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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WEEKEND IN DUBLIN, PART 1: TRADITIONAL IRISH CUISINE

See also: WEEKEND IN DUBLIN, PART 2: SEAFOOD AND PUBS

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! :)

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Quays Irish Restaurant

Address: 10-12 Temple Bar Square, Dublin 2, Ireland

Website: www.quaysrestaurant.com

DUBLIN, CARNIVAL AND ART – JANUARY ON MY BLOG

Frans Snyders, A Banquet-piece, late 1620s

I was complaining that December was one of the busiest months but I didn't know what January had in store for me: lots of translation projects, taking care of my five-year-old niece, Little My, baking gingerbreads with my friends (something I didn't have time for before Christmas), and on top of that a trip to Dublin. And they say that the beginning of the year is usually uneventful... Fortunately, now I have more time so in the following weeks you can expect new things on my blog.

Frans Snyders, A Banquet-piece, late 1620s

1. First of all, I've changed the blog's background, which I hope is now more readable. What do you think about it? Just to remind you, that's how it looked before the revamp:

2. Apart from a few reviews of some very nice restaurants (such as Zazie) in the pipeline, I will soon post a short account of my weekend break in Dublin. Do you know what the Irish cuisine is famous for? How to hide Guinness bitter aftertaste? Where to eat nice fresh seafood? The answers will be revealed this weekend. :)

3. To keep the good mood, this Sunday (26 Jan 2014) a carnival edition of my favourite food festival in Kraków, Najedzeni Fest!, will take place in Forum Przestrzenie. Here you can read about the festival's autumn edition. Are you going to be there?

4. As promised, this year I'm going to add to my blog a new section on food and culture. I will write about my favourite books, paintings and films which contain some interesting food themes. I already have plenty of ideas but if there's anything special you would like to read about, please let me know. I love your inspirations. :)

Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Peasant Wedding, 1620

5. At the top of the page there's a new tab with the list of the restaurants I've already reviewed. New tabs will be added shortly.

Stay tuned! :)

PS. All the paintings were photographed in the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin.

HOLIDAY WISHES + PICS FROM CHRISTMAS MARKET

I would like to thank all of you for being with me this year. I hope you'll visit my blog also next year, especially because I'm planning to add a new section: food in culture. More details will be revealed in January.

And in the meantime I wish you a very merry and tasty holiday season 

and a happy New Year! :)

PS. Yesterday I went to one of many Christmas markets currently taking place in Kraków. This one is called Galicyjski Kiermasz Adwentowy and is situated just outside the main railway station. Here are a few pics. Enjoy! :)

LA PETITE FRANCE – ALMOST LIKE PARIS

After visiting Charlotte, I've decided to try out other French restaurants and cafés in Kraków. I started with La Petite France bistro, which reminds me of our trip to France earlier this year. We had spent over a week in Paris, visiting all the most important sights such as Versailles and the Louvre but my fondest memory is of strolling through the quaint Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter with our French friend, who showed us around the city. We could see blasé Parisians sitting in tiny bistros on the sides of narrow streets, sipping espresso from tiny cups and nibbling at French delicacies.

And that's exactly how I felt when after our return to Kraków we went for a supper to La Petite France. The bistro is situated in a relatively quiet part of the Old Town and it has a very minimalistic décor: it's decorated only with black-and-white photos of Parisian bistros and with tastefully showcased French cheeses and preserves. But if the weather is nice, you can sit outside on the pavement and feel almost as if you were in Paris (of course unless you're accosted by a friendly Polish hobo ;)).

The menu, which changes seasonally, offers typically French dishes prepared mainly form original French ingredients. We really liked a pastry with fourme d'ambert (blue cheese) and pear served with lettuce (PLN 17) as well as a goat cheese salad with rocket, raspberries and a raspberry vinegar dressing (PLN 21). I love the combination of pungent cheeses with sweet fruits, especially when all the ingredients are fresh and aromatic. We washed the supper down with white muscadet wine (PLN 8 / glass) and red bordeaux (PLN 12 / glass).

