News Archive
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LUCINDA'S GASTRO GONGS FOR 2013
31 December 2013
THIS year it has been wonderful to see a huge number of new restaurant openings -- both big and small. Also worth noting, as I looked back over this year, the standard and pride in food overall in restaurants and hotels has improved more this year than...
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Bakestone
27 December 2013
As an inveterate shopper who drags the better half around every store and retail outlet in the country, I am always looking for something delicious to revive us both after our efforts. What a joy it was to happen upon Bakestone at Ballyseedy Home & Garden
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HERE COME THE GIRLS - MEET SOME OF IRELAND'S FEMALE CHEFS
24 December 2013
THE restaurant industry is predominantly run by men. It's all about this, that and the other celebrity chef, shouty chef, pouty chef and idiot macho chef, some gazing from professionally posed photos looking as if they had discovered the atom rather than
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Veda Indian Restaurant
19 December 2013
Believe it or not, one of the hazards of being a food critic is that every time you sit down to review a restaurant you have to ‘go the distance’ with three courses, three tapas plates or whatever, otherwise you disappoint someone.
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Restaurant Review - Two new Gastropubs
18 December 2013
It’s always great to see new restaurants and eateries opening. I recently visited two new gastropubs, which have more than one thing in common. Both hostelries have been opened by Irish guys who have lived and worked for a considerable length of time in
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Festive Food Traditions Abroad
17 December 2013
AS YOU prepare to douse the pudding with brandy and set it alight on Christmas Day, did you know that the plum pudding goes back to Roman times? It began as a pottage of meat and vegetables prepared in a cauldron to which dried fruits, sugar and spices...
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - The Monastery Inn
17 December 2013
We spend a lot of time on the road travelling around the country and consequently always on the lookout for somewhere to stop and have a bite to eat. This was how we discovered the atmospheric Monastery Inn, a thriving local pub and restaurant...
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Aprile Restaurant
13 December 2013
Situated on the Lower Kilmacud Road, opposite the Stillorgan Shopping Centre in Dublin, you will find Aprile Restaurant, a wonderful asset to the Stillorgan restaurant community. Beautifully decorated with a cool contemporary look, Aprile’s has a
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - dela
11 December 2013
The City of the Tribes is always an exciting place to visit with events and festivals happening it seems almost all year round. There is a tangible buzz and a vibe and, over the past couple of years, it has also become a foodie destination with the
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Pepper Brasserie & Grill
10 December 2013
Peter Clifford is a young chef with the Twitter handle of @pistolpete1991who has used this medium to raise his profile very successfully. He has now taken up the reins at the new Pepper Brasserie & Grill, at the Bram Stoker Hotel in Clontarf....
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ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A BREAK
09 December 2013
CHRISTMAS and New Year are times when a lot of people like to get away from it all. Some hotels are already booked out. I am told this is often by people who work right up to Christmas Eve, perhaps in the hospitality or retail business, or those whose
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Marco Pierre White Courtyard Bar & Grill
06 December 2013
The sometime enfant terrible of the kitchen, Marco Pierre White, has expanded his empire by opening a second restaurant in Dublin.
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Restaurant Review - Etto
04 December 2013
Etto, a really chic little wine bar, has joined the coterie of eateries and bars that make up Dublin’s Merrion Row, smack in the heart of what is known as the golden mile. It is located in long narrow premises that were for over twenty years an Indian re
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Elena Arzak Judges at Eurotoques Young Chef of the Year 2013
02 December 2013
LAST Sunday week saw five young hopefuls reach the finals of the Euro-toques Young Chef of the Year 2013, held at a 'secret' location of which guests were notified the day before.
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Christmas Shopping Lunch Spots
02 December 2013
The shops are decorated to the hilt, you can't escape the Christmas jingles – we are now seriously into Christmas shopping time! December 8 was traditionally the big day for people to come to Dublin for present buying.
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RESTAURANT REVIEW - FOREST AVENUE
26 November 2013
There is a stark Nordic ‘Wallander’ feel to the new Forest Avenue restaurant, accented by a floor to ceiling glass frontage, offering vistas of acres of sky. A faux white stags head hangs on an urban grey wall, as a cute little ‘antlers’...
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Hospitality ascends to new heights at Aghadoe
25 November 2013
IN 1965, just around the time the Aghadoe Heights Hotel was being built overlooking the Lakes of Killarney, American novelist Arthur Hailey wrote the best selling blockbuster Hotel.
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Thanksgiving Dinner in Youghal
21 November 2013
Thursday November 28th is Thanksgiving, America’s favourite holiday, which is destined to be celebrated most sincerely in a bar on the beach in the seaside heritage town of Youghal.
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Restaurant Review - Pepper
19 November 2013
Twitter is a mighty marketing tool if used properly but, unfortunately, it does allow what were known in the old days as ‘poison pen’ writer’s free rein. However, it also facilitates people who have a common interest to find one another and I
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TAKE 4 GIRLS
18 November 2013
TAKE four girls, take four ideas – and hey presto, you have four businesses. I recently met four such young women whose ideas really took my fancy. Their products are all innovative, stylish, and would make anyone happy on Christmas Day.
