What can you
eat and drink in Dublin? It was my first thought when I started preparations for our weekend in Ireland. Of course the trip was also
full of cultural activities: admiring Old Masters' paintings in the
National Gallery of Ireland, visiting Trinity College or watching
“Pride and Prejudice” adaptation at the Gate Theatre. But the culinary
aspect was equally important to me. That's why with some help from my
Dublin-based friend, Kasia, and an Irish follower of my blog, Gary,
I've decided to prepare for you a short summary of the best Dublin
goodies.
Most of the
traditional Irish dishes consist of potatoes, meat, and vegetables so
they are quite rich and hearty. We had our first Irish lunch at Quays Irish Restaurant in a lively neighbourhood of Temple Bar. We found the
restaurant by chance but it turned out to be a great choice: the
interior was cosy, the food tasty and the service friendly. In fact,
all the Irish people we met were really nice and genial. :)
Being so
close to Guiness Brewery, we had to try the slow cooked beef and Guinness
stew (EUR 10.95, lunch special). It was thick and aromatic, perfect for
the rainy weather that greeted us in Dublin.
I also
wanted to try boxty, or Irish potato pancakes, served at Quays with
dressed leaves and a yummy sauce (EUR 6.95). Boxty turned out to be
absolutely delicious – I especially liked the combination of
creamy, buttery mashed potatoes, meaty pieces of bacon, and crunchy
breadcrumb coating. I think it was the best dish I tried during my
whole stay in Dublin.
Unfortunately,
fish and chips I ordered as the main course wasn't the best choice
(EUR 10.95, lunch special). The chips were very good but I hadn't
expected the fish to be so soaked in grease. Now I know why some
people pack it in a newspaper... Finally, I managed to eat only the
chips with lots and lots of ketchup to hide the oily aftertaste.
Well, maybe it was my punishment for ordering an English dish in the
country that doesn't really love England? ;)
As to other
Irish specialities, such as black pudding (blood sausage) or Skirts
and Kidneys, their very names and list of ingredients were enough to
put us off. Sorry, Ireland! :)
But we did
want to try fresh seafood, which is an important part of Irish
cuisine, and to have a beer or two in a tradition Irish pub. So if
you want to read about our restaurant adventures in a quaint town of
Howth and about the drinking tips from a genuine Dublin taxi driver,
please check my blog tomorrow. Stay tuned! :)
Quays Irish Restaurant
Address: 10-12 Temple Bar Square, Dublin 2, Ireland
Website: www.quaysrestaurant.com
