Search Results

Catherine Cleary in the Irish Times wins the prize for most arresting review title of the week, calling Five Guys on George's Street "My worst ever meal as a restaurant reviewer". If that's not punchy enough to make you dive in, nothing is. Bizarrely she opted for the veggie sandwich (so over this healthy living schtick - although it has provided for entertaining content on this occasion) and lived to regret it. It sounds utterly gross, with CC saying two bites was all she could manage before her gag reflex kicked in, and comparing it to the veggie burger from the country chipper, with all the toppings but no burger. We've seen pictures and it truly looks like a disgusting afterthought of a dish. Her teenager's beef burger was "fine", but the cheese had the "consistency and flavour of molten Barbie doll", chips were crisp but over-salted, and a milkshake was "cloyingly sweet". Between all of this and the filthy table covered in the remnants of other people's lunch, she calls it "the most dismal dining table in the history of this column." Read her review here . Get better burgers here and here . With that one hard to follow, we're going to the other end of the spectrum with Tom Doorley 's review of Glovers Alley in the Irish Daily Mail, where he thought €100 a head for lunch was worth every penny. (We also thought it was value for money everything considered - read our Once Over here . ) He admits to hoping to hate GA after all their pre-opening noise, but calls his lunch "brilliant", and describes McFadden's cooking as having "small explosions of startlingly pure and assertive flavours forming a kind of minefield of delight with all of the other elements on the plate." Highlights included a starter of asparagus, button mushroom, mustard and aged Belper Knoll (Swiss cheese - below) and a main of suckling pig belly and confit with crisp slices of turnip, essence of chorizo (no idea) and Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar. He finished with Aoife Noonan's citrus soufflé topped with chocolate ganache (which seems to be reaching celebrity status based on the number of people who've been sending us pictures of it). The soufflé was so light he wondered if it was going to float away, and he claims he broke the habit of a lifetime by exclaiming "wow" in the middle of the restaurant. With wine and service the bill for two came to just over €200 and he thought it was worth every cent. (Review not currently online) Over on the canal in Portobello, Leslie Williams had a similarly lovely time at Locks , where he was trying out the wares of new head chef Chris Maguire. He ate from the very good value market menu along with a few extras, including the homemade bread with sea trout and dulse butter, which his guest found so intense as to be almost crude - clearly this person is insane as it's one of the most incredible things we've ever tasted . Textures and flavours in a mackerel tartare were in lovely harmony, and a dish of "crisp and pungent" asparagus, smoked lardo, black garlic sauce, girolles and grated cured egg (below) also hit the spot. A veggie main of grilled potato, soft eggs, beech mushrooms and gorgonzola had a lovely mix of flavours, and the other main of cod had "perfect translucence" and worked well with smoked bacon, wilted baby gem lettuce and buttermilk sauce. Desserts of chocolate ganache with banana milk ice cream, hazelnut praline crumbs and caramelised banana (above), and a strawberry fool topped with strawberry granita above a fluffy creamy mousse and preserved strawberries both look and sound delicious, and he praised the Portugese-focused wine list "packed with gems". Read his review here . In The Sunday Independent, Lucinda O'Sullivan is proclaiming that Ananda in Dundrum's tasting menu is "the biz". She calls head chef Karan Mittal's food a "culinary experience with a difference." Filled with words like "explosion", "heavenly", "amazing" and "exquisite", we're left in no doubt what she thinks of "superstar-in-waiting" Mittal's cooking - he of the "TV looks and charm". Highlights included a Kashmiri morel mushroom, thinly-sliced tandoori-smoked Barbary duck, a sorbet made from aged-black limes, and a main of jhinja neelgiri (prawn two ways) on a bed of wild garlic, coconut and curry leaf emulsion. It does sound pretty fantastic from start to finish. Dessert consisted of chocolate and cherries in the form of Kirsch kulfi pops, and she says Ananda is a real treat that won't break the bank. (Review not currently online) Down to Cork and back on our road-trip buzz, Katy McGuinness in the Irish Independent was sending us into a glazed stupor with her description of the (solely locally sourced) food at Mews . From whipped monkfish liver and wild fennel in a boat of kombu to oyster mushroom with roasted yeast and sycamore, the whole thing sounds like a lovely dream. Carpaccio of langoustine on a buttermilk crumpet with coriander and wasabi (above) looks and sounds almost too good to be real, and brown crab on boxty was complimented by anise-scented sweet cicely and Cape Clear chili (below). The fact that everything is sourced from West Cork just adds to the magical feel of it all. Everything sounds worth driving to Baltimore for (like next weekend good), but we're seriously taken with the idea of creamy Mileens cheese on tayberries, and one of our favourite ever cheeses, mature Coolea, turned into a ganache-type filling and placed inside crisp pastry. OMG. They finished with a granita of dill and wild sorrel and textures of local milk, gorse honey and pine. She ends by saying that she hopes the Michelin inspectors make it this far south, so she'll be happy to find out they have paid Mews a visit in the past few weeks . Watch this space. Read her review here . Another reason to head south is Takashi Miyazaki's recently opened Ichigo Ichie , which Gillian Nelis in The Sunday Business Pos t is also touting as a Michelin-star contender (and the inspectors recently visited here too - sounds like some trip to Cork). She says there's not much point in trying to describe all of the dishes they had as the menu will change frequently, but it sounds very similar to what Catherine Cleary & Lucinda O'Sullivan had when they visited , which might be good news if you're dreaming of blow-torched scallop and savoury custard with chicken thigh. Luckily for Gillian (and us), her husband visits Japan regularly so we get a rundown of what's typically involved in a kaiseki ryori (multi-course Japanese meal), including the showcasing of different cooking techniques, seasonal crockery and local produce. Like the reviewers before her, she's totally impressed with the breath and depth of flavour and skill in the sequence of dishes coming out of the kitchen, which included "the finest piece of nigiri we'd ever tasted" and "divine slices of ox tongue served with a creamy wild garlic dip" She was less impressed with the lack of detail on the website and the inability to get anyone to answer the phone, but she calls it a "must-visit for anyone interested in the continuing evolution of Irish food." Read her review here (subscription only). More next week. * 1st August 2018 - A previous version of this article featured Ernie Whalley's review for the Sunday Times. This has been removed at the newspaper's request

The Irish descended on Barcelona yesterday for the launch of chef JP McMahon’s Food On The Edge 2018 , the two day food symposium which has taken place in Galway for the past four years, and attracts food obsessives from around the world. With talks given predominantly by chefs, and the audience mostly consisting of them too, this is one for the serious food geeks (*waves*) who want to debate, discuss and listen to deep and far-reaching conversations about our food systems, the current state of the planet, and the impact chefs can have on every aspect of the global food chain. Also at the launch were fellow (and legendary) Spanish chefs Albert Adrià (of the el Barri group and brother of the infamous Ferran), Quique Dacosta (of three Michelin-starred Quique Dacosta ​ in Dénia Alicante), and Eduard Xatruch (of two Michelin-starred Disfrutar ​ in Barcelona). They each prepared a canapé that was served at the launch, including crispy seaweed envelopes, tarte of foie gras & corn, and dehydrated tomato slices filled with an unspeakably lovely cream filling. The launch took place in Adria's Mexican restaurant Hoja Santa , and when asked why they chose to hold the launch of an Irish festival in another country, JP said that to get the Irish to take notice of anything you have to get out of Ireland. He also talked about how one of the key aims of the festival is to show off Irish produce to a global audience. Food On The Edge has become internationally recognised over the past few years, attracting chefs from across the globe to give 15 minute talks. Previous speakers have included Massimo Bottura , Magnus Nilsson , Anna Ros , Elena Arzak and Albert Adriá , and this year's line up includes Enrique Olvera from Mexico's Pujol , Skye Gyngell from Spring in London, and Leonor Espinosa from Colombia's ' Leo ', who was voted best female chef in Latin America last year. You can see the speakers confirmed so far here . If you’re wondering if this is an event for you, ask yourself these questions: Do you get abnormally excited when a new season of Chef’s Table comes out? Do you plan holidays based on where you want to eat? Do you obsessively read All The Food because of your deeply felt desire to know the best places to eat? If the answer to these is yes, we advise taking time off work, road-tripping to Galway and spending two days completely geeking out around some of the biggest legends in food. Early-bird tickets for Food On The Edge are on sale now for €300 (€250 for students) which includes all talks, lunch on both days and entry to the closing party on Tuesday night. You can get tickets here . Food On The Edge Mon 22nd & Tue 23rd October 2018 Bailey Allen Hall, National University Galway foodontheedge.ie

It's safe to say the Irish people have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Taste of Dublin - each festival seems to be preceded and followed by complaints about the ticket price, the freebies on offer, the cost of food and drink, but sure where else would you be on a (hopefully) sunny weekend in June. To be fair, when the weather is with us, the atmosphere in the Iveagh Gardens is hard to beat, and while you could easily run up a sizeable bill on food and drink, as long as you spend it in the right places you're less likely to have post-festival regrets. So with that in mind, this is how and where we'd be spending our festival. Restaurants The restaurant line-up is a mixed bag, but for our money we'd be heading to Glovers Alley for some fine dining fare on the relatively cheap (smoked cheddar dumplings for the win), China Sichuan (for proper Sichuan food, and because Sandyford counts as destination dining for most Dubs), King Sitric for rock oysters and Pickle for some of the most interesting Indian food in Dublin right now. We'd also stop by Nutbutter for one of their brightly coloured, nutrient packed creations, to make us feel better about our gorging, and Veginity because Mark Senn is a genius when it comes to meat free food. WARNING: They are not serving Vish & Chips, but we bet the plantain tostones are just as good. See all the menus here . Talks There are loads of people speaking at the Neff Producer's Table over the four days. We'd be lining up for Irish soy sauce producer and Japanese food afficiando Fiona Uyema at 14:00 on Thursday and Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall at 15:30 on Friday, who's likely to talk about his petition to get the UK government doing more to tackle national obesity rates, and his ongoing campaign to make WH Smith get rid of junk food at the till. On Saturday we'd be there at 20:00 to see the guys from Airfield , which has to be one of the most important places in the country right now for connecting people (especially children) with where their food comes from, and on Sunday at 14:00 we'd be attempting to bag a front row seat for superstar Irish chef in London Robin Gill , who we're not so secretly hoping has plans to return home in the not too distant future. We'd also be interested in hearing Andy McFadden and Phil Roe talk about how the first few months at Glovers Alley have gone, and Nutbutter 's take on the rise of veganism, both on Sunday. You can see the full four day line-up here . Cooking Demonstrations These are happening pretty much every hour on all four days, but on Thursday we'd probably head for Ananda 's head chef Karan Mittal at 19:30, or Paul Kelly, Executive Pastry Chef at The Merrion , who's on straight after at 20:30. On Friday we'd happily queue to see Gordon Ramsay protegé and another member of ' The Murphia ' Anna Haugh , who's due on at 14:30, and Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall who's on after her at 15:30. On Saturday, if you're a Great British Bake Off fan you won't want to miss the 2016 winner, Candice Brown , her of the many coloured lipsticks. She's on twice, at 14:30 and 20:30. We'd also be interested in seeing Chapter One 's Ross Lewis and his head pastry chef Darren Hogarty who are on at 18:30. On Sunday, the hot seats are for Robin Gill at 13:30, and the Glovers Alley double bill with pastry chef extraordinare Aoife Noonan up at 14:30, and the executive and head chefs, Andy and Phil, on stage as a duo at 18:30. The Merrion's Executive Head Chef Ed Cooney also takes to the stage at 19:30. See the full line-up of cooking demos here . There's also The Market where we'd be picking up some kitchen staples from Asia Market , some crazy (delicious) flavoured popcorn from Joe & Seph's , proper Irish cider from Longueville House , and something sweet from The Cupcake Bloke , who's recently opened his first bakery in Rialto, Dublin 8. You can also take part in cocktail masterclasses , and watch the Irish final of the World Class Bartender of the Year Awards, and there are wine experiences from O'Briens and Wines of Rioja. The Exchequer are popping up with food, beer and cocktails too, and there's live music all weekend - you can see who's on here . Taste of Dublin is on from Thursday 14th - Sunday 17th June. There are two sessions per day: 12:00 - 16:00 and 17:00 - 21:30/22:30. Tickets cost between €17.50 for Thursday daytime and a pretty punchy €29.50 for Friday and Saturday nights - probably not where the smart money is but they have you over a barrel if that's the only time you can go. You get get tickets here . dublin.tastefestivals.com