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Restaurant Review - Franchini's
12 November 2013
The opening of the eponymous Castlemartyr Resort in East Cork in 2007 was the talk du jour. The magnificent house, which had for many years been in the hands of a religious order, was exquisitely restored and refurbished, whilst the grounds and gardens
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LUCINDA IN FLANDERS FIELDS
11 November 2013
Fiv years ago coincidentally the 90th Anniversary of the Armistice, I wrote here in Life magazine the story of my uncle, Billy Morris, a young man from Kilkenny who like many other young Irish men of his generation had felt honour bound to go off to war
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"I Died Smiling as I Lived" - Kilkennyman Billy Morris Story WW1
11 November 2013
When Lucinda O'Sullivan was given a cache of letters, sent by her uncle Billy Morris from Kilkenny while he served with the British army in World War One, it set her off on a wonderful, and deeply moving journey of discovery that ended with Billy's final
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Cookery Book Launches - Rick Stein, Chapter One, Lynda's Table......
11 November 2013
YES, 'tis the season to be cooking – but it also seems to be the serious season for launching new cookery books.
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Seven Social - Ancient Irish Feast
11 November 2013
Don't miss out on Seven Socials fab 10 Course Tasting Menu next Sunday 17th November.The night is putting the spotlight on genuine Irish cuisine, our food history and traditions both current and ancient.
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Restaurant Review - House
05 November 2013
‘House’ is not the American medical TV series, nor is it a reality TV show but, I guess, you could say there will certainly be a lot of ‘people watching’ within its walls. Rather, ‘House’ is the sibling of 37 Dawson Street’, Dublin’s hot, hot, bar/eatery
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Designer Leathergoods in Dingle
04 November 2013
CONOR Holden and his wife Clare are this year celebrating 25 years of Holden Leathergoods, their quality handcrafted designs business.
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KILKENNY, KILKENNY, KILKENNY
04 November 2013
OVER the bank holiday weekend, we were in Kilkenny for the seventh Savour Kilkenny food festival, which proved a tremendous success. We stayed in the Pembroke Hotel and on Friday night we were guests of Savour Kilkenny at Zuni's Restaurant where, followi
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Restaurant Review - Marco Pierre White Courtyard Bar & Grill
29 October 2013
The sometime enfant terrible of the kitchen, Marco Pierre White, breezed into town recently for the opening of his second restaurant in Dublin. Unlike many of the ventures by English celebrity chefs, MPW’s restaurant in Dawson Street, in partnership with
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Knitting & Stitching Show
28 October 2013
when it came to sewing, I didn't get off to a great start. I grew up looking at my mother's black and gold electric Singer sewing machine – it was a treasured piece of 'high tech' equipment and carried warnings to be extremely careful about threading bobb
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Restaurant Review - Zaragoza
22 October 2013
Everybody it seems wants to be a restaurateur. However, I must confess the latest convert to the hot steamy cut throat world of the professional kitchen certainly surprised me. The ex deputy leader of Fianna Fail, Mary Hanafin, is one of ten people...
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Meet Helen & Brian Heaton of Castlewood House Dingle
21 October 2013
Everywhere I go in Ireland, I meet hoteliers who say that they've been having a great year. I have tremendous time for these people who, through good times and bad, have had to keep the best front out, maintain their premises and try to keep their staff
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Hayfield Manor wins Conde Nast Readers' Choice Award 2013
20 October 2013
The staff & owners of Hayfield Manor hotel have been honoured with one of the most prestigious awards in the travel industry. The readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine, a collection of some of the most discerning travellers across the globe, voted for
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Restaurant Review - Platform
15 October 2013
When a restaurant is hopping on a Monday night, I guess you can take it they are doing something right. So it was when we arrived sans reservation to Platform Pizza Bar on the seafront in Bray, Co. Wicklow. Aptly named as it backs onto Bray Dart Station
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'This is Cavan'
14 October 2013
'THIS is Cavan' is the new branding for marketing all that Cavan has to offer. The county recently hosted 'A Taste of Cavan' where I met some enthusiastic food producers from Cavan and surrounding counties. The fact that Richard Corrigan....
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Restaurant Review - Veda
08 October 2013
Believe it or not, one of the hazards of being a food critic is that every time you sit down to review a restaurant you have to ‘go the distance’ with three courses, three tapas plates or whatever, otherwise you disappoint someone. When off duty....
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The Local Shop
07 October 2013
FOR generations, the corner shop was very much part of the local community. It was where housewives bought their daily bread and milk, their bacon and newspapers, had a chat with the shopkeeper, perhaps ran a little monthly account or put it 'on tick'.
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Restaurant Review - Sr Frango
03 October 2013
Sr Frango ‘Modern European Cuisine’ is the latest eatery to join the plethora of reasonably priced spots in the Camden and Wexford Street area of Dublin. Its rustic Tex Mex wood panelled shopfront didn’t initially strike us as the most appealing
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A Whirl Around Brittany With Some Wine Buying As Well
01 October 2013
FOR many years now, we have taken ourselves off to France for an autumnal break. It's a lovely time to travel, being still generally warm, and it is also a great opportunity to stock up the wine cellar for the long winter ahead.
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Michelin 2014
29 September 2013
MICHELIN Guide announced its much vaunted Michelin Stars 2014 last week with editor Rebecca Burr saying, "We have never produced a GB & Ireland guide that provides our readers with such diversity and variety.
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Autumn Food Festivals
23 September 2013
It's very seldom that we slide gently into autumn, but this summer has been a real cracker, which has raised our spirits and given us all more positive thoughts. We have had a summer of food festivals countrywide and now, as we approach the season of mist
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Restaurant Review - The Greenery
23 September 2013
Tucked away in the corner of a little strip of shops in Donnybrook Village is The Greenery. With a candy stripe awning over a couple of outside café tables, the ambiance is light bright and relaxed with pretty young girls flitting around.
