Top Seven Picks for Dine in Dublin 2013

Dine in Dublin is back for it's fourth, twice yearly offering and will run from the 21st - 27th October. I personally think Dine in Dublin is a great initiative and I try to make the most of it each time it comes around. It is a good opportunity to try out somewhere new and it won't break the bank to do so either. It also means that you can try out a restaurant offerings at a time that is convenient for you and not be tied to their early bird hours.

So this year I have had a thorough look through the website and picked out seven restaurants that I think would be well worth visiting. One for each day of the week which would be my ideal way to do Dine in Dublin!!

Bang Restaurant

Bang Restaurant are offering a five course tasting menu for €39.95. This menu normally costs €69 and it is a great opportunity to sample a range of their food. Also if you eat from Monday to Thursday they are offering a wine pairing with each course for €19. I got to try out their tasting menu last year and it was a very special experience. You can read about it here.

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

Fish Course at Bang

Hot Stove Restaurant

This is a restaurant that has been on my list for ages and I have just not being able to get down to try it out yet. I have heard and read a lot of good things about it. Check out Stitch and Bear's review here to see what I mean. For Dine in Dublin they are doing a seven course tasting menu for €50 with lovely sounding things like Confit Chicken Pithivier and home cured Irish salmon on the menu. They are also offering a €35 lunch menu.

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

 

37 Dawson Street

37 Dawson Street is a funky, lively restaurant with handbags hanging from chandeliers and a great bar downstairs to move to afterwards. One of the great things about their Dine in Dublin menu, last time I tried it out, was that it had quite a lot of choice on it so there was something for everyone. To read more about my experience there click here. They are offering 3 courses for €25 and a complimentary cocktail for those dining with them from Monday - Thursday.

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

Chickpea Cassoulet from 37 Dawson Street

Dublin City Food

Another place on my to go list as they have seven amazing sounding sandwiches each named after a district in Dublin ending in ‘O’!  They have also recently opened a restaurant on the first floor and for Dine in Dublin they have created a €50 five course tasting menu.

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

The Exchange Restaurant

The Exchange is part of the Westin Hotel, a five star hotel located on Westmoreland Street in Dublin. It would never have been somewhere that I would have thought about going but in February a group of us visited during the last Dine in Dublin. We had a great night out, the food was lovely and we were well looked after. To read about our visit click here. For this week's Dine in Dublin they are offering quite a range of choices on their €25 menu. And if you don't feel like cake for dessert you can choose to have the special Exchange Dessert Cocktail designed by World Cocktail Champion Deirdre Byrne. 

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

Lemon Curd Tart

Jaipur

For a more far flung food experience you can not go wrong with Jaipur. We ate at the George's Street Branch during one of the very first Dine in Dublin weeks. It has remained a firm favourite to this day. They are offering a three course menu for €30 and it will no doubt be filled with wonderful flavours and combinations.

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

Whitefriar Grill

I actually have here booked already for a night out this weekend with friends. I haven't been back since it was done up so I am looking forward to checking it out. They offer good value modern Irish cuisine and I already have my starter picked out. I'm dreaming of the roast bone marrow w/ oxtail marmalade and salsa verdi!! Also if you eat tonight (Monday 21st) you can bring your own wine while you dine.

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

These are only my personal top seven choices from over 40 restaurants taking part during this week. Hopefully it's a helpful list but where ever you choose to go I hope you have a great night out and get to experience dining in Dublin at it's best.

This is Beer: Upcoming May Event

This is Beer multi-sensory beer tasting experience returns this May to Dublin. Their expert cicerones, (that’s a beer buff to you and me!) Marc Stroobandt and Fiona Smith, will guide you through a beer tasting journey like no other. This multi-sensory beer tasting experience lets you explore beer’s four natural ingredients, hops, barley, water and yeast, for a world of flavour.

