Eating Out in Dublin

I was a very lucky girl and one of my Christmas presents was a weekend away in Dublin with my husband. I'd never been to Ireland before and I was super excited to go; it has always been on my list of places to visit especially as I have Irish heritage on my paternal side.

We set off on a Friday afternoon and while it was a wet, cold and blustery weekend we really enjoyed our trip. Since this is a food blog here where we ate in Dublin and our suggestions on what to eat on a weekend trip to Dublin!

Hop House Kim Chi Restaurant

This is one of the strangest but best places I've been in a long time. It is half  Korean/Japanese restaurant and other half is a traditional Irish pub. Stay with me here--I know it sounds like a recipe for disaster but it is not.

Our airBNB hosts had recommended it and there are tons of awards on the front door. When we walked in there were no tables available unless you had reservations (good sign!) but were told we could eat on the bar side which we were happy to do.

The bar side did play the randomest old school playlist and mix your standard pub decorations with Asian language posters but it wasn't off putting to have your dinner there.  We ordered Salmon and Avocado Maki, Tempura Shrimp Udon and Jeyuk.

Our sushi came out first and it was really good. I'm picky with my sushi because I love it so much and this stood up to my high standards.  Next came my Udon and my husbands Jeyuk.  My noodles were great but I wish the tempura shrimp had been served on the side rather than on top of the soup as the batter went a bit soggy.  My husband liked his Korean chilli pork but wished he'd maybe gone for beef as the pork was an odd cut.

It was definitely an experience and I'd recommend it if you are in the Chinatown area (Parnell Street just off top of O'Connell street) of Dublin.




The Lovinspoon

The Lovinspoon is a quirky coffee house/cafe nestled in the north side of Dublin. Appearance wise it is totally a hipster joint with old sewing machine tables and an Infant of Prague wearing sunglasses but the customers all seemed like locals from old guys to young people. Not a hipster in sight!

I had the small plate with a pancake instead of toast and it was still more than enough for me and my husband cleaned his big breakfast plate. Everything was cooked fresh and the staff were very friendly. The also randomly had root beer which made me happy! 

If you are staying around Mountjoy or Parnell square I'd definitely recommend popping in for breakfast! Just note they are cash only.


Eddie Rockets

As an American this place cracks me up because we have an almost identical chain called Johnny Rockets--50's diner vibe with juke boxes and the lot.

We popped in for a late lunch/snack and it was packed but we got sat at the bar right away. I opted for cheese fries and a reese cup milkshake and my husband had a chilli cheese dog.  The milkshake was AMAZING and they bring you the extra shake in blending cup- yum! The cheese fries are with cheese sauce--I know some people don't like that but for me it was PERFECTION! I love cheese sauce on cheese fries.

The chilli dog was a huge foot long and my husband ate it all. Our server was really nice and brought me a side of pickles on the house, too!

Quirky but quaint, although I think it's quite a big chain, I'd definitely recommend popping in if you are a fellow expat looking for a little bit of home or if you are just hungry for some American nostalgia! I know a lot of people are keen on visiting chains but personally I like to support small local places but I can't fault a well run chain either!

Odessa

I really wanted to go for a good brunch while we were in Dublin and read a lot of reviews and articles looking for the perfect place. Odessa seems to be "the" place than brought brunch to Dublin and the reviews were great as well.

We arrived right at opening on Sunday it is good we did as just about every other table than the one we got was reserved and the place was shortly packed. I loved the funky mosaic on the walls and the townhouse feel. I expected it to have Russian influences with a name like Odessa but the brunch menu was a hybrid of Anglo and American favourites from Huevos Ranchero, Full Breakfast and French Toast.

My husband is a sucker for black pudding and went for the Odessa Breakfast and I had the French toast, bacon (instead of ham), maple syrup with a side of home fries.  My French toast was lovely but I wish my bacon had been crispier. The side of home fries was HUGE as was our main portions. We really like our breakfast and if I was back in Dublin I'd come back again.

