list. (Not currently online) In the Irish Examiner Joe McNamee calls OHK Café in Kinsale one of his "new most favourite places in the world to eat", which seems marginally more for the atmosphere (which he gave 10/10 for) than the food (8/10). Despite the menu being "top heavy" with sandwiches and salads, a mozzarella, pesto and tomato toastie and a "sublime" Spanish tortilla made up a "champion brunch", that he'd "travel the length of the country" to eat again. Read his review here . Finally in the Sunday Times it's Niall Toner again, and if there was ever an argument that food critics should be people who know and understand food, it's the depressing lack of descriptors in this review of Oliver Dunne's revamped gastropub The Donnybrook . He doesn't have a whole lot to say (and admits as much), other than it wasn't very exciting, and gives it 2.5/5. Read his review here . More next week.

When we first wrote about Circa opening in March, there was a mention of hiphop brunches once they found their feet, and it's safe to say that people got a little bit excited . The good news is they're kicking off this Sunday. The bad news is we think there's going to be a queue out the door, so if you want a side of Action Bronson with your French toast you'd better get there early. The guys in Circa say that adding something different to the brunch scene was important to them (you won't find eggs benedict or a full Irish here), and the menu features dishes like PB&J French toast with strawberry compote, mascarpone, peanut butter ganache and strawberry ice-cream, and avocado, Toonsbridge mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes on a toasted flatbread with a poached egg, pesto aioli and organic leaves (above). You can see the full menu at the bottom of this article. Expect tunes from Biggie Smalls, Action Bronson, 2pac, Drake and Run DMC, and loads of low abv drinks like spritzs, prosecco cocktails and aperol sours. Hiphop brunch is from 11:00 - 15:30 on Sundays and is walk in only. This one gona be busy. Circa 90 Terenure Road North, Terenure, Dublin 6 Wed - Fri 17:00 - 22:00. Sat - Sun 09:00 - 14:30, 17:00 - 22:00. restaurantcirca.com

A sushi-only restaurant has opened on Little Mary Street just off Capel Street. Fudo Izakaya is a sister restaurant to Sisu , the Japanese Izakaya near St. Stephen’s Green which opened last November. Their initial plan was to operate as an Izakaya like Sisu (a Japanese bar that serves snacks and hot food alongside drinks, hence the name Fudo Izakaya), but soon after opening decided to shift to sushi only. Fudo's head chef has worked and trained in sushi restaurants in Copenhagen for the past 10 years, and they say that what he was producing was so good that they decided to focus on just that - even the rice preparation is more laborious than they've experienced before. Big talk. Like Sisu, the sushi menu is on the creative side, featuring things the "Japanese roll" with seared beef, tempura prawn, tempura asparagus, spring onion and spicy mayo, and the "Hawaii roll" with grilled fresh scallops, kiwi, cucumber and yuzu mayo. We're super intrigued by the dragon roll with macerated Wexford strawberry, cucumber tempura prawn, avocado and mayo. Fudo is open seven days a week from 12:00 - 22:00, and while they currently only serve wine and plum wine, they plan to add more drinks, including a sake range, over the coming months. You can also BYOB with a corkage charge of €6 for wine and €1.50 for beer. Fudo Izakaya 28 Mary Street Little, Dublin 7 Mon - Sun 12:00 - 22:00 www.fudoizakaya.ie

Our bi-monthly list features the most talked about restaurants in Dublin right now. The ones the reviewers are reviewing, the instagrammers are instagramming, and where getting a Saturday (or any) night table can take military planning. These are the hottest restaurants in Dublin right now, in alphabetical order... 3 Leaves Where: Blackrock Market The tiny Indian in Blackrock exploded in 2018 with zero PR attached - just word of very satisfied mouths. Soon it was being called "outstanding" by Tom Doorley and "a revelation" by Katy McGuinness and it was firmly on the Dublin food map. Expect very tasty, very good value food, and the fact that you can BYOB is another reason it's difficult to get a table in. Read more about 3 Leaves here . Alma Where: Portobello The Argentinean café opened in mid-January with slick imagery and a very different menu to what's currently available on the food scene, and seems to have had a queue since day one. You have definitely seen the dulce de leche pancakes on social media and have probably stood on the SRC waiting for a table. No critic reviews yet but it is only a matter of time. It's got Catherine Cleary all over it. Read more about Alma here . Bastible Where: South Circular Road Always a cornerstone of the Dublin dining scene, Bastible has been catapulted back into the limelight with the news that ex-Noma chef Cúán Greene is back in Dublin and their new head chef. Catherine Cleary was swiftly through the door, calling it "the start of something truly bloody exciting". Expect a stampede. Check out Bastible's hunger-inducing Instagram feed here . Bread 41 Where: Pearse Street Did cruffins even exist before Bread 41 opened last September? What did we have as a 'treat' breakfast? What did