EatMagazine - Issue One

EatMagazine IssueOne

YOUR NEW MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO DUBLINS LOCAL FOOD & DRINK SCENE BON APPETITE! ALSO FREE INSIDE!

THE GREAT DUBLIN RESTAURANT GUIDE 2011 20 OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS WE COULD FIND!

FOOD LOVERS RESTAURANT REGULARS WINE & DRINK ENTHUSIASTS

WE NEED YOU! EatMagazine has arrived! Each month from here on in we will be celebrating all things food & drink related across the local Dublin scene. But we need your help!

We are now looking for contributors. If you are a food lover who also loves to write, a restaurant reviewer in the making, a wine enthusiast or somebody who knows all about beer, a blogger branching out or somebody with a great idea for an article, please get in touch by visiting phonicpublishing.com

Welcome to EatMagazine

Whats in issue one?

Editors Letter Welcome to issue one of the all-new EatMagazine!

Thanks for picking us up. EatMagazine is Dublin's brand new publication for people interested in food and drink, restaurants and the culinary scene in Ireland. Each month from here on in we will be concentrating on local restaurants, chefs, food producers and designers; we’ll be taking a positive look at eating and dining out; and celebrating the good things to be found in our wonderful city. We've decided to publish EatMagazine in response to the massive demand for a reliable local publication that focuses on the local culinary scene. Over the coming issues you can expect outstanding coverage of the area's most intriguing restaurants, people and dazzling food spreads from rgiht across the board. A feature section that will give home to some of Irelands most passionate food and wine writers, and regular columns to keep you informed about new products, restaurants and events. If you would like to get involved in some way, please get in touch, we would love to hear from you. After all, it is your magazine! A brand new magazine for a brand new year.

Oh, and enjoy your free 24 page pull out restaurant guide!

Speak next issue...

Mikey Maguire Editor

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Omega 3-Rich Fish -- Superfoods for the Heart, Joints, and Memory "We know that the omega 3s you get in fish lower heart disease risk, help arthritis, and may possibly help with memory loss and Alzheimer's," Somer says. "There is some evidence to show that it reduces depression as well." Omega-3s are most prevalent in fatty, cold-water fish: Look for wild (not farmed) salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel. Aim for two-to-three servings a week.

Other forms of omega 3s are available in fortified eggs, flax seed, and walnuts. These superfoods have the added benefit of being high in monounsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol.

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You don't need specific foods for specific ailments. A healthy diet incorporating a variety of the following superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and live longer.

One thing they all have in common: "Every superfood is going to be a 'real' (unprocessed) food," Somer points out. "You don't find fortified potato chips in the superfood category."

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Tea -- Superfood for Lowering Cholesterol and Inhibiting Cancer "The overall antioxidant power of black tea is the same as green tea," says Kulze, "but green tea does have ECGC, a powerful antioxidant that we really do think is quite special." A recent Japanese study on green tea found that men who drank green tea regularly had lower cholesterol than those who didn't. Researchers in Spain and the United Kingdom have also shown that ECGC can inhibit the growth of cancer cells. For a double health whammy, replace sugary sodas with tea.

Rose

How Roses are Made RosĂŠs are made from red grape varietals. The grapes are crushed and the skins, which give the wine its color, are left in contact with the juice until they impart a pink color. The color intensity is a result the type of grape varietals and how long the skin and the juice soak together. Some rosĂŠs, like those from Provence, are made from a blend of grapes, such as grenache, syrah, cinsault, mourvedre and carignan. RosĂŠs from other countries are often made from single grape varietals, like pinot noir, cabernet, malbec and other less common types that may be indigenous to a wine producing region.

Simple Steak Grilling Tips Use a medium heat setting on a gas or charcoal grill. For charcoal grills, carefully hold the palm of your hand at cooking height above the ash-covered coals. Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position; approximately 4 seconds is medium heat.

Always use tongs to turn steaks. Using a fork will pierce the beef, allowing flavorful juices to escape.

For best results, cook steaks to medium rare (145°F) or medium (160°F) doneness. The most accurate way to determine temperature is with an instant-read thermometer.

Calcium OK, OK, you know the drill: Calcium helps build strong bones and prevents osteoporosis. Look for it in dairy products or supplements. Added bonus: Some studies show that calcium helps with weight loss. Here are the calcium levels recommended for adults by the USDA: t "HF UP NH t "HF UP NH t "HF BOE PWFS NH And Finally, the Yummiest Superfood Yet ... Dark Chocolate New research has shown that dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants and can lower blood pressure. Kulze recommends that you look for chocolate with 60% or higher cocoa content; the darker, the better. In addition, the darker it is, the lower the fat and sugar content. Now that's our kind of health food!

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Grilling adds intense flavor to summer's freshest salad ingredients. Try choosing a selection of colorful fruits, flavorful meats, crisp vegetables, delicious seasonings and luscious marinades that pop. Two delectable choices that can make your grilled salads sing are beef and fresh mango.

Beef is a traditional summer grilling favorite. Also, mango is the world's most popular fruit, and a year-round source of the naturally sweet, refreshing taste of the tropics.

Fiber -- Superfood Aids Weight Loss and Checks Cholesterol A diet high in fiber will help you maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. As a bonus, because fiber helps you feel full longer, it's a great tool in weight management. Whole grains, beans, fruit, and vegetables are all good sources. Try throwing some beans in your salad, recommends Kulze. "Fresh, frozen, or dried are the best. You can use canned, but they tend to be higher in sodium," Kulze warns.

Beans Blueberries Broccoli Oats Oranges Pumpkin Salmon Soy Spinach Tea (green or black) Tomatoes Turkey Walnuts

For many wine lovers, rosĂŠ wines are synonymous with summer. Their lovely colors, which can range from pale pink to salmon to cherry, can make you want to pack up a picnic basket and head for the beach. But it need not just be summer time for you to pick up a nice rosĂŠ ! Good rosĂŠs are lively with a citrus-like acidity and can have some weight, similar to a red wine, with the mineral flavors of a white, which can work well all year round. In the past, there were very few excellent rosĂŠs on retail shelves except for those from France-either from Provence, the eastern corner of the country along the Mediterranean Sea, or Tavel in the Rhone Valley. The other pink wines were often fizzy, sweet and simple. Today, there are a myriad of dry rosĂŠs available from winemakers who take making rosĂŠs seriously in wine producing regions around the globe, like Spain, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, the U.S., and others.

A cold glass of rosĂŠ has become a popular summer drink and you'll find them on wine lists of the chicest restaurants and bars.

A sensational summer menu can be simple, yet satisfying; exotic, yet familiar. Instead of making salad a sleepy side item this summer, mix things up and add some sizzle to the table with a sumptuous entrĂŠe salad straight from the grill.

Soy -- Superfood to Lower Cholesterol A study reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association (2003) showed that a diet of soy fiber, protein from oats and barley, almonds, and margarine from plant sterols lowered cholesterol as much as statins, the most widely prescribed cholesterol medicine. "Look for tofu, soy milk, or edamame -- not soy powder," says Somer. In other words, soy sauce won't do the trick. One caveat: If you have a family history of breast cancer it is not recommended that you eat extra soy.

Top Superfoods

Summer Loves

Sizzling Summer Salads

SuperFoods

Blueberries -- Antioxidant Superfood Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, these berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory. "Inflammation is a key driver of all chronic diseases, so blueberries have a host of benefits," says Ann Kulze, MD, of Charleston, S.C., author of Dr. Ann's 10-Step Diet, A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss & Lifelong Vitality. When selecting berries, note that the darker they are, the more anti-oxidants they have. "I tell everyone to have a serving (about 1/2 cup) every day," Dr. Kulze says. "Frozen are just as good as fresh." Be sure to include lots of other fruits and vegetables in your diet as well. Remember too that, in general, the more color they have, the more antioxidants.

"The effect that diet can have on how you feel today and in the future is astounding," says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, author of Nutritionfor aHealthy Pregnancy, Food & Mood, and The Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals. "Even people who are healthy can make a few tweaks and the JNQBDU XJMM CF BNB[JOH 4PNFS TBZT *hE TBZ UIBU UP of suffering could be eliminated by what people eat and how they move: heart disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension can all be impacted."

THE GREAT DUBLIN RESTAURANT GUIDE 2011 20 OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS WE COULD FIND!

Restaurant Directory

Its not just

IssueOne

Imagine a superfood -- not a drug -- powerful enough to help you lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, and, for an added bonus, put you in a better mood. Did we mention that there are no side effects? You'd surely stock up on a lifetime supply. Guess what? These lifealtering superfoods are available right now in your local supermarket.

All the latest food and drink news, including all the latest happenings in the Dublin dining scene.

6. Blog Gossip A quick look at what the Irish food bloggers are saying about the world of food this month‌

7. Ask The Chefs Dublins top chefs their insider knowledge with the hungry Dublin public...

8. The Lowdown on... Sushi!

There are many health benifits to be gained from eating Sushi, which is growing ever more popular in Ireland as each day passes.

11. Top 4 Winter Wines The never ending question answered. Well, for a month anyway. Which wine when?

13. The Best Winter Comfort Food This month we bring you the ultimate recipe and definite method for “The Best Homemade Apple Pie Ever!�

14. Superfoods

Editor Mikey Maguire Art Director Stephen Byrne Publisher PHONiCPublishing.com Contributors Rickie Stokes, Martina Neylon, Gerard Murphy, Donal Morley, Ian Johnston, Mona Wise, Phonse Bennett, Micheal Hunt, Stephen W, Iona Carr, Lil from Metblogs

Super Foods

4-5. Starter Menu & News Nibbles

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Eden Quay, Dublin 1 01 8740888 www.jimmychungs.com Go to Jimmy Chung's and experience authentic Chinese cuisine presented in a buffet style. Help yourself from a mouthwatering array of 20 starters and 40 main courses - and go back for more, then finish off your meal from Jimmy's selection of fresh sweets - if you have any room left! All food, subject to availability, is continually prepared by Jimmy Chung's experienced chefs using only the freshest ingredients.

Dax Upper Pembroke Street Dublin 2 01 676 1494 www.dax.ie Half tapas bar, half restaurant, Dax illustrates using quality ingredients to serve delicious, unfussy meals. Offering only a handful of starters and mains, Dax's menu changes often, making every visit a surprise - but a good one, they promise! DAX Restaurant is open for Lunch from Tuesday to Friday â‚Ź21.50 2 courses / â‚Ź26 .50 3

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Courses. DAX Restaurant is open for Dinner from Tuesday to Saturday

Harrys Cafe Bar Upper Georges Street, Dun Laoghaire 01 280 8337 www.harryscafebar.com Harry’s CafÊ Bar in Dun Laoghaire is a great funky diner providing great tasting home made food, using the best ingredients, prepared in an open kitchen. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, with surroundings to match! Whether you are looking for coffee, breakfast, lunch, mid morning or mid day sandwiches and snacks, weekend brunch or dinner, Harry's Cafe Bar can give you the choice. Also, now you can check out Night-time @ Harry’s - When the evening turns to night the atmosphere at Harry’s gets even better. Now open Tuesday through to Saturday for dinner with a Mediterranean influence from Chef Christophe Dominique.

The Exchequer Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 01 670 6787 www.theexchequer.ie The Exchequer..... wholesome, fresh, simple food accompanied by a concise but exciting cocktail

menu, an extensive range of worldly beers and delicious wines, served in casual, relaxed and comfortable surroundings. nationally sourced seasonal produce, consisting of Irish meats, sustainable seafood from Irish waters and a dedication to the Irish Artisan Producer (with a bow to our European neighbours for the odd essential) are at the forefront of our ethos. with two bars, vintage sofas and armchairs, comfortable high seating, a funky dining room perfect for private functions and even a floating steel booth, we offer an environment suitable to any occasion. whether its a romantic meal with your loved one, dinner with family or friends, a casual snack, a corporate event or simply a few drinks and a good night out, you will be welcomed, appreciated and taken care of by people who are passionate about what they do.

Georges Wine Bar South Frederick Street Dublin 2 01 679 7000 www.georgeswinebar.com Vibrant restaurant with five different areas including an elegant lounge and a fantastic covered heated terrace which is probably Dublin's finest and a beautiful setting at any time

“Anything is good if its made of chocolate.�

Jo Brand of the year. Fully licensed with a super wine list and premium imported beers and ciders, George's is a perfect venue for lunch or dinner offering a wide variety of freshly cooked food at unbelievable prices. They also cater for private functions up to 50/60 people

Citron The Fitzwilliam Hotel, St. Stephens Green 01 8740888 www.jimmychungs.com Effortlessly positioned on the mezzanine level overlooking the hotel lobby, Citron is for people with a lust for life. The design is characterised by the colour palate; zesty lime and lemons off set against the chalky white terrazzo, the woven white bar front and the dark timber floor, the ceiling is a collection of low flying ovoid forms, which gently glow. This buzzing venue serves innovative modern urban cuisine in chic surroundings.

YO! Sushi Clarendon Street, Dublin 2 01672 8950 www.yosushi.com YO! Sushi’s food is fresh, seasonal and prepared daily by trained chefs. You can choose from 91 dishes, including sashimi, makis and nori wrapped hand rolls through to hot staples such as chicken katsu curry.

The conveyor belts rotating with delicious offerings allows you to instantly start chomping down. The colour code dish pricing system enables you to control how much or little you eat, allowing a quick bite before a movie, taking a flight or train, a pit stop while you are shopping or a longer leisurely lunch/dinner if time allows.

