Heading West (in Ireland)

While the group and I spent our first couple of days in Dublin, the rest of our time was spent on the west side of the country. We took an afternoon train out of the city and spent time catching up on work and enjoying the beautiful countryside.

We spent some time in Limerick, splitting our attention between castle-gazing and frequently dining at The Cornstore (honestly one of the best restaurants in Ireland IMO).

We then spent an early morning driving even further across the country to visit The Cliffs of Moher, a sight which I honestly believe none of us were fully prepared for. The seaside wind was sharp and cold, spraying mist in all of our faces while we trudged up the enormous hill from the parking lot. After a quick detour in the visitor center's cafe, we finished our climb and were greeted with the largest drop I've ever seen. The dark rocks had been jaggedly cut by the wind and water for years, looking like giant stacks of plates on the verge of teetering over and crashing into the sea below.

But I digress, let's get back to the food. After all, this is a food blog!

On the advice of a trusted mentor, we beelined for the Burren Smokehouse visitor center, where the lovely owner Birgitta explained exactly how the shop makes its famous salmon. After sampling pieces of her hot and cold smoked salmon, I promptly purchased a 700g pack to take home to my parents.

We then headed several yards down the road to the smokehouse's famed restaurant. Fortunately for us, we'd arrived on the first day of the spring season that the restaurant was beginning to serve lunch. Call it the Luck of the Irish, eh?

I opted for a bowl of seafood chowder, which was delectably creamy without being too rich. The accompanying homemade Irish soda bread was equally impressive, and I'm determined to re-create it after doing some research on proper bread recipes.

But the pièce de résistance of the Burren Smokehouse was the salmon entree, a perfectly cooked piece of fish atop an herbed mash mound and decorated with an herb cream sauce. This dish could easily be proclaimed as the best salmon in the world. Ever. 

And while I don't normally do dessert with my lunches, the fact that the smokehouse has a Michelin star decorated pastry chef working in the kitchen was easily enough to persuade me. I chose the coconut macaroon layer cake.

Let me put it this way: I don't even like coconut, and this dessert was DELICIOUS. The mark of a truly impressive chef is one who can make literally anything taste good to even the pickiest eater, and I can honestly say that this chef won my complete and total respect.

If you ever find yourself in Ireland, I highly recommend a morning trek to the cliffs followed by the best salmon meal you'll ever have. And if you can't get across the pond, feel free to order salmon online here!

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Guinness, Guinness, Guinness (and Prison)

Don't let the title disturb you - I promise that my group's second day in Dublin was completely thrilling and decidedly legal. But we'll get to that part later.

After sleeping off the majority of my jet lag, I woke up with Sylvia and Neha in the hotel room to a bright Dublin morning. While Neha got ready to take on the day, Sylvia and I beelined to the breakfast bar. She opted for a light and healthy breakfast of granola and yogurt, while I opted for the full spread.

What can I say? "When in Dublin..."

The group gathered our bearings and headed out for one of the major tourist attractions in the area - the legendary Guinness factory. Sure, some might question our decision to go get beer at 11 am, but we feel we were simply trying to economize our time.

The tour was self-guided, which definitely cut down on the wait time. Not to mention, like most things in Europe, having a student ID gives you a generous discount on ticket prices. 

While we walked through various waterfalls and barrels, we stopped into an optional part of the tour - the tasting room. Surrounded by barrels of beer-scented aromas, we were explained the four primary flavors that go into creating the complex taste of a Guinness. Then, to fully appreciate this combination, we were given mini glasses of beer and instructed how to appropriately taste them.

After becoming true taste connoisseurs, we headed for the big boy room - the pouring station.

Joined by another group of travelers from England, we each got to try our hand at the pump in order to pour the perfect pint of Guinness. Spoiler alert - you need the Guinness glass to really get it right!

With perfect pints in hand, we headed for the elevators to enjoy our beers in the skybar.