food bloggers pull apart for insta story videos? It's fair to say that Real Bread fanatic Eoin Cluskey's Pearse Street bakery burst onto the scene and shows no signs of slowing down. Watch the sad faces pile up around 10am when they find out that everything's gone and the next bake isn't till 11. Check out Bread 41 here . Chimac (New) Where: Aungier Street Korean Fried Chicken fever hit the capital last month when Chimac finally opened, after a year of rumours. Queues down Aungier Street became the norm, and for the first week they didn't seem to be able to keep chicken in stock for more than a few hours. Katy McGuinness in the Irish Independent praised their commitment to free range chicken giving the food 9/10, and you can still expect a wait. Read more our Chimac once over here . Circa Where: Terenure The new neighbourhood restaurant from four industry friends has given city diners another reason to get on a bus to Terenure, with Leslie Williams in the Examiner saying Circa's "future looks bright", and Ernie Whalley in the Sunday Times calling chef Gareth Naughton's cooking "stylish with inspirational touches". There's an interesting drinks list too. Read more about Circa here . Crudo Where: Sandymount Dunne & Crescenzi 2.0 is from the owners' two sons, who've given the Sandymount site a serious face lift. They burst onto Instagram in January with multiple images of food that made us want to run for the Dart, and as we know, provide the excellent images and the critics will come. So far Lucinda O'Sullivan , Tom Doorley and Ernie Whalley have given it their stamp of approval and we'd say there's more to come. Check out Crudo here . Etto Where: Merrion Row Etto has been dream dining since opening mid-recession in 2013. One of the most highly rated, consistent restaurants in the city, no one was surprised to see them take home best restaurant in Ireland at last year's Restaurant Awards . Katy McGuinness reviewed them for a second time last February giving out a very rare 10/10, and saying she wouldn't change a single thing about it. Read more about Etto here . Fish Shop Benburb Street Where: Smithfield Simple seafood, sherry and natural wines have been drawing the crowds to Smithfield since day one, and it's one of the food & drink industry's favourite hang outs . Catherine Cleary likened it to "a world class tapas bar", Katy McGuinness called it "perfection", and their Monday Wine Club is without doubt the best value place to drink quality wine in the whole of Dublin. Champagne for €7.50 a glass anyone? Read more about Fish Shop Benburb St here . Forest & Marcy Where: Leeson Street The second opening from the team behind Forest Avenue and chef Ciaran Sweeney is another place you'll find most of the city's restaurant staff hanging out on Sunday nights. It was originally walk in only, but thankfully they changed it and now take bookings, which is good because these are some of the hardest to get seats in town. Read more about Forest & Marcy here . Frank's (new) Where: Camden Street When Frank's butcher's shop on Camden Street became vacant, the owners of Delahunt a few doors up decided to take it over and turn it into a wine bar, leaving the butcher's frontage as is. Catherine Cleary in the Irish Times called it her "new favourite restaurant", and Aoife Carrigy in Food & Wine compared it to a cocoon, calling the food "top-class". Check out Frank's here . Grano Where: Stoneybatter We don't remember a new Italian restaurant ever having the impact Grano has in just two months since they opened, with 5 critics in already. By January they were booking out weeks in advance, and on the two occasions we ate there, countless people were turned away all evening. Catherine Cleary called it "terrific", and Lucinda O'Sullivan said if she lived locally she'd be there every night. Read our Grano once over here . Groundstate Coffee Where: Dublin 8 This seasonal café and yoga studio was put on the national map in March when Catherine Cleary in The Irish Times called it "one of Dublin's best cafés", quickly followed by Katy McGuinness in The Irish Independent who said the food was "properly tasty". Both praised the "exemplary" food provenance and cemented its place as one of the best brunch spots in Dublin right now. Check out Groundstate Coffee here . Host Where: Ranelagh Host opened in Ranelagh in 2017 and was like a corridor of London transported into a street in need. Soon the neighbourhood had a new favourite hangout for handmade pasta, sharing steak and great wine, and more than one critic complained about not being able to get a table. Host is still killing it in the popularity stakes and their fans frequently travel across the city to eat there. Read our Host once over here . Liath Where: Blackrock When Heron & Grey announced they were splitting up late last year, anyone who's eaten there (or was never lucky enough to get a booking) sobbed inwardly, but when Damien Grey announced he was opening the restaurant under a new name, 'Liath', sighs of relief were heard across the city. It opened in March to raves all round, and expect reservations to be like hen's teeth for the foreseeable future. Read our Liath once over here . Little Mike's (new) Where: Mount Merrion We didn't think it was possible for Michael's in Mount Merrion to be