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".)

Sharing a Bargain- Gourmet Burger Kitchen 2 for 1

I'm sharing this voucher of 2 for 1 at GBK- order two burgers and get the cheapest free (Ireland only). Valid in Liffey Valley, Temple Bar, Whitebridge SC Newbridge, Pavilions SC Swords, South Anne St and Sth. William St but not Dublin Airport. http://www.gbk.ie/store_locations.asp
Valid until 30/4/2013

Women's Prize for Fiction 2013- Shortlist.

Last Tuesday, the 16th April saw the announcement of the shortlist for the 2013 Women's Prize for Fiction (formerly the Orange Prize). The shortlist is;

       

        

Barbara Kingsolver and Zadie Smith are previous winners, and if it was to go to the most funky cover then Maria Semple's Where'd You Go, Bernadette would win hands down.

From a most excellent longlist, the one I was most disappointed not to see get on the shortlist was G.Willow Wilson's Alif the Unseen. 


The author, G.Willow Wilson has an interesting background. From New Jersey originally, after studying Arabic language and literature in her history degree, after converting to Islam she moved to Cairo and worked for an Egyptian opposition magazine which closed in 2005.

An extraordinarily inventive novel, Alif the Unseen is set in an oppressive oil-rich Arab country where Alif the computer whiz-kid is mediator for anyone who wants to speak out against the state. Secretly involved with a  girl from a more affluent family, she sends him a book that causes more trouble than he would ever believe. Crossing between the world of the real and the djinns this is a fantastical tale that never seems too fabulous for belief, and this is its best quality. Almost like 'Harry Potter Visits Arabia' and with touches of Star Wars we are taken into alternative worlds and meet fantastical beasts, but always at the heart of it is the determination of Alif to do the right thing. Inventive, original and entertaining, it is in its most simple form an adventure love story and one that is a great to have experienced.

http://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/

The O'Brien Press- The Mammy by Brendan O'Carroll, Winning a Losing Battle by Gary Kirwan and Food For Friends by Edward Hayden

O'Brien Press have some very nice books out at the moment. The first is an ole favourite. Brendan O'Carroll's The Mammy was first published in 1994 and has been in constant print ever since. In a new edition and reprinted four times in 2012 this book was the inspiration behind his TV series Mrs Brown's Boys.


The Mammy of the title is Agnes Brown, Moore Street trader, mother of seven and wife to Redser Browne in Dublin in the late 1960s. How she copes when Redser dies is told here in this ever popular book.

Gary Kirwan gained lots of attention in his battle to lose weight through the radio coverage on The Ray D'Arcy Show. From Limerick, Gary Kirwan had contacted the show because no scales would take his weight. Weighed live on air on Ray's 'Fix it Friday' he was 41 stone and 3 pounds. This was the start of his attempt to do something about it.
     

His story and transformation has been followed on the show and has been an inspiration to others. In his determination to help others who have struggled like himself he has written about his experiences and tips on training and nutrition in Winning A Losing Battle: From 41 Stone to a New Life. His book tells of how he has managed to lose fifteen stone, as well as completing the Dublin City Marathon twice, triathlons and returning to college.

The final book is due out at the end of the month. Food for Friends is by Edward Hayden, who appears regularly on TV3's Ireland AM as well as in cookery columns in  Woman's Way. This book is about entertaining, in every way, with chapter titles: Brilliant Brunches, Home-Baking Essentials, Children's Birthday Party, Sizzling Summer Barbecues, Summer Salads, Informal Suppers, Food For Romance, Movie Night In, Dinner Party, Big Occasions and Here Comes Santa Claus.

It's a really nice looking book and well laid out. For anyone who entertains regularly or who puts together kids parties or casual barbecue meals, there are loads of great ideas and recipes here. None of them are too complicated because who wants to spend ages in the kitchen or fret over a tricky dish when they are entertaining but having all these suggestions in one book is always a great help. I regularly refer to Nigella Lawson's Feast for entertaining ideas and this book has a similar approach.