With water on tap and soy sauce, wasabi and ginger in front of you when you sit down, there is no faster way to enjoy nutritious delicious food instantly.

Davy Byrnes 21 Duke Street, Dublin 01 677 5217\ www.davybyrnes.com Fancy finding out about this historic and famous pubs history? Anybody who is familiar with Dublin pub food will be aware of Davy Byrne's food reputation, in which seafood is the specialty.

If you visit the premises at lunchtime and evening time, you will witness the huge trade which is done in fresh salmon, smoked salmon and crab dishes. There is also a full range of hot meals and salads to compliment these and, as often as not, you can enjoy a lunch or an evening meal of oysters and Guinness. The decor of Davy Byrnes is original, authentic and pre Second World War in theme. You will notice the three educational murals of Joycean Dublin by Liam Proud, the priceless murals of the 1940's by Cecil French Salkeld, who was Brendan Behan's father-in-law and the fine sculptors of Eddie Delaney and John Behan.

Food Friendly Wines RosĂŠs come in many styles and are usually served as soon as they're released, although some are wonderful the following year. They're thirst quenching and versatile and pair well with an array of foods. The lighter and softer rosĂŠ wines go well with delicate fishes, cheeses and salads and are a perfect companion for a picnic. The bolder and fruitier styles can stand up to foods with garlic, herbs and spices. That's why the rosĂŠs of Provence are naturals with Bouillabaisse, a famous regional dish. These exuberant fruitier styles also pair well with the sweetness of barbecue foods. Put a crisp rosĂŠ alongside fried seafood, and the wine's high acidity will balance out the oiliness of these dishes and cleanse your palate. Best of all, many wonderful rosĂŠs are well priced.

Make the Most of Mangos Mangos contain more than 20 different vitamins and minerals, are an excellent source of vitamins C and A and a good source of dietary fiber.

Color is not the best indicator of ripeness. Simply squeeze the mango gently to determine ripeness level. A ripe mango should give slightly, but not be too soft.

To ripen mangos, store at room temperature. Once ripe, store mangos in the refrigerator for up to five days.

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Jimmy Chungs

If you get the opportunity to examine the murals when the premises is not busy, you will notice one of the man that first came to this premises one hundred years ago - Davy Byrne. As he surveys the premises from his majestic throne, you can reflect on an age that is past but not forgotten in a premises which is one of Dublin's most active fashionable and sought out watering holes. As a well known Irish bar offering the highest quality pub food they hope to be serving you a quality pint of Guinness or Good food from their extensive pub menus sometime very soon.

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Botanic Business Centre 288 bannow road Dublin 7 01 8245740 www.iliketoeat.ie info@iliketoeat.ie

We look at some of the easy-to-find superfoods that can help ward off heart disease, cancer, cholesterol, and more.

16. Food Stuff Kitchen related gadgets and toys so hot, you’ll need oven gloves...

18. Food Reviews Munchies, Listons Food Store, Riva and the Dun laoghaire Farmers Market all put to the test.

20. Restaurant Listings Want to know the best place to eat out tonight?

Look no further!

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StarterMenu

Irish Food Is Best In the World !

France has always had a reputation for producing the world's finest cuisine, and the French have always been equally choosy when eating other when sampling what other countries have to offer. So it will come as a great but very welcome surprise that the France's best-selling travel guide has given our beleaguered restaurant industry a boost by declaring the dining experience in Ireland is even better than what's on offer in France.

Le Guide Du Routard, the essential travel bible of the French-speaking world, even goes so far as to praise Ireland's restaurants for being unmatched anywhere in the world for the combination of quality of food, value and service. The glowing tribute to our Irish restaurants is to be published in Le Guide's next Irish edition in March and really couldn't have come at a better time, with reports of one restaurant a day closing down and revenue falling by up to 50 per cent across the board. The Restaurant Association of Ireland has described it as a massive endorsement that should go some way to restoring the fortunes of struggling restaurateurs across the country. The very influential travel guide's chief editor Pierre Josse said: "Thirty years ago, when we first started the Irish edition, the food here was a disaster. It was very poor and there was no imagination.

"But now the level of food in Ireland is nothing short of tremendous. The food is

gorgeous, it's now very reasonably priced and there is a very high level of service. All in all, I would say the Irish dining experience is now as good, if not better, than anywhere else in the world." Adrian Cummins, who is chief executive of the Restaurant Association of Ireland has said: "This is a fantastic endorsement. Hopefully more French people will read about our restaurants." Restaurants of Ireland, onwards and upwards for 2011!

New Weekly Flea Market! at Grand Social The Grand Social (Formerly Pravda) on 35 Lower Liffey Street now hosts a cool little Flea Market every Saturday from 12 noon till 5.30m. The Ha'penny Flea Indoor Market has a mish mash of stalls ranging from vintage furniture, clothes, bric a brac, retro items, jewellery, handmade crafts, records, books, and lots more.

Some of the traders who will grab your attention are Bella A GoGo (burlesque goddess – who make fascinators from feathers), Kate Jackson (Handmade leather-bound photo album and diaries), Jelly Tottlers (selling beautiful vintage handbags for a steel), Loki Records (record stall – one off vinyl for specified tastes) and Magpie Meg (fantastic vintage jewellery to handmade candles in porcelain cups). You could even try some of the recession busting beef and venison stew from the Winding Stair at just €5 a bowl served with crusty bread. They even have live music and DJ's to chill out to while browsing the stalls. Well worth a look!

Hairy Lemon

The Hairy Lemon on Stephen Street in Dublin 2 will rustle you up a Deluxe Beef Burger with a pint of Larger, pint of Guinness, Glass of Red or White Wine €9.95, all day every day! Deal.

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Night-time @ Harrys on the main street in Dun Laoghaire love it when you bring a friend. So much so, that when you buy two starters and two mains, they will let you have one of the mains free of charge! We like.

The wonderful Fallon & Byrne on Exchequer Street are currently offering lunches from only €6! Just watch out you dont end up buying half the store while you are in there...

Seagrass Restaurant on Portobello Bridge are currently offering Tapas lunches for only €5, or even better, 4 for €15! Absolutely amazing value. We havent been in for this yet, but we will....

La Peniche, the ever lovable barge that sails the Grand Canal are even more lovable not that they have launched their Valentines “Love Boat” offer. For only €65 per person on the 14th, or €55 per person on Sunday 13th you can enjoy a 4 course dinner with flowers for the lady on arrival, and all while sailing down the beautiful banks of Dublin’s Grand Canal.

Romantic? We think so.

COPAN is a breath-taking new 8000 sq ft Café Bar with feature Garden Terrace in Rathmines, styled on a Mayan aesthetic; brought bang into the modern day by a combination of superior fit-out, special effects & state-of-the art sound & lighting technology. COPÁN is a late bar (weekends) open 7 days a week; from 9am for morning coffee and breakfast — with homemade pastries/muffins, to all day gourmet food menus — including a wide selection of cuts of 21 day dry aged prime Irish beef as part of the evening menu.

Taking its name from the ancient Mayan city ruins of Copan (1000BC) in western Honduras, this exotic addition to Dublin’s social landscape formally opened its doors to the public in December. Although you will love the escapism of the venue, COPAN is first and foremost about quality standards, affordable luxury and most importantly you the customer. This place looks amazing! We look forward to checking it out…

The Exchequer’s Carve It Yourself Sunday Roast, is back!

The Sunday Roast is pre-booked for groups of four or more on Fridays, has achieved legendary status! The offer includes Chicken or Pork that feeds 4 ppl and is €39.95, or the roast of the season which they rotate every few months, currently on offer is Venison for 2 ppl at only €34.95, both of those come with all the trimmings and a bottle of house wine too! We’ll be checking out this month and will report back in our February issue.

Typically, this Nordic jock touches down in the apartment of esoteric '60s pop producers to bang on the floorboards with glass taped to tin boots; flies via Cologne to roll something nice and rumbling with krautrock's finest; segues in a jangling boogie remix full of synthetic Kiss-funk; before touching down in an echo chamber constructed by a classic prog/rock-electronics explorer.

BlogGossip...

“I remember pots of rhubarb stewing on the hob at home for my dad when I was growing up. I even remember my dad growing some in our back garden (if you saw the size of our garden you would be impressed by this achievement) for a few years. But I never actually tasted it back then. My dad would have a bowl of it swimming in custard but something about it just never really appealed to. I spotted some bunches of rhubarb on Sunday while I was buying some fruit and knowing that Mr Boo enjoys all things fruit related I picked up a bunch to try. I started with a basic rhubarb fool recipe and then made a couple of additions and the result was pretty good if you ask me. You didn't? Well, I'm telling yiz anyway so whist.” likemamusedtobake.blogspot.com “I adore having people over for dinner. I like the way my kitchen seems to be transformed by the presence of other people, how chatter and the sounds of countless bottles opening seem to fill the space, giving life to it, a happy buzz surrounding the process of cooking, the anticipation of sitting down to the table, getting to use my favourite serviettes which I don’t trust myself not to ruin any other time (I don’t seem to mind the idea of them getting ruined at something as joyous as an ‘occasion’, it seems like an honourable way for a serviette to leave this world) and how inevitably some cracked plate or dirty glass ends up on the table, but it doesn’t matter because even the ordinary, the doldrum seems to take on a new hue when the house is full of friends, restored somehow by the laughter of these people who have come to my house to let me feed them. Mostly though I love the planning, I like thinking of what people would like to eat, and how they will react when they eat it. I love making food for people that ‘matches’ them. I think about them a lot before they come over (in a non creepy feathery stroker kind of way of course).”

9beanrow.com

“Caesar salad dressing has gotten a bad reputation in the last few years as being extremely fattening. In truth it is quite fattening but part of the reason that it has earned this reputation is actually nothing to do with the dressing itself and more to do with fast food chains and the eaters’ own lack of self control, or more precisely, lack of portion control.” notjunkfood.net

‘You’re a liar’, ‘it was just a dream’, ‘don’t be stupid, they’d never mix yoghurt with cola’ and ‘my, haven’t we an active imagination?’; all replies I got to my recent suggestions that a Yop that was cola flavoured could be found on supermarket shelves at one stage during the early nineties. So, I did the only thing I could: I e-mailed Yoplait’s Irish customer service address in hope that they could validate me where nobody else would. Then I waited. A day, two days, a week... I had visions of everybody in the customer services office having a laugh riot at the implication that a cola flavoured Yop ever existed. So, I pretty much gave up on the idea of ever being able to prove myself right. It was over. Or was it? Yesterday, I opened my hotmail and surprisingly, there was an e-mail from one Eve O’Leary. No prizes for guessing what she said, all that matters is that yes, they did exist and no, I amn’t losing my mind. Yet.” consumedfoodie.blogspot.com “I think Brunch is my favourite meal. I love it so. And not just because it gives me the excuse to indulge in Bloody Marys. It sets the tone of your day, leaving you feeling relaxed and pampered. It’s such a luxury to spend time over it as opposed to the rushed slice of toast grabbed on the way out to work during the week” icanhascook.wordpress.com

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AskTheChefs What in your opinion are the most important aspects of the dining experience??

Sunil Ghai - Ananda Ananda Restaurant, Sandyford road, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 14 01 296 0099 - www.anandarestaurant.ie

“Food is just one part of the total experience. In modern restaurants Chefs do play a huge part in but an excellent Maitre’d and his team are very crucial .The dining experience should be fun filled adventure where the ingredients do the talking & the chefs style is understated. Essentially each Food is just one part of the total experience. In modern restaurants Chefs do play a huge dish or drink should be brought outare byvery knowledgeable and passionate part in but an excellent Maitre’d and his team crucial .The dining experience staff,be who give you same ofdo joythe intalking ordering ordinary should fun would filled adventure where theamount ingredients & the an chefs style is understated.

Essentially each dish or drink brought out by knowledgeable and coffee as much as in ordering theshould most be expensive bottle of wine. Ananda passionate staff, who would give you same amount of joy in ordering an ordinary coffee would not be the same without Saji whose welcome is the warmest in as much as in ordering the most expensive bottle of wine. Ananda would not be the same town.” without Saji whose welcome is the warmest in town.

Padraic Hayden- - Camden Kitchen 3 Camden Markets, Grantham Street, Dublin 8 01 4760125 - www.camdenkitchen.ie

“Flavour, comfort and memorability-the dining experience has to be geared towards making the guests feel at home and relaxed-the food has to deliver on flavour but also find a connection with the diner.”

Troy Maguire - Coppinger Row 1 Coppinger Row, Dublin 2 01 6729884- www.coppingerrow.com

“I think the most important aspects of a dining experience are are a warm welcome and friendly service, and a decent atmosphere. If you have that people are forgiving of minor dramas.”

Lee Doyle - The Exchequer 3-5 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 01 6706787- www.theexchequer.ie

“Friendly attentive service and high quality, tasty food consisting of fresh ingredients, presented appetizingly on the plate, coupled with an atmosphere that is fitting to the occasion”

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The lowdown on...

Sushi There are many health benefits from eating sushi. Sushi is not always only raw fish, as you will discover, and raw fish is not nearly as dangerous as you might think. Sushi comes in many different cuts and forms, such as nigiri, maki, temaki, and inari.