overshadowed, until little brother and wine bar Little Mike's opened a few doors up. It's left a clean sweep of critics swooning ( us included ), with Ernie Whalley describing the seafood small plates as full of sincerity and generosity, and Tom Doorley calling it "a delight". The counter seats with a view of the kitchen are the ones in demand, and the wine experience is at the same level as the food. Read more about Little Mike's here . Potager (new) Where: Skerries There was a lot of excitement in the industry when it was announced in January that ex-Chapter One head chef Cathal Leonard was taking over the old Red Bank in Skerries. He and partner Sarah Ryan opened the doors in June and unusually Catherine Cleary from the Irish Times was the first in. She called the evening tasting menu "the best money you'll spend on food in Dublin", and after eating there we'd be inclined to agree Read our Potager once over here . Two Pups Where: Francis Street Casually going about their breakfast, lunch and brunch business since 2016, Two Pups is still one of the most sought after brunch spots in Dublin, and if you go on weekends prepare to queue. They're single-handedly responsible for one of the world's greatest pairings - avocado and garlic peanut butter, and the French toast with plum compote and white chocolate reached legendary status. Read more about Two Pups here . Uno Mas Where: Aungier Street The second, Spanish-influenced opening from the guys behind Etto almost kept us waiting as long as Gertrude, but from the day they announced they were opening at the end of November there's been a steady stream of critics, bloggers and just breathing humans coming out awestruck at the gildas, the mussels, the flan. It also has some of the best bar seating in town and some is saved for walk-ins. Jackpot. Read more about Uno Mas here . Variety Jones Where: Thomas Street The first solo opening from chef Keelan Higgs opened five days before Christmas with no fuss, they just got the fire going in the hearth at the back and swung open the doors. Pretty soon reports were coming in about some of the most exciting cooking in the city, and all seven national critics had paid a visit in the first two months. Almost all left very satisfied. Read our Variety Jones once over here . Ones to watch... - We're very impatiently waiting for Niall Davidson 's new opening Allta (Irish for 'wild'), expected by the end of the summer, which will bring small plates and pasta to South Frederick Street - Ex- Etto staff member Jess D'Arcy and her husband will open Mamó in Howth in August, and we are tense with anticipation for this one - There's a new barbecue spot coming to Camden Street that we're dying to tell you about. More when we're allowed to shout about it - Amy Austin, the new wine bar from 777 and ex-Luna owner John Farrell should be open in the next few weeks, and it sounds like something we're going to get excited about - The owners of Deville's in Dalkey will open Casper and Giumbini's in Dun Laoghaire in late July, and with the ex-manager of 64 Wine looking after the wine list we've got a good feeling - Little Forest, the new Italian in Blackrock from the guys behind Forest Avenue and Forest & Marcy is delayed due to building issues, but we're eagerly awaiting news of an opening date

You know the feeling. You’re having a lovely night, the food's great and the conversation's flowing, but you've been handed the dessert menu and nothing appeals. Alternatively you've eaten too much and are in desperate need of a stroll to break the meal and rediscover your appetite. When either happens, you've got options. These are some of our favourite spots for post-dinner dessert that open late - and if you're really stuffed, dessert cocktails are also an option. (Note: we would never encourage leaving Uno Mas without the Flan de Queso) Mr Fox Pro tip: loads of excellent restaurants will be happy to let you in for dessert if you give them a call in advance and they have space. Head to Mr Fox for their take on the Iceberger or Super Split, or the PB&J that will send you home with a nostalgic spring in your step. Gertrude The guys at Gertrude are always happy to see you for a nightcap and some apple fritters, or the strawberries, mascarpone and roasted white chocolate, or the 3fe Espresso Ice Cream, and they're such good value at €4-6 that we recommend getting one of each. A cheese plate and sweet wine is also a vibe. Peruke and Periwig Dessert in a glass - we're into it. Prop yourself up with Peruke & Periwig 's 'The Cold S’mores' - marshmallow infused vodka, crème de cacao, kahlua, milk & cream with a biscuit rim & toasted marshmallows, or try the Key Lime Pie gimlet - citrus and vanilla vodka, tarte citron, lemon, lemonade, a biscuit rim and meringue foam. No matter how full you are when you enter, the likelihood is you'll find room for seconds. Ely Wine Bar Ely Wine Bar 's elegant Georgian room is a comfy place to carry on the conversation and finish out the night with ‘just one more glass of wine’. Desserts features things like poached Irish rhubarb, jelly, nuts and vanilla ice-cream, and burnt honey cheesecake with bitter almond ice-cream, and excellent cheese is a given. Dolce Sicily We can think of worse ways of finishing a night than with espresso and the best Sicilian cannoli