A resoundingly successful week for eating out, with once again all the critics having meals worth recommending. Unfortunately the same can't be said for us, who had to go out to eat three times last week to find one restaurant worth writing about. That's coming tomorrow. Top of the pile in Dublin this week was The Greenhouse , where Catherine Cleary enjoyed yet another alcohol-light lunch. The lack of wine didn't detract from the experience, and she gave it 9.5/10, saying it's "still the best lunch in Dublin". As usual, it's a great read, with head chef Mickael Viljanen described as "paler than a submariner on shore leave", and this description of the demise of French style dining in Dublin: "Bistronomie was on the march and acres of table cloths were warehoused. Poshness was reborn with a clutch of dandelion leaves and a glass of natural wine murky as cider." The pastry on a miniature asparagus tart was so crisp it "almost evaporates in the mouth", a courgette roasted in seaweed with a maple seaweed sauce and bergamot yoghurt is "astonishing", and white asparagus "chunky as a baby’s arms" with a raw egg yolk, black garlic and girolles is described as "minerality meets creamy food hug". There wasn't a disappointing dish, and her well travelled dining companion thought the food rested between two and three michelin stars (they currently have one and it took them three years to get it, much to the outrage of many, including Guardian food critic Marina O'Loughlin ). She ends by saying The Greenhouse has long been the city's best lunch, and it keeps getting better. Read her review here . Another team who must be feeling happy with themselves this weekend is the one in The Old Spot , who Tom Doorley reviews in The Irish Daily Mail. A buzz has been quietly building about the Michelin recommended gastro pub on Bath Avenue over the past few months, and it seems to have only increased with the hiring of Denise McBrien (ex- Pichet and Old Street ), now running front of house. Tom usually doesn't like gastro pubs but calls The Old Spot an "exception", praising the quality and work that goes into head chef Fiachra Kenny's food, including slow-cooked octopus, nduja, homemade pappardelle and black olive tapanade, which was "bloody good", and slow-cooked smoked pork shoulder, sausage roll, cabbage celeriac and mustard, which was "a dish to conjure with". Prawn pil pil (which we were eyeing up a few weeks ago ) was "delicious", and he felt €30 for a 10oz dry-aged rib eye was justified, with its proper chips and "pulse-quickeningly lovely" bone marrow jus. He calls the cooking solid and well-grounded, and the service quiet and efficient. Go team Old Spot. (Review not currently online) In the Irish Independent , Katy McGuinness is the second critic to get to the much hyped Restaurant Chesnut in Ballydehob, Cork, from chef Rob Krawczyk, after Joe McNamee got straight in on opening night (impressive). Katy is equally enamoured with the tiny 18-seater restaurant in the middle of rural Cork, calling the spelt sourdough with smoked butter sprinkled with sea salt and flecked with gold "an event in of itself", with the chewy crust of the bread and the flavour of the butter "immense". All of the dishes seem to have a lot going on - one example being charred asparagus with potato, yoghurt, 'edible earth' made from mushrooms, trout roe, nasturtium, and other secret ingredients - but she assures us there's a "felicitous harmony" to the way they come together. Same goes for "impeccable" scallops infused with citrus and ginger, cauliflower purée and apple. We have no idea what cylinders of compressed rhubarb rolled in anti-humidity sugar are (an interlude before the mains), but would like to find out, and brill with mussels and ham fat in lemon butter with slender-stemmed broccoli was the dish of the night. Dessert of sabayon formed an "etheral cloud", over the "apple-iest" apple and oats (above), and she has a slight quibble about having two sweet courses as part of the tasting course rather than a cheese course, but as they're still finding their feet we could see that changing after this review. She describes the portions as "nicely judged" and the meal "beautifully paced". That's two out of two for Rob and team. (Review not currently online). In The Irish Examiner , Joe McNamee is on a quest for burgers in Cork, after a friend proclaimed he was done with all that "Michelin Palaver", and wanted him to review something "everybody eats". He starts at Bunsen , where he found the meat to be superior but it left him feeling "processed". Better was Son of a Bun which was upbeat with "good, flavoursome meat" and a better range of craft beers and ciders than many upmarket restaurants. The star of the review though, the burger awarded a rarely seen 9.9/10, was the one from Woodside Farm , who've been selling their incredible, small production pork and beef at farmers' markets in Cork for over a decade, and who have now branched out into hot food. Their beef burger served in a pillowy Pana bun, with their own crispy bacon, Ballinrostig gouda cheese, tomato, lettuce and their secret burger sauce was "impossibly rich in umami flavours, succulent, tender but with perfect ‘bite’". He calls it "the finest burger I have ever purchased." Between this, Restaurant Chesnut and Ichigo Ichie there are so many reasons to organise a Cork roadtrip these days. Read his review here . More success in The Sunday Business Post , where Gillian Nelis was at Eastern Seaboard in her hometown of Drogheda, having "possibly the best steak I’ve ever eaten in this country". The 65 day salt-aged ribeye from Peter Hannan came with skin-on chips, onion rings, anchovy butter and a salad of butter lettuce with a mustard vinaigrette, and she said she could still taste it a week later. The vegans must be hating this week's reviews. Her companion's fillet steak with the same accompaniments was just as good, and a generous portion of chicken wings and "perfectly made" potstickers were polished off before the meat arrived. We're stuffed just thinking about it. A Japanese cheesecake with yuzu cream was "as fluffy as the fluffiest teddy you had as a child", and a Black Forest pavlova (below) looked so good that the next table immediately ordered it too. She calls it "indulgent but oh so delicious", and while we reckon we'd struggle to get up after that much food, it does all sound excellent. Read her review here . Finally in The Sunday Independent, Lucinda O'Sullivan is at Everett's in Waterford, the new opening from ex- Restaurant Forty One and Chapter One alumnus, not to mention former Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year, Peter Everett. She calls the three course lunch for €25 "fantastic value", especially as the options are not far off the dinner menu, and thinks that dinner for €40 also sounds excellent, whilst having a dig at the "young bucks" "setting themselves up with tasting menus running from €65". Wonder who that could refer to... In house baked breads were "superb" and "divine", fresh crab in a tomato jus with balsamic and rocket was "feather-light", and dressed baby violet artichokes with wild garlic purée and roasted discs of red pepper were simple but superb. An "elegant" fillet of cod came with an nduja crust (below), onion purée, purple broccoli and a sherry sauce (yes please), and braised short rib of beef with parsnip purée, knotted spring onions and bearnaise was "exquisite" and "richly-flavoured". They ended with "the most fantastic" brown sugar tart with Bramley apple ice-cream, and a really interesting sounding cheese plate, with bluebell falls goat's cheese drizzled in honey, a pungent, semi-soft Hummingbark, and Crozier Blue with pressed fig and nut cake. It really does sound like incredible value for €25, and more potential road trip material. (Review not currently online) More next week. * 1st August 2018 - A previous version of this article featured Ernie Whalley's review for the Sunday Times. This has been removed at the newspaper's request

There is some serious seafood to be had in Dublin at the moment, and with this banging weather due to continue until the weekend, there are few excuses to stop you going out in search of it. From the simplest anchovies on toast to a full on barbequed feast, here's what we're craving this week 1. Klaw 's Summer BBQ Seafood Platter Oysters, scallops, prawns, crab and squid fired on the barbeque then onto your plate. There's nothing we'd rather be eating in this weather. Available in The Seafood Café and Klaw Poké . klaw.ie 2. Afternoon Sea at Cliff Townhouse We're officially sick of sugar-laden, nausea-inducing, pink and yellow spattered afternoon teas. The 'Afternoon Sea' from Cliff Townhouse looks and sounds much more appealing, with potted monkfish, lobster, crab claws, mussels, oysters and smoked salmon, and instead of tea, a cup of lobster bisque. €38 per person or €50 with a glass of Champagne. clifftownhouse.ie 3. Anchoas de L'Escala from Las Tapas de Lola Sometimes the simple things are the best, and these Costa Brava anchovies, currently on at Las Tapas de Lola , paired with a glass of fino, look like the perfect aperitif for a sunny evening. lastapasdelola.com 4. The freshest Dublin seafood at Michael's Chef/owner Gaz Smith only took over Michael's a year ago but has firmly cemented it as one of the best places in Dublin to get fresh seafood. He's often out with the fishermen in the morning before bringing his haul back to Mount Merrion for lunch, and it doesn't get more local than this plate of butter roasted Howth Bay lobster, Clogherhead prawns and Lambay Island crab claws, served with charred lemon and chive butter. *looks for car keys* www.michaels.ie 5. The New Seafood Bento Box from Bonsai Bar There seems to be a bit of a buzz about Dylan McGrath of late, the long-standing Dublin chef who's in charge of the kitchens in Taste at Rustic , Rustic Stone , and the recently opened Bonsai Bar (all on different floors of the same building). After the food at Bonsai Bar getting a firm thumbs up from the Sunday Business Post's Gillian Nelis a few weeks ago, they've just launched their new Bonsai Bentos, with a choice of meat, fish or vegetables for €18. We're eyeing up the fish one, with roast salmon, tuna sashimi and miso soup with cockles and shimeji (a type of mushroom). www.thebonsaibar.com