A full glass of Guinness, tasting and pouring lessons, and a tour of the factory certainly make the ticket price worth paying. But what really seals the deal is the phenomenal view of Dublin from the top of the factory.

Downing our pints, we headed outside to hop onto a tour bus and find the nearest restaurant. Although Guinness is filling, it couldn't replace a meal.

After detouring through the park and seeing several prominent political buildings, we stopped off at a strip of restaurants and stumbled into the first one that sounded good and could fit our large party.

Let me just say that we made the right decision. I promptly ordered the Guinness pie (I know, I said Guinness wasn't a meal but just go with it), and was given this delicious platter of goodness.

Flakey pastry filled with pot roast and topped with a Guinness-infused gravy, plus a side of buttery mashed potatoes. Absolutely heavenly, and a meal I hope to re-create soon using this recipe by the masterful Jamie Oliver.

After our meal is when the prison portion comes in. Our party split up, and I went with the portion that chose to check out a restored Klimainham Gaol Prison. Not only did we end up on the last tour of the day, but the student price was a fantastically affordable 2 euros.

Beautiful architecture and a phenomenal tour guide made this a great stop on our trip.

The evening consisted of downing fish and chips, then accidentally stumbling into the biggest tourist bar in Dublin - Temple Bar.

Which, of course, involved more Guinness. Gotta love Dublin!

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Top 'o the Morning Dublin!

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to let you know that I am still here - I've just been completely SWAMPED with school, recruiting, and projects.

One of those (though I'm not saying which one) took me to Ireland this spring. It was my first visit, and I had an absolute blast. Of course, one of the best parts of the whole thing was the food.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I promise you will have a full-fledged food tour of Dublin, Limerick, and London by the time I'm done.

We arrived in Dublin jet-lagged and fairly exhausted, but definitely hungry. And we were fortunate enough to have our hotel situated across the street from this beauty.

Neha and I quickly snapped a picture, which began the week-long photo album that I dubbed "Neha's Face with European Backgrounds."

Famished, the group searched for food through the rainy streets of Dublin. After passing through several pubs, I set my sights on the Holy Grail.

Gourmet Irish burgers? 

Enough said.

We were quickly seated and placed our orders for possibly the most gargantuan and delicious-looking burgers we'll ever have in our lives.

I'm pretty sure Neha's face says it all.

Pails of chips were also an absolute necessity after such a long journey.

While many opted for the traditional burger, Sylvia and I went rogue. She, being vegetarian, opted for a bean burger, while I splurged on the fish and chips combo burger.

Two pieces of cod, grilled onions, tartar sauce, mushy peas, and lettuce with a side of crispy salty chips. This dish exemplifies the warm welcome of Ireland.

After having our fill, we went on to explore the town a bit more and develop our own mental maps. After a few hours, we needed an obligatory caffeine break to keep us going (and some wi-fi to assist in our evening planning).

The latte art bear was a nice touch, which Sylvia promptly archived.

The rest of the evening was more exploring, and galavanting, but before I end this post of Dublin Day One, I must implore you to recognize a hidden gem in downtown Dublin.

Around 10 pm, Neha and I started to feel a little peckish, but were worried about trying to locate a bar that served food that late. It seemed that after 9 pm, alcohol is the only thing on the menu in Dublin. Fortunately, a very kind waitress pointed us across the street to this joint:

I know what you're thinking: shawarma in Dublin? Not a good idea. But it was our only option. 

I ended up being not only pleasantly surprised, but enamored by the deliciousness that I was served for a mere €7. 

Chips topped with Shawarma topped with garlic sauce and red spicy sauce. Couldn't finish the whole thing if my life depended on it, but truly one of the greatest surprises I had while in Dublin.

And so ended day one of our journey. Don't worry, there's much more food where this came from!

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Nutella Banana French Toast

In the midst of finals season and crazy holiday shopping, there are two things that undeniably offer salvation.