this side of Naples at Dolce Sicily . We asked what time they usually run out of cannoli, and the reply was "never!" Plus there's always room for cannoli. It's a scientific fact. Three Twenty Ice Cream Lab Proof that ice-cream is hot. The good stuff at Three Twenty Ice-Cream lab is churned to order with a dash of liquid nitrogen, and we're all about the crème brûlée made with crème anglaise and a charred fair-trade sugar top, but can also stand behind the chocolate smore with toasted marshmallow fluff. Loose Canon Put yourself in the hands of the cheese experts at Loose Canon and finish the night on a savoury note with a side of natural wine. The weekly cheese specials are in prime condition and there's always some with a bit of funk, just like the wine. Café Bombo Try all the bombolinis (Italian filled doughnuts) you can manage at Café Bombo on Thomas Street, and wash them down with a jug of slushy margaritas to send the night off right. Open until 9pm at weekends. Dunne and Crescenzi Call them while you walk and with enough notice Dunne & Crescenzi should be able to squeeze you in for a late night tiramisu and a Tuscan Vin Santo or an affogato with amaretto. We're imagining this would be particularly perfect post pizza somewhere like Pi whose menu is dessert-less. Eatyard The legendary Teddy’s ice-cream has pitched up at outdoor food market Eatyard to serve you a cold scoop of nostalgia, or you could head to Sweet Churro for (in their own words) ‘crunchy clouds of deliciousness’ with dulce de leche. The Vintage Cocktail Club If your stomach really can't take any more food, or even a dessert cocktail, head to The Vintage Cocktail Club for something fresh, fruity and easily digestible, like The Dirty Wizard, with chilli-infused vodka, gingerbread and blackcurrant liqueur, cranberry juice, fresh citrus, egg whites, a ginger nut rim, berry skewer and a fresh mint sprig. It's basically a digestif. ​​ Scoop Dessert Parlour If on the other hand you haven't eaten enough, there's only one thing for it - the ice-cream cookie sandwich from Scoop . Pick any flavour of both, but a winning combo is the oreo gelato sandwiched between milk chocolate cookies. Just hope you got that walk in post-dinner.

The primary schools have unleashed the kids for two months and parents are scrambling to find activities for them. If you don’t have kids you’re probably still part child, trying to find things to fill up the summer calendar, but mainly your Instagram feed. There’s only so many "so bored, need to go somewhere this summer" posts you can out up before even the bots start to leave you. Here are some food focused festivals that will help to fill the void. The Big Grill The Big Grill is the giant man creche that everyone who fumbles with barbecue skills needs to attend. One day here could fill your BBQ quota for the summer, and is preferable to smoking out your neighbours while trying to grill sausages on a disposable BBQ out your flat window. 15th - 18th August. Get tickets here . The Wine & Cheese Festival Eatyard’s Wine and Cheese Festival is our ultimate festival. There’s no forsaking your tent at the end, no enormous queue for showers, no feeling like you need to slog through a stash of cans - it's the adult festival you need. Included in the ticket price is entry and access to the demos and workshops, besides plenty of music and entertainment. Also, infinite wine and cheese. 8th - 11th August. Get tickets here . Airfield's Festival of Food Entry to Airfield ’s food festival is free, music to all of our ears, but particularly those with energetic children running wild and spending all of their money during their summer of freedom. Find some music, food and beverages while watching demos on gardening, cookery and foraging, or meander between stalls of local producers, while checking out their impressive kitchen gardens. 7th-8th September. Get tickets here . ​ Beatyard Beatyard is the place where Eatyard began, the quintessential nibble and walk. As always with the Bodytonic crew, there will be some excellent brews and beverages to be had at the two day music fest in Dun Laoghaire, as well as a steady supply of 3fe coffee, vegan ramen, Big Blue Bus pizza, Handsome Burgers, Teddy’s Ice Cream, tacos, poutine, and many other reasons to get your hungry self in there. 3rd - 4th August. Get tickets here . All Together Now Let’s say it, all together now, ‘I’m starving...’ Perfect, you’ll be in the right place at this rising star on the Irish festival circuit. Couple that with great food options like Bia Rebel Ramen, Diva Cafe, Kerala Kitchen, Shaka Poke, Market Kitchen, Cloud Picker Coffee, and even fun-time gimmicks like Avocado themed food stalls straight from a millennial fantasy, you know your stomach will be be taken care of. 2nd - 4th August. Get tickets here . Electric Picnic We’ve all been to Electric Picnic in some shape or form, even if just through the stories of that one friend who got too mangled every morning to hear any music but is adamant they had the time of their lives getting fired from their bar job and losing their tent. If you want to dodge the unrefined Leaving Cert grads and have a more grown up experience, head for the Theatre of Food for demos, live fire cooking and a disco drunch. 30th August - 1st September. Get tickets here .