It's a bit of a case of the good, the bad and the ugly this weekend, but we'll start and end with the good. In the Irish Examiner , Leslie Williams finally got around to eating at Richmond , after 18 months of haranguing by a friend, and managed to bag the best table in the house (table 13) with a view of the "exotica outside and the bustle inside". He ate from the early bird menu which sounds like brilliant value considering the quality, at €29 for three courses. Standouts included a fennel and raisin bread with curry butter (eh, yum), a Dexter beef tartare with capers, pickles, a quail's egg and some deep fried tempura ox tongue - he assures us it was the best part - and pea dumplings with slaw, parmesan crisps and a "mood-enhancing" hazelnut sauce. A cheese course of Milleens was too immature for their liking, but a chocolate fondant was "perfect", oozing "liquid, dark joy all over the garriguette strawberries", and a "picture perfect" meringue was filled with a "gorgeous apple and red wine chutney", even if it did overwhelm the meringue. He calls Richmond a "joy of a restaurant", with "good ingredients, perfectly pitched classical touches and masterful saucing." We'd say they're pretty happy with this one. (Review not currently online) In The Irish Daily Mail, Tom Doorley was back at an old favourite, La Cave on South Anne Street, which he hadn't planned on reviewing, but it was so good that he felt he had to share it with us. After a trip down memory lane (where he tells us that The Trocadero is the oldest restaurant in the city centre and Bewleys on Grafton Street did a mean chicken croquette in his youth), he comes back to the present day in La Cave , describing the "perfect" oysters and Chablis, the crab and Gruyère tart (which didn't have homemade pastry but did have lots of sweet crab meat and sweet and salty melted cheese), and the garlic and parsley butter snails which were "a touch of decadence". A venison casserole was "immensely tender" in a "rich sauce singing of garlic and red wine", and he says you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to ordering wine in this "womb-like French restaurant". (Review not currently online). Someone else who was reliving their childhood, this time over beef-dripping toast, was Katy McGuinness at Pichet . After overcoming the fear that a car from the St Andrew's Street carpark was going to come crashing through the window every time headlights appeared, she enjoyed seasonal asparagus with a brown butter egg yolk, crispy boneless chicken wings, and truffle pecorino. Beef tartare came with quail eggs (so hot right now), radish and micro-herbs, and beef-dripping toast full of taste and texture, which brought her back to the fried bread her father made when she was a child. Short rib with salt-baked celeriac was the winneing mains, and came with ox tongue (this week is all about tongue and tartare) and a walnut mushroom duxelles, making it "rich and deeply satisfying." Lamb rump was nicely cooked but the dish was underpowered and lacking in salsa verde, and a confit of squid, chorizo, basil, tomato and chickpeas which came with a dish of salmon was "woefully insipid". Desserts of muscovado crème brûlée and banoffee were both enjoyable, and she ends by saying that Pichet is "one of those restaurants that can be all things to all people ... If that means that the food pleases rather than thrills, then so be it." Read her review here . Now to break up the joy momentarily, because over in Monkstown, there was a very unhappy camper in the form of The Sunday Business Post 's Gillian Nelis, who was having a bit of a 'mare in Bresson . After getting a spate of great reviews straight after opening, we don't think anyone was expecting this one. Whilst starters of Roquefort and pear salad, and devilled lambs' kidneys were great, what followed wasn't. A chargrilled, salt-baked celeriac, with hazelnut dukkah, cocoa bean cassoulet, salsa verde and swiss chard featured under-cooked celeriac, a salsa so salty it induced wincing, no discernible dukkah, and an undercooked cassoulet that included unpleasant bits of bitter, preserved lemon. Disaster with a capital D. A fish special of plaice was "so undercooked it should never have made it out of the kitchen", and a side of choucroute was tasty, but another of dressed salad leaves was "outrageously overpriced" at €4.50. Desserts were a mixed bag with a crème brûlée small but tasty, and a tarte tatin disappointing, with "undercooked lumps of apple and a soggy pastry bottom". She says she's at a loss to what has happened here since opening, and so are we. Has Head Chef and owner Temple Garner taken his eye off the ball? Was there a new chef in the kitchen that's just not up to the task? Or did a staff shortage on the night lead to a series of unfortunate events? We're really feeling for the city's chefs and restaurateurs at the moment, with chef shortages at an all time high, and wonder how many bad meals are connected to this growing problem. Maybe this was just a bad night for Bresson and normal service will resume shortly, or maybe there's something there that needs to be fixed. Either way it doesn't sound like they'll be getting a second visit from Gillian. Read her review here (subscription only). This week sees another round up from Lucinda O'Sullivan in The Sunday Independent, this time featuring the country's 20 Best Coastal Hotspots. As we're all about Dublin food we'll just tell you about the two Dublin spots mentioned - the Clontarf Baths and Happy Out on Bull Wall, also in Clontarf. We're surprised that nowhere else in Dublin was mentioned considering the entire county hugs the coast, but we'll put our own, more comprehensive list together soon. She recommends coffees and toasties on the deck at Happy Out , and cocktails, seafood and knickerbocker glories at The Baths . She doesn't recommend a swim, because despite that being the whole point of the place you can't actually do that . (Review not currently online) Finally, we're ending on a high note with Catherine Cleary's trip to Dooks Fine Foods in Tipperary for the Irish Times . Chef Richard Gleeson trained at Ballymaloe and worked under Yotam Ottolenghi, so she was expecting big things, and wasn't disappointed. She calls the place "revolutionary", and the first plate sounds pretty special - brill carpaccio dressed with a jade-green parsley oil, lemon zest and house “ricotta”, with a pickled rhubarb accompaniment which brought "a clarity to the fish flavour like spears of sunlight through water" - phrase of the week right there. Aubergine focaccia also sounds impressive, with toasted seeds, more ricotta and olive oil. Muttony lamb for mains came with rainbow chard so buttery she reckoned she could eat a plate of it, and the veggie option of parchment-thin sliced celeriac filled with mushrooms, parmesan-and-hazelnut aioli, cauliflower and chard, in a fennel sauce had them licking their plates. They finished with a chocolate, coffee, mascarpone layer cake and she compares it to Ox in Belfast and Mews in Baltimore, which is praise of the highest order. Read her review here . More next week. * 1st August 2018 - A previous version of this article featured Ernie Whalley's review for the Sunday Times. This has been removed at the newspaper's request

The cute seaside town of Portmarnock has never exactly been a culinary destination, and despite being in a pretty idyllic location near the beach, it's never had a café worth travelling for. So we were excited to spot Honey Honey , recently opened on the main street, which looks like it belongs in the Laine my Love / Love Love Supreme / Two Boys Brew category of cafés. Opened by Laura Weldon, a Portmarnock local, in April after a year long search for a site (finally getting lucky with the closure of The Wooden Spoon ) it's a serious injection of life in an otherwise sleepy strip of shops. The menu is short and simple, with breakfast options like homemade almond butter on tartine sourdough with raspberry chia jam, boiled eggs and toast, and overnight oats, and midweek lunch consisting of three sandwich options, with ingredients like honey-baked ham and Toonsbridge mozzarella (a current obsession of ours). The weekend brunch menu is slightly different, and includes four different types of sausage rolls. They also have pastries on the counter (not fresh unfortunately but hopefully this will change once they settle in - god knows the north side could use some Sceál or something similar), energy balls and other homemade cakes, and coffee is from Kildare roasters Baobab . The space itself is bright and comfortable, staff couldn't be nicer, and there's a real local feel about it, with used coffee grinds being given out for compost and customers joking about splitting the resulting crop with them (such a lovely idea). This coastal stretch of Dublin has been quite barren for the past few years when it comes to modern, interesting cafés with good food, so we think Honey Honey is going to be rammed once word gets out beyond Portmarnock. Honey Honey Strand Road, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin Opening hours: Mon - Fri 8:00 - 16:00. Sat 09:00 - 17:00. Sun 10:00 - 15:00. www.facebook.com/honeyhoneycafe

It feels somewhat trivial to be obsessing over food after the past few history-making days, but repealers still need to eat, so on we go. In The Irish Times this week, Catherine Cleary was trying an enchilada cooking class at Picado , the Mexican food shop on Richmond Street. She laments the proliferation of Tex-Mex in Ireland (we'll refrain from mentioning one particularly offensive burrito chain) as opposed to what they actually eat in Mexico, and if you want further elaboration on Mexican Vs Tex-Mex, this podcast episode is brilliant. She loved the vegetarian tamal (which we presume is the same as a tamale), the poblano pepper stuffed with squash and hibiscus flowers, the Oaxacan black bean sauce and the chilli and chocolate torte. We’re a long way from cheesy nachos and chicken fajitas. She thought it was a brilliant night, and describes Lily as “an inspiring cook and storyteller whose love for real Mexican food makes for a delicious education.” Read her review here . In The Irish Daily Mail, Tom Doorley is rhapsodising over the fresh Irish seafood at Niall Sabongi’s Klaw Seafood Café , where he found eating Dublin Bay Prawns with his hands “deliciously liberating”. More Dublin Bay Prawns with exotic mushrooms on toast were “simplicity itself” and “really worked”, and fish (hake) and chips had “shatteringly crisp batter encasing moist fish cooked perfectly, crisp skinny chips and proper tartare sauce that most definitely didn’t come out of a jar.” He ends by saying that although restaurant critics tend to always go in search of the new, he’s finally learning to resist the urge to run straight in after a place opens, saying that “many first-nighters or first-weekers are not even remotely interested in what the food is like”. We're not sure if that’s a jibe at the city’s press or diners. In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness is the first critic to get to Barrows Keep in Graiguenamanagh, Kilkenny. Opened 7 months ago by Stephen McArdle and Morgan Vanderkammer (former chef/owner and sommelier - respectively - at Stanley’s in Dublin), this is one we've had high hopes for, so have been impatiently awaiting the first review. Katy thought the food was “top notch”, particularly the smoked potato soup with beef daube and wild garlic, and the Kilmore Quay crab salad with Goatsbridge trout caviar, sweetcorn, whipped avocado and croutons, which she calls “a visual delight and a textbook exercise in balance and texture.” She also liked the beef and pork sausages which were “properly meaty”, “smoked and delicious”. She was unimpressed with desserts but praised sommelier Morgan Vanderkammer’s intriguing wine list full of natural and biodynamic wines, and wished that they weren’t driving so they could have explored it more. Read her review here . In the Irish Examiner Joe McNamee is at House restaurant at The Cliff House , having a similarly magical time to Gillian Nelis a few weeks ago . The descriptions of the four amuse-bouches alone is enough to have us booking ourselves in for a night. Beetroot and creamed cheese meringue; seaweed and fennel dashi; baby potato baked in edible clay with three-cornered leek mayonnaise; shallot panna cotta with a ‘caviar’ of tapioca ‘pearls’, dried potato croutons and hazelnut. We're not even onto the starters yet. His other half's (who we're still calling 'The Cat's Pyjamas') starter of Bantry Bay Organic Salmon, Pickled Vegetables, Codium (a type of seaweed), Black Toast, Salmon Ice Cream and Smoke, which was unveiled by the lifting of a cloche, made her gasp and whimper apparently, and Joe called the assemblage "breathtakingly gorgeous". Everything sounds next-level culinary genius territory, and we recommend reading the whole article just to get an idea of the compositions and combinations coming out of this kitchen. We're currently obsessing over the Atlantic Halibut topped with a melting sliver of waygu ‘lardo’, and the Roman style gnocchi fried in lamb fat. Read his review here . In The Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis is enjoying the sea views and the seafood at Spillane's in Dingle, which she tells us has been there in some form for over a century. Locally caught crab claws with marie rose sauce and brown bread were "fresh as a daisy", salt and pepper calamari were "cooked beautifully" and the hake club burger was "brilliant". Her dessert of rhubarb crumble took her back to childhood days, even if it was a bit heavy on the topping, and she ends by saying the meal had been "incredibly tasty, more than generous in size, and served with real friendliness". Read her review here (subscription only). Finally in the Sunday Independent, Lucinda O'Sullivan does another round-up, this time of the country's 20 best terraces - another one to file away for those two weeks of summer we're due any day now. Making the list in Dublin are Angelina's , Bresson , The Dylan Hotel , Nightmarket , Radisson St Helen's , Suesey Street , The Garden Room in The Merrion and Whelehan's Wines . Expect a few more of these sunshine-dependent lists over the coming weeks, and expect to not actually be able to get into any of them if the sun does come out. Best bet for getting a table is probably in winter under a heater. (Article not currently online but should be up on Lucinda's site in the next week or so.) More next week. * 1st August 2018 - A previous version of this article featured Ernie Whalley's review for the Sunday Times. This has been removed at the newspaper's request