Brief History of Sushi Sushi has its very earliest roots, not in Japan as is the popular misconception, but in Southeast Asia. Originally, over 2400 years ago, rice and salt together preserved the fish through fermentation. Rather than being eaten with the fish, the rice had been scrapped before the fish was eaten. Japan introduced eating rice along with the raw fish centuries later. By the late 1900s, healthier eating habits helped to increase the spread of sushi in the US. Sushi preparation Sushi chefs can train for years to properly prepare and cut fresh, raw fish for sushi assembly. The best sushi chefs treat sushi preparation almost as a form of meditation, similar to bonsai tree pruning or yoga. A very sharp sushi knife and a bamboo mat are the primary devices used to construct sushi. Sticky rice or sushi rice (short-grained, seasoned rice) must always be on-hand as well as thinly sliced vegetables, soy sauce, and seaweed sheets. You may find the term "zushi" attached to the names of sushi, such as nigir-zushi or maki-zushi. Not to worry, it’s all still sushi.

Most Common Sushi Fish The most common types of fish you will find at a sushi restaurant are salmon, tuna, shrimp (never raw) red snapper, mackerel (usually smoked or pickled), and white fish. In the more pedestrian sushi restaurants, the ruby red tuna cut will not always be stated as akami or maguro, though those are the names of the cuts; they’re from the leaner sections of the fish. The toro (fatty) cut, also common, is from the belly of the fish. That cut offers a very buttery texture. The most buttery cut of tuna is either chutoro or otoro. These cuts are from the very underside of the fish.

This cut is typically found in the most expensive sushi restaurants and very desirable for the texture and taste.

Because there isn’t as much of it on the fish (compared to maguro or akami) and it gets sold to the highest bidder, it’s very expensive.

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Unusual & Exciting Sushi Fish There are other fish that people tend to shy away from for various reasons. You will find octopus, mackerel, and eel, which are never served raw. Clams, chicken or quail egg (cooked or raw - noted on the menu), squid, and scallops frequently appear as well. Interestingly enough, oysters are almost never on sushi menus.

Uni (sea urchin) is one of the most unpopular seafood for sushi because the taste can be very bitter or very sweet, depending solely on the uni’s ocean. Atlantic uni is usually off-putting in taste and consistency. Pacific uni, on the other hand, is fantastic, buttery, smooth, and almost sweet. Always ask your waiter where the uni originated and definitely order it if the waiter says, "Pacific" or "California".

Sushi of Doom Fugu (puffer fish) is probably the rarest fish to find in a sushi restaurant and not widely offered. Most sushi enthusiasts know that fugu exists and people over in Japan eat it, but will never touch it themselves. Why? Eating fugu could kill you within minutes if prepared poorly. There are specific chefs that go through the rigorous 3 years to train on preparing the meat of the fish; there’s even a special knife for its preparation called the fugu hiki. Fugu organs and skin contain a tetrodotoxin for which there is no antidote. Keep in mind that if a restaurant doesn’t offer fugu, you will not swallow fugu toxins.

Forms of sushi Maki and nigiri are probably the most well-known formulations of sushi. Maki is a sushi roll, rolled into a tight tube structure and sliced into inch-thick "coins". Nigiri is the block of sushi rice topped with a beautiful, perfectly cut and sliced piece of fish.

Temaki are the seaweed cones containing vegetables, sushi rice, fish, and, sometimes, a dash of wasabi.

These cones are never sliced into maki-sized pieces. Inari are little tofu pockets containing rice and typically ordered as a side dish, not a main item, unless you’re vegetarian.

Ordering Sushi for the First Time During your first visit to a sushi restaurant, the selection and the names of the items on the menu might overwhelm you. Don’t panic; you’re not the only one (finding other newbies inconspicuously can be fun).

Not everyone knows all the terms and most people find their favorites and stick to them - like sticky rice!

Begin your sushi experience with a simple, tasty miso soup (chicken broth mixed with bead curd, tofu cubes, and seaweed) and a small salad while you making your other selections. The tuna is probably the best first nigiri. An easy to eat maki is the California roll or the shrimp roll. These two will help you become accustomed to the textures and the milder flavors. If you like those, try a toro cut of tuna nigiri; it’s amazing. Then branch out to other things. At boutique sushi restaurants, you will find specialty rolls that have things like spicy tuna or spicy salmon rolls topped with different sauces and tempura.

Don’t forget to pour some soy sauce in the tiny bowl you get with your chopsticks. If you like bolder flavors, mix to taste the wasabi into the soy sauce. Dip the pieces (yes, with your chopsticks!) lightly into the soy sauce mixture and pop a piece into your mouth. The little pile of pink pickled ginger (gari) is meant as a palette cleanser between pieces. If you’ve never tried sushi, you’re missing out on a delectable and healthy eating experience. For the health and weight conscious, it’s highly recommended to acquire a taste for it. Get ready to experience, learn, and appreciate a new way of enjoying fish!

EatMagazine

09

Wine

Top 4 Winter

Wines With the cold weather arriving, you need to think about what wines will become a part of your daily rotation. Winter dinners are usually filled with hearty foods to keep the body and soul warm. Therefore, you need big, hearty, red wines to go along with the big, hearty foods that you will be preparing. The days of white wine and barbecue are over. Hearty beef stew and Cabernet Sauvignon is what will be on your table now. Here are four of the best winter wines.

1. Cabernet Saugivnon Cabernet Sauvignon is often referred to as the "king of the reds." It is a very fruit wine, with much more tannins that lighter reds. Cabernet Sauvignon usually have a dark fruit flavor, such as plum, blackberry, cassis, or boysenberry.

Cabernet Sauvignons are usually fermented in oak, leaving flavors of dill, caramel, coffee, and vanilla. A common winter food to pair with this one is a big piece of steak. Any cut of beef will work, but I would recommend a good filet mignon to go with your Cabernet.

2. Syrah Syrah is another good choice for the cold winter months. While many people don't like it do to the fact that it is so flavorful, it may fit in your winter wine repertoire quite well. With origins in the Rhone Valley of France, Syrah wines have notes of smoke, coffee, cured meats, and blueberries. This flavorful wine requires flavorful food. Some common pairings are lamb (lamb riblets or leg of lamb), and Shitake mushrooms mixed with thyme.

3. Zinfandel There are many different styles of Zinfandel that pair with many different types of winter foods. Use a lighter style Zinfandel with more savory dishes. The lower alcohol content of the lighter Zinfandel wines will pair nicely with a wide variety of different winter foods. It especially pairs well with Italian cuisine, such as meatballs, spaghetti, or any dish that uses parmesan. Sweeter Zinfandels pair well with chocolate and cheese.

4. Petite Sirah Petite Sirah is probably one of the best winter wines out there. Petite Sirah is a very big, dark, rich red wine. It is full of tannins, meaning it requires big food. The wine is so dark that it seems that somebody has mixed your wine with squid ink and put it in your glass. Pair this wine with your best beef stew recipe.

Philip Hofman is a New York blogger who works with a wine club that specializes in wine tastings in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

EAT Magazine

11

ITS NOT JUST

US WHO LOVES THESE RESTAURANTS Punjab Balti “We walked contentedly back to the car re-living the parts of the meal that made an impression. I asked Dillie to sum up the meal as succinctly as she could. Her verdict? The best Indian food I've eaten in Ireland…”

Paolo Tullio, Irish Independent

Darwins “Even if the speciality is steak, the rest of the food is seriously ace” Lucinda O'Sullivan, Irish Independent

Bon Appetit

“Faultless dishes, made with consummate skill, beautifully presented and served with the highest level of professionalism. Every single part of the meal was as a result of skill, time and dedication……All of the dishes are prepared to the highest standard….possibly the best value gastronomy around” Paolo Tullio, Irish Independent

ely wine bar “This basement restaurant is simply decorated with a nice selection of wines. It also has incredible food. The oysters were fresh, and the Irish stew was extremely filling” Tiffany, The Good Travel Life

Fire Restaurant

“I ate here with a bunch of friends on a Saturday night Girls night out. Oh my god. Simply amazing, from the staff to the wine to the food. Just top notch. Loved it all and what a wonderful building. One of the highlights of my Dublin trip” Trip Advisor

La Peniche

"We kicked off with Kir Royal up on deck. Delicious artisan breads are from a small local baker. ..The downstairs is sparkling red leather and brass. You can regulate your music overhead and press little red buttons for service- overall, its fun. There is an individualistic, well chosen wine list with lots available by the glass."

Lucinda O'Sullivan, Irish Independent

Harry's Cafe Bar At Harry's Cafe Bar, the food is good, the “service is friendly and the value for money is excellent!”

Paolo Tullio, Irish Independent

03

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

GREEN 19 A friend mentioned this place in passing, and the inner foodie in me could not resist the urge to dine there pretty much the same day. Except they were booked out solidly when I rang, and I was told I can come in earlier to try and grab one of the tables that they’ve set aside for walk-in customers. I must have sound pretty crest-fallen when the lovely staff relented and gave me a table for the same evening. Hurrah!

That was about 2 months ago, and since then I’ve been back several times with different friends. A cosy restaurant/cafe tucked neatly on Camden Street, I like the simplicity in terms of the decor and I definitely dig the paintings on the wall. It’s akin to dining in a small art gallery and I find myself charmed.

There’s nothing pretentious with the food that they serve in Green 19. Good, solid menu of hearty food and at a very reasonable price too, which has got to be a major plus at times when everyone’s tightening their belts. Nary a price tag beyond €12 and even those are for shared plates of either cured meats and sausages, or cheese, or pinchos. Otherwise, it’s a tenner or less.

Having tried several of their dishes by now, I have not yet come across anything that I don’t enjoy. I do have a favourite though, which is the lamb chump tagine with orange-scented couscous. Another thing to note – it is quite a feat for anyone who can do a 3-course meal here. I’ve only managed 2 max, if one of the courses is a main course portion. Next time I ought to go for 2 starters and a dessert I think.

BEST VALUE RESTAURANT

Speaking of desserts. There are only 3 choices but at great value of fiver each – rhubarb crumble with mojito ice cream, chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream, and cherry and bourbon sundae. All delicious treats I assure you. If only they would serve a bigger portion of the mojito ice cream… hmmmm…

As for the drinks, you may booze up as you wish as the price range is variable.

If only there are more places to dine out in Dublin that is as affordable as this, without the customers resorting to eating at ungodly time of 6pm in order to catch the early bird menu and the likes. This place has won my heart (and many of my friends), and here’s to many more happy meals at Green 19!

Green19, 19 Camden Street Lower, Dublin 2, Ireland Reservations: 01 478 9626 website: www.green19.ie For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

PINOCCHIO 04

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT

No guide on where to eat would be complete with the inclusion of an Italian. So many of our favourite foods hail from Italy and it is a genre of food the Irish are absolutely in love with. In fact, it would be fair to say it is a genre of food the whole world is in love with!

Ever since Pinocchio swung its doors open back in August 2008, it has stayed true to a few core ideals... they offer simple, fresh, delicious Italian food in the heart of Ranelagh Village. Italians Marco Giannantonio and Maurizio Mastrangelo teamed up to open this authentic Italian restaurant and winebar beneath the Ranelagh Luas station alongside their Italian cookery school, catering company and gourmet travel company.

The DĂŠcor in Pinocchio is laid back and relaxed, its ever inviting and you immediately feel at home there. Indeed, the friendly welcome and great service certainly bring a homeaway-from-home feel. A great suggestion is to call into Pinocchio for an aperitivo at the bar any Friday evening, when every glass of wine come with a little tapas, and then maybe pick up something for dinner from the deli counter or from the shelves laden with imported artisan dried and preserved Italian foods. The wine is excellent, and all are served to you direct from the temperature controlled cellar.

The menu ranges from antipasti featuring premium produce through to interesting main courses (linguine with scallops, crayfish and roe finished with asparagus maybe, or chicken wrapped in Arnad lard and herbs with a lemon butter). The desserts are all 100% homemade as are the biscotti served with the excellent Camardo coffee, and at Pinocchio they take pride in preparing you the best Italian food available in Dublin. Simple, fresh and all cooked to order. Just the way it should be!

Another suggestion is to try the menu for groups if a private party is what you are after, the selection is wide and the venue can provide live music or a Dj, in fact keep an eye on their website as they regularly host party nights which look fantastic! As was mentioned, owners Marco and Maurizio also run an Italian Cookery School, so if you like what you are treated to in Pinocchio (and we guarantee you that you will) why not log onto their website and enroll for one of the classes so you can have a little taste of Pinocchio right in your own home? Pinocchio Restaurant, highly recommended to anybody with a taste for Italy and a love of good food.

Pinocchio, Luas Kiosk Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Reservations: 01 497 0111 website: www.flavourofitaly.ie For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

03

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

PUNJAB BALTI A while back myself and four others went for a meal in the Punbaj Balti to celebrate a birthday. Normally, I am a big fan of Indian food, I’ve eaten it loads. I though I knew what a good Indian was to be honest, I could have sworn I had enjoyed many a good Indian over the years. Well, my meal at the Punjab Balti taught me that I knew absolutely nothing about a good Indian, but one thing was for sure, I definitely knew the taste of a good Indian by the time I had left!

The meal was astoundingly good! Indian aside, the food was perhaps some of the best food I’ve ever eaten anywhere in Dublin, it blew me away. Each one of us ordered something different and each one of us said that they couldn’t have tasted better.

In fact one of the group claimed that he could probably have picked any dish off the menu at random and it would have been amazing, and nobody disagreed.

