Summer 2024 was a bit like the mythical character, the Scarlet Pimpernel – and by that I mean damned elusive. I make no apologies for my incessant pouting over the past few months, hoping that sheer will alone might inspire the sun to hang out for longer than 24 hours. Petulance aside, autumn has arrived and being the glass-half-full person that I am, I have decided to embrace all that entails.
It wasn’t that difficult. Bring on cosy evenings, fireside meals, candlelit canoodling and pie. Pie in all its glory. Cottage pie, apple pie, fish pie or chicken pie, all have their place – preferably perched on a plate next to a mound of creamy mash, complete with shimmering butter pools. Autumn, you had me at hello.
The Gossip
I’m not one to listen to tongue-wagging, BUT, but unless you live under a rock, you will have witnessed the social media furore reverberating around the recent review of Foxy Lounge in Donnybrook, by Irish Times restaurant reviewer Corinna Hardgrave. In an era when reviewers sometimes dance around actually criticising a meal experience, I thought it quite refreshing to see a critic, well, criticising.
Don’t get me wrong, most critics are diehard cheerleaders of the Irish food industry and never, ever want to damage a fledgling business, but that said, they have a job to do and if everything is always a delight or the ‘meal of the year’, well, where is the gravitas in that? Supporting new businesses is so important, but so is journalistic integrity and what’s that saying? There’s no such thing as bad publicity. Time, as always, will tell.
In other news, Mark Jennings (founder of the original Pilgrims in Roscarberry) has exciting news for fans of his cooking. Mark and his partner Sarah-Jane Pearce announced recently they have taken the plunge and purchased a shop in Leap, a few miles from their original restaurant in Roscarberry, West Cork. The new venture, which is due to launch in 2025, will bring a daytime restaurant, deli and gourmet shop to the village of Leap. You can be assured that this new opener will be in high demand by locals and visitors alike.
Meanwhile, in the Michelin cosmos, Ireland welcomed two new additions to the guide this summer, namely the much-lauded Daróg Wine Bar in Galway and The Coach House in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow, brought to us courtesy of ex–Avoca luminary, Simon Pratt et al. The menu at The Coach House includes a beef & red wine pie (the puff pastry type) with an heirloom tomato salad that I would happily trade for a side of buttery mash. What was I saying about pie……?
Another new food business that should be on your radar is Feast in Rostrevor which quietly opened its doors a couple of weeks ago. Melissa McCabe of Feast food truck (and Great British Menu) fame and Roisin McCaffrey (RetRo’s Grilled Cheese food truck) have joined forces in a new bricks-and-mortar venture to bring goodies such as peanut butter and chilli jam sausage rolls, amazing toasties and a host of other delicious bits to the masses. Some of you might have had the opportunity to taste Melissa’s cooking at the Big Grill Festival, so you know Feast is worth a detour, not that I need an excuse to visit beautiful Rostrevor and its surroundings.
Back in Dublin, allta has just launched a new bar and bottle shop giving yet another reason to visit while Elliot’s bakery in Phibsboro is opening a new location in Smithfield for all your maritozzi and jambon beurre needs. With Bambino opening in the same locale soon, D7 might just be the new culinary capital of the city…..
And finally…..
The closure of fan-favourite Ukiyo karaoke bar and restaurant certainly caused quite a stir (and some tears I expect) a few weeks ago with legions of fans lamenting the loss. For many, the salt in the wound was the (extremely quick) announcement that Belfast-based Madame Pho would be opening a franchise in the same location. Only time will tell if the Madame Pho Banh-Mí is anywhere near as good as those by Little Geno’s, Vietnom or Aobaba but I have my suspicions….
Further afield, Austin, TX, seems to be where it’s at with not one but two new Irish brands setting up shop in the Texas capital. The Dead Rabbit in NYC have long been flying the flag for the modern Irish boozer, and this past July, they opened a new premises in Austin and guess who they are neighbours with? That’s right, one of Belfast’s favourite brunch joints, Neighbourhood Café. Neighbourhood Austin brings the best of Belfast to Texas, and with another Dead Rabbit branch planned for Washington shortly, maybe it’s time to consider a move. Or a visit at the very least….
A “Not Quite A Gossip Column’ About The Irish Dining Scene by The Elusive Epicurean: Autumn Edition
The Elusive Epicurean: A food loving, wine drinking bon vivant in the sometimes louche world of food writing. Loves to cook, prefers to eat.
