WEEKEND IN DUBLIN, PART 2: SEAFOOD AND PUBS

See also: WEEKEND IN DUBLIN, PART 1: TRADITIONAL IRISH CUISINE

SEAFOOD

Situated on the River Liffey near the Irish Sea, Dublin is full of tasty fish and seafood. The Irish love making songs about their food and the most famous one is "Molly Malone" about a pretty fishmonger selling "cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!" Molly has even her own statue in Grafton Street called humorously "The Tart With The Cart" or "The Trollop With The Scallop". 

To try fresh seafood, we went to a quaint seaside town of Howth, which can be reached by DART rail in less than 30 minutes from Dublin's city centre. Having worked up an appetite during a stroll on the pier, we decided to order a seafood platter for two in Deep restaurant recommended by our friend. But because it was a sunny Sunday afternoon, we weren't the only ones wishing to have lunch on the seafront and the restaurant was fully booked. We went resignedly next door to Brass Monkey, where we managed to seize the last free seats at the counter. 

I've got mixed feelings about Brass Monkey. Some dishes were really tasty, especially rich, creamy chowder (fish soup, EUR 6.50), but some were almost inedible, for example extremely sour Thai soup (EUR 5.50). Similarly, the fish platter (EUR 40) contained lovely grilled salmon and fried calamari as well as breaded fish which didn't have any flavour at all. And the waiter was very nice but he tried to cheat us out of 1.50 Euro. I know it isn't a lot of money and he apologized profusely when we pointed out the mistake but still...

Brass Monkey

Address: 12 West Pier, Howth, Dublin

Website: www.brassmonkey.ie

PUBS

Fortunately, Dublin pubs were as great as I'd expected or maybe even better. To shelter from the rain, we went to cosy Peter's Pub near St Stephen's Green. When we asked a friendly bartender for a drink to warm us up, he gave us warm cider with cinnamon sticks and cloves (EUR 3.90) and Irish coffee decorated with the shamrock - the symbol of Ireland (EUR 7.00). Both drinks were delicious and warming. What surprised me in Peter's Pub is the fact that it's a meeting place for everyone: from families with kids, to tourists like ourselves, to the elderly, who enjoyed themselves (and drank ;)) as much as the younger customers.

Peter's Pub

Address: 1 Johnson Place, Dublin 2

Website: www.peterspub.ie

IRISH BEERS

The aim of our second outing to the pub was to taste famous Irish beers. When during our trip from the airport I had told the taxi driver that I didn't like Guinness beer, he gave me two pieces of advice. Firstly, Guinness doesn't like to travel so you must drink it as close to the brewery as possible. Secondly, if you don't like its bitter taste, you ask a bartender for some "blackcurrant". But the second tip applies only to women because, according to the driver, drinking beer with juice isn't manly. ;)

When the other night we went to O'Neills Pub near Trinity College, we found out that the taxi driver was absolutely right. Guinness tastes much better in Dublin than in Kraków and if you add some blackcurrant juice it is even more delicious. We also tried some local pale ale charmingly called Galway Hooker (EUR 5.60) and I couldn't resist hot chocolate with Baileys Irish Cream and marshmallows. Yum! :)

O'Neills Bar and Restaurant

Address: 2 Suffolk Street, Dublin 2

Website: www.oneillsbar.com

After such an amazing weekend filled with lovely food and drinks we didn't really feel like coming back to snowy Kraków. But duty called and the following day we boarded the return flight, carrying with us 5 packages of Irish cheddar and planning to buy Baileys as soon as we land. Slàinte! :)

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BREAKFAST IN KOLANKO NO. 6

I've already written about Kolanko No 6 here, at the beginning of my blog. It remains one of my favourite places in Kazimierz district and I visit it quite frequently. Recently, with my friend Gosia  I've gone there for breakfast and I was really pleasantly surprised by it.

First, I was astonished by the price - mere PLN 18 for all-you-can-eat buffet with drinks (coffee, tea and water) included. Then I was amazed by the variety of food: from fried sausages and bacon, to platters of cheese and cold cuts, to French tarts, to fresh vegetable salads, to muesli with yoghurt and cream and fruit cakes... And finally I was surprised by the quality of food - everything was nice and fresh (the chef constantly brought more and more dishes), because apparently all the food, including crunchy bread rolls and home made pâté, is prepared on the spot.

Everything disappeared from the tables so quickly that in the photos you can see only miserable (though still yummy) leftovers. I especially liked French tarts, cream and raspberry cake, and guacamole with sun-dried tomatoes. We finished off with home made lemonade with raspberries and orangeade with pieces of fresh oranges (PLN 7 each). It was a perfect ending to a long and lazy breakfast. :) 

Address: ul. Józefa 17, Kraków (Kazimierz district)

Website: www.kolanko.net

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MLECZARNIA x 2

A lot of people know the café/pub Mleczarnia (which means “dairy” in Polish) but not everybody realizes that actually there are two Mleczarnias: one in Kraków and one in Wrocław. Both cafés have old-fashioned décor and mysterious atmosphere. The walls are hung with black-and-white photographs dating back to our great-grandparents' time. Tables are covered with lace tablecloths and the furniture looks as if it had just been found in the attic. In the evenings, candles are the only source of light, which on the one hand creates a romantic atmosphere, but on the other provides extra excitement while walking on the uneven floor.