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Restaurant Review - Marcel's
20 September 2013
It’s funny how some new eateries manage to hit the ground running whilst others make excuses for their failings for weeks. Located in what was the former Espresso Bar on St. Mary’s Road in D4, facing the Dylan Hotel, the new Marcel’s Restaurant exudes
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Honest2Goodness really is Honest To Goodness
19 September 2013
FOUR years ago this coming November, brother and sister team, Colm and Brid Carter took the risky step of launching Honest 2Goodness, an artisan food market, in a warehouse on Slaney Close in the Dublin Industrial Estate in Glasnevin. Since then, H2G has
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - La Dolce Vita
12 September 2013
La Dolce Vita is a popular Italian restaurant, which was previously in Sandyford Village and is now in a super new contemporary premise, complete with an outdoor terrace, in the Sandyford Industrial Estate.
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Restaurant Review - Beeftro
11 September 2013
Is it mere coincidence that in a recession people love to snuggle themselves up beside the security of a humongous steak? Certainly we are seeing plenty of new beef eateries hitting our streets.
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THAT APPALLING PHOTO
10 September 2013
Can you imagine how you would feel if you saw a picture of yourself, decapitated, blood dripping down, your hair being grasped by an angry looking man, whilst his companion, clutching the offending cleaver, stared angrily out of the photo? This is what I
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Lucinda meets Vivien Walsh - Jewellery Designer
10 September 2013
THERE is nothing to put a glint in a girl's eye more than the sight of a nice little jewellery box!
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Restaurant Review - Breakfast is King
05 September 2013
“Breakfast like a King, lunch like a Lord, and dine like a pauper”, is an old adage. Perhaps it’s not a bad one for, having cast aside our Celtic Tiger ways and returned to many old traditions, we are realizing that perhaps Granny did really know best.
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Restaurant Review - Cleaver East
29 August 2013
What is it about men and their weapons? Thirty years ago, Marco Pierre White launched his cleaver clutching, tousle haired, moody, sexy-chef image –- today he promotes stock cubes and steak houses! Now Michelin starred chefs, Oliver Dunne of Bon Appetit,
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SABA Lobsterfest is back!
29 August 2013
Lobsterfest, the annual shellfish shindig at Saba, is back from Monday 9th until Sunday 22nd September. Diners can enjoy exquisite lobster fresh from the waters of Inisboffin or freshly shucked Carlingford Lough oysters to sip, slurp and sup!
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Chefs and limelight are a recipe for trouble!
28 August 2013
EGO – three little letters for a very powerful word that can destroy people and their families. Other ways we have of describing misplaced supersized ego is 'losing the plot', 'believing one's own publicity', 'carried away with themselves' or
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - The Cloister Restaurant
28 August 2013
Dermot and Noreen Fetton are two of the most experienced people operating within the hospitality business in Ireland today. Both spent many years working in 5 Star establishments; the legendary Dromoland Castle and the Castlemartyr Resort in East Cork.
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END OF SUMMER FAMILY HOTEL BREAKS - GRAB THEM!
19 August 2013
AS AUTUMN leaves approach, many families like to seize the moment and head off for a last precious few days of fun before the school year begins.
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RESTAURANT REVIEW - REUBEN'S RESTAURANT AT THE STEP HOUSE
19 August 2013
It was a scorching Sunday morning as I decided to hit the road for somewhere, rather than the road to nowhere around the house! I am a last minute traveller defined by my family of men as bonkers for, on a previous impulsive Sunday a few years back,
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Restaurant Review - La Dolce Vita/Village Bistro
16 August 2013
Early Bird and Value Menus are the midweek mainstay of many restaurants, so it is in a restaurant’s own interests to make them as inviting as possible. We took in a few recently, during the lovely summer evenings.
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Makers & Brothers
14 August 2013
RIVERDANCE brought Irish dancing into today's world giving it a modern edge – and brothers Jonathan and Mark Legge are aiming to do the same with Irish crafts and design...
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A Caviston's Greystones now open for Dinner
08 August 2013
Amy Caviston of A Caviston's in Greystones is now opening her brilliant seafood cafe restaurant for dinner.....
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MARBELOUS CITY FOR ARTS, CRAFTS AND FOOD TRAILS
05 August 2013
FOOD tourism is a huge industry around the world and something that has been growing in Ireland in the past few years. There is no doubt but that when businesses in a region or town band together it proves to be to everyone's advantage.
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Restaurant Review - Copper Bar
05 August 2013
Will it be third time lucky, we wondered, as we arrived at the new Copper Bar in Sandyford Industrial Estate. Certainly the signs looked good. The place was busy and had life about it, but this is a building with a story. The Sandyford Estate was....
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Restaurant Review - Clodagh's Kitchen
30 July 2013
A decade or so ago a young lady from Cork sent me a recipe for chicken liver pate which she was selling in Midleton Farmer’s Market. Since then she has moved rapidly up the foodie ladder so it was good to see that she has been true to her origins...
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New businesses at Cabinteely Park Market
29 July 2013
In the midst of all the doom and gloom there is a veritable boom in small-business enterprise. It's a 'we can do it' philosophy and, as small-time entrepreneurs soon find out there is absolutely nothing like working for yourself in business.