Punjab Balti has just celebrated its fourteenth year, and over that time has gained much critical acclaim. The restaurant continues today to set standards for authentic Indian cuisine, combining traditional Indian favourites, original signature dishes and the odd contemporary twist, all prepared with

ilove2eat.ie

fresh natural ingredients and locally sourced meat and vegetable produce.

Aside form wonderful meals, Punjab Balti also offers a full catering service, gift certificates, cookery demonstration classes and a full take-out service so you get to bring the magic home!

I am 100% genuine when I say I often find myself craving for Indian food when I think of Punjab Balti. Even if you aren’t based in Ranelagh I would encourage you to make the trip out try it for yourself. The setting is clean and contemporary, the service is very friendly and in case you haven’t got the idea yet, the food was out of this world!

Punjab Balti, 15 Ranelagh Village, Dublin 6 Reservations: 01 496 0808 website: www.punjabbalti.ie For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

BEST BEST INDIAN INDIAN RESTAURANT RESTAURANT

06

MONTYS OF KATHMANDU BEST NEPALESE NEPALESE RESTAURANT RESTAURANT BEST

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

BEST NEPALESE NEPALESE RESTAURANT RESTAURANT BEST

Nepalese food certainly isn’t something you will see often in Dublin and should be considered a rare treat. In fact, Monty’s is the only Nepalese restaurant in Dublin. So why the accolade of Best Nepalese Restaurant then? Firstly, because it is one of the best restaurants you will have the pleasure of eating in anywhere in the city, of any cuisine. The food is excellent, the service is great and in these economic times the fact that it offers great value is a big plus too. Also, even if there were many other Nepalese restaurants scattered across Dublin, we still know Monty’s would come out on top. We have named it as the best, as it truly deserves that title.

Land of the mystifying Himalayas, birthplace of Lord Buddha and home of Legendary Gurkha soldiers, Nepal is blessed with scenic splendor and natural beauty. Though relatively small in area, the country is rich in ethnic diversity and cultural heritage. It is home to many tribal races, living in different regions, with their own unique culture, traditional customs, language and dialects. As a result, the taste of Nepalese cuisine differs from region to region within the country. Monty’s menu reflects this fact beautifully, and is very well thought out and put together. This means that EatMagazine.ie

whatever your taste you can always find something to suit your pallet and leave you with a smile on your face.

It isn’t just us hungry journalists here at EatMagazine that are fond of Monty’s, many others agree too.

Monty’s was Winner of the Gilbeys Gold Medal in the Ethnic Category 2003, received Food and Wine Magazine’s World Cuisine Award and in 2005 was listed in the Bridgestone Guide Top 100 restaurants. It was also voted Bushmills Malt Best Ethnic Restaurant in Dublin for both 2002 & 2005 by Restaurateurs of Ireland. That great taste still remains today!

Monty’s restaurant has two premises, one in Temple Bar and another in Rathgar. It’s the Temple Bar premises we have frequented most ourselves, although we are told that the Rathgar outlet offers identical quality. If you fancy trying something new and different on your next dining trip out, we recommend you try Monty’s. Oh wait! You don’t even have to wait until then, because they now do take-out. You have no excuse…

Montys of Kathmandu, 28 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Reservations: 01 6704911 Montys Rathgar, 88 Rathgar Road Rathgar, Dublin 6 Reservations: 01 4920633 website: www.montys.ie For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

BEST OVERNIGHT OPTION

THE

CLIFF TOWN HOUSE The Cliff Town House is a stylish Georgian Town House with an absolutely unbeatable location on St Stephen's Green, now considered by most as one of Dublin's finest luxury boutique hotels. The Cliff Town House also hosts one of Dublin's most talked about and stylish restaurants, which has been offering outstanding cuisine served in beautiful surroundings since it first opened its doors.

family celebrations, cocktail parties, or a wedding, then The Cliff Townhouse definitely has the perfect venue, The Lounge on the first floor! This intimate private room has an abundance of character, thanks partly to the amazing furniture and unique style of the room. Add to that the sumptuous food and friendly service and we think this is the perfect place for that memorable event.

Obviously, as a restaurant that has been gaining in popularity since it opened in 2010 (it was formerly Bentleys Oyster Bar & Grill) The Cliff Town house offer’s both unbeatable food and an unrivalled atmosphere, way above and beyond what you’ll find as the norm. Traditional dishes have been given a modern twist with lighter preparation and presentation reflecting the diversity of the modern Irish dining landscape.

An expertly crafted menu using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and all cooked to perfection. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week.

Lunch/Pre Theatre is only €19.50 for two courses or €24.50 for three courses and Dinner is only €34.50 for two courses with the option of €39.50 for the full three courses.

The Cliff Town House is of course our Best Overnight Option, and rightfully so. The en ebautifully appointed bedrooms are all unique and decor is kept in the style of the original building. Luxurious soft furnishings are mixed with a touch of modern technology such as the plasma screen televisions and complimentary wi-fi access. They say they want you to feel like the townhouse is your home away from home, and what better address to wake up to than 22 St Stephen's Green? Better still, when that word value pops up again, the news is good. The room rates for the bedrooms start at only €99 per room per night. We live in Dublin and we still want to book in…

If you're looking for an elegant city centre venue location for your private dining requirements, for instance a meeting,

The Cliff Townhouse, Stephens Green, Dublin 2 Reservations: 01 638 3939 email: info@theclifftownhouse.com website: www.theclifftownhouse.com For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

08

FIRE RESTAURANT

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

BEST DECOR 2011

Fire Restaurant has the perfect city location, right between Dawson Street and St Stephens Green. Undoubtedly one of the best restaurants you are likely to find in Dublin, we have honed in on Fire Restaurant this time around in order to highlight its spectacular décor.

In 2005 this fantastic space of vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows was sensitively refurbished by the current management. Today many of its original features are highlighted subtly by award winning modern decor. A mix of styles and symbolism, the current structure was built in 1891 as the Lord Mayor’s Supper Room. In the 20th Century, it was used as a cultural Centre, and later it returned to its original purpose of serving supper when it became a restaurant.

The setting has to be seen in all its glory to be appreciated, so our best advice is to drop in and sample something from the amazing menu to get a look at the place for yourself.

Until then you can view a full gallery on their website, or take the virtual tour to see the beautiful architecture that enriches the restaurant. As Paola Tullio states "Fire may just have the most impressive dining room in the City Centre”

Offering a modern European menu with a twist, Fire on Dawson Street offers something mouth-watering to suit every taste. The tantalising lunch menu is available Thursday to Saturday, whilst the pre theatre menu runs 6 days a week. The a la carte menu is also available from 5.30pm Monday - Wednesday, or from 5pm Thursday to Saturday.

With its award winning décor and newly refurbished heated terrace, Fire provides a unique setting for the most memorable dining experience, all backed up with the friendliest of service. An absolute must to anyone visiting Dublin. They also have affiliations with a varied range of hotels in Dublin and can offer you special rates for accommodation when you choose to eat with them.

Fire Restaurant is also very much recommended if you're celebrating a special occasion, such as a birthday, anniversary or an engagement. When you are celebrating something special, you always want that Wow Factor, and Fire offers that in abundance!

Fire Restaurant, The Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2 Reservations: 01 6767200 website: www.mansionhouse.ie For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

1

BEST STEAK 2011

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

DARWINS Some weeks back I had the great pleasure of a Saturday night dinner in Darwins on Aungier Street. They are in a different premises than in the one they used to inhabit directly across the road, but the new premises is fantastic.

Very well styled, lovely and cosy and a great vibe in the place from the minute you step in the door.

Ireland. Without a Doubt, if you are have steak on your mind, make the trip to Darwins. Funnily enough, and not surprisingly, it’s the not the first time in the last year they have won such an award. Only 8 months ago Darwins won “Best Steak” in the indublin magazine awards 2010. And will probably win it again this year we think…

It’s a family run business and the fact is immediately obvious, as both Mother and Daughter Dolores and Amy were on hand welcoming customers with a smile and making diners feel extremely welcome. The service in Darwins truly was amazing, and that point stuck out in all our minds. Great steak is one thing (and we’ll get to that in a minute) but truly great service can be hard to come by, so when you find it, it should be remembered and passed on.

Since opening five years ago Darwins restaurant has produced a dedicated following of fans who rave about the culinary delights on offer. Word of mouth has really driven this restaurant. A family run business, the theme of the restaurant is based on Charles Darwins ‘origin of the species’.

On to the steak. I’m a huge steak fan, as most people who eat meat could probably say. When I opened Darwins Menu and spotted the 11 oz premium eye fillet steak, I knew it was mine. In fact, all three of us at the table ordered one, and none of us were disappointed. The smell, the texture, the sublime taste and the absolute perfect preparation that these steaks display are without a doubt the best in Dublin, maybe

Darwin's own local butchers supplies and sources all their certified Irish meats including Angus, game, poultry and genuine Dry aged beef. Darwins restaurant, Best Steak 2011, and more than worthy of the title!

Darwin’s Restaurant, 80 Aungier Street, Dublin 2 Reservations: 01-4757511 website: www.darwins.ie For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

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BEST BEST BAR BAR FOOD FOOD 2011 2011

THE EXCHEQUER LA PENICHE The Exchequer is our “Best Bar Food 2011”, not the first time in only 15 short months that it has won such an award. Since opening its doors in October 2009, The Exchequer and its staff has won the ‘Best Gastropub in Ireland’ and ‘Best Pub Grub in Dublin’ awards. Carving out its very own niche in the heart of Dublin, The Exchequer has successfully struck the Gastropub balance between city centre late night bar and destination dining, and is as well known for its ever-changing menu of excellent innovative pub grub as it is for its DJs and cocktail menu.

The realisation of the long held ambition of restaurant business veterans Ian Tucker and Peter Rock, The Exchequer has exceeded their expectations. Open 7 days, The Exchequer opens from midday to late afternoon, when it moves on to a dinner menu, which is served until 9.30pm each evening, and 10pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, or even later by arrangement. The Exchequer’s Carve It Yourself Sunday Roast, which is pre-booked for groups of four or more on Fridays, has achieved legendary status! The offer includes Chicken or Pork that feeds 4 ppl and is €39.95, or the roast of the season which they rotate every few months, currently on offer is Venison for 2 ppl at only €34.95, both of those come with all the trimmings and a bottle of house wine too!

The Exchequer’s Bar is the domain of champion Bartender Darren Gerraghty, who in the last year has won the Bacardi Twisted Daiquiri Competition, and was crowned Pilsner Irish EatMagazine.ie

Master Bartender 2010. Darren is renowned for his cocktails, regularly introducing new and exciting concoctions, perfect as aperitifs, or post dinner cocktails. To complement the food, there is a lovingly selected eclectic list of nearly 50 beers, and carefully selected wines to complement the usual full bar drinks selection.

Almost all the wines on the list are available by the glass – in generous measures!

Chef Lee Doyle has been making a name for himself, and his new Dinner menu is the result of a year spent refining and perfecting The Exchequer’s own individual Gastropub food ethos. Starters are priced from €8.50, with main courses from €12.95. Recent additions to the dinner menu include a starter of potted crab with horseradish, parsley, crayfish tails and soda bread €8.95, perfectly complementing a main such as whole baked irish seabass (to share between 2 ppl) €32.95 or crispy pork belly with fish sauce caramel, crispy squid and a carrot and chilli puree €15.95 Bar food this good is indeed a rare thing. Real care and attention has gone into every detail on the menu, and the execution is just as precise. The finished cuisine, as well as the atmosphere and friendly service in The Exchequer are absolutely top notch, and given the superb location of The Exchequer, you would be mad to make any other bar your destination of choice next time your tummy rumbles anywhere near the city centre.

The Exchequer, 3-5 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 reservations: 01 670 6787 email: info@theexchequer.ie website: www.theexchequer.ie For more pictures, videos, maps and menus go to www.ilove2eat.ie

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

BEST FOR BEST FOR BEST FOR LUNCH & LUNCH & LUNCH & MEETINGS MEETINGS MEETINGS 2011 2011 2011

IL SEGRETO

As you can probably image, here at EatMagazine we eat a Also well worth a mention while we are talking about Il hell of a lot of lunch. We inevitably also attend a lot of Segreto is their early bird pre-theatre menu (theatre optional!) business meetings. One restaurant we seem to find which is excellent value for money. It runs from 5pm-7pm ourselves going back to time and time again for both of these Tuesday to Sunday, and offers 3 beautiful courses for only needs, is Il Segreto. €24.95 with the option of a 2 course for only €19.95. Our Il Segreto concentrate on an extensive range of modern Irish cuisine, but only after it has been given a distinctive Italian flavour. Their superb lunch menu along with the discreet courtyard entrance, sumptuous décor, cosy booths and intimate dining terraces all make this restaurant perfect for lunch, whatever the Irish weather. And less than a five minute walk from Grafton street so you never have far to carry those shopping bags!

For the business meeting or lunch, Il Segreto is ideally located on Merrion Row, right between Stephens Green and Merrion Square, and just down the road from Baggot street, so you never have far to bring a client. Il Segreto’s atmosphere, décor, service and amazing food are all perfect for when you are trying to impress a client, colleague or friend.

advice if you are availing of this offer is to try the sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce and banana ice-cream! If that doesn’t get you coming back, nothing will…

Head Chef Giorgio Casari is very passionate about his food, believing in keeping it fun and fresh. The wine menu certainly offers similar quality, and can be sure to keep you from never wanting to leave, especially if you are relaxing outside in the quiet heated courtyard. Il Segreto, Best for Lunch and Best for Meetings 2011, and highly deserving of both!