The desserts were also very tasty (PLN 8 – 12). A set of coffee + 3 small pieces of cake will allow you to try an amazing lemon tart (tarte au citron), chocolate cake and a small ramekin of crème brûlée. It's a pity though that the coffee itself wasn't very good. And if you like chocolate, you can't miss fondant au chocolat served with vanilla ice cream (PLN 12). It's the most chocolate cake ever: when you break through the intensely cocoa crust, you will be surprised by thick, melty chocolate inside it. I adore this dessert and the fondant au chocolat served in La Petite France was one of the best I've ever eaten.

The bistro has also a small shop where you can buy various French products. I especially liked chestnut spread (crème de marrons) produced by a popular French company Bonne Maman (which means 'good mummy' in French). Unfortunately, as it usually is the case with brand products, the prices can be quite prohibitive...

Portions served in La Petite France are on a small side so I would recommend it for a light lunch or supper rather than a lavish dinner. Even though the interior isn't very inviting, I think that the quality of food compensates for any other deficiencies. I'll definitely be back, especially when I feel an overwhelming longing for France, Paris and desserts full of chocolate. :)

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Address: ul. św. Tomasza 25, Kraków (Old Town)

Website: www.lapetitefrance.pl and facebook

HAMSA HUMMUS & HAPPINESS – WARM AND SPICY

HAMSA hummus & happiness israeli restobar caught my attention during a few food festivals this summer because their stall was always besieged with customers. Intrigued by this popularity, I decided to go to Kraków's Jewish district, Kazimierz, and find out myself about the phenomenon of this modern Israeli restaurant.

It was a rainy Sunday afternoon in November but to our surprise the restaurant was filled with both locals and foreign tourists. The bright interior is dominated by white and blue colours with green plants in the window niches and photos of modern Tel Aviv hanging on the walls. The air was filled with energetic Israeli music, which sounded like a mix of folk and rock, and with slightly musty smells of food and spices.

If you've never eaten Levantine food before, the menu can seem enigmatic but the friendly staff patiently clarifies all the exotic words. For starters, we ordered a set of 3 mezze (i.e. appetizers and dips) served in a so-called “hand” (PLN 34.80). Each “hand” is served with three types of bread: manakish, lafah, and pita. I especially liked manakish, which was covered in spices, but the other two breads were also quite good. It was nice that we could choose the 3 mezze on our own but there were so many tempting possibilities that we couldn't make our minds.  

Finally, we've decided to try the restaurant's flagship dish – hummus, plus baba ghanoush and marinated labneh cheese with za'atar (a mix of thyme, oregano and other spices). Hummus is a dip made from chickpeas and tahini (paste made from ground sesame seeds) blended with some garlic and lemon juice. It can be served with many different garnishes - we opted for pomegranate and pine nuts, which accentuated the taste of the hummus without overpowering it. The tahini paste – mixed with baked aubergine (eggplant) – is also the base for baba ghanoush, which was much more delicate than hummus. Both dips were so good that I've decided to include them in my everyday menu, especially as they aren't difficult to prepare. The labneh cheese, made from natural yoghurt, turned out to be a bit too sour for my liking but my Husband claims it was the best of the 3 mezze.

For the main dish we had Moroccan lamb with couscous (PLN 39.60), which wasn't very photogenic but was very tasty. The meat was tender and delicate, while the oriental sauce was very pungent, maybe even a tad too pungent... Even though the couscous with raisins, apricots and fresh cucumber toned down the spicy taste, I managed to eat only a few bites, but my Husband, who likes hot dishes, ate the rest with a great pleasure.

Because the lamb was very meaty, we decided to balance it out with something more veggie – a tagine, or a dish cooked and served in a beautifully decorated pot with a cone-shaped cover. Our vegetarian version of tagine (PLN 28) was filled with delicious cauliflower, tomato sauce, olives, and lemon. It was also served with couscous and stuffed vegetables, which unfortunately turned out to be the weakest link. The courgette (zucchini) was bitter and the filling was just unpalatable. After that we didn't dare to try the stuffed onions.

Of course, we couldn't deny ourselves a dessert. Even though baklava (PLN 5.50), i.e. filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and honey, is considered by many people to be too sweet, for me it was just perfect. On the other hand, basbousa cake with almonds and orange flower water (PLN 4.90), praised by many, seemed to me a bit too bland (but, unsurprisingly, my Husband loved it ;)). We washed down the dessert with delicious Arabic coffee brewed in a special pot called cezve (PLN 8.90).