From new season asparagus to black garlic miso covered burgers, here's what's looking good this week. 1. Grilled asparagus, poached egg dressing, lardo & buckwheat from Bastible So many things we love on one plate, and we bet that Louro from Rafael Palacios is a banging match. www.bastible.com 2. This mushroom, roasted artichoke, lemon and parmesan pappardelle from Angelina's While we wait patiently for summer temperatures to kick in, this pasta looks like the perfect bridge between the seasons. And it has the right amount of cheese on it. angelinas.ie 3. This month's special burger from BuJo Chef Gráinne O'Keeffe's latest creation comes with Irish portobello musrooms, Fingal Ferguson 's smoked cheese and Kwanghi Chan 's black garlic miso mayo, and it's all we can think about. bujo.ie 4. This plate of health from Eathos We think this spinach waffle, grilled asparagus, raw beans, homemade labneh, za'atar avocado and dukkah from Eathos would just about cancel out our BuJo burger. eathosdublin.com 5. This in season, perfectly ripe mound of La Tur from Fallon & Byrne This beautiful piece of work is a blend of cow's, sheep's and goat's milk. It's Italian, has the texture of triple cream and it's in season. So go and get some. And have it with Champagne. www.fallonandbyrne.com

It seems like nearly everyone had a craving for Japanese food this week, with Gillian Nelis at Bonsai Bar , Leslie Williams at EaTokyo , and Catherine Cleary and Lucinda O'Sullivan beating a path to Ichigo Ichie in Cork, the new, hugely anticipated fine dining restaurant from Takashi Miyazaki . In the Sunday Business Post , Gillian Nelis was so impressed with the bar menu at Dylan McGrath's Bonsai Bar that seconds were ordered of the crunchy shiitake mushrooms with spiced nori crackers, and the salmon sashimi with avocado purée and bonito, which she calls some of the best sashimi she's had in Dublin. Only beating the sashimi was the yellowfin tuna served on a kimchi croquette and topped with a cured egg yolk, which looks and sounds so delicious that Bonsai Bar has rocketed to the top of our must-try list. She calls the food "boundary-pushing", and says that McGrath is "a chef who shows no signs of losing his ability to surprise and delight." Read her review here . (Subscription only) In the Irish Examiner , Leslie Williams was at Eatokyo on Wellington Quay, where despite the sushi rice needing work when it comes to texture and seasoning, he had a "hugely enjoyable meal". A tempura selection was "about perfect", prawn, garlic and chive gyoza were "excellent", and despite the rice issues he says the sushi is "better than most of what is available in Dublin." His favourite dish was the Schichimi Duck, which had been de-boned and deep fried until crispy with sweet-sour flavours. Although he emphasises twice that the sushi is "perfectly good", he basically advises giving it a miss and focusing on the gyoza, noodles and meat dishes instead. Read his review here . Both Catherine Cleary and Lucinda O'Sullivan were at Ichigo Ichie in Cork, both clearly hoping to be first in with a review. We wonder on a scale of 1-10 how secretly (or openly) raging they are when this happens. Both were suitably impressed, but CC more so, calling it "invigorating, a reminder of how magic food can be in the hands of a dreamer, a craftsperson and a flavour poet." She ate her 12 courses solo at the chef's counter, and describes a meal that sounds more like a hypnotic performance, with other-worldly ingredients being conjured from every corner, like powdered whiting, cured onsen egg, ninja radish and salted cherry blossom. "Wood, glass and ceramic containers make the process as beautiful as the plate." She gives it 9.5/10. Read her review here . Lucinda had a few bones to pick, mostly with what she calls the "over-zealous lead-up", being warned that lateness equals missing courses, and having to agree to "officious and daunting" terms when booking. Despite this, once getting there she found the staff "delightful", and the delicately flavoured food "artfully presented". Her favourite dish was Hassun (above right), a selection from land and sea, including smoky Thornhill duck with spring onion, gizzard, hay and leek, eel wrapped in wakame and cucumber ribbons topped with salmon roe and sansho pepper vinegar, and a cube of "bland" asparagus tofu, cured onsen egg yolk, whiting powder and salted cherry blossom. Flavour overload. She felt it began to get a bit samey towards the end, but still calls it a "once in a lifetime" experience. (Review not currently online) In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness was just west of Japan at Vietnom in Stoneybatter, the Vietnamese food truck at the back of The Glimmerman pub. She describes the food as "Asian fusion with touches of Mexican" which sounds so wrong but by the end of it we're convinced. Her and her companions tried all four dishes on the vegetarian menu, including Saigon tostadas with an organic red cabbage slaw, scallions, chillies, pickled red onions, sesame seeds and a zingy lime dressing which was "utterly delicious", and a sesame broccoli noodle salad with carrot pickles, peanuts and a ginger chilli dressing, that "had well-balanced heat and texture". They also enjoyed a couple of bánh mì, one with "meatily satisfying honey-basted mushrooms," a peanut shallot crust, McNally Farm leaves and an organic fried egg, the other with teriyaki paneer, sriracha aioli and "more of those epically good leaves." She describes it as "vibrant fresh flavours, feel-good food and no pretension." Read her review here . In the Irish Daily Mail, Tom Doorley was at Enoteca della Langhe in the Italian Quarter, gazing lovingly at their personally imported Italian wine list. He had the intensely creamy burrata which he calls one of the best he's tasted in Ireland (noted), and the contrast with the sweet and sour vegetables "delightful. Simple food done well." He wasn't feeling the bresaola, which came with an unspeakable amount of flaked almonds, but the two pastas were "first rate". Tonnarelli alla Norcina (spaghetti like pasta with spicy sausage, truffle and pecorino) was "a triumph ... the very definition of savoury, rich, creamy...", and Ravioli Asiago e porcini were served simply with just-cooked datterini tomatoes and asparagus. They couldn't fit in dessert but lingered over a very good value bottle of Nebbiolo Langhe for €33. (Review not currently online) More next week. * 1st August 2018 - A previous version of this article featured Ernie Whalley's review for the Sunday Times. This has been removed at the newspaper's request

Glovers Alley , Andy McFadden's fine dining restaurant in The Fitzwilliam Hotel , have announced that from July, they're opening up their kitchen on the first Friday of the month for an interactive cooking and eating experience. Costing €145 per person, it involves three hours in the kitchen with Andy and his team, a four-course lunch with Champagne and wine pairings, and a goodie bag to take home, including bread made that morning. The regular three-course lunch is €45, and the six-course €60, both without wine, so we think this sounds like pretty decent value if you want a more immersive experience alongside your food. During the three hours in the kitchen, participants will bake bread, learn techniques for butchering meat, preparing fish and making desserts, and will try dishes made by the kitchen team throughout the morning. Lunch starts at 12pm with Champagne, followed by four courses with wine pairings. You'll also get all the usual extras - bread, snacks, and a pre-dessert. The full experience is limited to four people per session, but you can bring a guest for the lunch part for €95. To book, contact Glovers Alley on 01 2440733 or email info@gloversalley.com. Glovers Alley The Fitzwilliam Hotel St Stephen's Green Dublin 2 Ph: 01 2440733 gloversalley.ie

Beef & Lobster opens in Malahide today, the second site for Oliver Dunne's steak and seafood spot, and his second restaurant in Malahide, with long-standing Bon Appetit around the corner. Like Beef & Lobster 's Temple Bar location, the short menu focuses on burgers, steak, lobster and prawns, with sauces, sides and a few starters. The house speciality of surf n' turf comes with an 8oz fillet steak and either garlic butter king prawns for €29.95 or half a lobster for €42. It's been a busy year for Dunne, with his restaurant group also taking over O'Connell's in Donnybrook in February. The second outpost of Beef & Lobster will be his fifth restaurant in Dublin Beef & Lobster will open for dinner from Tuesday - Sunday, and we expect brunch will follow if they think the demand is there. Online booking isn't available yet, but reservations can be made by phone or email. Beef & Lobster 9 Townyard Lane, Malahide, Co. Dublin Ph: +353 1 531 2900 beefandlobster.ie

Bay has been keeping Clontarf residents fed and happy for the past 15 years, with sister restaurant Fishbone opening in 2016, and they've just added a third business to the fold - Fishtalk , a wine bar above Fishbone serving small plates and wine on tap, with incredible views out over Bull Island. The menu is designed for sharing, and has plenty of seafood, but also meat and veggie options. We particularly like the sound of the kimchi oysters, the lobster and crayfish in a lemon and herb dressing on sourdough, and the brisket with fennel slaw. There are 8 wines on tap from WineLab served by the glass and carafe, including prosecco, albariño, picpoul, gamay and tempranillo, all poured from a copper wall behind the bar. There's also a full cocktail and spirits list, as well as some craft beers Fishtalk is open Monday - Sunday from 5pm, with limited availability on Fridays and Saturdays as they use the tables for Fishbone diners. High tables and bar seating will still be available for Fishtalk guests. They've made a little video about the opening which you can watch below.

In case you took a hiatus from social media last night, you missed a lot of buzz from this year's Irish Restaurant Awards . Organised by the Restaurants Association of Ireland , it's a fairly drawn out process, involving provincial awards ceremonies in the months beforehand, with Dublin and overall national winners (out of each of the provincial winners) announced on the main night. The big winner last night was Etto , who took home Restaurant of the Year for both Dublin and Ireland, Dublin Chef of the Year for Barry Sun Jian, and Best Customer Service in Dublin. All completely deserved if you ask us (you can read our Etto Once Over here ). We're eagerly awaiting their new restaurant Uno Mas , due to open later this year, and would put a sizeable sum of money on that bagging next year's "Best Newcomer" award. The other big winners were Michael's in Mount Merrion, who took home Best Newcomer, Best Kids Size Me, and Best Restaurant Manager for Talha Pasha. Chef Gareth Smith took over neighbourhood Italian Michael's just over a year ago and quickly turned it into a seafood destination, with diners travelling from near and far to eat fish that's often been caught just hours before. They've also been gaining press for their efforts to get children eating more fish. Best World Cuisine, for Dublin and Ireland, went to Nightmarket in Ranelagh, and Best Emerging Irish Cuisine, again for Dublin and Ireland, went to Craft in Harold's Cross. The Legal Eagle picked up Best Gastropub (Dublin and Ireland), while Klaw The Seafood Café took home Best Seafood Experience in Ireland. We were very happy to see Piglet Wine Bar take home Best Wine Experience, after being overlooked in other awards this year, and the brilliant Jenny & Patrick McNally of McNally Organic Farm won Best Local Food Hero. You can find their organic vegetables on restaurant and café menus across the city, or buy direct from the farm or at their market stalls in Leopardstown, Temple Bar and Dún Laoghaire. The other Dublin winners were Hey Donna (Best Casual Dining), The Marker Hotel (Best Hotel Restaurant, Honey Truffle (Best Café), Walsh's Stoneybatter (Pub of the Year), I Monelli (Best 'Free From') and Locks Windsor Terrace (Best Private Dining & Club). Loads of sore heads in kitchens all over the country this morning, and loads to add to your restaurant bucket list.