 

I went to the one in 4 Dame Lane last November and it was a great night. I learnt a lot about beer and I have started to drink and try it instead of instantly dismissing it for wine!  The event is free to attend but places are limited so be quick to book your seat! This event is talking place on the 28^th May in 37 Dawson Street. So book your spot and invite your fellow beer fans to experience beer and its four natural ingredients this May. To apply for your place just head on over to This is Beer’s Facebook page and fill in your details.

37 Dawson Street: A Dine in Dublin Experience

Yesterday evening I took advantage of one the great offers that are available as part of Dine in Dublin. 37 Dawson Street is a fantastic bar and restaurant which previously used to be Ron Blacks. The decor in the bar area is on the far side of quirky with animal skins attached to the walls and multi coloured chairs in the bar. For any whiskey lovers out there 37 also has a fully stocked whiskey bar tucked away down the very back of the building. It is a quiet, intimate space, is plushly decorated and is randomly where I watched a play as part of the Fringe Festival last year!

Furnishings in the Bar Area

The restaurant itself is located upstairs and is just as quirkily decorated.One of my friends exclaimed that it reminded her of a Gentleman's club but for ladies! We were particularly taken with the handbag chandelier.

The 37 Dine in Dublin menu had a good choice with four starters and five mains to choose from. One of the girls decided to go á la carte as she didn't want three courses which wasn't a problem with the staff. To begin though we were given our cocktail which was included in the price. It was a gin based cocktail mixed with tomato juice, basil and balsamic. You may think uggh as my friend did but then you would regret not getting one just as she did!! Though she did make up for it with her two White Ladies. 37 don't have a cocktail menu but they can make you anything you want. A claim I may have to test out next time I am there!

For starters I got the Rye field Goat's cheese, beetroot, candied walnuts, pickled fennel & rocket salad with lemon & thyme dressing. It was great starter not too heavy and the candied walnuts gave the salad a nice sweetness.

Rye field Goat's cheese

Miss M went for the seasonal soup which was Cauliflower and Parmesan cheese. She said it a was little too thick for her tastes and a little too heavy as a starter. Maya went for the Crunchy Calamari and Asian salad with chilli, ginger, coriander & lime dressing. The dressing was fairly hot but was nicely calmed down by the cocktails!

 

Calamari

For the main I went for the Confit of Duck, braised red cabbage, celeriac dauphinoise & black cherry jus. The main was delicious though the only problem I had with it was that it was served on a board which made it difficult to use the sauce to full advantage as I would have liked to pour it over the duck.

Confit of Duck and Black Cherry Jus

Miss M's main dish was the Cajun sweet potato & Goat’s cheese filo served w/chickpea Cassoulet which looked delicious. Cassoulet is one of those perfect winter dishes.

Chickpea Cassoulet

Maya went for the Prawns a la Plancha- tiger prawns with garlic, chilli, parsley, olive oil & white wine served with white crusty bread. The prawns came with their tails which made them easy to eat and perfect for sharing. Maya lost a few off her dish when her back was turned!

Prawns a la Plancha

To finish we got a trio of desserts: Sticky Toffee Pudding with Hot Toffee Sauce, Blue Berry & Almond Tart, White Chocolate Ice-Cream & Chocolate Sauce. There was also a dollop of cream to eat with the tart. I love desserts like this, as I can never decide on what I want, and this is the perfect solution. In France, they call this Café Gourmand and it comes accompanied by a coffee or tea. This would be my dessert choice each time if all restaurants served them!

Three Desserts - Bliss

So how much did I pay for all this?? 25 euros is all and it is wonderful value. The dishes off the á la carte cost 7 euros for the calamari and 22 for the prawns. The bill in total came to 99 euros which was for two Dine in Dublin menus, the dishes off the á la carte, two White Lady's and a tea. So if you are looking for a great night out Dine in Dublin lasts till Sunday but if you don't feel like a meal just go and try 37's cocktails!

Check out the Dine in Dublin 37 Dawson Street menu here and for their regular menu click here.