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Hot Dining in Holiday Hot Spots
24 July 2013
We all like to try the local restaurants when we are on holiday whether home or abroad. Maybe you go to the same part of Connemara or West Cork each year,visit old favourites and know them all by heart, but then again maybe you don’t,and places do change
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Asian Tea House Restaurant
24 July 2013
Galway, the City of the Tribes, is always an exciting place to visit. Its ancient streets are vibrant and buzzy, but like all cities it's always good to know where you will find great food in a great ambiance.
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The Dublin Flea
23 July 2013
WE CAN'T all make it to the world famous two-day Braderie de Lille on August 31 and September 1, or indeed the famous flea markets of Paris, but we do have our very own Dublin Flea Market, held on the last Sunday of every month at .....
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Restaurant Review - Perfect Pitstops
16 July 2013
Many years ago, when planning our first trip driving around the North of France, I found a book which followed the ‘B’ roads, leading us up highways and byways of delight, with recommendations for eateries and places to lay our heads. I am not going to
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Meet the guy behind the Bunsen Burger
15 July 2013
“What I loved about New York is that you have a guy that does the best chips, a guy that does the best sushi, a guy that does the best baguettes, ….the best coffee, and they can all trade independently whereas here there is a rush to satisfy everybody....
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Restaurant Review - Town Kildare
09 July 2013
Arguably one of Dublin’s most talked about restaurants, Town Bar & Grill, was re-launched recently as a “high end casual restaurant” with the owner, Gillian Ronan, dropping the ‘Bar & Grill’ moniker for ‘Town Kildare Street’, and wheeling in a brace
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A Kerry Odyssey
08 July 2013
'THE windows have been painted for the first time in 27 years and new boilers installed," said Tony Daly, managing director of the consortium of investors who bought Parknasilla Resort & Spa in Sneem, Co Kerry, at the start of this year.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Torrino's
03 July 2013
Westport is one of the great destination towns for tourism and weekenders. It is a thoroughly attractive place with lots to do and see for the visitor. It also has some great shops and restaurants.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Bang Restaurant
02 July 2013
Located in the hub of what is known as Dublin’s Golden Mile, on Merrion Row just off St Stephen’s Green, Bang Restaurant is right where it’s at when it comes to chic contemporary dining.
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New Head Chef at Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa
01 July 2013
The Lake Room Restaurant and Heights Lounge have a refreshing new look menu created by Head Chef Sebastian Schulze.
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Nobo Dairy Free Icecream
01 July 2013
DUBLINERS Brian Nolan and Rachel Flynn will become Mr and Mrs Nolan this coming October, but, notwithstanding the excitement of wedding plans, they have just established a new food business, Nobo, which is ice-cream with a difference.
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Kids Cookery Bootcamp at Ryeland House
01 July 2013
All great chefs and foodies say they learned to cook at their mother's knee and, from my own experience, it is a skill you never forget. Nowadays not everyone has as much time to spend cooking with their kids as they might like and, as we all know,
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Restaurant Review - 1826Adare & Dunraven Arms Hotel
01 July 2013
A visit to Rick Stein territory in Cornwall proved a defining moment for Wexford born chef Wade Murphy and his wife Elaine.
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Heiko Riebandt joins The Lodge at Doonbeg as Executive Head Chef
26 June 2013
The Lodge at Doonbeg is delighted to announce that Heiko Riebant has been appointed Executive Head Chef. He joins Doonbeg from The Sheen Falls Lodge Hotel in Kenmare, Co. Kerry where he has been Executive Chef since 2009.
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WATERFALL FARM ENNISKERRY
24 June 2013
Michael and Hannah Keegan are a young couple who farm pedigree Lleyn sheep on 170 acres in the shadows of Powerscourt Waterfall in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, aptly named Waterfall Farm.
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Restaurant Review - NEDE
24 June 2013
Since departing Noma, the legendary Copenhagen restaurant, Yannick Van Aeken and Louise Bannon have caused a flutter in the foodie arena and divided the Critics....
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Adrift @ Dunmore House Hotel
21 June 2013
Clonakilty in West Cork is definitely worth exploring. With its colourfully painted houses and Georgian Squares, it is lovely little town to stroll through, bursting with blooming flower baskets in the spring and summer.
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Restaurant Review - Las Tapas de Lola
19 June 2013
Rule No. 1 in any business is not to leave potential customers hanging on a phone for 15 minutes before they hang up, as happened when I called up to book at table at Las Tapas de Lola. It is enough to make you tear your hair out, as is being told that,
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Dermot & Noreen Fetton open The Cloisters Ennis
17 June 2013
WHEN visiting the splendid Castlemartyr Resort in East Cork three or four years ago, I met the delightful Dermot and Noreen Fetton. At the time they were both on the managerial team of The Dromoland Collection, which had taken over the management of...
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Brasserie On The Corner
14 June 2013
The City of the Tribes has been raising its head in the foodie arena in the past couple of years with some really good eateries and one of those is undoubtedly Brasserie on the Corner. There is a lovely atmosphere here, plenty of buzz, excellent service,
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Brambles Bistro Terenure
12 June 2013
Brambles is a well know family owned group of some 20 excellent daytime cafes in high profile Shopping Centers, Museums, and other venues principally in the Dublin area.
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My childcare nightmare in my own home
10 June 2013
I went down the route of even more expensive childcare in my own home as I felt he would be safest there. What could go wrong under our own roof?
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10 GREAT RESTAURANTS TO VISIT THIS SUMMER
10 June 2013
The first question asked of a restaurant critic is “what is your favourite restaurant”. For me a good restaurant is not always about twiddly bits of artwork on a plate, it can be good produce simply cooked, wonderful aromatic spices from Asia....