From a new combo for our favourite condiment to a fine dining snack that looks too pretty to eat, here's what we're craving this week. 1. This breakfast combo from White Mausu We are borderline obsessed with Katie Sanderson's Japanese/Korean hybrid condiment, and have been pouring it over everything this year, but this combo of eggs, Sceal Bakery bread, McNally Farm kale and peanut rayu is next on the list. Find it at the Dublin Flea or from specialist food stores across the city. www.whitemausu.com 2. Chargrilled Calçots from Hey Donna Some vegetables just shout summertime, and these chargrilled calçots ​with roasted red pepper and pickled green peppercorn aioli make us feel like we could be on a beach in Spain, downing seafood and white wine. Rathmines is a close second. 3. This new snack on the menu at Glovers Alley These lamb croquettes with piquillo pepper from Glovers Alley head chef Philip Roe look almost too pretty to eat, and we're loving the Clove Club -esque presentation. 4. A Cheese Toastie from Meltdown This pop-up cheese toastie shop opened on Stephen Street a couple of weeks ago and their Instagram feed is making us very hungry. We've got our eye on this one with Raclette, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, smoked paprika, wholegrain mustard and pickles. www.instagram.com/meltdowndublin 5. This Perfect Lemon Meringue Pie from Oxmantown Because what you need after all that cheese is cake, and this lemon meringue pie is a piece of perfection. www.oxmantown.com

There's a distinct sense of summer in this week's reviews, as if the critics knew it was going to be a scorcher of a weekend. Seafood, outdoor eating and panna cotta feature heavily. In the Irish Times , Catherine Cleary is at Overends Kitchen for brunch, the café on the site of Airfield estate, which uses produce from their 38 acres of farmland. She's impressed with chef Luke Matthews' seasonal and sustainable approach to eating, and loves that "some of his larder is feet from the kitchen mooing, clucking and growing..." The 'garden breakfast bowl' is a "savoury granola laced with tangy dressing", with red cabbage slaw, sprouted grains, poached eggs and long stem broccoli "that tastes so good I’d put money on it being smoked before it was charred." Half a roast chicken is "meat as it should be, tasting properly of chicken rather than random white protein." She also admires the fingerling potatoes, with "lovely waxy yellow flesh nutty enough to barely need butter, baked at such a high heat that their skins are flayed and crisp like pork crackling." It sounds like the queues she describes were worth waiting in. Dessert of panna cotta with rhubarb is made with Jersey cream from the estate's own cows, and is "creamier than a flotilla of milk tankers". As brunch goes we're wagering this must be one of the best experiences in Dublin at the moment. Read her review here . In the Irish Independent , Katy McGuinness was enjoying a leisurely lunch at The Garden Room in The Merrion Hotel, who offer all-day-dining - perfect for those lovely, long booze-filled Friday lunches to start the weekend off right. She booked ahead to bag a table beside the towering floor to ceiling doors (good tip), but the temperature wasn't warm enough to warrant opening them. On a sunny summer's day it sounds like this would be an oasis in the centre of the city. Snacks and starters were generally good, with standouts being the boneless chicken wings with pistachio lardo and fontina, and beef-tartare with a quail's egg. A luscious omelette Arnold Bennet with eggs, smoky cod and spinach teetered on the edge of being too much, and half a smoked cauliflower (anyone else over this trend?) with truffled crème fraîche and dulse is salty but works. Dessert of salted caramel tart with popcorn ice-cream and dark chocolate crumb is "perfect". We also love that they treated themselves to a nice bottle of wine instead of going for standard reviewer house (or close) fare. It's Friday people, treat yourselves. Read her review here . In the Irish Examiner , Leslie Williams was learning how to be a hipster at Eatyard , the outdoor street food market at the side of The Bernard Shaw . He tries nearly everything on offer (thanks to going with four mates), and is very impressed with what these hipsters eat. Chana Palak - spinach and chickpeas in a rich sauce - from Kinara Kitchen was creamy and satisfying. Cheese burgers and a chicken burger from Box Burger were tasty with good quality meat, but the highlight was Vish n' Chips from Vish Shop , as well as their famous cauliflower wings, which he calls "a genius creation". Vish Shop/Veginity founder Mark Senn has been looking for a permanent home since upping his food truck from Portobello earlier this year, so we were intrigued to see a teasing tweet earlier this week saying they had good news. Watch this space. Read Leslie Wiliams' review of Eatyard here . In the Sunday Independent, Lucinda O'Sullivan was dreaming of an impending holiday to France (and having a dig at those 'cool' Irish chefs who believe their own hype) at Voici Crêperie and Wine Bar in Rathmines. She loved her "lovely, square, crisp envelope" of a crêpe with St Tola goat's cheese, walnut, honey and rocket, and her friend's with Buffao mozzarella, sun-ripened tomatoes, basil pesto and basil leaves, but hated the scratched wooden boards they came on. That's one for we want plates . She thought the atmosphere, complete with French music and Citroen facades on the walls, was fun, and earmarked the Croque-Madame for her next visit, after she saw it on leaving and nearly sat back down again. (Review not currently online) In the Irish Daily Mail, Tom Doorley was revisiting Etto , calling it "the really good chefs' restaurant", a place where people know their straciatella from their botarga. He enjoyed hake and morcilla croquettes, pigs' trotters formed into something between a paté and charcuterie, a shoulder of lamb that was given the Mediterranean treatment, and a risotto made from buckwheat, topped with morels, asparagus and Taleggio cheese, which he calls "one of the best things I've eaten in quite a while". Dessert of an arrestingly rich chocolate mousse with Amarena cherries, and a slice of blue sheep's cheese with quince paste sound like the perfect ending to a great meal, and he calls the accompanying wines by the glass "outstanding". (Review not currently online) The only one outside the capital this week, Gillian Nelis in The Sunday Business Post was in Merry's Gastro Pub in Dungarvan, after her plan of exploring the greenway was foiled by a heavy downpour of rain. She tells us Merry's is an incredible 150 years in business, and says it's "the kind of room you’d love to be forced to spend time in, with its traditional wooden bar, open fire and lovely friendly staff." Small plates were a mixed bag, with mushrooms on bruschetta containing grit and beef croquettes not tasting much of beef, but barbeque pork ribs "fell off the bone and were really delicious". Falafel with charred corn, pickled red cabbage and mixed leaves was "a generous and healthy lunch", fish and chips was "worth every calorie" with a "perfectly crispy batter" and "top-notch chips", and the lamb burger was "messy, delicious and large". A knickerbocker glory for dessert was "pleasingly retro", and a warm toffee and apple pie with custard and cream "gorgeous". She calls the service superb and the atmosphere lovely and warm, and ends by saying time spent here would make you very merry indeed... *face palm*. Read her review here (subscription only). We're taking a break from the critic's reviews next week - holidaze. Back in two weeks. * 1st August 2018 - A previous version of this article featured Ernie Whalley's review for the Sunday Times. This has been removed at the newspaper's request

Good news for lovers of Bao, those pillowy soft Taiwanese buns filled with all kinds of delicious things, as Bao House has just opened on Aungier Street. Founder Wynne Liu has been working in Dublin for the past 15 years, and saw an opportunity to bring Taiwanese comfort food to the Irish masses. Bao House will serve baos filled with braised pork belly, confit duck, fried chicken and the vegan tofu filled "Temple Bao". This isn't Bao's first appearance in the city. Street food stall How Bao Now have been feeding lunchtime market crowds for the past few years, and you can find them on the menu in several Asian restaurants, but this is the first dedicated Bao shop. Food is made fresh on site each day, and Bao House opens from 9am until the baos sell out, so don't leave it too late if you have your heart set on one. Bao House 34 Aungier Street, Dublin 2 9am - until the baos are gone www.facebook.com/BaoIreland

