Marie Louise Tea Rooms

Marie Louise Tea Rooms

Howth, Co. Dublin

On Thursday, sensing some nice weather, Ali and I took a spin to Howth for some fish and chips and a walk along the pier. After doing both and with the rain beginning to fall the want of a coffee and cake came upon us.

Marie Louise Tea Rooms are beautiful, with a vintage feel and friendly staff. The tea and coffee are both excellent but it's the carrot cake that forced me to write this! It was magnificent. The moist cake was topped with a thin layer of butter icing and a scattering of walnuts that complimented the flavour perfectly. It wasn't too sweet, as carrot cake's can often be and the portion size was generous. The perfect cake? Possibly so. 

I was delighted to see some training in action also. Our waiter was clearly quite new and the other staff guided him well while explaining everything as they went along. Great to see.

Review: Jamie's Italian

Jamie's Italian

Dundrum, Dublin 16

Last Monday, Ali and I headed for Dundrum to see Asif Kapadia's brilliant new documentary "Amy" about the life and untimely death of troubled singer Amy Winehouse. We decided to try Jamie's Italian while there as we had been meaning to for the past couple of years.

Jamie's Italian is part of a chain of restaurants by TV's favourite celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. As expected it is quite rustic in appearance with wooden boards aplenty and large San Daniele hams and garlic hanging from the bar. We arrived around 4pm and were seated promptly. There weren't many dining while we were there but that is probably to be expected at 4 o'clock on a Monday. After a glance at the menu we decided to just go for mains and get the Italian Bread Selection instead of a starter. All of the bread was delicious but I would have preferred the olive oil and balsamic vinegar not to have been pre-mixed.

For mains I went for the Veal Flash Steak - Irish rose veal pounded with sage & prosciutto, served with a spicy tomato salsa. The veal was tender although there wasn't enough prosciutto or sage to add any real flavour. The salsa was delicious and the polenta chips I ordered as a side were magnificent. I found the main course to be overpriced for what I received. €18.95 for 2 thin slices of veal with salsa is exceptionally expensive for the quality on offer while adding €4.50 for the polenta chips makes €23.45 an expensive lunch. We decided against dessert and just had coffees instead.

Overall I found Jamie's Italian a bit of a let down. I had been looking forward to going but unfortunately the food just didn't live up to expectations or the prices charged. 

Lunch Ratings:

Food: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Selection: 8/10
Value for Money: 6/10

Overall: 7/10

Jamie's Italian
Unit 1
Pembroke District
Dundrum Town Centre
Dublin 16 
01-2980600

Review: Blue Ginger

Blue Ginger

Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

During a hectic day working in the beautiful town of Dun Laoghaire in South Dublin I decided to sample the wears of Blue Ginger, a cafe and restaurant in the centre of town. I had an hour off and with 9 hours remaining of my working day, something substantial was in order. I sat down beside the bar in this stylish restaurant and was immediately tended to by a friendly waitress. Blue Ginger offer a good menu for lunch time diners including soups, salads, mains and even an extended breakfast menu. I went for the "Tiger Prawn Stir Fried Noodles" with a double espresso for after. The prawns were tender and juicy while the portion size was exceptionally generous. There was a decent mix of vegetables and I was happily full after the flavourful dish. The espresso, however, was quite disappointing. I like a strong flavoured espresso but this tasted as mild as an americano. It was a pity but it certainly didn't ruin what was a fine lunch offering.

Lunch Rating:

Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Selection: 7/10
Value for Money: 8/10

Overall: 7.5/10 Recommended

Blue Ginger
5 George's Street Upper,
Dun Laoghaire,
Co. Dublin.

Pete's Perfect Portion 13

Roast Pork with Crackling Sandwich - Poulet Bonne Femme, Avoca, Rathcoole

Last Thursday I found myself in Newcastle, Co. Dublin around lunch time. I had been thinking of getting something to eat in the village and then it clicked with me; Avoca is just two minutes away! I'm a big fan of Poulet Bonne Femme. Their roast chicken sandwich has been my favourite lunch time treat for as long as I care to remember but this time.....this time I went for the pork. This is the sandwich dreams are made from. Succulent pork, crispy crackling, fresh bread, butter, mayo, Dijon mustard and a few mixed leaves. Perfect.