Nutella.

And Bananas.

During an especially stressful weekend, I decided to mix the two together. I've done this before (example: Nutella Banana crepes, Nutella Banana muffins), but this recipe was a play off of a Jamie Oliver original. In his cookbook Jamie's Dinners, which I highly recommend, by the way, he offers up a suggestion for an easy morning meal - turning basic French toast into a sandwich.

I took his suggestion and jumped it up another level.

This sandwich is delicious, comforting, and phenomenally easy. And it starts with these few ingredients:

2 slices good bread

1/2 banana

1 large egg

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon water

pad of butter

as much Nutella as your heart desires

Start by making your egg wash. Blend the egg, sugar, and water together in a shallow bowl (make sure it's big enough to fit your whole sandwich in). Set aside.

Then, place a pad of butter into a pan and heat to medium.

Next, mash up the 1/2 banana and spread it onto one piece of bread. Cover with the other slice and press down to form a solid sandwich.

This part is tricky - pick up your whole sandwich and dunk it into the egg wash, covering it from all sides. Then place your sandwich onto the sizzling skillet and cook until golden brown. Flip the sandwich once, and cook it on the other side until golden brown.

Finally, take whatever sized spoonful of Nutella you deem necessary to get you through the day, and scoop it into a bowl. Heat the Nutella in the microwave for 30-40 seconds, until softened. Drizzle your Nutella over your sandwich until it's covered with the perfect amount of chocolatey goodness.

Admire your creation momentarily before digging in.

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Vinology

A few weeks ago, I went out with my family to celebrate my birthday at a restaurant downtown called Vinology.

I'd heard about this place for years from various friends who all said it was amazing, but I'd never really worked up the strength to pull myself over to Main Street and try it.

When my birthday rolled around, I decided it was finally time to see what it's all about.

I need a fellow food adventurer with me, so I brought Matt along.

The restaurant was surprisingly a lot smaller than I thought it would be. Only twenty or so tables inside, with an enormous bar and some quaint decorations. It was clear from the beginning that this place is focused on creating a small and intimate dining experience.

Of course, a round of appetizers was necessary to start. We went with a white cheddar cheese plate with crackers and an arugula and strawberry salad.

Perfectly smooth cheese, crispy crackers, and a touch of sweetness from the berries. I tried my best to pile everything together, as you can see, to appreciate the blend of flavors.

When it came time to order entrees, I went with something new and adventurous. The bison steak.

Several slices of rare bison steak on a bed of spicy greens with a side of sweet barbecue sauce. Complimented by a few sticks of fried okra and a blackberry blue cheese tart. 

The flavor mix was phenomenal. The bison tasted fairly similar to steak, and the heat from the sauce underneath the meat was instantly complimented by the sweetness of the barbecue sauce. Never having tried okra before, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the taste. And I don't even like blue cheese, but the tart was creamy, tangy, and delicious.

My dad and Matt got the same dish - salmon on a bed of veggies with fried goat cheese balls.

To be honest, the goat cheese alone would have been enough to draw me into this dish.

My mother went for a classic dish revamped - seared ahi tuna with a bed of stewed cherry tomatoes and veggies.

I may be a bit biased, but I think my choice was definitely the best.

Despite going through that huge plate of food, trying dessert was an absolute necessity (particularly considering the occasion). I glanced at the dessert menu, but my mind was made up as soon as I saw the Nutella bread pudding.

Easily one of the best desserts I've ever tasted. Fluffy, yet creamy, chocolatey yet not too rich, swimming in a pool of caramel sauce and sprinkled with peanuts. If dinner at Vinology seems a bit too adventurous for you, I'd recommend coming in for coffee and a slice of this bad boy.

All-in-all, a great dinner and a great birthday. And the next day I made sure to wear my favorite present....

A new pair of Hunter boots to tackle the rain and snow!
Nevermind that it wasn't raining the day that I wore these....

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