Il Segreto, 13A/B Merrion Row, Dublin 2 Reservations: 01 6618700 email: ilsegretodublin@gmail.com website: www.ilsegretorestaurant.ie For more pictures, videos, maps and menus on Il Segreto, go to www.ilove2eat.ie

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The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

ELY BAR & BRAS The Dublin dining landscape today is one that boasts a plentiful array of wine bars, it is an area where the competition grows fiercer year on year. Statistics also show that the percentage of the general public actually drinking wine is also on the rise. Put those two facts together and the importance of a good wine bar was never as relevant as it is today. ely know this only too well, and excel in what they do.

Opened in December 1999 in a beautifully refurbished building in the heart of Georgian Dublin, ely soon gained a reputation for being one of the best places in the city to relax over a glass of wine and enjoy a good meal. Not only have they put together one of the most comprehensive winelist’s in the country, they have also done it with something to suit every taste and pocket Passionate about wine and always respectful of its traditions and culture, they have opted for a more relaxed style of service at ely.

The staff are knowledgeable and always on hand to talk to customers about the wine they like to drink, and to help educate those who are interested to learn more.

ely state that their ethos is “to make sure that everything we do, we do well: from serving the best coffee in town to having really smart wine ware” and that fact rings true when you sample what ely has to offer.

Since ely opened, all beef pork and lamb is sourced from the Robson family farm in the Burren Co. Clare. All other produce such as oysters, seafood, cheeses etc. are sourced locally from suppliers who share the hands on approach ely require. The menus on offer are both uncomplicated and delicious; when you have the best of produce to choose from, you really have to let the food speak for itself.

The original ely winebar opened its doors in December 1999 offering over 70 wines by the glass including champagnes, sherries and ports. In June 2006 Dublin was introduced to ely on the waterfront of the bustling Irish Financial Services Centre, in the award winning Custom House Quay (chq) building. ely bar & brasserie (pictured) with its stunning vaulted cellars and atrium bar showcases what ely do best; great wines and beers and smooth food in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere.

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

SSERIE

Then, in February 2007 a distinctly contemporary venue in ely gastro pub in Hanover Quay, in Dublin’s South Docklands was born. The lively atmosphere you’ll find here, bright, stylish interior, heated waterside patio and young, upbeat staff echo the modern and urban surroundings of this developing area. The food menu is based on ely’s popular signature dishes. ely bar & brasserie and ely gastro pub are both fully licensed serving a range of beers both bottled and on tap.

When compiling the wine list, they have made a conscious decision not to try and be all things to all people. They are the first to admit that they serve wines that they are passionate about - wines they like to drink themselves. Rather than fashion, it is good character and pedigree that influence the style of the wine list. The winemakers they work with share the same ethos as them, growing their grapes and making their wines with minimum intervention and plenty of passion.

Over the years, ely have built their relationships with their wine importers, which puts them in the privileged position of being able to cherry-pick wines of good heritage throughout the winemaking regions they love.

BEST WINE BAR

The fact that ely can continue to grow each year and stay true to its original brief, even in today’s harsh climate, shows that quality service, quality wine and great cuisine, served in a unique way will always stand the test of time.

We are making Ely Wine Bar & Brasserie our Best Wine Bar 2011, and at the same time can recommend all three ely bars together, as the quality is consistent right across the board. Another great stop to mark on your to do list for Jan 2011!

ely wine bar, 22 ely place, Dublin 2 Reservations: 01 676 8986 ely bar & brasserie, 22 ely place, Dublin 2 Reservations: 01 672 0010 ely gastro pub, 22 ely place, Dublin 2 Reservations: 01 633 9986 website: www.elywinebar.com For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

BEST IN SOUTH COUNTY DUBLIN

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

HARRYS CAFE BAR What makes a great restaurant in 2011? Is it butler-esque service, a hefty price tag and silverware as far as the eye can see? No, it most certainly isn’t. Its well-prepared and great tasting food, good friendly service, relaxed surroundings and a good value for money bill at the end of it all. All those reasons combined are exactly the reason why Harry’s is without a doubt the best place for you to be eating in South County Dublin in 2011.

Harry’s Café Bar sits in the beautiful village of Dun Laoghaire and could be described as a modern and cool New York style diner providing great tasting home made food, using the best ingredients, prepared in an open kitchen. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, with surroundings to match! A mix-mash of stylish graffiti and high quality art from local artists, the creative theme continues even further this month with the addition of live music & Djs to the setup each night.

During the day, whether you are looking for coffee, breakfast, lunch, mid morning or mid day sandwiches and snacks, weekend brunch or dinner, Harry's Cafe Bar can give you the choice. But its Night-time @ Harry's when things really start to come alive and excel! Night-time @ Harry's has been running for just over a year, and now runs every Tuesday to Saturday 6pm – 10pm. The special offers are out of this

world, with such deals as when two people order a starter each and mains each, and get one of the mains for free!

Aside from that starters are priced from only €6.50 and mains €13.50 to €19.50 (Striploin Steak). The wines are really well selected at Harry’s with Wine including a gorgeous Spanish Cune Monepole Blanc and an Australian Willowglen Shiraz Cabernet you simply have to try!

As you can see from the other restaurants we have selected in the guide, friendly service and value for money are two of the big things we look for in a restaurant, and Harry’s has both in abundance! The staff are ultra-friendly and it’s a restaurant you immediately feel at home and welcome in, they have the laid-back, relaxed and friendly vide down to a tee here. And the value speaks for itself; just wait until your bill arrives to see for yourself what I mean.

All in all, we can’t speak highly enough of Harry’s, especially Night-time @ Harry's. It’s one of a new breed of restaurants that will supply you with the best cuisine you’ll find, anywhere in a cool and sophisticated environment, and all without breaking the bank. Best in South County Dubin by a mile.

21 Upper George's Street, Dun Laoghaire Reservations: 01 280 83 37 Photo: Ger Seery website: www.harryscafebar.com For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

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BEST IN DUBLIN THREE

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

CANTERS Canters is a restaurant we have visited quite a few times, and have always left impressed. Good food, simple elegant surroundings and good value for money all make it our Best In Dublin 3. Canters Restaurant is a contemporary style restaurant in the very heart of Fairview. Offering a wide variety of Modern Irish and European cuisine, Canters offers a level of service and food that stands it ahead of its rivalsever since its doors opened in 2006.

The menu is very well thought out and offers a wide variety of dishes which strike a good balance between contemporary and classic. Freshly sourced produce is to the fore in starters like Crayfish, Spinach and Pinenut Tartlet. Follow this with the Rack of Lamb Pistachio Crust with crushed root vegetables. Finish with the Profiteroles and chocolate sauce.

To die for!

of the food is excellent. Why meet your client or colleague in a noisy pub when Canters offers better quality food at the same price, but without all the distractions.

Canters also provide large screens for private functions up to seventy people. This means you you can supply them media on a USB stick or CD and they’ll run them during your party This saves on all that annoying printing we’ve all had to do before a birthday function! The restaurant is perfect for birthday parties, christenings, weddings, funerals etc.

Canters has everything we look for in a restaurant. The food is excellent, definitely the best in the area. The service is great and the staff are friendly. What is more, the place looks fantastic. Canters offers superb value. That’s why it’s our Best In Dublin 3 for 2011! It’s not the first praise Canters has received though. It was winner of the Leading Restaurants “Best Restaurant” award in 2008, and also comes Canters is very popular for O2 and Croke Park gigs with special fixture and pre-concert menus available, so next time recommended by both the Restaurants Association and the Lucinda O’Sullivan guide. Our advice? If you’re in Dublin 3 you bag yourself tickets for a gig, a visit to Canters beforehand will set you in good stead for the night ahead. Canters and you’re hungry, time to look for Canters… is also the perfect place for that business lunch or meeting.

Canters, 9 Fairview Strand, Fairview Reservations: 01 833 3681 Lunch main courses are only €10 and as always, the quality website: www.canters.ie For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

BEST IN NORTH COUNTY DUBLIN

BON APPETIT

time when the highly regarded French “Le Guide Du Routard” is telling the French that Irish food is now better than their own, we cant help but think they are talking about restaurants like Bon Appetit . Each dish is prepared with a degree of complexity to allow an explosion of flavours that will tantalise your tastebuds past the point of simple pleasure.

Their in-house Sommelier, Jean Baptiste, will guide you Bon Appetit is located in a stylish Georgian Townhouse in the through the very extensive wine list, so comprehensive in beautiful setting of Malahide, only 20 minutes from the City fact, you may have trouble selecting something to compleCentre. Bon Appetit hosts two very special restaurants, one ment your meal on your own! Never a bad complaint. of Dublin's finest and most glamorous Michelin Star Restaurants, and a Brasserie at lower ground floor level, a Aside from the A La Carte Menu, there is also a Tasting mid-priced eatery which offers comfort food better than you’ll Menu (7 Courses, €65) & a Menu Prestige (8 Courses, find anywhere else in the capital. €80) to choose from. An early bird menu is also available on Saturday nights (3 Courses, €29), and the Restaurant is The Restaurant on the First Floor is a little more formal than also open for lunch (3 Courses, €25). Reservations are the downstairs Brasserie. The dining room – the definition of recommended, particulary at weekends. elegance and sophistication – boasts plush grey carpets, Restaurant Bon Appetit is open for dinner Tuesday to coffee-coloured silk-lined walls and stylish cream Victorian Saturday 6.00 – 9.30 pm and for lunch from 12.30 – 2.30 chairs, all setting the scene for the exceptional Michelin Star pm.

9 James Terrace, Malahide, Co. Dublin menu.

Reservations: 01 845 0314 Bon Appetit sums up everything dining out should be about.

Out of all the restaurants we name in this guide, this has to be one of our favourite and is definitely regarded here in the EatMagazine offices as a special treat whenever we visit. If there was a best restaurant in Dublin nomination, Bon Appetit would certainly be in the running.

The seasonal menus, based on locally sourced produce, offer the very best of contemporary French/Euro cuisine. At a

website: www.bonappetit.ie For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

KOISHI 18

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

Say hello to the new leader in Japanese food in Dublin - and we have sampled them all. Authentic cuisine and friendly surroundings, as you step inside you are immediately welcomed with a bowl of adamame and a smile.

Climb the steps to Koishi at lunch time and take a deep breath - it's time to relax. T he atmosphere here is genteel and calm; staff are the sort of soft spoken professionals who bring out the good table manners in anyone. Neutral tones, wooden floors, authentic hand woven backrests and good lighting are all complimented in an eccentric way by the Japanese pop music playing softly in the background. T he menu is moderately priced and excellent, packed with the classic flavours of good Japanese food that ranges from hot soups served in wide bowls to artfully made sushi, to noodles and rice with savoury sauces.

But Sushi is why Koishi features here today. Sushi has been on the rise year on year in Dublin, and 2011 will be no different. So if its authentic, well prepared Sushi you are after, the offerings in Koishi are out of this world!

I've been faithful to the seafood bento and enjoyed every bite -a little bit of cooked salmon (skin on, not my thing usually), a few pieces of colourful sushi and sashimi plus veggie and fish tempura. The rest of the staff here at EatMagazine have tried other options straight off the sushi menu, but all have left impressed every time. Unbeatable sushi! All this plus a bowl of perfectly sticky rice on the side makes for the kind of lunch that makes dinner redundant.

A dd in a glass of wine or Asahi beer and it's a luxurious lunchtime treat for less than €20.

BEST SUSHI RESTAURANT

Great authentic Japanese food, especially Sushi.

Great prices in a friendly setting. An all round great package. Koishi restaurant, mark it on your to do lists for 2011 now!

174 Pembroke Rd, Dublin 4 Reservations: 01 6688393 website: www.koishi.ie For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

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The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

BEST IN DUBLIN NINE

THE WASHERWOMAN HILL Believed to have been built in the 1700’s, this is one of the oldest buildings in the village of Glasnevin. The Restaurant was opened in July 1996 and gets its name from the old washhouse, which was situated along the hill.

funeral’s. They are located very close to Glasnevin Cemetery/crematorium, so the restaurant is also perfect for that occasion.

Regular customers can now reap the benefits of their The Washerwoman is the ultimate cosy restaurant. A superb previous dinners as Washerwoman’s Hill are offering a new Loyalty Card Scheme. Log on to the website or call 01 837 place to arrive into on a winters night, you are immediately 9199 for more details. delighted to be inside. The Washerwoman has been selected for many reasons. Quality of food, great service and The area around The Washerwoman has so much to offer. great value for money! The Washerwomen offers this and The Botanic Gardens are a two minute walk away, and are much, much more. Value wise, not only is the standard absolutely stunning. Glasnevin Cemetery too is a place of evening menu a great one, they’ve also turned their eye to great beauty and is right on the doorstep. The cemetery has offering great value for special occasions too. grown to become a national monument and vital part of the This means they are currently providing special packages for Irish Heritage story. Even if Glasnevin isn’t your home, why not pop out, check out the beautiful gardens and top if off family occasions which include 3 courses, red and white wine, soft drinks and tea or coffee for only €500. They base with an even more beautiful dinner at The Washerwoman?

We have! that rate on up to 30 people in their private function room!

