As you may or may not know, I recently had the pleasure of visiting Europe for the first time! Much of the trip was spent wandering through various cities and trying the local grub... so why not write about some of the food and beverages I encountered? Here is the first installment, consisting of the first week I spent in Dublin.
Devils Bit Cider
My first afternoon upon arriving in Dublin, I went for a stroll up in a neighbourhood known as North Strand (my hostel was beside the Connolly train station just south of there). On the way back I hit a local Tesco (it's like a supermarket chain throughout Europe and Asia) and grabbed a couple of these ciders, clocking in at about 2.25 Euros each (yeah, the CDN dollar conversion was painful all trip).
I later learned this is one of the cheaper ciders you'll find in Ireland and that definitely comes through in the taste. A bit dry and you really taste the forward sting of the alcohol (despite the low-ish 4.5 percentage). It's also rather thin bodied with only the slightest hint of any apple flavour, which does taste somewhat sugary and artificial. I ended up drinking a lot of cider while in Ireland but this is one I did not feel compelled to visit again. (2 stars out of 5)
---
Double Decker Candy Bar
I didn't end up eating too many snacks or sweets while overseas, despite the plentiful number of unfamiliar ones (chocolate bars being about 2 Euros each was probably a factor also). Nevertheless on my second day in Dublin I tried this Double Decker chocolate bar, which has that thick layer of soft sugary stuff (nougat maybe?) on top of these little dry crispy orbs of rice (I'm guessing).
It's entirely decent, though not all that flavourful beyond the chocolate shell. The texture is odd as well with those crispy little balls mixing with the very malleable nougat on top. Overall... it's a chocolate bar so how bad can it be? Just not a very exciting one, however.
---
Orchard Thieves Wild Apple Cider
Now we're on the right track. This is a delightful cider: smooth and crisp, like biting into an actual green apple. The taste lingers on the tongue, it's light and bubbly with a hint of dryness but not too much. Very easy to drink and I definitely grabbed these a few more times. (4 stars out of 5).
---
DiFontaines Pizzeria
Obviously I wasn't going to go this entire two week trip without testing out some of the local 'za. DiFontaines is a tiny little pizzeria in the western edge of the very touristy Temple Bar neighbourhood. It is also notable for having an outdoor bench that appears to be in the middle of a bike lane! (The lane does curve but it's a little disconcerting at first to see all these cyclists zooming directly towards you).
The slice itself really reminds me of the old Amato's chain in Toronto (do they still exist even? Haven't seen one in like ten years). There's a loose greasiness to it, the meat (sausage, ham, pepperoni) is quite fatty (this is called their Delancey slice by the way, a name which immediately makes me think of the actor who played Q on Star Trek).
There's some nice herbal and garlicky hints to it as well, while the dough has a very floury taste. A bit chewy but the flavours are generally quite good and tasty. Not one I'd recommend for a sensitive stomach, but it is a quality pizza slice. A solid first impression of Ireland's pizza. I'd grade it a "B".
---
A Pint of Guinness at the Storehouse Gravity Bar
It's a common attestation (or maybe just from a friend of mine) about how the closer you are to Dublin, the better Guinness will taste. Well, it doesn't get much closer than the actual brewery itself with the famous nine thousand year lease, does it?
I've never been the biggest fan of Guinness, to be completely honest. I liked it just fine but it was rarely a beer I'd really find myself craving all that often. I figured if a pint of the stuff at the actual brewery didn't rock my world, it simply never would.
Well no need to worry about that, as this was without question the best pint of Guinness I've ever tasted. The depth and freshness of the flavours, barley sweetness on the tongue, the classic roasty taste... there's really so much going on in every sip (you're actually supposed to take more of a gulp for the record, that's what they told me) and yet it's such a smooth bodied beer. Not at all thick despite its dark appearance (which is not black but ruby red! You can only see this under a certain light).
Absolutely delicious. A brew worthy of the highest kings or the lowest peasants. Goes well with a skyline view of downtown Dublin as well. (5 stars out of 5)
---
Doom Slice
Definitely not your classic notion of a pizzeria, as this resembles much more of a large dive bar (think Betty's East here in Toronto) that they shoved a pizza counter and kitchen into. Still, this is one of the higher regarded pizza joints in Dublin (supposedly the first to offer a deep dish Detroit style) and so I made my visit down the alleyway-like Dame Lane and ordered from their window.
The slices are rather small, even with the deep dish thickness advantage. This here is their Spud and Sausage weekly special on the left with the Holy Pepperoni on the right, plus a garlic dip.