Summer has arrived in Dublin. Yes, it’s barely broken 20 degrees, and the sun hasn’t actually been shining that much, but the rain is gone and the bins in Portobello are filling up faster than the reservations book in Liath. And the food seems to have gotten brighter too. Here are some of the ultra colourful dishes on our eating agenda this week. 1) Gazpacho with Prawns from Rosa Madre Try and name a more iconic duo than seafood and summer; we’ll wait. Using plump red prawns and stracciatella, this rich gazpacho from Rosa Madre looks like a serious shot of flavour when you’re too hot to cook. 2) Cheesy Cornbread from Queen of Tarts They had us at “cheesy”. This new breakfast dish from the  Queen of Tarts  is packing a lot of savoury flavours, which can be surprisingly hard to find on a breakfast menu. It’s served with spicy beans, fried eggs, fresh salsa, chillies, and sour cream, and is giving us all the savoury summer feels. 3) Red Tomato Tagliatelle from Grano Grano ’s violet aubergines and smoked ricotta on red ribbons of tomatoey tagliatelle almost makes us feel the sun on our faces. Add a glass of Verdicchio and you could convince yourself that you're in Sicily instead of Stoneybatter. 4) Pancakes from Evolve Eatery Since opening in Clondalkin last year Evolve Eatery has been turning out some seriously bright plates for breakfast and lunch, and their fluffy protein pancakes topped with mountains of fresh fruit and edible flowers have been catching our eye. They’re also offering free pancakes for children with every adult meal from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. Free food, quiet kids; it’s a summer miracle. 5) Peaches and Ricotta from Frank’s Yes it’s a picture, but if you look at this one long enough, you can actually smell the peaches. Frank's , the new wine bar in a former butcher’s on Camden Street, is walk-in only which makes it the ideal spot to stop in to on an evening stroll. Smothered in ricotta and brown butter, this one will keep you going till Autumn.

It's a weekend of slam dunks, both for new openings and old favourites, but the big question was whether or not the Sunday Times would have a restaurant review this week, after last week's news that long-standing critic Ernie Whalley had been given the heave ho in the latest round of budget cuts. So colour us surprised to see (this week anyway) lifestyle editor Niall Toner taking up the baton. He reviews Juanitos on Drury Street after a failed attempt at getting into Chimac , and you can make up your own mind about the new kid on the block here . In the Irish Times , Catherine Cleary was lured back to Bastible four years after she first " caused a stampede " by the news that ex- Noma chef Cúán Greene has come home and taken up the mantle of head chef, and she's fallen in love all over again. She was hypnotised by the cultured butter, a perfect match for chef/owner Barry Fitzgerald's sourdough - "the best in the business" - and snacks of pumkpin seed purée with lovage pesto, Cooleeney churros and a cube of Nashville fried chicken, were of the "put the fork down and shake your head level of tastiness". Knockalara cheese dumplings (above) were so comforting she thought they could be prescribed as beta blockers, and her pot-roasted cauliflower in a brown, buttery, miso crust ate like meat, and was Noma-esque. Smoked yoghurt woodruff cream for dessert was "wonderfully and differently delicious", and she calls Bastible "a beautifully memorable food experience, a steal at €55 for the tasting menu, and the start of something truly bloody exciting", giving them 9.5/10. Read her review here . In the Irish Examiner Leslie Williams was very taken with new Camden Street wine bar Frank's . He thought the smoked salted almonds and “almost luscious” Nocellara olives were some of the best he’s had, ham hock terrine with Parmesan cream, pickled vegetables and spicy Jalapeño sauce was “a perfect dish”, and caramelised Grelot pearl onions with "flavour-packed romesco" and Gorgonzola was "a creative and nicely balanced mix of flavours". More praise for violet artichokes with duck hearts and hazelnuts (above), sea bream tartar with avocado, and ripe peaches with ricotta and brown butter crumble, which was "a nice lift to the palate" post fish. A mature piece of Durrus cheese was “a beautiful thing”, and gariguette strawberries with sour cream and chicory crumble to finish was “delicious”. He says that while dishes are relatively simple, “they all have surprising and brilliant complexity”, and calls Frank’s “a wonderful addition to an already vibrant part of the city.” Read his review here . In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness says that Chapter One is still the best place to celebrate, and makes Michelin-starred dining “relaxed and unintimidating”. She’s a fan of their “quiet confidence … honing and refining, implementing subtle tweaks that keep making things better”, and cites the recent addition of smoked buttermilk to their pommes purée with scallions, making it one of the most “sublime” dishes she’s had this year. Some of the highlights from a pretty spectacular sounding lunch include classic cheese gougères with truffle, smoked organic salmon with a Lambay crab pancake, peas and a cherry blossom vinaigrette, and a rose and mascarpone Paris-Brest, served with Irish raspberries, and she gives the food, ambience and value 10/10. Read the full mouth-watering rundown here . In the Sunday Independent Lucinda O’Sullivan calls the cooking at Potager in Skerries “faultless”. She praises the “excellent” breads, the “magic” crab, tomato and basil salad, and the “divine” salt-baked celeriac stuffed with Ard Mhacha shiitake mushrooms, topped with a bacon crisp – “pure paradise”. Mains of duck and cod were perfectly cooked, and a smoked chocolate mousse with beetroot and cherries was “delicious”. She reckons it’s going to end up in the same league of hard to get tables as Liath , Aimsir and Mews , so advises getting in quick. (Review not currently online but you can read our Potager once over here ) In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley is the second critic full of the love for Seasalt café in Cobh, saying it’s brought “a lot of joy” to the town. He loved that they “actually do home cooking”, and “don’t cut corners”, citing the Croque Madame made with sourdough, “proper” cheddar, “thoroughly meaty” ham and good bechamel, and the “outstanding” hake tacos – “so good … so unexpected”. A sponge cake with cream and strawberries was “a generous slice of old-fashioned heaven”, and he calls it “terrific value for food that is all made from scratch on the premises. (Review not currently online) Finally in the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis relied on Michelin plaques to find good food in Fuerteventura, ending up at Restaurant Rompeolas , where she thinks there’s “plenty to recommend”, particularly the “prawns in a raincoat” and kid goat with roast garlic and charred padrón peppers. If you’re heading to Fuertevetura any time soon you can read that here . More next week.