Pete's Perfect Portion 1

After four weeks of 'Highs and Lows', I've realised that sometimes I just don't eat anything terrible to write about! On Ali's recommendation I've decided to change it to "Pete's Perfect Portion" and only include a low when there is one - here is this week's perfect portion:

Medium Spicy Chicken from Nando's, Swords

On Saturday, Ali and I took a trip to Swords to collect a new lens for my camera. I arranged to meet the seller outside Nando's and while waiting for him, the hunger hit us! Neither of us had ever eaten in Nando's, so once the deal was done, we decided to give it a try. I didn't hold much hope of it being good and was unsure whether it was fast food or not. I'm still not sure but the food was bloody good! The chicken had a nice amount of heat and was surprisingly tender. The selection of sauces available ensure all tastes are catered for, while the sides (spicy rice and corn) were both tasty. I definitely won't shy away from going again. 

Review: Le Petit Camion

Le Petit Camion

Boutique French Food Truck

We have started to make it our business to attend the Dublin Flea Market on the last Sunday of every month. Lots of bargains and haggling always make for a great few hours but it's the quality of the food and drink available that gets me excited. At the July market we decided to sample the offerings of Le Petit Camion, a beautiful, vintage looking food truck selling sandwiches and beverages.

The first thing to say about this truck is that it looks fantastic. You are instantly drawn to the vintage look and sparkling clean exterior. I decided to go for a double espresso with their "The Gringo" sandwich. The coffee was excellent. It was one of the best espresso's I've had out anywhere in Ireland. The sandwich was also delicious. Chorizo, Jalapenos, Leaves, Cheese and Relish between two large slices of white bread ensured this was no ordinary grilled cheese sandwich. 

I found Le Petit Camion to be very good value. €5 is very reasonable for a sandwich of this quality and €1.50 for a double espresso is cheaper than most. I would recommend this truck to anyone, if it's in your area make it your business to eat from it. You won't be disappointed.

Lunch Ratings:

Food: 8/10
Selection: 6/10
Service: 8/10
Coffee: 9/10
Value for Money: 8/10

Overall: 8/10 Highly Recommended

Dublin Bay Prawn Festival

Dublin Bay Prawn Festival

Howth, Co. Dublin

Yesterday Ali and myself took off for the big smoke to attend the Dublin Bay Prawn Festival, which takes place annually in Howth. A burst pipe on the M7 scuppered our chances of getting there early but after a few diversions and crazy traffic around the town, we eventually arrived at around 3 pm.

 

After abandoning the car and with stomach's rumbling, we headed for Beshoff Bros Fish and Chip shop. I've never seen a chippers (albeit a very good chippers) so crowded! I opted for the scampi and Ali went for the cod. I have to admit I was skeptical of Ali's ravings about a chipper but this is no ordinary chipper! The scampi was outstanding, fresh and juicy while the chips were perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy within. Ali's cod was the same; juicy and delicious. What sets this place apart is the freshness of the fish, cooked for just the right amount of time and the taste of the batter; delicious!

After our feed we went to the Marquee for a hectic cookery demonstration that proved rather uninteresting and unorganised. The food court was anything but however; rows of food stands cooking a wide range of prawn and seafood dishes. I chose chilli and lime Dublin Bay prawns, while Ali went for a fragrant Asian-style prawn curry. I've never experienced seafood so fresh; the prawns were juicy and sweet with a nice kick from the chilli but what really caught me was the taste of the sea. Beautiful.

All that was left to do was to get a '99' and an espresso and go for a walk along the beautiful Howth pier. We rounded off the evening with a visit to the Beshoff's Fish Monger and Market but alas, the wallet was empty! We had a great time and will definitely go back next year; the food was fresh and delicious and the experience was certainly helped by the beautiful weather.