OUR SCENE | EAT THE MENU
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Dublin
Dining Destination BY CARLA WALDEMAR Drink was to be expected. No one has ever accused the Irish of being a dour, teetotaling race. The whiskey proved excellent, the beer was unsurpassed. But the food! That’s people’s greatest surprise when visiting Ireland. Today’s visitors are in for a pleasant awakening. No gray cabbage and overcooked potatoes. Gone is the soggy Irish strew. Corned beef? Sorry. Ten years ago, you couldn’t even find garlic in many a grocery store. Now, you
can see fresh herbs and wild mushrooms in even the smallest towns. The wherewithal has always been there, from tender lamb, fresh seafood, artisanal cheeses and sturdy oats to, yes, those very cabbages and potatoes. But these days, they’re handled with exacting kitchen techniques and a new sense of adventure. The dining scene has come of age, marrying traditional foods with up-to-the-minute combinations and presenta-
tions, as proven in Dublin’s destination dining rooms. Tucked above the fashionable boutiques of Nassau Street is the equally-chic Pig’s Ear, whose 15 tables overlook Trinity College. Dine on deconstructed classics like slow-cooked shepherd’s pie; beef cheek with grilled broccoli, chestnut mushrooms, bone marrow and ox tongue; or glazed pigs’ belly with black pudding, burnt pear and butternut squash scatContinue on page 45
42 LAVENDER JUNE 2-15, 2022