Dublin Writers Festival 20th-26th May 2013

The Dublin Writers Festival, founded in 1998, is nearly upon us and this year the organisers have managed to land some big name authors. With talks all over the city from the Irish Writers Centre to Axis Ballymun, there are free events as well as ticketed of various prices.

Several daytime events are aimed at children and there is a free evening Festival Club programme as well. All of the events can be seen at the festival website www.dublinwritersfestival.com

Some of the more well known names are Dan Brown, Colum McCann, John Banville, Roddy Doyle and Anne Enright.

    
Dan Brown                      John Banville                 Colum McCann

Jon Ronson of The Psychopath Test, Paul Lynch whose Red Sky in Morning has caused much excitement in the publishing world and Caitlin Moran, writer of the hilarious How to be a Woman are also on the programme.

   
Jon Ronson                     Paul Lynch                     Caitlin Moran

Other events with new authors or less well known names often turn out to be highlights of the festival so do not miss out and get involved!

The site has a map of venues and for visitors to the festival several restaurants have a DWF special if tickets are shown;
-Fallon and Byrne: 15% discount on cheese board and wine in The Cellar
-Winding Stair Bookshop Cafe, Ground Floor: 2 for 1 on hot drinks

Irish Restaurant Awards 2013 - Dublin Shortlists

Congratulations to all the restaurants, hotels and bars all over Ireland who were finalists for the Irish Restaurant Awards. The Dublin shortlists have also been announced in the following categories and where they were finalists in 2012 this has been indicated:

Dublin Shortlist for Best Customer Service:

• Chapter One, 18 Parnell Square D1 (2012)
• Dax Restaurant, 23 Pembroke Street Upper, D2
• Jaipur Dalkey, 21Castle Street (2012-Jaipur Georges Street)
• Jamie’s Italian, Unit 1 Pembroke District, Dundrum D16
• Il Primo, 16 Montague Street, D2
• Rasam, 18 Glasthule Road, Dun Laoghaire (2012)
• Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, 21 Upper Merrion Street, D2
• Saba, 26 Clarendon Street (2012)

Dublin Shortlist for Best Gastro Pub:

• Ely Gastro Pub, Grand Canal Square, D2
• Hole In The Wall, Blackhorse Avenue, Navan Road, D7
• The Exchequer, Exchequer Street, D2 (2012)
• The Magpie Inn, 115 Coliemore Road, Dalkey (2012)
• The Chophouse, 2 Shelbourne Road, D4 (2012)
• The Purty Kitchen, 3 Old Dunleary Road, Monkstown
• L. Mulligan Grocer, 18 Manor Street, D7 (2012)
• The Waterloo Bar and Grill, 36 Upper Baggot Street, D4 (2012)

Dublin Shortlist for Best Casual Dining: (all new nominations)

• Bite, 29 South Frederick Street, D2
• The Brass Monkey, 12 West Pier, Howth
• Whitefriar Grill, 16 Aungier Street, D2
• Isabel’s, 112 Baggot Street Lower, D2
• Ely Winebar, Ely Place, D2
• Saba
• Jamie’s Italian
• Fade Street Social, Fade Street, D2

Dublin Shortlist for Best Hotel Restaurant:

• Cliff Town House, 22 St. Stephen's Green, D2
• Citron @ The Fitzwilliam Hotel, 2 St. Stephen's Green, D2
• Samphire @ Waterside House Hotel, Donabate-on-the-Beach 
• The Cellar@ The Merrion Hotel, Upper Merrion Street, D2  
• Wilde@The Westbury, Clarendon Street, D2 (2012)
• The Dylan Restaurant@ Dylan Hotel, Eastmoreland Place, D4
• The Dungeon- Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney Hill Road, Killiney (2012)
• The Saddle Room@ The Shelbourne, Stephen's Green, D2 (2012)

Dublin Shortlist for Best Chef:

• Niall O’Sullivan of Isabel’s
• Ross Lewis of Chapter One
• Jerome Fernandez of La Reserve, 53 Ranelagh, D6
• Mikael Viljanen of The Greenhouse, Dawson Street, D2
• Graham Neville of Restaurant Forty One, 41 St. Stephen's Green, D2
• Kevin Thornton of Thornton’s, First Floor, The Fitzwilliam Hotel, D2
• Sunil Ghai of Ananda Restaurant, Dundrum Shopping Centre, Dundrum
• Tom Walsh of Samphire At The Waterside, Donabate.