The "Spud and Sausage" slice is definitely more heavy on one of those descriptors than the other... and it ain't the pork. Having potato so prominently in a pizza slice, a slice which is already quite carb-heavy and doughy via its deep dish nature, is a risky choice.
However they do pull it off as despite the pizza being so heavy with the bread and potato, you get enough of the supporting flavours around the edges. The chili crisp and sesame adds a serious heat (like a Korean zing/spice) to the occasion, while the green onion gives the slice the vibe of eating a very unconventional cheesy baked potato (the potatoes on here I think are scalloped, for the record). It's also an incredibly oily pizza, like exceedingly oily (dripping on your fingers level) which while fine flavour-wise does detract somewhat from the enjoyment of eating it.
The Holy Pepperoni is a little more standard, with it's pepperoni, jalapenos, dollops of ricotta cheese and drizzle of hot honey. This combination of flavours is almost always effective for good reason: they balance each other out. Spice from the hot peppers is enhanced by the salty pork, but not too much thanks to the creamy cheese muting it a little bit. Hot honey meanwhile gives you some sticky sweetness (and it's own different type of spice).
Like the other slice however, this is still so damn oily. It's a very very messy slice that you're going to need several napkins to navigate through. You also get the fried cheese crust and the texture itself is quite deep.
Finishing with the garlic dip... wow it's almost half the size of the slice!
It's really good. The consistency is almost more like hummus than any typical mayo-based dip, but it's still creamy even if it's more of a scooper than a dipper. It also made an excellent potato chip accompaniment when I was watching the ALCS later on (at 3am local time.... sigh).
Overall.... very good pizza with that one weakness that drags it down considerably. Still worth a stop though if you happen to be in this part of Dublin, even just the vibe alone. I'd grade it a strong "B+" on the pizza scale. Definitely lots of terrific stuff happening here despite the overt oiliness.
---
Kopparberg Mixed Fruit Cider
Sweden is known for their fruity flavoured ciders (indeed I was quite a fan of Rekorderlig in my early 20s) and Kopparberg happens to be the biggest cidery in that country (despite the town of Kopparberg itself being rather small).
This was an absolute delight. Light and smooth (both in body and alcohol content) with a genuinely fruity type of sweetness that genuinely didn't taste like somebody had just dumped a spoonful of processed sugar into the glass. Refreshing stuff that (I later learned) came in a variety of flavours too... and is more of a premium cider (at least in Ireland/UK) meaning a bit more of a price. Didn't stop me from trying them again, that's for sure. Now if only I could remember the name of this pub you see in the photo... (4 stars out of 5).
---
Bunsen Cheeseburger and Fries
Bunsen Burner... I mean 'Burger'... is considered one of Dublin's most popular burger joints (they are in fact a mini-chain with eight locations throughout the city) and despite two outposts barely a few blocks from each other in the Temple Bar neighbourhood, both were absolutely jammed and hopping on this particular mid-October Saturday night. Their claim (which you can see above the front door) of having the "World's Smallest Menu" refers more to its physical size rather than the quantity of options: the menu is in fact printed on a tiny business card (bring your peepers if you're someone that needs em).
Unfortunate I couldn't find better light outside of Temple Bar Square to really capture the full glory of this burger. And glorious it is because... holy damn is this an excellent burger.
Something that stands out here (and another place I tried later on in London) is that they ask you how you want your beef cooked, which caught me off guard/unprepared but both times I figured 'medium' was a smart choice for a burger. Still some grilled edges and you get a bit of juicy pink in the middle. Best of both worlds. The result is certainly not bloody in the middle but the pink is a bit soft (like a nudge below 'medium' but not quite between that and 'medium rare')... but when hamburger beef tastes this refined, tender and fantastic I'm totally fine with that.
Simple seasoning, just salt (maybe a pinch of black pepper) and that's all it needs to let that beef patty shine. Soft bun, the pickle shines through quite nicely... meanwhile the fries, while not super crispy, taste very potato fresh and are quite vibrant in their own basic way.
Bunsen is just a fantastic burger that I loved on first bite and savoured until the final one. I was certain at the time it would be the very best cheeseburger I'd try the entire trip... alas we're not even through the first week yet and a lot of time remains before any champion can be crowned.
Nevertheless... if you're in Dublin, a Bunsen cheeseburger is a necessary task. Delicious stuff.