Particularly lovely photos that caught my eye were the Chocolate and hazelnut biscotti, Pesto and sundried tomato bread, Potato salad with pesto, pine nuts and smoked bacon, Moroccan couscous and the Mixed grill skewers.

With Edward Hayden's smiling face on the cover this is a book that would make a great present for the young cook starting out on the entertaining path or for anyone at all who likes cooking for friends.

www.obrien.co.uk

Hennessy Literary Awards 2013

On Tuesday of this week the Hennessy Literary Awards were announced. The overall winner for the New Irish Writer Award was Jessica Traynor. The ceremony was held in the French Ambassador's residence in Dublin.

 Jessica Traynor
Jessica works in the literary department of the Abbey Theatre. Her honour was given for two poems, 'Aubade' and 'Ebay auction for antique jewellery'.

The winner of the Emerging Fiction category was John O'Donnell for his short story 'Shelley' and the First Fiction Award went to Ruth Quinlan for her short story 'The Healing'.

Dermot Healy, novelist and poet, was inducted into the Hennessy Literary Awards Hall of Fame.

Pulitzer Prize 2013 Announced

The 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction has been won by Adam Johnson for The Orphan Master's Son. 



Following on from the controversial decision last year not to award a prize for fiction, this years choice is particularly interesting as it is set in North Korea, which is much in the news at present. The Pulitzer is considered to be the US's most prestigious literary prize and the other fiction finalists were both excellent - What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander and The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey.

Adam Johnson, a Stanford associate professor reminded us in his interview that it was illegal for North Korean citizens to interact with foreigners and his only way to interact with them was through his imagination. The Pulitzer web page describes it as " an exquisitely crafted novel that carries the reader on an adventuresome journey into the depths of totalitarian North Korea and into the most intimate spaces of the human heart." (http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2013-Fiction)

Eden in Temple Bar - Half Price!!

So come on now - which one of you out there was keeping this secret from me? Eden Restaurant on Meeting House Square is re-launching itself as Nede from Tuesday 7th May. To celebrate this, all food, day and night, until Sunday May 5th is HALF PRICE!!! Yes, you read that correctly!

Two new chefs are coming on board as part of the re-launch and as a way of saying goodbye to the old menu and their seventeen years as Eden they are having the special half price menu. It's a grand gesture and I am booked in to take full advantage.


The full menu is served 12-3pm and 5pm till close.
The menu on the website is:

APPETISERS

COMPLIMENTARY SELECTION OF EDEN BAKED BREADS

MIXED STUFFED OLIVES €3

TODAYS SOUP €5

EDEN SMOKIES Smoked haddock with spring onion, cherry tomato,crème fraiche & melted cheddar cheese, €8

SELECTION OF MEATS Duck pastrami, ham hock terrine, chicken liver mousse& piccalilli €8

CASTLETOWNBERE CRAB SALAD With curried aioli, beetroot concasse & wasabi caviar  €8

CORIANDER FALAFEL With green pepper & apple relish and lemon tahini sauce €7

MAIN COURSES

TODAYS CATCH (market price)

POTATO & BASIL FILO PARCEL Served with caponata & a red pepper dressing €11.50

PAN ROASTED IRISH CORNFED CHICKEN  With a warm mixed bean, chorizo & rocket salad and coriander creme fraiche. €18

PANFRIED FILLET OF 7oz PRIME IRISH BEEF With homemade chips, roast red onion, green beans & peppercorn sauce €29

BRAISED PORK BELLY With pea champ, red onion marmalade, caramelized apples & a calvados jus €17

LAMB TAGINE With couscous, green beans, almonds & mint yoghurt.€18

SIDES

Portobello Mushroom with garlic butter €4

Homemade Fries & aioli €4

Today’s Vegetables €3

Eden Mashed Potato €3

Eden Garden Salad €4

Mixed Green Salad €3