I will say that everyone around us seemed a "ladies who lunch" type of crowd but maybe that's who's just awake first thing Sunday morning in Dublin :)

So those are my recommendations for eating in Dublin; probably not your traditional Irish fare but it is what I enjoyed while I was there. Have you been to Dublin? What are your favourite places to eat?

Freshgo, Lunch Delivery Glasgow

Sometime us lassies get lazy. If it's raining outside we really can't be bothered going out for lunch and will duck into the first place and are back again and well we end up with some nasty lunches. Luckily for us Freshgo have come along to save us from the rain and nastiness with fresh and delicious lunch delivery. We jumped at the chance to try out a week of their delivery service.

Freshgo delivers your lunch directly to your desk. All food is prepared in the morning and delivered that lunchtime so it truly is fresh when it arrives on your desk. They offer a menu comprising of a variety of bases such as rice, wraps, noodles, salads and pita and the fillings and toppings are left up to you--that way you choose what you like based on your tastes and your nutritional requirements.

Wee Lorz and I started off with a chicken burrito each, both of which were served with a mixed greens side salad topped with feta cheese.

The burrito was good but we both thought it was missing something; maybe some cheese or avocado just to add another layer of flavour. The side salad was really refreshing since side salad in Glasgow often just means iceberg! The mixed greens, feta and tomato were crisp and was lovely with the ranch dressing.

We also both chose to heat our burritos up but they came wrapped in foil so it would be really easy to eat on the go if you choose to take your box on the go!





Next I had the Fetamame Wrap and OMG it was amazing. The wrap had edamame, tomato, mixed salad, feta, cucumber, ranch dressing and I literally could not eat it fast enough. I love feta and I love edamame so this was the perfect mix for me.  

Again the side salad was great and this time was topped with roasted edamame. I've only ever had edamame as it's served in sushi restaurants so having them roasted was new to me. They were really nice and added a different texture to my lunch.

Wee Lorz loves a bit of spice so for her second lunch she went for Sweet Chilli Shrimp. Here is what she thought: My sweet chilli prawns were delish, good size and tasted really fresh! You get a tub of sweet chilli on the side which I really like as you can add as much or as little as you like. The winner for me though was the edamame when I first saw they were toasted I wasn't sure but they were awesome really added to the whole dish for me! Love this and can't wait to try more of Freshgo delights!








The final meal was tasted the Peri Peri Chicken Wrap; Stephie got called away unexpectedly so we called in our Laddie Scott who was more than up to the challenge!  Here is what Scott thought: The lettuce was fresh, the feta tangy and  cherry tomatoes juicy. The light Caesar dressing was nice, although I kept it to a small drizzle so as to not overpower the juice from my lemon slice. The wrap was stuffed tight with peri peri chicken, lettuce, tomato and more feta (yay). It held together well and held a nice balance between each ingredient. It was also thankfully mayo free so no soggy-ness or yucky slime over my fingers. I can definitely see myself sampling more of the Freshgo menu in the near future!

Freshgo is a great option if you are busy and on the go or are just looking for something better than just a limp sandwich for your lunch. We can't wait to try out the rest of the menu! What would you try first?

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Freshgo

Delivers to G1, G2 postcodes in Glasgow

£20 for weekly subscription (5 lunches delivered Monday-Friday)

@freshgoltd

facebook.com/freshgoltd

Brelliant Christmas with Brel Bar, Glasgow

The Christmas lights have been turned on in Glasgow and Christmas season is definitely upon us. Lots of restaurants and bars have come out with their Christmas menus and the lassies were invited to see what Brel Bar in Ashton Lane had to offer.  

It certainly was cold enough to be Christmas but I was greeted with a glass of hot mulled cider which smelled amazing and warmed me up into a holiday mood. Our table in the Conservatory overlooked the dancing trees in the garden and was set with crackers and name cards so you really got the full holiday feeling.