That package has been proving very popular with christenings, communions, confirmations and other afternoon events, and we can see why! I don’t think we have seen value that good for a private function since the Nineties.

As they don’t open for lunch they have made the restaurant exclusively available at short notice for private functions and

The Washerwoman, 60 Glasnevin Hill, Glasnevin, Glasnevin Reservations: 01 837 9199 website: www.washerwoman.ie For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

BEST LEBANESE RESTAURANT

ROTANA CAFE I can't sing enough praises of Rotana. Really, I can't. Let's start with the experience when you walk in. You're greeted with wafts of spice and an ever-smiling server. The walls are bright red and minimally adorned; posters of Lebanon are mounted and a few shishas sit on shelves.

If you're not familiar with Middle Eastern food, Rotana is a great, high-quality and low-price place to start. My boyfriend and I often split mezze platters (big selections of starters) here and find we have no room for a main. We always walk out feeling satisfied and healthy too. The koftas here are fantastic. I've heard good things about the kebabs, and I like that the big grilling machines have so little kebab meat on them - I can only assume that means they are made fresh daily.

One time I got a manakeesh (they call it a Lebanese pizza) flat dough with spices and I think I had some halloumi on mine, which was fantastic. I like other things on the menu better, but I liked the change of pace as well. A nother time I had the kobbeh labanieh, which is delectable lamb meatballs in hot yoghurt. Don't knock it until you've tried it! I was scooping that yoghurt over the provided side of rice until the bowl was empty.

Speaking of yoghurt, I usually get the drinking yoghurt - it reminds me of a salty, minty lassi. Once just after returning from Cyprus I tried the Lebanese coffee, done in a special pot in the kitchen (rather than the machine at the bar).

If you've had Turkish, Greek or Cypriot coffee, it's essentially the same thing- coffee grounds boiled in water to create two strong shots, and served unfiltered. The one I had was blended with cinnamon, I believe, and was lovely. The last time I came to Rotana I asked for tabbouleh to go after dinner was done and got a really generous portion that lasted all the next week. I love their proportions: it's heavy on the parsley, which makes me feel all fresh inside every time I eat it. T hey also have a bring-your-own booze policy which is fantastic and great for the purse.

Finally, it's mandatory to finish with a piece of baklawa or other Lebanese dessert. It's sweetness and richness stuffed into a package just small enough to fit into your alreadycrammed belly, and you have no choice not to because it tastes so darn fantastic. How much will all of this set you back? Less than €20 a person is quite normal - in fact, it's almost hard to break €20 per person unless you try to.

Rotana is different, completely unique for Dublin, and with the great Lebanese food, friendly service, bring your own booze policy and great value for money, its an option you simply cannot ignore.

31 South Richmond St, Portobello, Dublin 2 Reservations: 01 475 9969 / 085 780 3800 website: www.rotanacafe.ie Open Mon - Wed 4pm - 11.30pm, Thur - Sun 11.30am - Midnight Bring your own wine policy

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DADA RESTAURANT The Great Dublin Restaurant Guide 2011

BEST TAPAS RESTAURANT

Moroccan cuisine is considered to be one of the richest in the world: inspired by many cultures and civilizations across Africa, Europe and further East, and in particular the flavours of the Moorish kitchens of Northern Africa and Southern Spain.

In keeping with this rich heritage, Dada restaurant was established by husband and wife team Aziz & Eva. Together they offer a unique fusion of authentic Moorishinspired dishes in their beautiful restaurant. In the kitchen they employ their moroccan chefs only after years of experience cooking in some of the finest restaurants in North Africa and Europe.

The first thing that will strike you about Dada is the décor!

Moroccan to the extreme, the entire place transports you to another world the instant you enter. An extremely cosy restaurant, Dada is probably best known to its regular customers for its fantastic tapas!

From the marinated chicken kebab and harissa dip to the oven baked squid stuffed with mince meat, couscous & harissa, or from the grilled merguez sausages with spicy tomato sauce to the mini Kofta, meatballs in tomato sauce with garlic, whatever your taste for Tapas, Dada has you covered.

Dada also has an early bird menu which runs all night Sunday to Wednesday with three courses at only €19.90. If you are the musical type, a night of tapas, sangria and live Flamenco with guitarist John Walsh runs in their Moorish inspired restaurant every Sunday!

Dada, 45 South William Street, Dublin 2 Reservations: 01 617 0777 website: www.dadarestaurant.ie For more images, maps and information go to www.ilove2eat.ie

Montys of Kathmandu

Montys may have paper cloths but it has the class of a linen and crystal restaurant - freshly made dips for the pappadums, great raw produce, clean fresh flavours. It may have taken me a while to get there, but I'll be back.

Louise East, Irish Times

The Exchequer “Forget fish in concrete-like batter. The Exchequer has lifted the quality of pub grub to a level others will struggle to match” Ernie Whalley, Evening Herald

The Cliff Town House

“The good value early bird in Bentley's on St Stephen's Green is hard to better. With €20 you can buy classy food like rare veal liver, proper scampi, hand cut chips and if you sit at the bar and have a glass of wine” John McKenna of Bridgestone Guides

Canters

“I had a perfectly cooked steak and he had beautiful rack of lamb, malteaser cheesecake oh my God it was fab, and profiteroles and a bottle of chilean sauvignon blanc.

The service was great and it was really busy which is geat to see. I'll be going back.”

Menupages

Rotana

It's a lovely little spot with very nice food.

The BYO policy makes it great value and the baklava is amazing.

Menupages

The Washerwoman

"I will definitely return to the Washerwomans Hill Restaurant for the (mostly) great food and cosy athmosphere."

Leslie Taylor, Evening Herald

Pinocchio Restaurant

A Lasagne in Dublin that's good enough to serve to a genuine, bona fide Italian mamma?There can't be many. But in Pinocchio in Ranelagh (under Luas stop - handy, right?), Carlo Santilenni and his all-Italian team make this dish so well that even his mother can't complain.

The Dubliner

Il Segreto

Staff were extremely helpful and friendly and food was delicious. Will return and would highly recommend.

Menupages

ITS NOT JUST

US WHO LOVES THESE RESTAURANTS

FOOD LOVERS RESTAURANT REGULARS WINE & DRINK ENTHUSIASTS

WE NEED YOU! EatMagazine has arrived! Each month from here on in we will be celebrating all things food & drink related across the local Dublin scene. But we need your help!

We are now looking for contributors. If you are a food lover who also loves to write, a restaurant reviewer in the making, a wine enthusiast or somebody who knows all about beer, a blogger branching out or somebody with a great idea for an article, please get in touch by visiting phonicpublishing.com

HomemadeApplePie

The

Best

Winter

Comfort Food

Ever As the chill of autumn arrives, our palates pine for homemade apple pie. Apples are available in abundance, and Deep Dish Apple Pie is easy and delicious - even for the novice baker - with this step-by-step recipe from the Wilton Test Kitchen.

The tips to success are simple. For convenience, start with refrigerated pie crusts; the mixing and rolling out are done for you.

The fabulous filling is a snap...just combine peeled and sliced apples, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon and sugar. Be sure to choose apples appropriate for baking such as Granny Smith, Rome, Braeburn, Northern Spy or Cortland because they hold their shape and won't become too soft as they bake.

Note also that this is a deep dish pie, so the correct size pie pan is a must; otherwise the filling will overflow the pan. The top crust requires cutting slits or some other type of openings to allow steam to escape and prevent the crust from becoming soggy.

A nice innovative way to both decorate the top crust, and vent the steam is this. Using a mini apple-shaped cutter, make cut-outs and place the crust over the apple filling. Seal the edges and arrange the apple cut-outs on the crust. Brush with egg white (for a glossy golden brown finish), and bake. Cool the pie at least an hour before serving for easier cutting.

Preparation Preheat oven to 400 째F. In large bowl, combine apple slices and lemon juice.

In small bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apple slices; mix well to coat.

Line deep dish pie pan with pie crust; fill with apple mixture. Using apple cutter, cut out vents in remaining pie crust. Place crust over filing, crimping and fluting edges. Arrange cut out pastry on top of pie; brush crust with egg white.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until apples are bubbly and crust is deep golden brown.* Remove pie from oven. Cool pie in pan on cooling rack at least 1 hour before serving.

Ingredients 6 cups sliced, peeled and cored baking apples (about 6 large apples) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crust 1 egg white, lightly beaten

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Super Foods Imagine a superfood -- not a drug -- powerful enough to help you lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, and, for an added bonus, put you in a better mood. Did we mention that there are no side effects? You'd surely stock up on a lifetime supply. Guess what? These lifealtering superfoods are available right now in your local supermarket.

"The effect that diet can have on how you feel today and in the future is astounding," says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, author of Nutritionfor aHealthy Pregnancy, Food & Mood, and The Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals. "Even people who are healthy can make a few tweaks and the impact will be amazing," Somer says. "I'd say that 50% to 70% of suffering could be eliminated by what people eat and how they move: heart disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension can all be impacted."

You don't need specific foods for specific ailments. A healthy diet incorporating a variety of the following superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and live longer.

One thing they all have in common: "Every superfood is going to be a 'real' (unprocessed) food," Somer points out. "You don't find fortified potato chips in the superfood category."

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Top Superfoods Beans Blueberries Broccoli Oats Oranges Pumpkin Salmon Soy Spinach Tea (green or black) Tomatoes Turkey Walnuts

AdvertiseWithUs

SuperFoods

Blueberries -- Antioxidant Superfood Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, these berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory. "Inflammation is a key driver of all chronic diseases, so blueberries have a host of benefits," says Ann Kulze, MD, of Charleston, S.C., author of Dr. Ann's 10-Step Diet, A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss & Lifelong Vitality. When selecting berries, note that the darker they are, the more anti-oxidants they have. "I tell everyone to have a serving (about 1/2 cup) every day," Dr. Kulze says. "Frozen are just as good as fresh." Be sure to include lots of other fruits and vegetables in your diet as well. Remember too that, in general, the more color they have, the more antioxidants.

Omega 3-Rich Fish -- Superfoods for the Heart, Joints, and Memory "We know that the omega 3s you get in fish lower heart disease risk, help arthritis, and may possibly help with memory loss and Alzheimer's," Somer says. "There is some evidence to show that it reduces depression as well." Omega-3s are most prevalent in fatty, cold-water fish: Look for wild (not farmed) salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel. Aim for two-to-three servings a week.

Other forms of omega 3s are available in fortified eggs, flax seed, and walnuts. These superfoods have the added benefit of being high in monounsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol.

Soy -- Superfood to Lower Cholesterol A study reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association (2003) showed that a diet of soy fiber, protein from oats and barley, almonds, and margarine from plant sterols lowered cholesterol as much as statins, the most widely prescribed cholesterol medicine. "Look for tofu, soy milk, or edamame -- not soy powder," says Somer. In other words, soy sauce won't do the trick. One caveat: If you have a family history of breast cancer it is not recommended that you eat extra soy.

Fiber -- Superfood Aids Weight Loss and Checks Cholesterol A diet high in fiber will help you maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. As a bonus, because fiber helps you feel full longer, it's a great tool in weight management. Whole grains, beans, fruit, and vegetables are all good sources. Try throwing some beans in your salad, recommends Kulze. "Fresh, frozen, or dried are the best. You can use canned, but they tend to be higher in sodium," Kulze warns.

Tea -- Superfood for Lowering Cholesterol and Inhibiting Cancer "The overall antioxidant power of black tea is the same as green tea," says Kulze, "but green tea does have ECGC, a powerful antioxidant that we really do think is quite special." A recent Japanese study on green tea found that men who drank green tea regularly had lower cholesterol than those who didn't. Researchers in Spain and the United Kingdom have also shown that ECGC can inhibit the growth of cancer cells. For a double health whammy, replace sugary sodas with tea.

Calcium OK, OK, you know the drill: Calcium helps build strong bones and prevents osteoporosis. Look for it in dairy products or supplements. Added bonus: Some studies show that calcium helps with weight loss. Here are the calcium levels recommended for adults by the USDA: • Age 9 to 18 -- 1,300 mg • Age 19 to 50 -- 1,000 mg • Age 51 and over -- 1,200 mg And Finally, the Yummiest Superfood Yet ... Dark Chocolate New research has shown that dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants and can lower blood pressure. Kulze recommends that you look for chocolate with 60% or higher cocoa content; the darker, the better. In addition, the darker it is, the lower the fat and sugar content. Now that's our kind of health food!

EatMagazine

15

FoodStuff Gadgets so hot, you’ll need oven gloves...

Giant Cupcake TiN €17 The whole point of a cupcake is that it's just the right size for one person. But you'd have to be an incredibly greedy person to scoff a cupcake baked in our Giant Cupcake Tin. It's huge!

Ideal for any occasion (apart from a cake-oholics anonymous meet), this professional weight, cast aluminium, non-stick pan lets you create the mother of all cupcakes. Simply whip up your tasty mixture (use your own recipe or follow the one that's included), pour half in the base section and half in the top, then pop the whole shebang into the oven for around 50 minutes.

Once your mighty cake is cooked, wait for it to cool, stick both halves together with a bit of icing then get busy decorating it with icing, sprinkles, choccy bits or whatever else takes your fancy. Let them eat cake? Absolutely!

Brix Chocolate Gift Set €34 As high quality chocolate evolves into a gourmet pleasure it’s becoming increasingly popular as an after-dinner nibble. So why not create chocolate that complements wine? Why not indeed.