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - The Forge Bar and Restaurant
07 June 2013
The village of Moycullen is on the main road between Galway and Oughterard both of which you pass through en route to Clifden. Nowdays Moycullen has become a really happening village raising it’s profile both in relation to food and retail.
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The Punnet Health Food Store - Glasthule
03 June 2013
"We met in a smoothie bar in Gran Canaria," explained Darragh. "I did my Leaving Cert in 1998 and James was going into fifth year. Twenty-seven students went from Blackrock College, where I was, and from St Mary's, where James was a student. We all got.
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Jarek's Kitchen
03 June 2013
'My mother is a chef, which is how I learned to cook, I got my passion for food from her," explained Jarek Baryga of Jarek's Kitchen.
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Dublin's Best Gastropubs
03 June 2013
The Restaurants Association of Ireland and Sunday Life Magazine 2013 Irish Restaurant Awards are taking place in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin, on June 10, Eight establishments have been shortlisted for Best Gastropub in Dublin.....
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay - The Bosun
30 May 2013
The Bosun at Monkstown is one of Cork’s longest standing and best loved establishments and for over a hundred years, it has drawn travellers from both near and far through it’s welcoming doorway.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - The Bosun
30 May 2013
For over a hundred years now, The Bosun in Monkstown, Co.Cork has welcomed patrons from all around the country and indeed overseas.
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Dromoland Castle - 50 Years of Hospitality
27 May 2013
The Sixties was the decade that liberated a generation and changed the world in so many ways. The Russians sent Yuri Gagarin into outer space in 1961, whilst Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon in 1969. The Beatles were
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - An Canteen
23 May 2013
Dingle is a town that is just magic in itself. From the moment it featured in the iconic movie ‘Ryan’s Daughter’ it’s stunning dramatic beauty capitvated people from all over the world.
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Restaurant Review - FXBuckley Temple Bar
21 May 2013
I lusted long and hard for a couple of years over a designer dining table with a silver Indian ‘white metal’ top. “They are very cool - I saw a similar one in Jamie’s in Covent Garden,” I pleaded with Himself - who remained unmoved by the t
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - The Winding Stair
21 May 2013
The Winding Stair is one of the most respected and popular restaurants in Dublin. Over the past number of years Elaine Murphy’s fantastic eatery has charmed and enchanted not only thousands of locals but also thousands of visitors to the City
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Summer Festivals
20 May 2013
LIFE is what you make it. And, one way or another, you can have a brilliant summer in Ireland by following the festival trail – and many do. I am not just talking of food festivals, but also literature, music, comedy, the lot.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Vista
14 May 2013
There are lots of great restaurants in Kinsale, but very few have such a setting as Vista.
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Cornstore Group Delivers Innovative Beef Aging Process
14 May 2013
CORNSTORE GROUP celebrate launch of their own in-house dry aging beef process. This initiative involves..
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Claire Doyle - Dress Designer
14 May 2013
CLAIRE Doyle is an accomplished businesswoman, dress designer and manufacturer, with an assurance and poise that belie her 27 years.
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Restaurant Review - Soulful Bistro
14 May 2013
‘Some people are so poor, all they have is money’ and ‘the best things in life aren’t things’ are phrases scripted in gold on the walls of the new Soulful Bistro in Dublin’s Stoneybatter.
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EL CELLER DE CAN ROCA PIPS NOMA AT THE POST WORLD'S50 BEST
07 May 2013
From Peru to Dubai, Brazil to Shanghai, an army of worldwide chefs gleamed and preened as they rubbed shoulders in London's prestigious Guildhall for the announcement of the San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants 2013.
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Restaurant Review - The Brasserie at The Marker
07 May 2013
“I’m having difficulty choosing a starter”, said friend Rachel. “They are all ‘wobblies’ or ‘cheesy’”. We were in The Brasserie of the new Marker Hotel, on Grand Canal Square in Dublin’s Docklands. The ground floor is open plan - light....
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Restaurant Review - The Table
30 April 2013
Devotees of the popular urban Lennox Café Bistro will be happy to know that the owners have spread their wings and opened The Table Restaurant & Wine Bar in the nearby former Nonna Valentina premises, overlooking the Grand Canal at Portobello.
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May Bank Holiday Breaks
29 April 2013
After the extraordinary unseasonal weather we've 'enjoyed' this spring, there is a longing in all of our hearts for an escape – however brief. Check out some May Bank Holiday breaks and get going!
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Go Vintage in Borris, Co. Carlow, for Tractor Nuts Festival 2013
29 April 2013
The nation is going VINTAGE mad with HUNDREDS of tractor nuts from all over Ireland and abroad descending on the quaint village of Borris in Co. Carlow on May 11th and 12th for the 10th annual Tractor Nuts Festival.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Morilles Bistro
24 April 2013
Today, situated above the Yellow House Pub, you will find Morilles Bistro and the moment you walk through it’s doors you’ll know you’ve come to the right place.