First up we tried two of the Christmas starters:

Caramelised chestnut, wild mushroom and baby spinach tart, spiced tomato chutney 

Home cured Tobermory 16 year old salmon, pickled vegetables, horseradish creme fraiche

My favourite of the two was definitely the salmon which was so delicately cured I could have eaten a plateful! I was surprised that I liked the tart though, too. I'm not that keen on chestnuts or savoury tarts if I'm honest but it was very nice.

Next came the main courses:

Roast turkey, stuffing, chipolatas, cranberry sauce 

Slowly braised brisket of beef, truffle mash, pancetta, horseradish 

Cod, salmon and clam en papillotte, saffron, fennel, white wine

I ended up with the turkey and if I'm honest I'm not usually the biggest fan of Christmas turkey. The turkey was moist and not even slightly overdone and went so well with the gravy and cranberry sauce---I wish I'd had some mash to mop up the rest of the gravy it was so nice.  I managed to snag a taste of the cod and beef as well which were also lovely.

I finished off with the most massive portion of Orange, mango and rosewater pavlova I've ever seen! It was perfectly crispy but gooey at the same time just the way a pavlova should be. I'm never one to not clean my dessert plate but the portion was so big I couldn't manage.

The Christmas Menu at Brel Bar is available as lunch (12noon - 3pm) for £20 per person or evening (4pm - 10pm) for £26 per person for three courses.

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Brel Bar & Restaurant

Ashton Lane

Glasgow G12 8SJ

0141 342 4966

Open Monday-Saturday 11am-Midnight, Sunday Noon-Midnight.

@brelbar

facebook.com/brelbar

Bread Meats Bread: Gourmet Street Food, Glasgow

When we hear about a new restaurant opening in Glasgow the lassies can't wait to go give it a try. When we hear there is a new gourmet street food offering burgers, sandwiches, grilled cheese and more we start salivating. We first headed to try Bread Meats Bread at their pre-launch at the end of last month where we got to have tasters from the menu.

Stephie and Wee Lorz fell madly, crazy in love with their chips and Scotchbonnaise, a spicy mayonnaise dipping sauce--those two love a bit of spice! Bread Meats Bread has three types of burger: House Blend, Red Label (beef & pork) & Black Label (premium aged beef). I personally loved the Spartan, a red label burger topped with tzatziki. I LOVE tzatziki. I dip potato chips in it but I'd never thought to stick in on a burger before.

All three of us agreed that the star of the night though was the BBQ beef brisket. Slow cooked until it falls apart it was absolute perfection. Being a good half-Jewish girl I'm a sucker for proper deli sandwich meats like pastrami, brisket and corned beef (not your gross packed UK stuff, PROPER stuff) so this was great to see on a menu in the UK. Bread Meats Bread gets their amazing buns from Bavarian Bakehouse in Kirkintilloch who make the best pretzel rolls I've had in Glasgow. They are not to salty and really hold up to the burger without going soggy or being too chewy.

We got to speak to Bread Meats Bread owners on the night and their passion for good, quality food really shines through. Everything is fresh--no microwaves and the only thing in the freezer is ice cream.




We enjoyed the taster night so much we decided to come back with our colleague Laura for the soft launch two days later. Obviously word had gotten around because it was packed! Our waitress let us know that several items on the menu were not available, had run out or weren't ready yet. Slightly disappointing but it was still a soft launch so you have to expect that things won't be smooth sailing. We all went for cheeseburgers (mine on a pretzel bun of course) and decided to split a portion of regular chips and sweet potato chips between the four of us.

It took quite awhile for our order to come and when it did we ended up having to send the chips back as they were cold and we had to ask twice for Scotchbonnaise sauce. Not ideal really. The sweet potato chips however were amazing and all of our burgers were cooked perfectly. It wasn't a mind-blowingly (yes that's a term) perfect lunch but we all really enjoyed our burgers and could see the potential that Bread Meats Bread has.

