March's monthly 9 giveaways are here! And this month we've got experiences at some of the city's most exciting new openings, treat deliveries to your house, and even a coffee machine. Being automatically entered into our monthly giveaways is just one of the perks of being signed up to ATF Insiders - our premium service that allows us to operate independently, with no #ad, #collab or #invite across any of our channels.
Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders by midnight on Friday 17th March will be entered into the draw, and winners will be picked and notified on Saturday 18th March. Here's what we've got for you this month...
1) A €150 voucher for La Gordita
La Gordita is the long-awaited new member of the Hermanas Lola family, offering Spanish bodega-style food, delicious wines and cocktails. La Gordita, the 'little fat one', is bringing a different corner of Spain to Dublin than big sister Las Tapas de Lola, with a slightly more 'mature' twist. The menu includes favourites from owners Anna Cabrera & Vanessa Murphy’s travels around Spain, including pan-fired Carabinero prawns, lamb ribs, and torrijas - almond milk-soaked bread with almond cream. We've got a €150 voucher for La Gordita to give away this month, so one of you can get stuck into nibbles, small plates and 'postres' on the house.
2) A €150 voucher for Flâneur in Rathmines
Flâneur, a French-inspired bistro cooking Irish produce, has just opened in Rathmines from the team behind Sprezzatura, and they say it's been months and multiple trips to Paris in the making. The menu features all the bistro fare that's been sorely lacking in the city, like duck rillettes, Tournedos Rossini and moules frites, with impressive suppliers like Skeaghanore Duck, Jane Russell and Gaelic Escargot from Carlow. We're sending one of you to Flâneur with €150 to spend, on as much steak tartare, boudin noir and fromage as you can handle.
3) Dinner for four with cocktails from Órale at Pawn Shop
Mexican street food specialists Órale have moved into new cocktail bar Pawn Shop on Dame Street (where Berlin used to be), and the menu has gotten us a bit hot under the collar. Steak tartare tostadas with bone marrow habanero salsa; whole roasted seabass or half chicken with chicken fat rice and ancho mole; agave habanero wings with achiote and orange - need we go on? New head chef Brian Spain has worked in Charlotte Quay, 777, Circa and Coppinger Row, and we're sending one of you in for a three-course meal for four with cocktails on arrival, to give his menu the full once over.
4) A Nespresso Coffee Machine, Frother & Accessories worth €270
To celebrate St Patrick’s Day, and Nespresso turning their Duke Street store into a pop-up Irish bar for the week, we've got a brilliant prize from Nespresso to give away. One of you is going to win a Nespresso Vertuo Pop coffee machine, 80 coffee capsules, a milk frother, travel cup, recycling bin, and financiers to start your coffee morning off right. Nespresso's Duke Street bar is open throughout the week until Saturday 18th March, with live performances from local talent and a cosy environment for catching up with loved ones, so swing by if you're around town.
5) A €100 Voucher for Denj in Rathgar to celebrate #cookforIran
From Monday 20th of March, Denj Persian Cuisine in Rathgar (who had a great review in the papers last weekend) will be celebrating Nowruz, the Persian New Year, with a special set menu including some of their most popular dishes like Soltani kabobs and Sabzi polo mahi, (pan fried seabass with mixed herb rice) - and we've got a €100 voucher to give away so one of you can go and try it. Denj is also participating in the #CookForIran campaign, a global initiative launched in November 2022 that aims to use food as a vehicle to amplify the Iranian people's call for human rights and freedom.
The proceeds of their fundraising dinner on the 23rd of March will go to The Centre for Mind-Body Medicine's trauma-relief program in Iran, and the #CookForIran team want to invite restaurateurs, chefs, bakers, café owners, food bloggers and home cooks to share Iranian recipes, put an Iranian twist on a dish, create a new dish, or show support via social media. Key ingredients in Iranian cuisine include saffron, pomegranate, pomegranate molasses, pistachios, dried rose petals, rose water, walnuts, fresh herbs and turmeric, and through the campaign, they hope to raise awareness and support for the movement around the world. Check out @cookforiran & @PersianGirlinDublin for more information.
6) Brunch for four at Ian's Kitchen, Kimmage
Chef Ian Ussher is expanding from his runaway success food truck Cluck Chicken in Tallaght, with a new café and restaurant in Kimmage, Dublin 12 - Ian's Kitchen. Brunch lovers are going to love this menu, with banana bread French toast, Croque Madame and 'Ian's Benni' with Buffalo fried chicken among the options. They're open Tuesday - Sunday from 08:00 for breakfast, brunch and lunch, and aren't currently taking bookings but that might change. We're sending one of you in with three pals for brunch up to the value of €100, so you have smoothies, sides and all the add-ons you want.
7) A brewery tour for four followed by pizza and beer at Rascals
Rascals in Inchicore has just launched a new pizza menu (which Reggie White, ex-Pi and Little Forest collaborated on), and to celebrate they've given us a great day out for one of our Insiders and three friends. We're sending one of you on a premium brewery tour for four people, where you'll learn all about brewing and the story of Rascals. You'll have a guided beer tasting of their award-winning beers (2020 and 2021 Gold Medal winners at the World Beer Awards), and afterwards you'll have a table reserved for you to enjoy complimentary pizzas and pints from their new menu. It's what spring afternoons were made for.
8) A hamper of Blas na hÉireann winning products
This St. Patrick's Day entries for Blas na hÉireann (the Irish Food Awards) open. It's the largest blind-tasted food awards on the island, designed to recognise the very best in Irish food and drink, and to celebrate, Blas na hÉireann, are giving one lucky ATF subscriber the chance to win a hamper of goodies from some of their past winners and runners up. With almost 3,000 producers entering last year - the highest on record - only the best of the best make it into their hampers of treats (we can confirm this having been bought one as a Christmas present last year), including boozy drinks, sweet and savoury goodies. For more information about the awards, visit www.irishfoodawards.com.
9) Four weeks of goodies from RuaFood
RuaFood, Dublin-based purveyors of all natural wholefood and plant-based sweet treats, are giving one lucky ATF Insider the chance to win a month's supply of their nutritious and delicious goodies. Each week you'll receive a selection of their freshly baked Blas na hÉireann award-winning Golden Toasted Nutty Granola, and an assortment of made to order Cookies, Brownies and Bites delivered directly to your door, and nearly everything can be enjoyed by nearly everyone, as many of their items are vegan friendly and/or gluten-free. Check out RuaFood's selection here.
Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders for March will be automatically entered into the prize draw - you don't need to do anything. If you're not signed up yet join here and support independent content in Dublin and beyond, and get answers to all of your burning questions about eating out, here and abroad, directly from us.