This week sees the redemption of Bun Cha , the Vietnamese street food restaurant on Moore Street, which Lucinda O'Sullivan memorably ripped apart soon after opening. While LO'S called the summer rolls "tasteless lumps of starch", Tom thought they were "spot on, underlining that this kind of food is all about freshness and clean, distinctive flavours." Wonton noodle soup was a highlight - "I'm not sure where else you will get so much to eat and delight in" - as was the bun cha, consisting of smoky pieces of grilled pork in a sweet, savoury and salty broth, which had "clean, fresh flavours and a considerable degree of zing". The whole meal came to €40 for two, which Tom describes as "The Noble prize for value". It's always curious when critics have such different experiences and opinions of a restaurant. Were the meals cooked by two different people? Has the restaurant in question changed things since the bad review? Or do the critics just have completely different tastes? Regardless, Bun Cha has been removed from the "never eat here" list. (Review not currently online) In the Irish Independent , Katy McGuinness is at Juniors in Dublin 4, wondering if the two women who are front of house and "hospitality incarnate" can be cloned and distributed across the city. Pretty sure our restaurateurs would jump at that. She regretted choosing the pint of prawns for a starter, saying they lacked flavour, and had the exact same complaint about the "homemade mayonnaise" that Paolo Tullio had nine years ago when he ate there, calling it "white and anodyne and less exciting than Hellman's". Nine years is a lot of time to get the mayo right. Purple sprouting broccoli with goat's cheese mousse, red chicory and toasted hazlenuts was "simple, seasonal, rather good", and high praise was reserved for the the Côte de boeuf, which she says isn't far off Etto's . She also managed to narrowly escape disaster when her glass of red wine went flying in the direction of a fellow diner wearing a white silk shirt, but just missed her. Not sure the Indo's budget would have stretched to replacing that. Read her review here . In The Sunday Independent, Lucinda O'Sullivan does a nice little round up of 5 cafés she thinks are worth a visit - Happy Out in Clontarf, Pot Bellied Pig in Rathmines, The Riddler near Christ Church, Vanilla Pod in Blackrock, and Fennelly's in Kilkenny. She recommends eating a toastie overlooking the sea at Happy Out , and the smashed avocado or speciality crêpe at Fennelly's , as well as the desserts and cakes which are "to die for". Risotto at The Riddler was pleasant, breakfast at Vanilla Pod sounded pretty standard but was enjoyable and good value, and a BLT with garlic and basil aioli was the standout at Pot Bellied Pig . She advises checking out their monthly drag brunches and supper clubs. Review not currently online. In the Irish Examiner , Joe McNamee was breaking the cardinal rule of never reviewing a restaurant on opening night. To be fair, he didn't plan to write about it - it was just so bloody good. Chestnut in West Cork, from chef Rob Krawczyk, is one of the most anticipated openings of the year, so we're not surprised Joe wanted to get in early, but we're both jealous and impressed that he bagged one of the 18 seats on their first night of service. The food sounds dynamic and delicious, featuring dishes like mussels with tangy-sweet cucumber and samphire, scallops with parsnip purée, pan-wilted wild garlic and fennel pollen, and new season asparagus topped with a shaving of ham fat and pennywort. The two dishes that sealed the deal were Hogget, with its "impossibly tender pink meat you could slice with a knife’s handle let alone blade", and the cheeseboard, which he boldly states is the best restaurant cheeseboard he's ever had. The Michelin guide have already been in , so if you want to visit we'd advise trying to get there before September. This little 18 seater could be Cork's answer to Heron & Grey . Read his review here . In the Sunday Business Post , Gillian Nelis was at The Parson's Nose in Hillsborough, Co. Down. It sounds like better than average pub grub, but not a whole lot more exciting. She loved the smoked mackerel with pickled radishes, apple and horseradish cream on sourdough toast, and a hot smoked salmon salad. Her whole plaice was flawlessly cooked but came with bland broccoli and kale, and the daily special of cod with mussel and cannellini bean ragu (which doesn't sound overly appetising) was once again bland with no discernible mussels and a chewy courgette on the side. Dessert of pear and almond bakewell with almond streusel and vanilla ice-cream made up for the unspecial special, and she calls the town itself "picture-perfect". Read her review here (subscription only). And finally, as if Cork and Down weren't far enough away, Catherine Cleary in the Irish Times was on a beach in Tulum, Mexico, eating at Arca , next to Graham Norton. Well for ya. After telling us about the chef's pedigree (Alinea, El Cellar de Can Roca and Noma), she describes a setting that features "dark wood tables, gravel underfoot, and the whole thing is (barely) lit with glowing bulbs and candlelight". Sounds slightly nicer than Moore Street. The incense they were burning to keep the mosquitoes away made her feel like she was at mass, but the roasted red pepper tartare made up for it, and came topped with a cured egg yolk and toasted almonds, alongside warm sourdough that was "scorched and charred like something rescued from the embers." Other winners included a prawn ceviche cured with the juice from the fruit of the prickly pear cactus, octopus tentacles so fresh they tasted like lobster, and suckling pig with a raw chayote salad (which is like a squash). We're expecting regular Irish-based service to resume next week. Read her review here . More next week. * 1st August 2018 - A previous version of this article featured Ernie Whalley's review for the Sunday Times. This has been removed at the newspaper's request

From perfect prawn pil-pil to the ultimate caramel custard tart, here's what caught our eye this week... 1. French Toast from Five Points This stuffed, thick cut French Toast comes with crispy smoked bacon, rhubarb, pistachio and rose petals. Breakfast of dreams. www.fivepointshx.com 2. Everything from Clanbrassil Coffee Shop Since opening a month ago, Clanbrassil Coffee Shop have been killing it on Instagram with pictures of Paris Brests, granola bowls and colourful salad plates. We want it all. www.instagram.com/clanbrassil_coffee_shop 3. Sizzling Prawn Pil-Pil at The Old Spot The smell of summer is in the air and we're craving simple food that tastes like holidays. This gorgeous looking pil pil with a cold glass of white wine would make us very happy. theoldspot.ie 4. The brisket and puy lentil bowl from Nutbutter We're loving the look of the rainbow coloured food at Nutbutter , the new healthy-eating café near Grand Canal Dock, particularly this brisket and puy lentil bowl with pico de gallo, pickled red cabbage, scallions, coconut and peanut sauce. www.nutbutter.ie 5. This custard caramel tart from Mr Fox Because, has a more beautiful specimen ever existed? Total perfection. www.mrfox.ie

Spanish Wine Week starts today, and there is loads to get involved in across the city, from events and dinners to more informal tastings in your local wine shop. If you're one of those people who's always complaining about not knowing enough about wine, get involved. Or if you just like drinking it, get involved. You can find the full line up of promotions and events here , but our picks include a Spanish wine dinner at Pickle , with 5 courses and matching wines for €55, a tasting of lesser-known regions and varieties at The Legal Eagle  costing €35 with tapas, a sherry masterclass at 64 Wine with sherry expert Paddy Murphy for €25, and a sparkling wine tasting and lunch with wine writer Corinna Hardgrave at Suesey Street , which will set you back €35. All sound like brilliant value. There are also some great deals on drinking in at Fallon & Byrne , who are doing free corkage on Spanish wine all week, Piglet , who'll have older vintages of Spanish wine at 25% off, and The Port House , who are doing flights of wines with tapas for €10 each. If you want to buy wine to take home, Searsons in Monkstown are doing buy 6 bottles and pay for 5 on Spanish wine, The Winehouse in Howth are doing 15% off their Spanish range, and there are  discounts in the Celtic Whiskey Shop on Stephen's Green, Terroirs in Donnybrook and O'Brien's across the city. Spanish week runs from Monday 23rd April until Sunday 29th April and there are events and promotions happening across the city. For the full list of what's on and participating venues go to spanishwineweek.ie .

In the Irish Daily Mail, Tom Doorley visited Drury Buildings , which has had more of a reputation as a place to drink than a place to eat, but it looks like that's going to change now that Gareth Naughton (formerly of l'Gueuleton and Suesey Street) is in the kitchen. He describes a pitch-perfect, raw-heavy, Italian influenced meal, featuring beef tartare with parmesan, lemon and truffle, tuna tartare with soy and sesame oil, and pasta ribbons with guanciale and pecorino which was "so simple, so delicious, so perfect". Swoon. He calls Drury Buildings elegant and understated, with a big airy dining room and lovely staff. Another one to add to your "must-eat in" list. (Review not currently online) In The Irish Times , Catherine Cleary was at makeshift, middle-eastern Shouk in Drumcondra, which she thought looked "like it’s been hewn out of OSB sheeting, wine boxes and cushions". She's impressed with the falafel and tahini yoghurt, Shakshuka eggs and the mezze platter, but the whole roast cauliflower that's the size of a human head isn't cooked enough and "too much cauliflower for one person". It honestly sounds like she's been put off cauliflower for life. She obviously hangs out with 'clean-eating' types, as one of them ordered the caramelized banana chocolate pitta without the pitta, so just a smear of chocolate and banana on a plate then, which they don't sound impressed with... *no comment* With €1 corkage and very reasonable prices, we think Shouk is another place you can expect to see filling your Instagram timeline over the coming months. Read her review here . In The Sunday Business Post , Gillian Nelis was also eating in the suburbs at Craft in Harold's Cross. She praises chef Phil Yeung's sustainable food sourcing and menus full of "great Irish produce", saying this is a chef "who can do things with vegetables that would make you weep with joy". She calls the treacle and black porter bread "superb", and crackers topped with whipped chicken liver mousse, prune and apple "heavenly". Goat's curd pasta parcels with morels and pine nuts was "as perfect a representation of spring in a bowl as I’ve ever seen or tasted," and the beef cheek was so good that it was polished off by a fellow diner who hadn't eaten beef in ten years. Not sure praise comes higher than that. She ends with a plea for readers to go out and support their great local restaurants, and we're going to throw the " local multiplier effect " into the mix here, which found that if you spend your money locally it gets multiplied three times. So get out there and start eating. Read her review here . (Subscription only) In The Irish Examiner , Leslie Williams was also having a bit of a swoon over the food at Ananda (looks like everyone was loving their job this week). He discovered that Champagne is a great match for poppadoms (we'll be trying that one), and that Indian chorizo is a thing - who knew? None of the dishes disappointed, but he loved the Jaipuri Raj Kachori - a Puffed Semolina bun stuffed with black gram lentil dumplings, crispy potato vermicelli, soft onion, tamarind, sweet and sour chilli and yoghurt. Boned and rolled chicken stuffed with rose petals, wild mushrooms, pistachio, saffron and cardamom was fragrant and creamy, and the dahl languorous and silky with a spicy kick. The rose-petal scented kulfi is one of the prettiest desserts he's seen all year with an intoxicating fragrance, and he ends by saying this is "ambitious and hugely accomplished cooking, beautifully presented dishes and gorgeous flavours." Read his review here . Another great review for Indian cuisine in the Sunday Independent, where Lucinda O'Sullivan sounds like she was about to faint with joy at Rasam in Dun Laoghaire, where she's a regular. She starts by listing off all the celebrities who've eaten there, which we're not sure is any restaurant's biggest selling point (unless you're looking for Shane Ritchie's autograph), but calls it a "home away from home", where there's always a superb welcome (once again we're pondering how anon critic would have fared). She describes a pretty fascinating sounding menu, including tiger prawns dipped in fresh basil and sesame seeds fried with sprout leaves, chillies filled with goat's cheese, peppers and dried Indian mint leaves, and pan-fried white fish, simmered in a sauce of black cumin, melon seeds, dried coconut and browned onions. What they actually ate sounded slightly more tame - lamb and hake curry - but they clearly left delighted, and mango kulfi with basil seeds is described as "an amazing ice-cream, different from anything you will have here". We're also elated to see they've finally started using professionally taken photos rather than dark, blurry phone jobs. Crossing fingers that one sticks. (Review not currently online) Finally, in The Irish Independent , Katy McGuinness was on a whistle stop tour of Galway, where the first stop was veggie/vegan café The Light House . A chickpea pancake filled with courgette, mint and potato fritters was very good, and the salad plate, with hummus, lentils, cabbage and goat's cheese is "the kind of food we all want to eat at lunchtime to fend off the dreaded mid-afternoon slump." Afterwards they head to Kasbah Wine Bar to undo their good work with some croquettes, tacos and wine. Sounds like a perfect day. Read her review here . More next week. * 1st August 2018 - A previous version of this article featured Ernie Whalley's review for the Sunday Times. This has been removed at the newspaper's request