Set to challenge cheese as the after-dinner treat of choice, Brix Chocolate has been specially formulated to pair with wine. The blocks of choc are even designed to be fractured like hard cheese and come with a special knife and chopping board. Ambassador, with these nibbles you are spoiling us!

A great gift for aficionados of wine and confectionary (ie: everyone), this luxe package includes two blocks of stupendously delicious high quality chocolate

The Daddy Wine Puzzle Gift Pack €28 Giving wine on special occasions is all well and good but in terms of inventiveness it's right up there with socks, bath salts and book vouchers. So wouldn't it be good if you could buy a bottle of vino with a bit of a twist. Well thanks to The Daddy Wine Puzzle you can do exactly that because this nifty gift comprises a bottle of top quality Merlot from the Ardeche region, encased within the jaws of a fist-bitingly annoying puzzle.

This fiendish wooden contraption is guaranteed to amuse and infuriate as its seemingly impenetrable embrace can only be released via a decent dollop of lateral thinking; there's much more to it than simply untangling a mess of balls, blocks and cord. Recipients won't know whether to thank you, throttle you or beg for the solution. The Daddy will fit any bottle with a 3.3cm neck, so once solved it can be used again and again to imprison other unsuspecting bottles. If your recipient’s noodle isn't up to the challenge the solution is provided in an envelope in the pack. Cheat, cheat, cheat!

EatMagazine.ie

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FoodStuff GIANT GUMMY BEAR €34 (YES, €34!!!!)

Quenching your Gummi Bear cravings is no mean feat when you consider how titchy the rubbery little fellas are. With this in mind, crazy confectioners have created a whole new breed of Gummi Bears, and by gum, they’re ginormous!

If you’ve ever wondered what 6120 calories look like in chewy ursine form (and who hasn’t), feast your eyes on the Giant Gummi Bear.

Standing 24cm tall and weighing in at a diet-clobbering 2kg, this gelatinous lump of yumminess is equivalent to 1,400 regular sized Gummi Bears. In fact it’s the world’s largest. The dentist will see you now…

Salt & Pepper Bots €14 Despite the optimistic forecasts made by twentieth century futurologists, robots are still pretty rubbish.

They can’t jumpstart starships, communicate with aliens or even help you pull up your pants in the morning. With this in mind, we’ve decided to shun modernity and celebrate the golden age of fictional robotics with Salt & Pepper Bots.

As you can see, these high quality comedy condiment dispensers look just like the kind of robots you might see chortling about mankind’s primitive potato mashing techniques or clunking around a 50s B-movie. But unlike Robby and the Smash Martians, Salt & Pepper Bots are clockwork. Simply wind ‘em up and watch in wonder as they waddle towards your plate with their nosh-enhancing load. Pass the salt? No need.

EDGE BROWNIE PAN €34 Brownies are all the rage these days. In fact the mere thought of them is enough to make us start drooling like cake-addicted dimwits. The problem is most munchers are forced to take out a mortgage and head to the nearest coffee shop for their sweet cakey fix. But not us. We make our own using the revolutionary Edge Brownie Pan. As you can see, this strange looking pan has interior sidewalls. No, not to make your pre-sliced brownie look like a wiggly snake (although that’s a bonus), but to circulate heat evenly, thus ensuring your individual brownies are moist in the middle with perfectly caramelised corners and dense chewy edges on both sides, just like mom never made. Mmm…brownies.

Wanna Buy? Direct hyperlinks to all products can be found at www.eatmagazine.ie

17

WiseWords Review

Munchies Anyone?

When travelling with Children (or hungry

husbands), be it for a day trip or several weeks, one of the most important things to have on hand at all times is a few snacks. At one point or another someone is gonna get the munchies!

My five year old son Jack wakes up hungry/thirsty and pretty much continues that tune throughout the day in typical toddler fashion. My six- going-on-sixteen daughter Rory has very refined taste buds and eats like a bird in the morning, fills up at lunch and likes to dine-lite for dinner.

My husband, the Chef, has life-long-neverending hunger pangs. To be honest when we set of on our adventures I pack our snack stash with him in mind. Nothing quite as annoying as a hungry husband that needs sustenance immediately!

Last week we spent the morning at the Dublin Zoo and decided to head into the city center for a nice lunch and some retail therapy. Just doing our bit to help the local economy!

Unless you know where you are going you could spend hours and hours wandering around Grafton Street or the Temple Bar district looking for that perfect little spot to have eats and treats at. People (especially

18

little hungry people) can get a little cranky if you do not make haste in your dining decisions and choose where to eat, in a hurry!

having a sandwich for lunch but in reality you are having a lovely lunch experience that happens to be enclosed in some kick-ass breads.

After taking the bus into town from Phoenix Park and wandering around for five-hundred hours we finally stumbled upon a corner café called Munchies that had an inviting look from the exterior!

With the most expensive item (Cheese board) teeter-tottering at 7 euros, it could take forever to wade knee-deep in the menu options at Munchies. Clever name-calling of their sandwiches bring smiles andhungerpangs simultaneously. Should you decide to The inside had a great vibe spilling out the choose the 'Hummus The Tank Engine' or the front door onto the busy spring- shoppersfilled streets. We were greeted by a long line of 'Bjorn Again', the 'Bacon Whoopie' the 'Salmon Rushdie' or the 'Italian Scallion' you customers all studying the chalkboard menu will not go wrong. I am certain everything on and an equally fluid line of suits exiting their menu will delight the taste-buds, kill the clutching their lunch baggies to go. WiseTip: When travelling (and hungry) never ever-ever hunger-pangs and have you planning your eat in a restaurant that does not have a line of next lunch in Dublin before you know it! people waiting outside to get in.

Of course you could not leave without Munchies has a "French Café meets Dean and getting ‘one-a dem chocolate tingys’ they had on display behind the glass case (at perfect Deluca" feel about it. Perched prominently five-year-old eye level) so a little lunch near the cash register was ice cold bottles of bag-to-go was procured as we exited, making bubbly, carafes of chilled lunchtime libations room for the long line of late-luncher's still and, for those that had to drive home, some flowing through the doors of Munchies. freshly squeezed orange juice.

The Chef needed no convincing to try this spot for lunch because he was greeted (half way down the street) by the smell of freshly baked bread. The only difficult task for him was which loaf to munch on. Sandwich board menu items are a little deceiving in that you think you are

P.S. It should go without saying (at this point) that this business is big on sourcing organic and locally-grown produce and serves fair-trade coffee. Cheap and Cheerful!

Mona Wise.

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Food Reviews

Listons Food Store 25/26 Lwr Camden St Dublin 2 - Tel (01) 4054779 I wonder what sick, twisted, evil mind designed and stocked Listons? Whoever they were, they definitely seemed intent on foiling my diet. The food is just so tempting. There are two entrances and both are dangerous. The larger door brings you past nuts, chocolate covered raisins, teas, loads of chocolate...followed by fridges with panninis, yoghurts and deli items etc.

Wander around the corner and you'll see what would have greeted you through the smaller door. Delicious cheeses, frozen meals, every type of sauce you could possibly want (I had to put my hands in my pockets to stop myself from buying a few-my cupboard is full and I rarely actually cook anything exciting. I just think about it). Plenty of vinegars and oils stock the shelves...many more reasonable than Fallon & Byrne. Don't look at the counter near the cash register on this side! Huge bowls of olives and massive glass jars with pick and mix chocolate buttons and drops as well as dried fruit. Who could possibly resist? A brown paper bag of them is in my cupboard right now. But not for long...

It gets worse. Go to pay and you realise that the girl behind the register is really friendly, agrees that everything is delicious...and tells you that she looked for a job there because she liked shopping there. Now I have no reason not to go back

Riva 1 Hanover Quay, Grand Canal Dock ,Dublin 2 - Tel (01) 6753577 I ate here on a Friday evening as part of a group. It wasn't hugely busy in there that night-apart from us! The pouring rain possibly deterred all but the most determined diners.

Riva is listed as Meditteranean style which basically seems to mean they have risotto on the menu with the usual steak and chicken type options. Staff were very welcoming and location is pleasant overlooking the water, if a bit remote. I skipped starter but tested my friend Fiona's goat cheese salad which was very good. For the main I had corn fed chicken. It was mediocre really. Not the tastiest meal I've ever had. It wasn't a struggle to eat like a lady and leave some on the plate-not my natural tendency! Fiona got the steak which was better!

Dessert menu is really tempting with fruit crumble, chocolate brownies, pannacotta etc. Fiona and I decided that she would get the crumble while I got the brownie so that we'd get to eat both. Everybody at the table was served. I waited. I looked mournful. I salivated. I reasoned that I was probably better off without the dessert. Eventually I managed to flag down one of the waiting staff to get my brownie. They looked at me as if it was my fault and that I just hadn't ordered-no recollection of taking my order at all! The brownie was pretty yummy...but it would have been nicer if I didn't have to wait so long! Wines were good-almost too good.

Hard not to overdo it! Excellent coffee at the end. Would I go back? Probably for lunch....especially if the dessert menu was the same. Not so sure I'd make the evening trek for dinner though. I've had better!

Dun Laoghaire Farmers Market Peoples Park, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin - Every Sunday from 11am to 4pm My view may be coloured by the sunshine and the company but I really enjoyed my trip to the Dun Laoghaire farmer's market! This market runs each Sunday in the People's Park and is particularly suited to a summer's day with a great location on the pier. It's easily accessible by DART-less than 5 mins walk from Sandycove Glasthule station and makes for a lovely afternoon out.

A great range of stalls was scattered around the park with everything from fruit and veg to baked goods and meat to handcrafts. We munched on fresh crĂŠpes (Nutella and banana-mmm), sampled muffins and scones from various bakery stalls and succumbed to fudge from the Truffle Fairy stall. The Bailey's white chocolate one is divine! We struggled to resist all the ice-cream stalls and the freshly toasted nuts. It was difficult to choose what to eat with the array of cooked foods-Indian, falafels, organic chicken, sausages....another visit will be required I think!

Luckily the location means you get to wander along the pier afterwards to burn some calories.

So whether you're north (Howth) or south, there's a seaside Sunday market for you :-)

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Restaurant Directory

Restaurants

Gotham Cafe Mary Street, Dublin 1 01 679 5266 www.gothamcafe.ie

Venu Brasserie Annes Lane South, Dublin 2 01 670 6755 www.Venu.ie Welcome to Venu Brasserie & Bar located on Annes Lane just off Dublin’s famous Grafton Street in the heart of the city centre. This restaurant and cocktail bar venue by Charles Guilbaud offers cool and Contemporary décor with a vibrant atmosphere to accompany classic European cooking.

We endeavour to source the best quality fresh Irish produce and provide ‘home made’ dishes cooked to order for each customer and served by friendly and attentive staff. Come and try our award wining cocktail bar which will tantalise you with high quality fresh cocktails, some new inventions and plenty of good old classic concoctions! Childrens dishes are always available.

Brunch menu served all day Saturday as well as A La Carte. Awards: Best Irish Cocktail Bar 2006, Bridgestone 100, Dubliner 100

The Church Mary Street, Dublin 1 01 828 0102 www.thechurch.ie The Church is one of Dublin’s most unique establishments.

This restored former Church is situated in the heart of Dublin’s shopping district, with five distinct settings on four levels. Described as the ‘ideal venue’ visitors from all over Ireland and across the globe are wowed by the splendour that the Church has to offer.

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Gotham Café is a casual eatery serving good food in a laid back environment, starting with a light breakfast menu in mid-morning and carrying right through until late night with an extensive and varied menu. Their concept is to deliver top quality food, at reasonable prices, in an unpretentious and casual setting. Gotham Café is a restaurant where you can relax, chill out and enjoy yourself without feeling too worried about the size of the bill at the end! It can fulfil many needs, being suitable for a quick meal if you are on your way to the cinema or theatre, to a full three course menu with coffee when you are in the mood for a little more. Much of their menu and, of course, all of their signature pizzas, utilise their stone pizza oven which was imported for them from Washington State in the USA. These pizza ovens are regarded as the best in the world and they believe they help them create outstanding pizza bases.

Their pizza dough is freshly made every day, on the premises, using just five ingredients: flour, water, yeast and small amounts of salt and sugar.

FXB Bull &and Castle Christchurch Place, Dublin 8 01 475 1122 www.bullandcastle.ie Claiming to be Ireland's first gastro pub and beer hall, providing restaurant quality food in a pub style atmosphere. Owned and run

by FXB, all their beef comes from their own home farm in Co. Offaly and all their fish is Irish and bought in fresh daily. They also match different styles of beer with their food menu, providing an interesting twist to

dining. Upstairs our beer hall stocks over 150 different beers from around the world and they are a premiere distributor of Irish craft beers. Late Bar and Funk/Soul DJ's, Friday and Saturday til 2am

The Atrium Lounge The Westin Hotel, College Green, Dublin 2 01 645 1324 thewestindublin.com Sit beneath clear skies by day and a canopy of stars at night in The Atrium Lounge, an inspirational haven with it’s five story glass ceiling. The large palm tree and replica balconies give the impression of sitting in a Georgian courtyard, a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Relax and enjoy a traditional afternoon tea or sample any of the items from the all day food menu available into the evening seven days a week.