Prado , a new restaurant specialising in meat and fish cooked over fire has opened in Clontarf. Run by the same owners of barbecue restaurant Asador in Ballsbridge, it's in the site which formerly housed Moloughney's, a neighbourhood restaurant which had been there for 10 years. Like Asador, Prado will specialise in cooking meat and fish over an open fire grill with Mediterranean influences from Spain and Portugal, as well as Argentina. Some of the dishes on the opening menu include chargrilled octopus salad with romero peppers, plum tomatoes, and manzanilla olives, chargrilled fish on the bone, and Ibérico pork fillet steak with mojo verde, and charred romero pepper. Meat and fish are Irish, with the exception of Iberico pork and octopus from Spain, and prawns from Argentina, and they say they are trying to use as much locally sourced and Irish produce as possible. Prado is now open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Friday, with brunch at weekends. Prado 9 Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3 Tue - Fri 12:00 - 16:00, 17:00 - close. Sat 10:00 - 16:00, 17:00 - close. Sun 10:00 - 12:30, 1:30 - 20:00. prado.ie

A bit of a bombshell this weekend with the news that Ernie Whalley's restaurant reviews for the Sunday Times have been axed. Despite the recent cuts to the Times Ireland office, involving 17 out of 20 staff being made redundant, this has still come as a shock, particularly considering the current wave of excitement surrounding the Irish/Dublin restaurant scene. Whether it's been shelved for good or foisted onto one of the three remaining full time staff members is currently unknown. He chose Little Mike's in Mount Merrion for his last supper, loving it as much as everyone else who's been through the door, and you can read his swan song here . Also reviewing (and loving) Little Mike's was Lucinda O'Sullivan in the Sunday Independent. She calls it "cool and sophisticated", in comparison to big brother Michael's a few doors up - "rustic and charming" - but she compares the snug in the back to a "padded cell" - can't win 'em all. The famous whelks that chef/owner Gaz Smith says he won't charge for if someone doesn't like them had her converted, and whole, grilled Dublin Bay Prawns with salt and lemon were "resplendent". Scallops with gremolata, capers and hollandaise were "divine", Lambay Island crab and Wexford prawn gratin came with crab claws "the size of a baby's fist", and she calls the whole thing "a fishy feast". Fried Gruyère cheese with honey was "lovely" and "stinky", and a chocolate tart was "the dessert of the evening". Review not officially online but you can read it on Gaz Smith's twitter feed here , and get a sense of his cruel taste in pranks here . In the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis is on laugh out loud form whilst obliterating The Old Post Office in Blackrock. She thinks it should be renamed "Jesus It’s Fucking Expensive" as that's likely to be the first thing that people say when they open the menu, and that you can only get away with prices like €11 for soup and fillet of beef for €42 if the food is brilliant, but the food is "not even close to brilliant, and at times it’s downright poor." Marinated sea trout with black bean sauce was "about as tender as an old boot", tasting "deeply unpleasant", a main of scallops for €38 contained four whole scallops, with noodles an extra €5, and gong bao chicken for €32 was "an instantly forgettable plate of chicken and cashew nuts", and cost another fiver for the fried rice on the side. Dessert of pear and chocolate tart came topped with green dust, "which could have been made of pistachio, matcha, broccoli or grass. It tasted of nothing", and she calls it "laughably expensive for a meal that barely tipped into the ‘good’ category, and mostly languished firmly in the ‘poor to mediocre’ one." Read the full cringe-fest here . In the Irish Times Catherine Cleary says she has a new favourite restaurant - Frank's , the new wine bar on Camden Street by the same people behind Delahunt . Despite the temptation to keep herself and her husband's "new secret favourite place" to themselves, she felt it was her civic duty to tell us all about the "nutty, garlicky" ajo blanco with "an almost chewable texture", the Michelin-worthy barley cracker with globe artichoke petals and leek puree, and the asparagus with buttermilk and dill sauces and oils. She says they're still thinking about the just-seared scallops, with lightly-pickled cabbage, juicy golden raisins and a ham hock sauce, pillowy house gnocchi came draped with butter fried oyster mushrooms and an egg with a fudgy yolk, and that Frank's is "utterly in tune with the casual 'let’s go get a bite' urge that feels easier than planning and booking a table in an actual restaurant. The delight is that the food at Frank’s is better than most sit-at-a-table restaurants". She gives it 9/10 and you can read her full review here . In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley was the last of the seven critics through the door of Circa in Terenure, and he makes it six out of seven thumbs pointing upwards. He says he was seduced by the "very cool, modern, stripped back establishment", and the team who are "serious about food without being serious". The buttermilk fried rabbit that every single person through the door seems to have eaten was "a plate jumping with sheer flavour", boudin noir was "sticky and gently cooked", its richness cut by burnt apple, and a taleggio, leek and potato pithivier was "a carb fest of the most elegant kind". A kaffir lime parfait was "elevated to celestial levels" by sheets of caramelised white chocolate, and Cashel Blue came in "perfect nick" with homemade crackers. He calls Circa "lovely", with service that's "friendly, efficient and relaxed", and says it's "a very welcome addition to Dublin". (Review not currently online) In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness was revisiting One Pico , after hearing positive reports about chef Ciaran McGill's food. Turns out the rumours were true, despite the "complete lack of buzz in the room". A starter of pea veloute with shards of Iberico ham and a raviolo of 18-month aged Parmesan was "vivid green and heady with the promise of summer", and lobster ravioli in a crab bisque with shavings of summer truffle was "a luxe and lovely dish". Cod with deep-fried florets of cauliflower, cauliflower purée, mussels, Goatsbridge caviare and capers was "impeccably cooked", and nettle gnocchi with violet artichokes, Coolea fondue, hazelnut vinaigrette and crackers was "a fine vegetarian option", but pommes purée with aged Comte and crispy shallots was dull once all the good stuff had been eaten. Service was "as lacking in personality as the restaurant itself", and she ponders whether this is deliberate so it can be all things to all people. She says that despite the somewhat dull experience, McGill's food is excellent, and gives them 8/10 for food and value. Read her review here . Finally in the Irish Examiner, Leslie Williams liked Chimac 's Korean Fried Chicken, but wished it was a bit more Korean. He recommends ordering the wings, loved the classic burger with Korean hot sauce and daikon slaw, and says the frosé was "far tastier than you might imagine", but wasn't a fan of the chips, calling them "half crunchy, half flaccid". He says it's is a great addition to Dublin and can see them rolling out to other locations, but wishes there was "more Seoul in the food". He gives them 7.5/10 for food and 9/10 for value, and says it's a good start but he's hoping it will get better. (Review not currently online) More next week.

Sometimes we all just need to get out of the house or the library. Maybe you need to get a decent coffee into the system, or the idea of eating lunch at home is too sad, and there’s the hope that leaving the gaff will inject some fresh ideas and motivate you. Get outside, see some people. You don’t even have to socialise, apart from asking for a flat white and a plate of food (or a cake, if you’ve reached that point in the day). Here are some of our favourite cafes for sustenance and coffee to counteract the cabin fever. The Fumbally The Fumbally ’s spacious cafe should provide you with the head-space you need to finish your work, or at least distract you with its hipster utopian vibe and fresh bread. Just do not under any circumstances attempt this on a Saturday morning, otherwise known as crazy time. Bibi's The key to getting some work done in Bibi’s is to go mid-week as to avoid the ravenous D8 brunch crowd. It’s a lot calmer, and you’re more likely to get a bigger table to sprawl all of your work across, all the better for suspending the illusion that you’re not procrastinating. Blas Café Blas has that homey feeling that resembles your sitting room, except that unlike your sitting room, there aren't discarded jumpers and old coffee cups decorated everywhere and you don’t need to think about sorting it all out and how that cup is now mouldy, and how you’re a failure. But anyway, Blas is really cosy. 3fe/Gertrude We’ve picked two cafes in one from 3fe , their Grand Canal street café and Gertrude,  because in pre-Gertrude times we loved doing work in GCS but now Gertrude has risen up as a workplace haven, mostly because they give free refills on filter coffee. What a bonus. Network Sleek and modern, regardless of what you’re actually doing, Network feels like you’re a hip architect sipping sweet nectar contemplating the next spire. Which was obviously a huge mistake (scarlet). Fortunately you just popped in for a pastry and 5 euros of procrastination, so no harm done. Proper Order When you’re working from home, feeling the onset of that cabin fever, it’ll do you all the good to get out into the real world for a coffee. When that happens, we head for Proper Order in Smithfield, telling ourselves that the hipster space will add some creative oil to our bubbling minds. Proper Order is small but the guys in there pay a huge amount of attention to their coffee, so bring your laptop, top up your caffeine levels and get inspired. First Draft Coffee & Wine There’s now a dual purpose to First Draft in Portobello, so if you manage to get your work done in the coffee shop during the day, you can return in the evenings for wine as a pat on the back for doing any amount of work. In fact, you tried, fair play, let’s have some wine. Coffeeangel Coffeeangel  has multiple locations across the city, meaning you’re never far away from the freedom of a hot drink outside the cave, and it's a solid cup of coffee to snap you out of that too-long-stuck-indoors induced rut. Two Boys Brew TBB ’s Melbourne style cafe is a favourite of ours to do work in, mostly because it’s decorated like the dream apartment that none of us could afford. But we can afford coffee, so it’s all good. Industry One of our city centre go-to's, Industry has excellent coffee, the prettiest porridge in town and the most excellent window seats, for relaxing, procrastinating people watching out onto Drury Street. Just watch you don't spend all your money on glass teapots and antique candle holders. Shoe Lane Coffee The upstairs in Shoe Lane Coffee near Tara Street Station feels like one of the best kept secrets in the city, and it's nothing but calm and positive workflow vibes. Grab a coffee and a cake downstairs and head up to your own little co-working oasis. What are your favourite cafés to work in? Let us know by emailing info@alllthefood.ie.