After last week's Sole love fest from Lucinda , this week it was Katy McGuinness's turn to give her take on the €65 Norweigan crab claws, in the Irish Independent . She seems more on team Lucinda than team Tom and Gillian , and despite having the same complaints about the glut of imported seafood, she liked the 'retro' starters of Oysters Rockefeller and prawn cocktail. Sole meunière was "simple, as it should be", and the infamous crab claws had good flavour and texture but lacked richness - if you can afford to pay €65 for crab claws you probably won't lose sleep over this. She acknowledges it's not for a cheap night out, but we're still staggering at the bill of €287 for dinner for two. You could easily get in and out of Chapter One for less than that. Read her review here . Meanwhile, Lucinda O'Sullivan in The Sunday Independent was trying out the newly refurbished, controversy-ridden Clontarf Baths. Luckily she wasn't planning a dip as she would have been bitterly disappointed. She thought the food was fantastic - Guinness bread with seaweed butter, Ireland's Eye crab on sourdough, Gambas with chilli, garlic, chorizo and samphire - but we're not sure it will be enough to get locals to drop their placards and pop in for lunch. (Review not currently online.) In The Irish Times , Catherine Cleary did a split review, mostly of Cowfish in Bray, with a shorter mention of Strandfield House in Dundalk, and once again neither involved alcohol. We're starting to wonder if this is all part of our great leader's plan to bring prohibition to Ireland, on top of having the highest tax on wine in the EU , making us do the walk of shame to the bottle bank and a soon-to-be introduced alcohol bill , the implications of which it's probably best not to talk about on Sunday when we're still marginally happy after the weekend. Has Leo gotten to her? She liked the rooftop location and summer vibe at Cowfish , but had issues with the mackerel on toast which needed to be "toastier" and mushroom ravioli with a filling too much like baby-food, but she enjoyed the beef cheek, "a slump of brown meat cooked so slowly that the sinew and fat have melted to a glistening slick that binds the whole lot together," and the onion nest (above), which were "dusted in a gritty polenta crumb ... tasting like the best crispy bits in the bottom of a chip bag." At Strandfield House she finds "proper cakes, luscious enough to put Strandfield on the map for a pit stop off the M1 on the next trip north." The coffee and hazlenut cake and chewy, toasty coconut macaroons get special mention. Read her review here . In the Irish Daily Mail, Tom Doorley was taking advantage of €8 corkage at Whelehan's Wines , paying €28.50 for a wine he reckons would be almost €100 in other restaurants (p.s. this is how to drink well when out - look at Green Man Wines , 64 Wine and Fallon & Byrne's €1 corkage Mondays and Tuesdays for similar tricks of the trade). He and his dining companion enjoyed potted Lambay crab and scallops with Clonakilty black pudding, but thought the boeuf Bourgignon had too much tomato, accompanying sides were ill-chosen and the food generally needed a bit more swagger, being "sound" rather than "exciting". In The Irish Examiner , Joe McNamee was at Kalbos Café in Skibbereen, Cork. We love his description of "a space so small even telepathy might be vulnerable to eavesdropping, a crucial consideration in a country town". Every dish hit the spot, including Castletownbere crab salad, caramelised champ potato cakes, and parsnip, leek and lemon soup, but the star attractions were the cakes. The white chocolate and raspberry cake is "so good", the warm nut brownie deserving of 'world famous' status, and the ricotta and lime pie "divine. Read his review here . Finally, in the Sunday Business Post , Gillian Nelis was in the Cliff House Hotel in Waterford, trying their Michelin-starred restaurant 'House', and making half of Instagram green with envy with her picture of a ridiculously intricate chicken skin waffle amuse-bouche. She describes the kitchen as "pushing boundaries", using ingredients like the bitter sea buckthorn, but the rest of the tasting menu sounds like an exercise in the ultimate luxury - quail's eggs, caviar, morels, guinea fowl, lobster and tonburi Akita (land-caviar), all feature. Foie gras came with the "rhubarbiest rhubarb" she'd tasted in ages, and the guinea fowl was an "indulgent treat". Both the trio of desserts and the petit fours sound like works of art (or science experiments), and we recommend reading the whole review if you like feeling very jealous of other people's meals. The whole thing sounds worthy of a Chef's Table episode. Read her review here (subscription only). More next week. * 1st August 2018 - A previous version of this article featured Ernie Whalley's review for the Sunday Times. This has been removed at the newspaper's request

The Big Grill is coming back to Herbert Park in August for its fifth year, and the line up is probably the best one yet. This is definitely a "do not miss" event for anyone interested in getting back to basics when it comes to how we eat - or anyone who likes eating incredibly tasty food. All chefs must cook with live fire, using only natural charcoal or wood, and headlining the festival this year are New York's Angie Mar from The Beatrice Inn , famous for her whiskey-aged rib-eye, and Billy Durney, whose restaurant Hometown is frequently called the best barbeque in New York . We were also excited to see David Carter from London's Smokstak on the bill, which is hands down the best barbeque we've ever tasted. His brisket bun, pork ribs and coal-roasted aubergine have queues forming in Shoreditch every weekend, and when you taste it you'll understand why. Joining him on the plane from London will be everyone's favourite ex-pat, Robin Gill , who's been doing some amazing work out at Airfield lately trying to turn it into Ireland's version of Bluehill at Stone Barns . We have everything crossed that this is a precursor for him opening his first Dublin restaurant. Building the fire pits for the Irish are Gráinne O'Keeffe ( Clanbrassil House , BuJo ), Paul Flynn ( The Tannery ), John Relihan ( Holy Smoke ), and Fingal Ferguson from Gubbeen Smokehouse . There will also be butchery, barbeque and smoking workshops, as well as entertainment and hot wing challenges, and they'll be roasting a whole Dexter cow on Sunday, which you would be ill-advised to miss. There are loads of articles online debating the origins of barbecue food, but the fact is that fire was the only way humans had to cook for millions of years, before we became too busy and too impatient to wait all day for our vegetables to cook in the earth, or for the whole animal we'd spent hours hunting to slowly cook over an open-flame. What we've gained in time we've lost in connection to our food, and we can't imagine there are many people cooking over open fires or digging a pit to bury their dinner in anymore, which if you ask us is a sad state of affairs. So step back in time for a weekend, get back to the the very roots of cooking, and eat some life-affirming food. Then go home inspired and dig that fire pit. And send us a photo. Get tickets for The Big Grill here . And if you need further convincing about how meaningful this type of cooking is, watch this episode of Chef's Table. You'll never be the same again. The Big Grill Festival Herbert Park, Ballbridge, Dublin 4 16th - 19th August 2018 biggrillfestival.com

Whenever someone compiles a list of “Dublin’s coolest cafés”, you can be sure that MMITM will be near the top. Since opening in 2016, they've become a destination for people who like good coffee, creative food with impeccable provenance and doughnuts to destroy all others. The good news is there’s now another “must-try” destination on the Dublin scene, and it’s next door. The guys from MMITM have just opened Reference Coffee , a café and roastery. You can also buy the same baked goods as you’ll find in MMITM , so double win. Coffee is from various roasters in different countries and will change regularly, and you can buy bags of it to take home. They also have oat milk for the dairy free, and serve tea and hot chocolate. Reference coffee is open seven days a week, and we give a few days before it's being included on lists of "Dublin's Coolest Coffee Shops". Reference Coffee 49 Pleasants Street Dublin 2 www.instagram.com/referencecoffee

Can't cook? In this media-filled age with millions of recipes at your fingertips, there is really no excuse for not being able to master the most basic kitchen skills - proper scrambled eggs, homemade pasta sauce and crispy roast chicken spring to mind - but if these continue to elude you, The Fumbally Café can sort you out. The Fumbally Home Cooking course starts on Monday April 16th from 18:30 - 20:30, and runs for six weeks at the same time. The first course ran in January of this year, and feedback was so good that they immediately scheduled the second one. Fumbally chef Aoife Allen will teach the course in the Fumbally Stables kitchen, focusing on sustainable, healthy, and delicious dishes, and lucky participants will learn some of her favourite vegetarian recipes, how to make meat go further, and getting creative with leftovers. Participants will also learn about some brilliant Irish ingredients, how to make sauces and condiments from scratch, and an introduction to fermentation. The course costs €300 for six weeks, and includes a two course meal at the end of each class, which will be prepared in groups of two. You'll also get a sauerkraut or kimchi to take home from the fermentation class. If you're really struggling to get to grips with this basic life skill, or just want to jazz up your kitchen skills from a pro, we think this will be money well spent. You can book a place on the Fumbally Home Cooking course here , but bear in mind there are only 10 places available so if you're interested be quick. The Fumbally Home Cooking Course Where: The Fumbally Stables, Fumbally Lane, Dublin 8 When: Starts Monday April 16th,18:30 - 20:30 Website: thefumballystables.ie/events/fumbally-home-cooking-2

The big story this week is how much Lucinda O'Sullivan loved Sole , the new, high-end seafood restaurant on Wicklow Street, after it was panned by Tom Doorley in The Daily Mail and Gillian Nelis in the Sunday Business Post . They both took exception to the amount of imported seafood and the eye-popping prices, but LOS had no problem paying €47.50 for a plate of "perfectly grilled" Dover Sole, and didn't blink at a seafood platter for €110. There's a touch of the 'fangirl' about it, with owners described as the same people behind the "oh-so-fabulous Fire ", the much criticised Norweigan crab called the "mighty denizens of the deep", and "fantastic" Coquilles St Jacques, described as "a plumpous duo of scallop shells filled to their pretty frilled edges", costing €35. Compared to Tom Doorley's description of the same dish, with a sauce "the consistency of milk", and "under-seasoned, under-buttered" mash, we can only suggest that maybe they've bucked up since then. We heard on the grapevine that another critic paid Sole a visit during the week, so we'll wait to see what side they're on. (Review not currently online) Another talking point this week was Catherine Cleary who went to probably one of the country's best restaurants right now, Clenaghan's , and only drank fizzy water. Surely there should be a ban on reviewing a meal if you don't try the wine? Maybe budgets at the Irish Times' are tighter than we thought. Despite the lack of liquid refreshment, Clenaghan's is currently top of her list for meal of the year - imagine how good it would have been with booze! The food reminded her of when she first fell in love with restaurant dining in rural France, and every dish she describes sounds magical. "Quail’s eggs cloaked in sausage meat and bread crumbed and cooked so that a bright yellow yolk slides out of the “wee scotch eggs” like a kitchen conjuring trick". "Properly impressive goat and beet, the cheese in curd form so it’s still almost liquid and gossamer delicate in flavour, a whisper of goat rather than the usual holler." "A slab of garlic bread, the quennelle of green pesto on top made from the softest wild garlic on top of a buttery slice of toast." There may have been a late night dial to Clenaghan's last night to enquire about accommodation availability. Read her review here . In the Irish Examiner , Leslie Williams was at Glovers Alley having a very similar experience to us (you can read our take here ). He too was underwhelmed by the first taste of a Parmesan Gougère, but loved the Jerusalem artichokes with winter truffle - "a genius masterclass on what you can do with a humble root vegetable", Comeragh Mountain Lamb with "the purest most perfect ‘Irish Stew’ I’ve ever tasted", and "silky exuberant Coconut Rice with Cream Cheese wafer, Sake and Yoghurt Ice-cream", which was "extraordinarily good". He ends by saying it's not perfect but has touches of perfection. Read his review here . In the Irish Daily Mail, Tom Doorley was back at Lucky Tortoise in Ranelagh, who are still on the search for a permanent site. He found the €20 dim sum menu delivered yet again, and it seems to have had some multi-cultural tweaks since we were last there - Thai green chicken curry dumplings, pot stickers with pancetta, and a suspicion that the Japanese omelette had a Lea and Perrins sauce. He loved it all, and we've made a mental note to return to what has to be one of the best value eateries in the city. It's also BYO, which is one of the best things ever. Review not currently online. In the Sunday Business Post , Gillian Nelis felt her Italian dinner was over-priced at Pinocchio in Ranelagh. Spaghetti Carbonara was cooked the right way (no cream or bacon to see here) but incredibly rich, the frittura mista was well-cooked but salty, and the disappointing tiramisu tasted of "nothing but sugar". Her Italian friend took it as a personal insult that lady fingers weren't used, and they generally felt the food was "only okay" and in parts "very over-priced". Read her review here . (Subscription only) Finally, Katy McGuinness in the Irish Independent was over in London checking out one of the buzziest restaurants in the city right now (and the subject of an Irish racism row ), the modern-Irish Nuala . Unfortunately for Katy she was stood up by not one but both of us her lunch dates - we'd be getting new pals Katy! She soldiered on alone (whilst only being able to try half the amount of food, rage). Turns out Irish cooking means load of potatoes, and Katy immensely enjoyed the beef tartare with extra stout sauce, egg yolk and dripping fries, the chips "especially good", and the dauphinoise potatoes with lamb-fat gravy. Cauliflower rarebit was lacking cheese, lardo that came with crab was cut too thickly, and she couldn't manage dessert after all those potatoes, but she'd like to return with a gang, if she can rustle one up. Read her review here . Book your flights to London here . More next week. * 1st August 2018 - A previous version of this article featured Ernie Whalley's review for the Sunday Times. This has been removed at the newspaper's request

