HOW I ATE MY WAY THROUGH DUBLIN
British food has a bad reputation. I thought Irish food would also fall in that category. However, I was completely wrong. The food I had in Ireland ended up being the highlight of my trip!
At the start of my days in Dublin, I always opted to get the Irish breakfast. Most of the hotels we stayed at had breakfast included, which consists of bacon (similar to Canadian bacon, but I think much better!), sausage, black or white pudding, eggs, cooked tomato or other vegetable, and toast. I loved that it was a hearty, meat and bread kind of meal. At breakfast, I fell in love with Irish soda bread (also known as brown bread). I think I had five or six slices at every meal!
We stayed at two hotels while in Dublin. The first was at the Clarence Hotel, formerly owned by Bono and Edge of U2. Though under new management since then, amenities such as the eight-sided Octagon Bar was still open, and is a great place to have morning coffee while enjoying a view of the city. However, it no longer serves afternoon tea at the Tea Room or Study Café, as Patricia recommended. The hotel’s location was conveniently located near the Temple Bar district (where the pubs are) and right by the river.
The second hotel we stayed at was the Merrion Hotel, a much swankier (and definitely more expensive) hotel than the Clarence Hotel, located on the other side of Dublin. This hotel is a block away from the Natural History Museum of Ireland and a short walk to the Book of Kells (both of which I recommend visiting). The service and decor at the Merrion Hotel were great. The room was spacious and had floor-to-ceiling marble in the bathroom that was to die for. They even had a complimentary box of chocolate truffles waiting for us upon arrival.
As I mentioned before, most Irish hotels have breakfast included in the hotel price, including gratuity and other service charges. It also means room service! While we were at the Merrion Hotel, we almost always partook in getting our breakfast via room service. I think they gave more pastries through room service than when you’re actually sitting at the restaurant.
While at the Merrion Hotel, Patricia recommends attending their Sunday Art Tea, an art-themed afternoon tea, including even having a harpist in the foyer playing music. I recommend making a reservation beforehand. During the meal, you are offered an artbook showcasing the featured artists’ works hanging throughout the hotel. The meal itself has staple items like jam, scones, and tea sandwiches, as well as unique items such as pastries inspired by certain pieces of art from the featured art around the hotel. While the food itself was similar to other afternoon tea places I’ve patroned in the past, I thought the pastry art was inspiring and original. Additionally, the aesthetics of the restaurant and the art theme throughout made this a unique experience.
Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud is also located at the Merrion. This two-star Michelin restaurant was definitely the fanciest of the restaurants we visited during our trip. We opted for the three-course menu since it was our last night in Dublin and we wanted to make it special. The dining room was pretty simple, but elegant. Our French waiter had very dry humor and it took some getting used to his sarcastic quips. My favorite dish of the night was the apricot and honey tart a la mode. I wish the ice cream scoop was much bigger, because I could have eaten a whole pint of it!
Nearby the Dublin Writers Museum and across from the Garden of Remembrance is Chapter One Restaurant. Chapter One is a one-starred Michelin restaurant. As you enter, you’ll pass plaques and other awards the restaurant received framed on their wall. The vibe of the restaurant felt very similar to Chicago’s Alinea, but a more subdued aesthetic.
Chapter One serves lunch on Fridays, so one tip to save some money would be to schedule a reservation during that time. We opted for the dinner prix fixe menu due to our travel constraints and found every dish that came out to be delicious and proportioned. We started off with a light summer salad and frothy Irish onion and cheese soup, followed by an amuse bouche. For my second course, I went for their warm smoked salmon and fluffy crab cake. For my main course, I opted for the pork rib with mushroom tart. While I enjoyed the pork rib, I felt the mushroom tart was a bit overpowering. For dessert, I got the Irish strawberries with sorbet, mousse, and soda bread crunch. The meal was finished off with a small assortment of petit fours (all of them were delicious!). At the end of the meal, I felt completely satiated; I had the perfect amount of food in my stomach.
The Winding Stair restaurant was the only restaurant we went to in Dublin that didn’t have a Michelin star. That being said, I felt this restaurant had the best value in terms of portions and quality. When we went, the price of a one-course meal with a glass of house wine was €24.95, two-courses at €23.95, and three courses at €28.95. Though prices have since changed, you can still enjoy a set lunch for large groups or dine from their a la carte menu. We opted for the two-course entree and dessert. For my main entree, I got the pork belly and the Jerusalem artichoke, which was a huge portion! Honestly, we could have probably shared this one dish. I got the Jubilee strawberry crumble with vanilla ice cream for dessert and it did not disappoint.
In conclusion, the food in Ireland changed my perspective about food in the UK. Like different regions in the USA, there are local delicacies and flavors abound that cannot be put into a singular cuisine box. I’m happy to say this experience gave me better perspective to the flavor diversity of Ireland.