Koh Milennium Walkway, Dublin 1 01 814 6777 www.koh.ie Koh is new and different. The chic Koh which oozes style is divided into three main areas: A stylish cocktail lounge where you can sip classic Martinis, Cosmopolitans and original creations by their award winning flair cocktail barmen and snack on the tantalising bites menu; An à la carte restaurant which prides itself on modern Thai/Asian food with a lengthy wine list expertly chosen to match the delicate, subtle asian flavours, and a spacious outdoor terrace area on Millennium Walkway for al fresco dining. A glamorous venue complete with three private dining rooms and wi-fi throughout ensures Koh can cater for an intimate evening for two right through to a glitzy cocktail party.

Bar Pintxo 12 Eustace Street, Dublin 2 01 672 8590 Bar Pintxo is the sister restaurant of The Port House on South William Street which has been enjoying a very successful year since its inception in July 2006. The eagerly anticipated Bar Pintxo will serve an array of tapas and pintxos as well as an extensive range of fine wines, ports and sherries. Located at 12 Eustace Street this beautiful candle-lit, bodega style tapas bar is spread over the ground floor and basement of the building with a seating capacity for eighty people.

Expertly trained staff will be on hand to help you choose your wine selection from the shelf while sampling the different types of pintxos and tapas. Wines from the Rioja, Navarra and Getariako Txakolina regions of The Basque were sourced by the management team at The Port House and Bar Pintxo, with unusual wines such as Txakolina and ports such as Dow’s Fine White Port being firm favourites of customers.

Over thirteen different ports are served by the glass and signature dishes of Bar Pintxo include Pulpo a la Gallega, an octopus dish and the traditional Spanish paella dish served with either chicken or seafood.

Buenos Aires Grill Castle Way, Golden Lane, Dublin 2 01 4759616 / www.buenosairesgrill.ie Buenos Aires Grill is the first Argentine Restaurant in Ireland.

Buenos Aires Grill is a venue where you can experience Argentina through the food. The whole Argentine culture can be condensed in its food and Buenos Aires Grill stimulates your five sense to enhance and potentate the overall eating-out experience: Argentine music playing softly in the background, the food, the aromas and flavours, the wines, the interior design and decoration, and the appearance of our very own South American staff.

Everything thought to trigger this idea of Argentina is everywhere you look. The restaurant offers a lunch menu that is both affordable and suitable for the clients needs. For dinner, we offer a menu "a la carte" a special dinner menu that changes on a regular basis. The range of food includes mainly beef, other meat such as pork or chicken, starters and sides, vegetarian options and a seafood alternative.

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Restaurant Directory

Diep Noodle Bar Ranelagh Village, Dublin 6 01 497 6550 www.Diep.net Casual Thai and Vietnamese dining at it's best. A young and contemporary restaurant with simple but stylish surroundings. Diep Noodle Bar is one of the pioneers of the epicurian revival in Ranelagh over the past five years with it's fresh and genuine approach to Thai and Vietnamese cooking alongside it's popular cocktail bar, warm hospitality and it's relaxed but vibrant atmosphere.

Diep Noodle Bar is a firm local favourite.

Celestines Brasserie 16 Maypark, Malahide Road, Artane 01 851 2241 www.celestinesbrasserie.com Enjoy a memorable Dining experience at Celestine’s Brasserie and wine bar, with lots of parking located at 16 May Park on the Malahide Road, Donnycarney. Open all day, Tuesday- Sunday and every bank holiday Monday from11.30am with last food orders taken at 9.45pm Rediscover service with a smile and a menu to delight the finest palate. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and weekend bruch. All their dishes are cooked to order by their head chef Carlo Alambi using only the freshest market ingredients.

Their extensive wine list and wine selection by the glass was designed for them by one of Irelands leading Sommeliers Lisa O Doherty.

Menus are now available for Lunch & Dinner reservations.

If you enjoy live music while you dine they now have live music on Friday Evenings and Sundays from 2pm-4pm

Il Vignardo Store Street, Dublin 1 01 855 3099 www.ilvignardo.com

Recently voted “Best Value Restaurant in Dublin “ by Eddie Hobbs’ magazine “You and your money”, Il Vignardo serves a fantastic menu using fresh ingredients cooked to perfection. Don’t miss the great value early bird special which runs nightly (all year except for December) from 17.30h – 19.30h with all pizza and pasta dishes only €9.90. Ideal for after-work, late night shopping or pre-theatre dinners. Il Vignardo is tucked away at the back of Hotel Isaacs on Store Street and the décor is warm and inviting. Guests can enjoy a pre or post dinner drink in the adjoining Le Monde Café Bar or on a fine evening sit al freco in the heated courtyard garden.

Odessa 14 Dame Court, Dublin 2 01 670 7634 www.odessa.ie At Odessa, style and substance meet to create an unforgettable dining experience. There's a real sense of life to Odessa.

Choose from the mouth-watering menu and simply unwind, cocktail in hand, in the cool, sophisticated surroundings of the city's first and best dining lounges.

Green Nineteen Lw Camden St, Dublin 2 01 478 9626 www.green19.ie Green Nineteen beside Anseo pub on Camden St. has been open for about 18 months, and it seems have tapped into the current zeitgeist. It has a simple, great value menu consisting of old favourites, and all mains cost €10. Green Nineteen also do a good value brunch:Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and all the trimmings for €10, Bacon or Sausage Sandwich for €4, Organic Muesli with Fruit for €4. You know, how much things should cost. I Particularly like how their

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menu encourages patrons to steer clear of bottled water by pointing out that tap water is free - good riddance to the days when you were made feel guilty for asking for this.

Yamamori Sushi Ormond Quay & St Great Goerges Street 01 872 0003 www.yamamorisushi.ie Yamamori SUSHI is located in the heart of Dublin.

Overlooking Ireland's landmark "Halfpenny Bridge", a stone's throw from "le Bar" opened 2007 and offers a unique Japanese dining experience with open kitchen and sushi bar. An extensive wine and drinks menu to be enjoyed with your meal or at our bar. Yamamori can cater for each groups individual needs, from a romantic dinner for two to larger groups and parties. Yamamori's friendly and relaxed atmosphere ensures diners return time and time again.

Dada South William Street, Dublin 2 01 617 0777 www.dadarestaurant.ie Moroccan cuisine is considered to be one of the richest in the world: inspired by many cultures and civilizations across Africa, Europe and further East, and in particular the flavours of the Moorish kitchens of Northern Africa and Southern Spain. In keeping with this rich heritage, dada restaurant was established by husband and wife team Aziz & Eva Nouhi.

Lovely food, very good value, friendly service.

Saagar Indian Restaurant Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 01 475 5060 saagarindianrestaurants.com One of the things that make Saagar a sure success is their amazing attention to detail. It is no wonder this restaurant has been winning prestigious

awards like Sharwood`s Best Oriental Restaurant of the year 1997 and is on Bridgestone`s 100 best in Ireland guide since 1996.The menu has many wonderful regional options and be sure to sample a fiery curry.

Complimented by a well thought out wine list, this is simply a great restaurant. The A la Carte Menu is available at both Lunch and Dinner

Il Primo 16 Montague Street, Dublin 2 01 478 3373 www.ilprimo.ie l Primo is one of the longest-established Italian restaurants in Dublin's city centre. For over a decade, Il Primo has been serving rustic Italian food paired with some of the best wines that Tuscany has to offer. Most of its wines are imported directly to Il Primo and cannot be found anywhere else in Ireland. The restaurant is located in a romantic period house, which has been converted into a lively, homely bar area and a cosy

and intimate dining room, located five minutes from St. Stephen's Green. The emphasis throughout Il Primo is on providing some of the finest wines from Tuscany with a range of simple and delicious Italian dishes in the heart of Dublin

Chai Yo 100 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 4 01 676 7652 www.chaiyo.ie Just finished being refurbished in very a beautiful style, Chai Yo has now 3 Teppenyaki areas that are perfect for groups.This is a really fun restaurant on Baggot Street which proves popular with all age groups and professions. Enjoy Japanese food in friendly, relaxed surroundings and the bill won't do much damage.

Best Lunch deal around. €12.50 for starter/main course/tea or coffee. Food is delicious. Service is fast and Staff are lovely people.

“Life is uncertain.

Eat dessert first.”

Ernestine Ulmer

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Restaurant Directory

Jimmy Chungs Eden Quay, Dublin 1 01 8740888 www.jimmychungs.com Go to Jimmy Chung's and experience authentic Chinese cuisine presented in a buffet style. Help yourself from a mouthwatering array of 20 starters and 40 main courses - and go back for more, then finish off your meal from Jimmy's selection of fresh sweets - if you have any room left! All food, subject to availability, is continually prepared by Jimmy Chung's experienced chefs using only the freshest ingredients.

Dax Upper Pembroke Street Dublin 2 01 676 1494 www.dax.ie Half tapas bar, half restaurant, Dax illustrates using quality ingredients to serve delicious, unfussy meals. Offering only a handful of starters and mains, Dax's menu changes often, making every visit a surprise - but a good one, they promise! DAX Restaurant is open for Lunch from Tuesday to Friday €21.50 2 courses / €26 .50 3

Courses. DAX Restaurant is open for Dinner from Tuesday to Saturday

Harrys Cafe Bar Upper Georges Street, Dun Laoghaire 01 280 8337 www.harryscafebar.com Harry’s Café Bar in Dun Laoghaire is a great funky diner providing great tasting home made food, using the best ingredients, prepared in an open kitchen. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, with surroundings to match! Whether you are looking for coffee, breakfast, lunch, mid morning or mid day sandwiches and snacks, weekend brunch or dinner, Harry's Cafe Bar can give you the choice. Also, now you can check out Night-time @ Harry’s - When the evening turns to night the atmosphere at Harry’s gets even better. Now open Tuesday through to Saturday for dinner with a Mediterranean influence from Chef Christophe Dominique.

The Exchequer Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 01 670 6787 www.theexchequer.ie The Exchequer..... wholesome, fresh, simple food accompanied by a concise but exciting cocktail

menu, an extensive range of worldly beers and delicious wines, served in casual, relaxed and comfortable surroundings. nationally sourced seasonal produce, consisting of Irish meats, sustainable seafood from Irish waters and a dedication to the Irish Artisan Producer (with a bow to our European neighbours for the odd essential) are at the forefront of our ethos. with two bars, vintage sofas and armchairs, comfortable high seating, a funky dining room perfect for private functions and even a floating steel booth, we offer an environment suitable to any occasion. whether its a romantic meal with your loved one, dinner with family or friends, a casual snack, a corporate event or simply a few drinks and a good night out, you will be welcomed, appreciated and taken care of by people who are passionate about what they do.

Georges Wine Bar South Frederick Street Dublin 2 01 679 7000 www.georgeswinebar.com Vibrant restaurant with five different areas including an elegant lounge and a fantastic covered heated terrace which is probably Dublin's finest and a beautiful setting at any time

“Anything is good if its made of chocolate.”

Jo Brand of the year. Fully licensed with a super wine list and premium imported beers and ciders, George's is a perfect venue for lunch or dinner offering a wide variety of freshly cooked food at unbelievable prices. They also cater for private functions up to 50/60 people

Citron The Fitzwilliam Hotel, St. Stephens Green 01 8740888 www.jimmychungs.com Effortlessly positioned on the mezzanine level overlooking the hotel lobby, Citron is for people with a lust for life. The design is characterised by the colour palate; zesty lime and lemons off set against the chalky white terrazzo, the woven white bar front and the dark timber floor, the ceiling is a collection of low flying ovoid forms, which gently glow. This buzzing venue serves innovative modern urban cuisine in chic surroundings.

YO! Sushi Clarendon Street, Dublin 2 01672 8950 www.yosushi.com YO! Sushi’s food is fresh, seasonal and prepared daily by trained chefs. You can choose from 91 dishes, including sashimi, makis and nori wrapped hand rolls through to hot staples such as chicken katsu curry.

The conveyor belts rotating with delicious offerings allows you to instantly start chomping down. The colour code dish pricing system enables you to control how much or little you eat, allowing a quick bite before a movie, taking a flight or train, a pit stop while you are shopping or a longer leisurely lunch/dinner if time allows.

With water on tap and soy sauce, wasabi and ginger in front of you when you sit down, there is no faster way to enjoy nutritious delicious food instantly.

Davy Byrnes 21 Duke Street, Dublin 01 677 5217\ www.davybyrnes.com Fancy finding out about this historic and famous pubs history? Anybody who is familiar with Dublin pub food will be aware of Davy Byrne's food reputation, in which seafood is the specialty.

If you visit the premises at lunchtime and evening time, you will witness the huge trade which is done in fresh salmon, smoked salmon and crab dishes. There is also a full range of hot meals and salads to compliment these and, as often as not, you can enjoy a lunch or an evening meal of oysters and Guinness. The decor of Davy Byrnes is original, authentic and pre Second World War in theme. You will notice the three educational murals of Joycean Dublin by Liam Proud, the priceless murals of the 1940's by Cecil French Salkeld, who was Brendan Behan's father-in-law and the fine sculptors of Eddie Delaney and John Behan.

If you get the opportunity to examine the murals when the premises is not busy, you will notice one of the man that first came to this premises one hundred years ago - Davy Byrne. As he surveys the premises from his majestic throne, you can reflect on an age that is past but not forgotten in a premises which is one of Dublin's most active fashionable and sought out watering holes. As a well known Irish bar offering the highest quality pub food they hope to be serving you a quality pint of Guinness or Good food from their extensive pub menus sometime very soon.

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