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Kate Browne - BeU Beauty Clinic
23 April 2013
As we all know, retail and other small businesses have been decimated over the past few years through high rents and the drop in spend. In February 2011, Kate Browne of BeU Beauty Clinic in the Dublin suburb of Kimmage was also battling hard to keep her
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Restaurant Review - Tropica Chinese Restaurant
23 April 2013
Many years ago I remember a popular Chinese Takeaway to which everyone flocked after the rugby hops. We downed large quantities of mustard yellow Chinese curries with chunks of woolly chicken and chewy onion in the name of exotic food. Chinese restaura
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BLOOMING BURREN - GLORIOUS FOOD AND WALKS
21 April 2013
The weekend break takes place from Friday May 10th to 12th. Aidan and Kate McGrath provide superb food and stylish accommodation at the multi-award winning Wild Honey Inn located in Lisdoonvarna.
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BURREN SLOW FOOD FESTIVAL
21 April 2013
The seventh annual Burren Slow Food Festival takes place in Lisdoonvarna on the weekend of 17th, 18th and 19th of May. This year’s special guest is Irish native, UK based Chef Richard Corrigan.
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Restaurant Review - Browne's Brasserie
16 April 2013
‘Hello’ said the tall man, dressed in a casual outdoor jacket and scarf, resting his elbow on the top of our booth as he looked down on us. ‘Hello’, we replied, a tad bemused as we had never seen him before. There was that awkward pause before he said “
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Putting bread on our tables is a labour of love
15 April 2013
'I did corporate law in Galway before becoming a baker. It's a natural progression really," said Patrick Ryan with a laugh. Patrick, 27, set up the Firehouse, a bakery and bread school on Heir Island, west Cork, last year, and is about to embark on a new
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'FOLLOW ME DOWN TO CARLOW LADS.....'
15 April 2013
Grandmothers Day - Forgotten Skills Slow Food International Grandmothers Day. “A celebration of Food Heritage and Forgotten Skills” Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 April 2013 Sandbrook House, Co. Carlow
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KELLY'S HOTEL ROSSLARE - SPECIAL MAY GOLF BREAK
14 April 2013
With so many great golf courses in the sunny South-East, the ever popular Kelly’s Hotel in Rosslare, Co.Wexford provides the ideal base for that spring golfing break, and all...
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All Ireland Chowder Cook off Kinsale 21st April, 2013
13 April 2013
It certainly won’t be a case of “too many cooks may spoil the broth” in Kinsale on Sunday 21st April, as chefs from all over Ireland compete in the All Ireland Chowder Cook off.
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South American Wine Tasting Dinner at Roly's on 16th April
12 April 2013
On Tuesday the 16th of April Roly's will be hosting a dinner with a wine maker from South America......
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Pop Up Dinner at Dublin Cookery School
09 April 2013
I recently had one of the best meals of the year so far – not as one might expect in a posh restaurant, but at a pop-up event of graduating students at the Dublin Cookery School in Blackrock, Co Dublin.
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Restaurant Review - That's Amore
09 April 2013
“When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie, that’s amore, When the world seems to shine, like you’ve had too much wine, that’s amore.”
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Dylan Restaurant
05 April 2013
Since first opening its doors, tucked away on the exclusive Eastmoreland Place in Dublin’s D4, the Dylan Hotel has been one of Dublin’s hottest destinations.
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Restaurant Review - VM Restaurant
03 April 2013
When chefs have reached a certain level of skill and proficiency you know, provided they are on the bridge during your visit, that you are unlikely to receive a less than perfect plate. So it was on our recent trip to VM restaurant in Longford where Chef
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The Hills are Alive with the Smell of Chocolate
01 April 2013
AS WE wake up this Easter Sunday morning, the hills may not be alive with the sound of music, but at Kylemore Abbey in Letterfrack, Co Galway, the kitchens are alive with the sound of industry – and the aroma of chocolate.
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130 years of Renvyle House Hotel
25 March 2013
“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again…”were the opening lines of Daphne du Maurier’s famous novel ‘Rebecca’ a tale of love, deceit, and murder, and an all destroying fire in the mythical house Manderley on the Cornish shoreline. Many great novel
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Restaurant Review - Anar Persian Restaurant
25 March 2013
Anar is a new Persian Restaurant and Wine Bar in the heart of Terenure. ‘Persia’ - isn’t that Iran nowadays - I can hear you say! Yes, indeed it is, but doesn’t Persia sound so much more romantic. It brings back memories of the last Shah, Mohamed Reza
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Restaurant Review - Morrison Grill
19 March 2013
We’d had a great cocktail each in the new Quay 14 Bar, been looked after by amazing bar staff, and were now seated in the Morrison Grill, on a low backed banquette in a Siberian draft. As the evening progressed, the tempo music was raised, and looking ou
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Lucinda meets Atul Kochhar
18 March 2013
'Idedicated my new book, Atul's Curries of the World, to my mum and I was very emotional about the first copy I got so I sent it to her immediately. Two days later I thought I would check that she had received it, so I called her up. Before I could ask
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Fashionista paradise in G4
11 March 2013
GOREY has always been a great business town but did you know that it has now become a serious fashionista destination? Esmonde Street has become a boulevard of boutiques and cafes, acquiring the tag of G4 and attracting the ladies in their droves. Also
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Restaurant Review - PHX
11 March 2013
Restaurants tend to cluster in groups, a good thing as a choice of eateries draws more people to an area. The latest little cluster of eateries is between Benburb Street and the Quays. First in here was Seven Social, a really good spot for delicious and
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Rockpool Restaurant @ Carlton Kinsale Hotel
05 March 2013
Since first opening, some years back now, The Carlton Hotel Kinsale has gone from strength to strength with it’s fantastic modern facilities and it’s high standards of hospitality.