---
BAMBINO Pizza
Naturally I had to (just had to!) seek out whatever the most popular pizzeria in Dublin is, an inquiry that led me to discover BAMBINO (or just Bambino, since I don't feel like shouting at you) just south of the touristy Temple Bar neighbourhood and a couple blocks west of the famed St. Stephen's Green.
It was a late Sunday afternoon, maybe five o'clock local time with the sky approaching gentle twilight colours... yet there was still a lineup around the block for this pizza place. During this roughly ten-to-fifteen minute wait, I overheard somebody behind me mention how this was actually lucky and that the lineups are often much worse. Probably a good sign for the quality of the pizza... probably? Anyhow, in that second picture you can see the interior of Bambino is quite small with very limited seating. You have a line to order (on the right! How very un-UK/Ireland!) and the general waiting/milling about area on the left.
The two slices you see here, left to right, are a 'Vodka and Chorizo' and 'The Vito'.
No, that's not an illusion nor a trick of the camera. This might be the most aesthetically pleasing pizza I've encountered in quite some time. I mean, look at these...
Ridiculous!
Truly worthy of belonging in the National Gallery of Ireland.
Sadly the vodka and chorizo slice I didn't eat until much later that day, reheated in the microwave of my hostel (an Irish tragedy)... so there's not much I can describe about it. The vodka sauce was quite excellent: creamy with some heavier sharpness to it, you really could taste some of the vodka within all that. Obviously that microwave (the only option) did the sauce and texture no favours.
Instead, we'll discuss "The Vito" with the blobs of white you see above. And what a masterpiece it is.
Pepperoni, basil, shavings of grana padano, squeezed globs of burrata cheese with a drizzle of their in-house hot honey as a finishing touch. There's an incredible firm yet light crisp to each bite, the dough fills the mouth wonderfully and the pepperoni is just great. Flavourful, just enough greasiness. Precision. Then you get the cool soft burrata cutting through the saltiness and the cheese, delicate like a whipped cream yet with enough substance to fade on the tongue rather than evaporate. The basil and the hot honey are just the slice showing off, adding a hint of sweet heat and some refreshing greenery to complete the canvas.
It's beyond any minor critique I can conceive. Uhhh... the crust is merely good? The slice was tough and chewy after a trip through a crummy hostel microwave? Bah! Nonsense. Who would've thunk that possibly (emphasis on 'possibly') the very best NYC style slice I've ever encountered... would be in Dublin, Ireland of all places. This is an easy "A" grade pizza for me. It tastes as good as it looks, and it looks divine. Pizza heavens be praised.
---
Scampi from O'Shea's Corner Pub (in Wicklow)
I was in the coastal town of Wicklow (about an hour train south of Dublin) for an afternoon and the sea air had me in the mood for some seafood. It wasn't easy finding a well regarded place open on a Monday (Wicklow is not large) but I happened upon the charming confines of O'Shea's Corner and, after some initial confusion (the restaurant is in the back while the front is more of a tavern just offering toasties) I settled in for a pint of Guinness and a dish of scampi.
(Possibly the tiniest of notches below the pint at the Storehouse, but still fresh and delicious)
Full discourse, I wasn't all that familiar with what scampi is. Turns out... that's not super surprising as we don't typically encounter that type of crustacean in North American waters. Without getting into the dirty details, they're essentially a type of prawn (which are essentially much larger shrimp, which as you can see are what these look like). These are breaded in a ginger beer batter (oooh) with some fries, a tartar sauce you can't see, some peas (also hiding around the corner) and a very fresh house salad mixed in a raspberry compote-like dressing.
It's the best scampi I've ever had! It's also the only scampi I've ever had... damn it! Okay, frame of reference aside this was mighty damn tasty. The scampi itself is tender, juicy, a seawater sweetness throughout each bite, while the breading is light (tempura-like) with a bit of that ginger sizzle on the back of the tongue. Just delightful and so fresh tasting... none of that numb pre-frozen taste, my friends... no no no. That taste just expands wonderfully in the mouth. Fantastic.
A feast indeed! The rest was all quite good, the salad, the fries (I liked the seasoning, like a deft touch of a house blended seasoning salt) and the chunky tartar sauce. Very filling and very satisfying. An extremely charming spot (the wooden decor all over the place really makes it feel like the classical definition of a public house) right along the main street of little Wicklow town.
----
That's it for the first leg of the Euro Adventure! Stay tuned for next time when I cross the pond and check out big, bad London... which is most definitely very, very big.
No comments:
Post a Comment