Even though my Husband and I often disagreed about particular dishes, we were unanimous in one thing - food in HAMSA hummus & happiness is very diverse, totally different from what we're used to, and absolutely delicious. We left the restaurant full, warmed up and very satisfied. I think it's a perfect place for a meeting with friends or a spicy dinner on a wintry evening. There are many vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes but meat eaters will also find something to munch away at. As its name suggests, HAMSA serves not only hummus, but also happiness, which takes the form of delicious dishes from the Middle East.

PS. I could write this in-depth review thanks to a culinary action Blogerzy Smakują (Bloggers' Tasting) organized by urodaizdrowie.pl and thanks to the owners of HAMSA hummus & happiness, who allowed us to try their cuisine for free. Because I had already been in Hamsa incognito, I know that their dishes are equally tasty and the staff equally friendly, even if you aren't a culinary blogger on assignment. ;)

More photos can be found here.

Address: ul. Szeroka 2, Kraków (Kazimierz)

Websites: hamsa.pl and facebook

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KARDAMON CAFFE – COSY AND HOMEY

Retoryka Street is one of the most charming places in Kraków. If you're near the Wawel Castle, you should take a stroll through this tree-lined alley and examine fairy-like historic houses design by Teordor Talowski. One of the most important Polish architects at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Talowski created here a row of brick houses with fanciful details and names.

My favourite buildings are Under the Singing Frog ('Dom pod Śpiewającą Żabą' in Polish) and Under the Donkey ('Dom pod Osłem' in Polish – there's even a stone donkey's head protruding form the wall). Some of the façades impart to passers-by Latin pearls of wisdom, such as: Festina lente (Make haste slowly) or Faber est suae quisque fortunae (Every man is the artisan of his own fortune). An interesting piece of trivia is a fact that the middle of the Retoryka Street used to be... a river.

Nearby you can find a newly opened bistro - Kardamon Cafe (Cardamon in English). Even though it's located very close to the main tourist attractions, it has a peaceful, not to say lazy, atmosphere. One cold, rainy evening I walked with my dog through Retoryka Street. I had a cold and all I wanted was a cup of some hot beverage. No wonder, brilliantly illuminated, green Kardamon seemed to me a haven of peace. As soon as I entered, a waitress brought a bowl of water (for my dog) and hot, very tasty latte with ginger syrup (for me). After over an hour of sipping at the warming coffee, looking through the books on the shelf and chatting with the friendly waitress and other patrons, my dog and I were ready continue our walk through the rain.

And today I've decided to try Kardamon's daily lunch menu. Its price ranges from PLN 14 to PLN 25 and it includes: soup + a piece of meat or fish; rice, potatoes or buckwheat groats ('kasza gryczana' in Polish) and fresh salad. There are also vegetarian sets (around PLN 12) but I ordered a classic one: borscht (beetroot soup), chicken breast cutlet, potatoes and freshly grated carrot.

The borscht (or barszcz, as we call it in Polish) was very tasty, almost like home made. The only thing that spoiled it were not-too-fresh boiled potatoes (you probably know this sweetish taste of boiled potatoes kept in a fridge for too long. Yuck.). The soup would have been much better if it had been served instead with uszka (ravioli-type dumplings) or at least a hard-boiled egg.

Fortunately, potatoes served with the main dish - as well as the carrot salad  - were completely fresh. And the chicken cutlet coated with breadcrumbs was absolutely delicious. The meat was juicy while the coating remained crispy. I asked the chef for his secret but he apparently had exactly the same recipe as me (coat the meat with flour, whisked eggs and breadcrumbs and then fry it over medium-high heat) but our results were completely different. Why? It will always remain a culinary mystery to me. ;)

I think this restaurant is a great place for a quick, home made lunch. You can also have here breakfast, drink some delicious coffee or simply bury yourself in a comfy armchair and have a pleasant read. Kardamon Cafe is tasty and warming – just like the spice that gave it a name.

Address: ul. Retoryka 19, Kraków (Stare Miasto)

Website: www.kardamon-cafe.com.pl

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