A slightly shorter than normal critic's reviews this week, because we have a lot of Easter Eggs to eat. First up, Katy McGuinness in the Irish Independent was in Michael's , where she was one of the last critics to cross the threshold, but was no less impressed. She praised the freshness and abundance of the food, saying she's more used to chefs cutting the scallops in half to make it appear like there's more of them (we hear you Katy). The Lambay Island crab salad was 'simply lovely', and the gratin of Lambay crab claws and Dublin Bay prawns 'a garlicky, generous, mop-able delight.' She calls it a 'happy place serving happy food', that's fast becoming a destination. Read her review here . In the Times , Catherine Cleary makes it two weeks in a row for the tiny Assassination Custard to see their name in lights. Like Leslie Williams in the Irish Examiner last week she loved it all (except the bread), particularly the buttery, silky endives, a kohlrabi version of vitello tonnata, the 'ugly but excellent' brown meringue with coriander seeds and hazelnuts for dessert, and the menu written on brown paper bags. Read her review here . In The Irish Daily Mail, Tom Doorley was trying out the new, Naples-accredited Pizzeria Forno 500 (which we wrote about here ), and was pleased to find the pizza was the real deal, with 'its blistered fringe retaining just the right amount of elasticity', and the toppings 'not piled on but added in just the right quantity.' The rest was a mixed bag, with the lasagne 'almost perfect', save for the overcooked pasta, some unconventional carpaccio and risotto, and an ambitiously priced wine list lacking basic details like the producer. (Review not currently online) In the Sunday Independent, Lucinda O'Sullivan was hoping she was onto a new favourite Chinese in Old Town on Capel Street, but ended up sitting in a cold room eating 'magic prawns' that weren't that magic and dry, dense duck. She did enjoy the jellyfish and cucumber salad and a bowl of dry, hot noodles, but the search continues. In the Sunday Business Post , Gillian Nelis was taking one for the team by trying everything on the menu at Hansel and Gretel , the bakery and patisserie near Merrion Square. She found a maderia cake to rival her granny's, an excellent almond croissant and a divine chocolate rice crispie slice. She also let us in on her family Easter tradition of a 'first breakfast' consisting solely of chocolate, which we think should be rolled out across the country. Read her review here (subscription online). Finally, in the Irish Examiner , Joe McNamee was taking the wife off for a romantic night away (i.e. he watches sport, she has a bath - sounds pretty perfect) at The Mustard Seed in Limerick. Her current pseudonym is 'The Cat's Pyjamas', or ' TCP ' - we bet she's really missing 'My Heart's Desire/Delight'. They really enjoyed the unusual sounding menu, featuring coffee-braised veg, chicken with plums and maple syrup, a salad with papaya dressing and suckling pig with herby sausage and a meaty, aspic jelly. He's planning a return to coincide with The World Cup. Read his review here . More next week.

There's been excited talk of a small café from the guys behind Bastible and Clanbrassil House for months, and this morning Clanbrassil Coffee Shop finally opens for business. With items like their homemade sausage roll with homemade brown sauce, Cheese Palmiers and Paris Brests on the menu we're pretty confident this is going to be a busy spot. It's also the first time we've seen a Paris Brest on a Dublin menu, and how good does it look... Zia Burke, ex-Clanbrassil House, is in charge, and has spent the last few months putting together a short but very appealing menu with some twists on normal coffee shop fare - like a meatball sandwich with spiced lamb, sauerkraut, yoghurt, and walnut and rocket pesto, and a Kimchi Cheese toastie. We're also loving the fact that they've done away with the complicated coffee menu, and have two options - coffee, or coffee with milk. Reports from a mini soft launch last week is that the coffee is good. Clanbrassil Coffee Shop will open from 7:30 - 15:30 from Monday to Friday to start with, but hope to extend to weekends soon. Just get there early if you want that Paris Brest. Clanbrassil Coffee Shop Mon - Fri: 7:30 - 15:30 www.instagram.com/clanbrassil_coffee_shop

It's safe to say Locks are having a good weekend, after the team woke up to not one but two rave reviews on Saturday - we did say their buzz was showing no signs of slowing down. In The Irish Times , Catherine Cleary was in much better mood than last week awarding Locks a rare 9/10, and saying "The food is brilliant and easily outflanks restaurants where tables are much harder to secure. Go soon to enjoy a restaurant at the top of its game." We also can't help but detect a subtle dig at Glover's Alley when she describes Locks as "calm, less nerve jangled than those earlier days, like a place that knows what it is rather than somewhere reaching for what it wants to be." CC's food descriptions alone are enough to have you begging for a booking - "gobstopper-sized croquettes of smoked ham with disks of glistening apple", onion soup that comes with "a smoked buttermilk curd like a captured cloud in the bottom of the bowl, currachs of pearly charred onions and lifebuoy rings of battered shallots, like a bay with the tide gone out, all waiting for the soup which is poured from a jug at the table", and poached sea trout "such a vibrant colour that it looks like it was sliced sashimi style from something still flapping, then scorched with a flame and plated ... There are tricolour blobs of herb oil, creme fraiche and roe to finish one of the most beautiful starters I’ve had in an Irish restaurant." *books table immediately*. You can read her review here . Tom Doorley in the Irish Daily Mail was equally loving his visit to Locks , mostly because he was let in the door - the last time he tried to eat there he was thrown out by ex-owner Sébastien Masi (long story involving some contentious pumpkin gnocchi). He calls the new Locks "one of the best places to eat in the capital", and says the food is about "serious talent and discipline". He calls the whipped chicken liver paté "ethereal", the agnolotti with smoked potato "inspired, quite brilliant", and the cod "impeccably cooked". If you didn't want to visit before you definitely do now. (Review not currently online) Someone else who was loving the critic life was Leslie Williams in the Irish Examiner after eating in Assassination Custard THREE DAYS IN A ROW. Hard core. We've always wondered what the crazy name meant, and he starts his review by telling us - it involves Samuel Beckett being stabbed. Thankfully things look up from here. He loved the Mediterranean/Middle Eastern inspired menu, featuring dishes like panelle chickpea flour fritters, goat's heart with cherries, yoghurt and smoked paprika, and homemade labneh with pomegranate seeds and sumac (all above). It sounds like a little piece of heaven and we're scratching our heads as to why they only open for lunch from Tuesday - Friday. Answers on a postcard. You can read his review here . Over at the Irish Independent and The Sunday Business Post it was a tale of two Indian restaurants. Gillian Nelis was in Kinara Kitchen in Ranelagh, enjoying marinated, charcoal cooked beef, masala prawns cooked in a tandoor oven, and a mouth-numbing, sweat-inducing curry. She also makes a very valid point about the wastefulness of the lettuce, carrot, cucumber and tomato garnish on the plate - has anyone ever eaten that? Her and her companion also "pushed the boat out" with a €45 bottle of New Zealand Pinot Noir - are we the only ones who wish the critics would stop apologising for having a nice bottle of wine with their nice plate of food? Or worse, ordering the house wine EVERY SINGLE TIME. We're not in a recession any more lads. Good food deserves good wine. While she enjoyed a lot of the food, she felt it was a bit dated and lagging behind what new-wave chefs are doing with Indian food. We're quietly confident she was thinking about 3 Leaves in Blackrock when she wrote this, which coincidentally is where Katy McGuinness ended up for her review. (Read the review of Kinara Kitchen here - subscription only) Unsurprisingly, Katy loved 3 Leaves , particularly the Dahl Puri - "crispy puffed semolina balls stuffed with chickpea and yoghurt sauce and more deep-fried shards of crunchiness on top", Chicken Shahjahani - boneless chicken thighs in a rich cashew nut gravy, and Aloo Ka Masala, a vegetable curry with house-made cheese, nuts and soya beans. She calls the potato and white turnip breads "exceptional", and lets us in on the hot tip that Blackrock Cellar across the road offer a 10% discount on wine to take across to 3 Leaves - it's BYO in case you didn't know, so you can feel a bit less guilty about "pushing the boat out" with that nice bottle of wine. The two reviews are like a snapshot of then vs now, and we know which one we'll be heading to the next time we're craving Indian food. Read Katy's review here . Last but never least, is Lucinda O'Sullivan 's taking apart of Elle's Bar and Bistro in the swanky new Iveagh Garden Hotel on Harcourt Street. Despite a €40 million cash investment, they couldn't manage a base plate or a spoon for her crayfish cocktail, and her main of Barbary duck breast was like "two big lumps of pig's liver". Yum yum. Thankfully her friend's spelt risotto was delicious, despite a long wait, as was a gluten-free brownie (we're sensing a trend here). The service sounds a bit like a Fawlty Towers sketch, with a waiter attempting to remove a starter plate before it was finished, questioning a choice of red wine when the diner was having fish (face palm), and then managing to get the bill completely wrong. Oh well. They launch properly mid-April, maybe they'll have spoons by then. (Review not currently online) More next week.

Our social media feeds were abuzz this week with news that Gywneth Paltrow's lifestyle website Goop had compiled a Dublin eating guide, featuring loads of our favourite restaurants. Put together by Goop editor and Dublin native Rachel McKeon, twenty-two eateries were included, from cafés to Michelin star. New opening Glovers Alley made the list despite being open less than two months, as did fellow fine dining companions Chapter One , L'Ecrivain and One Pico . In the 'slightly more casual but with the coolness dialled up a notch' category, Etto , Bastible , Mr. Fox , Coppinger Row and Pickle were all mentioned. For cafés, The Fumbally , Bibi's , Brother Hubbard , Fia , Hatch and Sons , Salt and Two Boys Brew - the solo inclusion for Dublin's Northside - all made the list. Guess we'll know where to find Gywnnie the next time she's in town. Check out the Goop Dublin eating guide here .