Both Mleczarnias have similar food and beverages on the menu but there are some territorial differences. As the name indicates, the cafés specialize in milk drinks: cocoa, hot chocolate and various types of coffee. Alcoholic drinks are also delicious, especially mojito and Słodkie Mle (with chocolate flavoured liqueur). If you're hungry, you can order toasts, soups or homemade cakes, while the Wrocław Mleczarnia offers also hearty breakfasts (served between 8.00 am and 1.00 pm, PLN 15.00-18.00 for a breakfasts set). Both cafés are self-service.

Despite many similarities, each Mleczarnia has a slightly different character. Mleczarnia in Kraków is tucked away in one of the side streets of the Jewish quarter, Kazimierz. Apparently this place once housed a real dairy, which gave name to the pub. In winter, Mleczarnia is peaceful in cosy, while in summer it throbs with life thanks to a spacious beer garden across the street. In the beer garden, you can order not only most of the drinks served in the café (except for spirits), but also freshly squeezed fruit juices. A huge tree provides a leafy shade, while fresh flowers in milk cans bring to mind holidays in the countryside.

Mleczarnia in Wrocław, which is much bigger than the one in Kraków, consists of two rooms on the ground floor and a large smoking room in the basement (open from 5.00 pm). A beer garden is located in the courtyard of a newly renovated Synagogue, but it has much less charm than the garden in Krakow. Fortunately, the interior of the Wrocław Mleczarnia compensates for imperfections of its beer garden.

Both Mleczarnias are perfect venues for a date or a meeting with friends. Thanks to the special atmosphere and delicious coffee, I am a regular guest at the two cafes. I always bring my friends along and so far they all have succumbed to the alluring magic of Mleczarnias.

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Address:

ul. Rabina Bera Meiselsa 20, Kraków

ul. Pawła Włodkowica 5, Wrocław

Website: mle.pl

KOLANKO No 6 – PANCAKES WITH AN AMBIENCE

Kolanko No 6 is one of my favourite pubs and restaurants in Kraków. At first, I was intrigued by Kolanko's name, which means in Polish either “a small knee” or “a plumbing elbow.” As I later found out, the name alludes not to human anatomy (which could be a bit macabre...) but to the fact that this place used to house a plumbing shop.

Out of curiosity, I went to the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz to check Kolanko out and I was pleasantly surprised. It is a cosy restaurant in which time passes at a leisurely pace. Also for the waiters and waitresses, who take their good time to serve customers. Therefore, you should come here only when you feel like spending a lazy afternoon or evening, without fretting about the passage of time.

In winter, it's nice to lounge about by candlelight on the covered verandah with mood music in the background. In summer, you will be tempted to sit on a patio, where you can chill out and forget about hot weather and the hubbub of the street outside.

Besides warm ambience, Kolanko offers delicious pancakes with unusual fillings, such as fried livers or blood sausage (kaszanka), but there are also more conventional flavours, e.g. vegetables or spinach. I particularly like pancakes with Russian filling (cottage cheese, mashed potatoes and onion) and sweet pancakes with vanilla custard (budyń) and fruit. You can order any number of pancakes and each can have a different filling. One pancake costs around PLN 6-8.

Kolanko offers also a wide range of leaf teas, drinks and desserts, including hot apple pie with ice cream. As a Jane Austen's fan, I had to try a Sense and Sensibility (Rozważna and Romantyczna) drink, which turned out to be very tasty but not excessively large (PLN 6,5 for approx. 170 ml).

Kolanko is a great venue for various occasions: a romantic date (intimate atmosphere created by candlelight), a get-together with friends (in summer, smoking is permitted on the patio) or a family dinner (high chairs are available for children). It is a perfect restaurant for those who like quaint décor and unusual dishes.

Address: ul. Józefa 17, Kraków
Website: www.kolanko.net

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FUSSY IN KRAKÓW

Kraków is famous for its charming restaurants and cafés. They seem to compete with each other in various categories: the most unusual name  (Pierwszy lokal na Stolarskiej po lewej stronie, idąc od Małego Rynku [The First Pub in Stolarska Street on Your Left as You Walk from Maly Rynek], Zaraz wracam [Be Right Back] or Królicze Oczy [Rabbit's Eyes], to mention just a few), the most unusual decor (carriages in Cherubino, tables hidden in wardrobes in Cafe Szafe) or the most unusual names of the dishes (in this category, my favourite is Fabryka Pizzy, which serves Tomato's Son, Good Morning Dracula, and The Age of Bacon).

In Kraków, you can find a place to suit every budget and occasion, but a vast array of  restaurants and pubs can be overhelming. That's why I've decided to write this blog. I love to eat out, to try out new dishes and to feel the ambience of restaurant and cafés. Even though I'm fussy, I always try to find something positive in the places I visit. Therefore, this blog is dedicated to the restaurants, cafés and pubs which I like and which I want to recommend to others.

Pierwszy lokal na Stolarskiej po lewej stronie idąc od Małego Rynku

Because eating out can be expensive, I often buy special offers advertised on groupon, GoDealla and similar websites. Moreover, I've bought Karta na Plus, which offers a lot of discounts in Kraków and around  (www.kartanaplus.pl).

Cafe Ważka

I hope this blog will inspire you to go out and find out which restaurant or café in Kraków is your favourite. 

The Polish version of my blog can be found here: Wybreda w Krakowie

You can find more photos on facebook: Fussy on facebook

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