A really big Taste of Dublin

Marty & I had a really fantastic time at Taste of Dublin in Iveagh Gardens this weekend. The weather was fab, the atmosphere was infectious and the food (and drink!) was to die for.

If you have never been before, as well as food and drink producer and supplier stands, lots of top Dublin restaurants are there too. Each restaurant has a simple menu of three dishes usually one starter, main and dessert. The portions are small sample sizes rather than full courses and each is individually priced between €5-8. The stands don't accept cash so you buy currency called florins (like monopoly money) from stands around the event and basically 1 florin is worth €1.

looking a bit happy on pink bubbly!

We sampled lots and lots but it's unanimous that a dish from Indian restaurant Jaipur was our top favourite...tandoori chicken with potato chatt, chutney & minted yoghurt...sounds simple but the flavours were amazing (and the racket from the Indian guys brought us back to our mad travels in India). Everyone seemed to be going crazy for the soft centre chocolate pudding with vanilla ice cream from Roly's Bistro..it did look absolutely amazing but we just couldnt fit it in by the time we got there. By that time we had stocked up on lots of gorgeous Parisian macaroons from Laduree (who by the way are soon to open up a fab tea shop in Brown Thomas following their successful few weeks with a stand there). Here's a snap from their display...

take me to your leader..

I bumped into lots of people I know while there also...Rory O'Connell & Pam from Ballymaloe cookery school where beavering away teaching lots of punters, Avril & Mary from Brand Events (the organisers) were lapping their success, Kevin Dundon from Dunbrody House was about to start yet another dem in the Miele kitchen and then old school friend Paul Lambert, Mixologist for Bacardi & Saba was setting up for a dem too.

I also tried lots of drinks, including Bulmers Pear which I hadn't yet tried (and have to say much prefer the apple!) and a chilli beer which was pretty nice (considering I don't like beer!). Oh and for all you 80's chics out there - word on the street is that West Coast Cooler are launching a rose version of the drink to be served in tall glasses with a strawberry - I can see hen parties all over the country going crazy on this!

Anyhow, altogether a very fun and filling foodie event!