Dublin Shortlist for Best Restaurant:

• Ananda
• Chapter One (2012)
• Dax Restaurant
• La Reserve Brasserie
• Locks Brasserie, 1 Windsor Terrace. D8
• Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud (2012)
• The Greenhouse
• The Pig’s Ear, Nassau Street, D2

Dublin Shortlist for Best Wine Experience:

• One Pico, 5 Molesworth Place, D2
• Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud (winner 2012)
• D’Vine Wine Bar, 16 Bachelors Walk, D1
• Dublin Wine Rooms, Custom House Square, IFSC, D1
• La Bodega, 93 Ranelagh Road, D6
• Ely Wine Bar
• Fallon and Byrne, Exchequer Street, D2
• Beaufield Mews, Woodlands Avenue, Stillorgan

Dublin Shortlist for Best Kids Size Me:

• Ely Gastro Pub (winner 2012)
• Juniors, 2 Bath Avenue, D4
• Joels, Newlands Cross, Naas Road, Clondalkin D22
• La Banca, Main Street,Lucan Village.
• Bewleys Hotel, Ballsbridge
• Ely Bar and Brasserie
• The Gables, Foxrock, D18.

Winners are to be announced of the All Ireland Awards on the 10th June. Good luck all!

Audio Guides- Dublin and Beyond

I think these are pretty good. Abarta Audio Guides are downloadable guides to 'Viking and Medieval Dublin' and '1916 Easter Rising Tour' as well as eight other spots around Ireland; Glendalough, Rock of Cashel, The Rock of Dunamase, Cahir Castle, Clonmacnoise, Dun Aonghasa, Hill of Tara and Kilkenny Castle.

For just €1.99 you transfer your selected guide to your MP3 player, iPod or mobile phone and then just listen as you visit the sites.

With stories about the ordinary men and women as well as the more well known famous names, with music and sound effects. The site www.abartaaudioguides.com has travel directions to each of the places.

Burrito Heaven - Where's your fave rave?

There was a nice article in the Metro Herald today by Chloe Scott on the upsurge in burrito restaurants in Dublin. She had some good tips on marinades and cuts of steak to use but it was the burrito bars that caught my eye. People can be very particular about what makes a good burrito.


The three mentioned in the article were Boojum, Saburritos and Burritos and Blues but you may have your own faves. Here is a run down of where you can start your burrito trail.

1. Pablo Picante has branches at 131 Baggot Street, D2 and also at 4 Clarendon Market, D2. It has won the Santa Rita People's Choice Award and also entertainment.ie's 'Best Burrito in Dublin 2010'.
Prices €4.50- €6.50.


2. Burritos and Blues is on Wexford Street, Lower Mayor Street in the IFSC and the newly opened 28 Sth. Anne Street. Generous with student voucher handouts the prices range from €4.15-€7.00.


3. Boojum is tucked down Millenium Walkway behind the Jervis Centre. It's one of the nicer looking restaurants and was Ireland's first burrito bar, run by husband and wife team John and Karen. Burritos range from €5.95-€6.45.


4. Little Ass Burrito Bar on Dawson Street is relatively new on the scene. It's a funky little corner cafe with limited seating but fine for grab and go. Prices €6.80 to €7.50, or any mini classic at €2 off.


5. Tolteca Mexican Grill is on Suffolk Street.Their burritos range from €6.50-€7.75 but they also have happy hours and meal deals. prices from €6.50-€7.75.


6. Mama's Revenge is on Leinster Street South and 80 Thomas Street near Christchurch. Not very welcoming looking from the outside, it has however had good reports from US visitors.


7. Azteca is on Lord Edward Street up past Dublin Castle and although a restaurant, it does take away as well. It is has a Mexican chef and the burritos are €7-€7.50.


8. Saburritos is on North Earl Street, in the Epicurean Food Hall and with two new branches in Liffey Valley and Pavilions.

On a similar note, but not of the cheap and quick take-away kind, Bite in South Frederick Street had this great picture of fish tacos from their lunch menu for €11.95 on their Facebook page on Saturday.


Happy burrito tasting everyone!
(If you're really into burritos in a big way then take a visit over to hellyeahburritos.wordpress.com "Finding Dublin's best burrito so you don't have to".)