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NEDE - EDEN - Yannick & Louise
04 March 2013
It's mirror, mirror – on the ceiling at NEDE as Yannick Van Aeken and Louise Bannon take over the pots and pans at Eden
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Restaurant Review - Pho Viet
04 March 2013
Due to the long French occupation of Indochina, Paris was always the best European city in which to experience good Vietnamese food from Vietnamese people who had settled there. I was rather excited then at the idea of a dedicated Vietnamese Restaurant
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Kathmandu Kitchen
01 March 2013
Joanna Lumley attracted a lot of publicity for the State of Nepal in recent times when she took up the cause of the legendary Ghurkas, a fiercesome and brave military unit in the British Army who were being denied the right to live in the U.K. despite..
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay - Carlton Kinsale Hotel
27 February 2013
Stunningly set in 90 acres of mature wooded parkland, including a walled garden and wonderful walks, The Carlton Hotel Kinsale has glorious views overlooking Oysterhaven Bay.
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From Poland to Paris - Cafe Eatery Value
26 February 2013
'People want value – scones are flying out, I do them differently every day," says chef Vivienne Johnston, one half of the duo behind the delightful Mellow Fig Cafe on George's Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin.
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Restaurant Review - Kathmandu Kitchen
26 February 2013
Joanna Lumley attracted a lot of publicity for the State of Nepal in recent times when she took up the cause of the legendary Ghurkas, a fiercesome and brave military unit in the British Army who were being denied the right to live in the U.K.
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - EAT@Massimo
26 February 2013
The colourful couple who really raised the foodie profile of Galway have now taken on the Gastropub world with their food offerings at EAT@ Massimo.
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Wilde's at Lisloughrey Lodge
23 February 2013
The entire first floor of the house has been given over to their uber smart Wilde's at the Lodge restaurant, overlooking Lisloughrey Quay, and a spectacular view of Lough Corrib. Here you can enjoy the best of Contemporary Country House Cook
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay - Arbutus Hotel Killarney
23 February 2013
The Arbutus Hotel Killarney is not just any hotel; it is a hotel with a history, a hotel with style, a hotel where you will be looked after with extraordinary hospitality and attention by the Buckley family.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Donelli's Cafe Restaurant
23 February 2013
Located in the centre of Wicklow Town, Donelli’s Café | Restaurant has been attracting a loyal and regular clientele for the last ten years, who come not only for the cracking food but also for the atmosphere and buzz.
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130 years of Hospitality at Renvyle House Hotel
22 February 2013
Renvyle House Hotel reopens this week for a new season that will mark the historic property’s 130 years as a hotel. Renvyle, which has been the meeting place of poets, politicians and influencers for many....
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ISPCA RESCUE VALENTINO THE BEAUTIFUL DONKEY
20 February 2013
Lucinda O'Sullivan went on a rescue mission that started with a tweet and ended in a marshy forest in north Leitrim
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Restaurant Review - Hot Stove
20 February 2013
Chapter One paved the way for a high end restaurant on Parnell Square but whilst they now have a Michelin Star, and are probably the most popular and desired restaurant in the country, Ross Lewis and Martin Corbett, are the first to say that having opened
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Our Latest Great Place to Stay - The Westbury Hotel
17 February 2013
The Westbury Hotel is at the very heart of Dublin Society. It’s not just its stupendous location off Grafton Street, the heart and soul of Dublin’s fashion and dining world, but it’s accessibility. And, again, by accessibility I do not mean just its
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OUR LATEST GREAT PLACE TO EAT - THE OLDE POST INN
14 February 2013
There is a sweet little Auberge de Terroir in Normandy with a half dozen bedrooms, which we discovered a few years ago, where Monsieur is a superb chef and Madame is front of house. Arriving in to the dining room one evening, we noticed a couple already..
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Peperina
13 February 2013
There was a really nice relaxed urban cool feel on our visit to Peperina Garden Bistro, on Dunville Avenue, in Ranelagh. Set amidst a group of shops, which comprise an upmarket niche shopping area for the redbrick D6 brigade, the premises formerly house
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Valentine Specials in Restaurant & Hotels
11 February 2013
LET there be no unromantic curmudgeons this Valentine's Day. Your Fair Lady or Gentleman would love a bit of rosy-hued fun whether you cook at home, go out to dinner or even take a break away.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Kelby's Bistro @ Amber Springs Hotel
07 February 2013
The Amber Springs Hotel in Gorey is the sister hotel to the nearby Ashdown Park. Both are owned and operated by the Redmond family, whos ethos in supporting local, artisan and Irish food is to be commended.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Rowan Tree Restaurant @ Ashdown Park Hotel
07 February 2013
Since opening a dozen years ago, The Ashdown Park Hotel has become a very popular venue for dining. There are two principle dining options; The Ivy Bar and the more formal Rowan Tree Restaurant.
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay - Laragh House
06 February 2013
I make no excuses whatsoever for the fact that I have a penchant for Kilkenny, both City and County. The fact is I have Black & Amber heritage so I am drawn like a bee to honey.
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Our Latest Great Place To Eat - Chervil Restaurant @ Hotel Doolin
06 February 2013
Hotel Doolin’s innovative eco friendly and green approach to everything they do is nowhere more to the fore than in their food. Their philosophy here is their passion for delivering original wholesome and inventive food.
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Delicious treats a piece of cake for three bakers
04 February 2013
IT WAS impossible to resist the smiling face proffering a taster of delicious cakes as I went into Blackrock Market on a cold blustery Saturday...