I'm still dying to try the poutine and pulled chicken so I'm sure we'll be back again. I've worked in kitchens, waiting tables and bartending so I know how it can take time to iron out kinks in a new restaurant and get things running smoothly. Bread Meats Bread has all the right ingredients: good food, friendly staff and enthusiastic owners; I'm just hoping that with a wee bit of time they live up to all they can be.

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Bread Meats Bread

104 St Vincent Street

Glasgow, G2 5UB

0141 847 0396 

Open 12pm to 10:00pm Monday to Saturday, 12.00pm to 6:00pm Sunday

@breadmeatsbread

facebook.com/breadmeatsbreadglasgow

TGIFriday's Glasgow Cocktail Menu

I've been obsessed with TGIFriday's for a long time. I can't remember when the first time I went was but I have so many fond memories from going before a Sweetheart's dance in high school to going to the TGIFriday's on my university campus after monthly sorority meetings. My first waitressing job ever was at TGIFriday's as soon as I turned 19 and it makes me smile now that one of my son's favourite places to it is none other than my striped favourite.

So it will come as no surprise that when we were invited to TGIFriday's new menu launch we jumped at the chance. To celebrate the menu launch, 100 bespoke artworks are being created from the inspiration of the 100 cocktails on offer, inspired by the colours, flavours and origins included in the menu---everything from manicures by Boom Nails to amazing paper cutting by illustrator Cat Ingall.

My favourite cocktails were the Bubblegum Daiquiri with popping candy rim and the Red Velvet with Friday's foam but TGI Friday's bartenders will mix you up anything your heart desires. Of course we had to tuck into the new tapas too. I know what you're thinking---Fridays? Tapas? These smaller bites aren't your traditional tapas offerings but instead sharing plates including Jack Daniels Cajun Battered Shrimp, Meatball Sliders and my personal favourite Sam Adams Chili Cheese Dip & Pretzels.

We know cocktails and tapas aren't your normal lunch fare but the lassies are allowed to blow off some steam after work too, right? TGIFriday's will always hold a special place in my heart but with their new cocktails and tapas menu I don't think I'll need to do much convincing to get people to join me there. If you still aren't sure just how fun a night at TGIFriday's can be take a look at this video we made and see for yourself!
  

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TGI Friday's

multiple UK locations including 3 in Glasgow

Glasgow Fort Shopping Park 50 Provan Walk Glasgow G34 9DL

113 Buchanan Street Glasgow G1 3HF

Xscape Braehead Kings Inch Road Braehead Glasgow PA4 8XU

11:30am-11:00pm (closing time varies with location)

@tgifridaysuk

facebook.com/tgifridaysuk

Instagram: TGIFridaysUK

Meet the Lassies

We are three Scottish (well one Scomerican) lassies who work in new media in the public sector & love to lunch. Whether we're making the most of our one hour lunch eating out around Glasgow, baking treats for the office or creating the inaugural salad club we never skip lunch. So who are we?

Wee Lorz:

The smallest member of the team, with the biggest food obsession. She likes to talk a lot about what she's been eating, is about to eat or what she wants to make to eat. In her absolute element when she gets to spend a day in the kitchen cooking up a storm, with a glass of wine of course. Loves Middle Eastern, Mexican and Italian, finished off with a double espresso!

Blondie:

Even though she's lived in the UK for over 9 years she still cooks and bakes using American measurements. Her favourite foods include Cincinnati style chili, square sausage and anything watermelon flavoured. She hates oranges and coriander  but the latter only because she's allergic. She also blogs over as Transatlantic Blonde. While these twisted chips with cheese and ranch were amazing she's now trying to eat healthier.

Stephie:

She has an unhealthy obsession with corn on the corb, cereal without milk and breakfast tea but not at all once. Although she is trying to eat healthily her least favourite lunch is soup... or salad and she has a sweet tooth that can't be ignored.  Stay posted for some baking recipes as she started to bake recently, her biggest success being orange and white chocolate cake (the 4th attempt).

We will always be honest, always accept free cocktails and always share not just our successes but our fails as well. After all that amazing recipe on Pinterest isn't so amazing if it doesn't work in real life!