Restaurant WhatsApps, Review Roundups and Crisp sandwiches
You weekly food and drink news is here
It’s bonjour today as I’m headed to France later, Nice to be exact, and I’m looking forward to hitting up the many wine bars I’ve added to a very full Google map. News this week seems quiet, as is the norm I think following a busy bank holiday weekend, or maybe I was just taking it easy and not being nosy enough 😅 still, plenty to peruse below. I will of course be checking out the newly opened Arthur’s Bar in Terminal 1 while I’m in the airport today. If you fancy following along, check out my Instagram.
Fresh ingredients:
News & stuff I’m excited about
There’s a WhatsApp group for everything these days but have you heard about restaurants using WhatsApp groups for preferential bookings? That’s what is happening in London according to this Times article Dorian in Notting Hill has various WhatsApp groups, “a group for wine lovers, one for celebrities and another for “regs”. Membership is earned but includes tables at 8.30 — the holy grail of bookings not available to the public online”. They also mention the newly opened foodie pub the Fat Badger has a similar WA group. What I want to know is, are any Irish restaurants running customer WhatsApp groups? And what do people think of it if they did?
It’s a mixed bag for reviews this week so far, over in the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness is not impressed by Caribou meanwhile in the Irish Times Corinna Hardgrave writes what could be described as an ode to the Peking duck at newly opened China Tang in Monstown. Both are in Saturday's papers (buy the paper 🙏🏻). Corinna has also been busy updating Eater.com’s Dublin restaurant listing and map, check out the 38 restaurants she included here.
Speaking of reviews, this weekend is Jay Rayner’s first Financial Times review. He’s writing about Rules, London’s oldest restaurant and this first week is free from paywall - yay.
Back at his old home of the Observer, I want to hate that they are now using celebs for their restaurant reviews - as if it isn’t hard enough for food writers already! But then in last week’s issue, Kirsty Wark wrote this pitch-perfect review of Margo in Glasgow, I restaurant I happened to eat in the day after she was there and loved it just as much.
Nostalgia heavy bar Jackies recently closed on Francis Street but is now reopening on Aungier Street in the space that was Darwin’s Bar.
There’s been a change in the kitchen at Note on Fenian Street, chef Essa Fakhry has left and the kitchen is now being led by Ben Fehily.
Did you know when the Fitzwilliam Hotel on Stepeh’s Green first opened in 1998 it became renowned for its take on the Bloody Mary? To celebrate 27 years of a favourite they’ve launched a Bloody Mary menu in their new Lounge including a Bloody Irish Mary with iStil 38 Irish Vodka, Mic’s Chilli Inferno Sauce, Achill Island Smoked Sea Salt, Dublin Bay prawns and Irish pickles. Find out more and book in here.
Love this idea from Lock 13 in Sallins. ‘Lock in, Log out’. Every Wednesday from 4 - 9 pm, order your dinner and hand over your phone and you’ll get a complimentary wine or kombucha.
Want to know more about regenerative farming? Check out this documentary showing at the Fumbally next week.
Sebastian Skillings, better known as The Hungry Fishmonger, announced his new cookbook ‘The Hungry Fishmonger’ this week. It will be released on May 5th, via Amazon and available in George’s Fish Shop in Monkstown.
If you want to know more about Irish Wine geese O’Briens is hosting a very special online event on Thursday 27th March with Lynne Coyle Master of Wine and Jean-Charles Cazes, owner of the legendary Château Lynch-Bages. Buy a tasting case to take part at a special offer price of €210 (RRP €280, SAVE €70).
Food and drink producers looking to apply for the Super Valu Academy, the closing date is coming up. Find out more here.
The first ever Irish Pâtisserie Championship has been announced hosted by Odaios Foods and the six pastry chefs that made the shortlist are Alessia Grisafi, Pastry Sous Chef, Glovers Alley; Juliette Simon, Pastry Chef, Gra Chocolates; Aoife Comerford, Pastry Junior Sous Chef, Glovers Alley; Asia Mahealani McDonagh, Owner, Mahealani Pastries, Galway; Siriporn Notman, Senior Chef de Partie, The Ivy, Belfast and Sven Herreman, Pastry Chef, Langtons, Kilkenny. They will battle it out on May 27th at the DNA Pastry Unwrapped conference find out more here.
The Good Food Ireland Conference is taking place next Tuesday, 25th March at The Marker Hotel, a cross-sector conference focusing on Ireland’s agri-food and tourism sectors. Find out more here.
If you fancy brushing up on your kitchen skills from cooking to DIY check out Clare based Common Knowledge’s upcoming courses. Learn to cook with confidence from the brilliant Ash Gribben, learn to make your own concrete counter top or spend two days learning how to build your own kitchen cabinets.
Dede in Baltimore is hosting a wine dinner on April 16th with famous German Mosel Valley winemakers Joh. Joe. Prüm, also known as J.J.Prüm.
If you are near Cork, the brilliant Dan Saladino will be at Ballymaloe Cookery School on Monday.
Wine, chocolate and cheese? Yes please! Limerick based Braw Chocolate are hosting an evening with their pals Cavavin Wines on Friday, March 28th that’s all about wine, chocolate and cheese - details and booking here.
You know how I feel about pubs (love obvs) so it’s worrying to read Irish Independent’s survey findings - more than a quarter of Ireland’s rural pubs are staffed by as little as two people.
But they did also highlight a great pub doing great things in Limerick.
It’s fun to see the rest of the world realise that other stouts exist.
I am so here for this series by Nell’s Kitchen creating incredible sandwiches based on crisps. This Scampi Fries creation looks delicious as does this Frazzles one.
Victoria Ratliff’s Exact ‘White Lotus’ Season 3 Episode 2 Food Order At The White Lotus Thailand.
Petit Fours:
Sweet bits to watch, listen, read or obsess over etc.
ICYMI - my chat with John McKenna for Grubstack last week watch back here.
Listen to Ballymaloe pastry chef JR Ryall talk about lovely things on Cherry Bombe’s podcast, She’s My Cherry Pie.
This is a great idea for day-old cinnamon rolls.
I’ve just downloaded this book for a listen, Care and Feeding by Laurie Woolever, a memoir about 20 years of working behind the scenes in America’s food scene including stints with Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain.
Adding to my wishlist 😍
Stopped scrolling to read about the £300 burger but stayed to marvel at Kate Moss still just boozing and smoking like the legend that she is.
Would you eat a pickled egg covered in crisps????
Hot Dog Tower yes, please
London Vegetable Orchestra
What happens when you boil a funny bone?
It becomes a laughing stock
Thanks for reading and please do subscribe but I have another ask also…
My brilliant sister Christine is fundraising for the Irish Cancer Society, a cause that is very close to our hearts and unfortunately, I know it is for many others. If you love yoga (or step aerobics!) and are around Maynooth check out her YoGrá Yoga Studio fundraising events here with all proceeds going to the Irish Cancer Society. You can also donate directly to support here.