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The Road to Damascus
04 February 2013
Tabletalk “What’s the difference between Syrian and Lebanese food”? I asked the agreeable chap, who was wearing a fez and colourful national dress, at the new Damascus Gate restaurant on Upper Camden Street. “Nothing really,” he replied, “but like
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay - Amber Springs Hotel
03 February 2013
The sunny South East is always hugely popular with holidaymakers attracted by the myriad of wonderful beaches along the coast of Co.Wexford.
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SHOWCASE - IRISH CRAFT AND DESIGN - A WOW
28 January 2013
This year's Showcase expo at the RDS was full of top-quality design-led Irish crafts, says Lucinda O'Sullivan
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RESTAURANT REVIEW - RINUCCINI
28 January 2013
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Italian food. It is one of the most popular cuisines in the world. However, here in Ireland for many many years, our Italian dining experiences were bastardised Italian restaurants, serving mainly sloshy
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay - The Killarney Royal Hotel
26 January 2013
“How can you buy Killarney” went the old song made famous by Bing Crosby. Well you can’t of course but, if you know the right places to stay, you can buy into the best of the Killarney experience for the time you are there.
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay - The Glasshouse
25 January 2013
It is easy to see why The Glasshouse caused such a stir when it opened at Swan Point in Sligo, for the fact of the matter is that it is absolutely stunning.
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Our Latest Great Place To Stay - Raheen Woods Hotel
23 January 2013
There isn’t a better known or loved Irish song than ‘The Fields of Athenry’ - just ask any rugby fan. The orgins of this inspirational piece of music are rooted firmly in the beautiful and historical town for which it is named.
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Surprise arrival adds baby bib to Michelin bib
21 January 2013
When Billy Whitty and Joanne Harding got up on the morning of Friday, April 13, 2012, to start work at their Aldridge Lodge Restaurant and Guesthouse at Duncannon, Co Wexford, they had no idea that by that afternoon, they would be happy parents to a new b
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Restaurant Review - Rock Lobster
21 January 2013
The new Rock Lobster eatery over Kiely’s Pub in Donnybrook is a somewhat unusual collaboration between two guys in the restaurant industry in that they are at opposite ends of the country!
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Our Latest Great Place to Stay & Eat - Hotel Doolin
17 January 2013
Doolin is a very special place in the hearts of many. It’s spectacular rugged location on the northwest coast of Co. Clare, combined with its rich heritage and culture, draws people from all over the world to enjoy its natural beauty, hospitable people,
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Seafield Restaurant
16 January 2013
The Seafield Restaurant at the Seafield Hotel in Ballymoney, Co. Wexford, is a beautiful location with views of the golf course and courtyard but better still it also offers cracking innovative contemporary food that makes it a destination in itself.
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Barony Restaurant @ Talbot Hotel
15 January 2013
“True to region, true to season” is the slogan of Orla and Tom Talbot at their eponymous Talbot Boutique Hotel in Belmullet. There are two dining options at the hotel, the chic Barony Restaurant, which offers contemporary cooking in style, or The Talbot
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Our Latest Great Place to Stay - Seafield Hotel
15 January 2013
Once you swing left out of Gorey on the road to Ballymoney, it is not long before you realize you are in a different world. The windy roads abound with lush thick tropical greenery and it feels like you are in a very different place – away from it all –
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How Margaret's farm animals are tickled pink
14 January 2013
'The abattoir is a small one and he had almost finished a consignment of pigs when we arrived. The smell was all embracing – it seemed to settle in a gelatinous layer on me. The screams of the pigs were blood curdling and I glanced at 'Sausage' who had sh
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January Value in Countrywide Restaurants
14 January 2013
Last week we took a look at restaurant offers and value in Dublin. This week we are seeing what is available countrywide in our restaurants for January and February. In Co. Wicklow, at A. Caviston in Greystones, their new ‘fish deals’ concept has
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Our Latest Great Place to Stay - The Talbot Hotel Belmullet
14 January 2013
There is nothing I like better than hitting the road and getting out of Dublin at weekends, consequently I am always looking for somewhere new and different. Our latest discovery is The Talbot Hotel at Belmullet, Co. Mayo.
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January Value in Dublin Restaurants
08 January 2013
Today, being Little Christmas, is the last day of the Festive Season, but January and February don’t have to be dreary for it is clear from the plethora of new eateries springing up that we do really want to go out to eat in an informal casual way. There
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How a stray dog helped Sasha to follow her heart
07 January 2013
No sooner have we packed the Christmas decorations away than we get down to planning the summer holiday. It was ever thus, for there is a time for everything and everything in its time.
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Richy's Restaurant & RCafe
04 January 2013
One of the best known restaurants in the South West is Richy’s Restaurant and RCafé. Since first opening his doors in 2002 Richy Virahsawmy has been tantalizing locals and visitors alike with his cracking eclectic food bearing the influences of the Mauri
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Our Latest Great Place to Stay & Eat - Ritz-Carlton, Powerscourt
02 January 2013
Powerscourt Estate at Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, has always held a special place in the hearts of Dubliners. A truly splendid estate with a magnificent Palladian Mansion with formal gardens and terraces reminiscent of Versailles, it was here in 1965 that..
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Our Latest Great Place to Eat - Gordon Ramsay at Powerscourt
02 January 2013
There was excitement enough when the fabulous Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt Hotel opened its doors at Powerscourt Estate, Enniskerry, but there was a frisson of bliss when it was announced that the signature restaurant would be Gordon Ramsay at Powerscourt.