Another festival weekend passes, which means another weekend of gleefully watching people get soaked in the rain through social, or getting dismally drenched in a flimsy poncho that cost more than a pint. If you're one of those suffering from post-festival soakage trauma, and still struggling to get the cold out of your bones, here are five things in Dublin we would want to eat post-festival. 1. The Hot Chick Burger from V-face At this stage, isn’t there a dedicated food holiday every day? National burger pancake/doughnut/any consumable item, each with its own special day. We’re not really complaining, National Burger Day is another excuse to go out and get a burger, and V-face 's 'Hot Chick', with a sweet potato and chickpea patty, rocket, coriander, vegan pepper jack cheese, avocado, nachos, mayo and sriracha sauce on a charcoal bun, should help in some way to cure your post-festival fatigue. 2. Siu Mai From Lucky Tortoise Once you’ve relinquished yourself of all your bags and abandoned your tent in a safe place, go to Lucky Tortoise , order everything on the menu, and marvel at the pork and cabbage siu mai. Feel the residual guilt and chilliness fall away. 3. Prawn Karaage From Soup Ramen The new prawn karaage sambo from Soup Ramen is ticking a lot of boxes; crispy prawns, yuzu mayo, pickled cucumber, kombu salt and brioche. Isn’t real food great after a weekend on a liquid diet? 4. Shawarma from Shouk We say shawarma but what we mean is everything on the menu. Take your broken, post-festival self to Shouk , sit outside because it’s more likely to be sunny right after a festival, order the hummus, shawarma, pitta, arayes... 5. The Mezze Platter From Kerb Another Middle Eastern pick, this time from newly opened Kerb in Foxrock. Mezze platters are perfect after a big weekend as they take away the brain power needed to decide what to order. We want all of the food all of the time, and the mezze gives us that.

Del-Fino , the Italian/New York/Asian influenced restaurant on Camden Street has closed, just eight months after opening . Initially opened by chef/restaurateur Alan O'Reilly last October with backing from the owners of China Sichuan in Sandyford, it had received mixed reviews from the critics, and O'Reilly departed a few months ago. A new head chef took over, but they struggled to regain their initial momentum. O'Reilly owned and ran the much loved Alexis in Dun Laoghaire, before moving to Wildside café in Cabinteely after Alexis closed in the recession. Both were highly praised by critics, with O'Reilly's cooking described as "outstanding" and "exceptional". There was much excitement to see him back in a new central location, but while Del Fino received positive reviews from Lucinda O'Sullivan in the Sunday Independent and Gillian Nelis in the Sunday Business Post , Katy McGuinnes s in the Irish Independent said they were "barely holding it together" in terms of food and service, Leslie Williams in the Irish Examiner called it "a hot mess", and Conor Stevens in Totally Dublin said it displayed "a curious lack of purpose". There seemed to be a general feeling that the menu was confused, with Italian, US and Asian influenced dishes all featuring. Del Fino's website is still active but reservations have been disabled. The restaurant have yet to make a statement, and it's not known if any unredeemed gift vouchers will be refunded.

Adam Purcell, the head chef at Frenchie in Covent Garden , is cooking in Pichet next month as part of their 10th birthday celebrations. Adam worked for Pichet's chef/owner Stephen Gibson for three years before moving to Paris to work for Gregory Marchand at Michelin-starred Frenchie . He's currently head chef at Marchand's first restaurant outside France - Frenchie Covent Garden, where Guardian food critic Marina O'Loughlin called the food " mostly excellent and occasionally sensational ". Pichet is 10 this year, and has planned various events to celebrate, including a night of classic dishes from the past decade on Tuesday 2nd July, a Veuve Cliquot brunch on Saturday 6th July, and a Tanqueray gin masterclass on Tuesday 9th July. Details of all of their events can be found here . Adam Purcell is cooking at Pichet on Sunday 14th July. Tickets are €65 per person for five courses with an optional wine pairing at an additional €35. You can get tickets here .