Ireland Day 3

We knew we were heading to the Rock of Cashel first, but really needed to find some breakfast (and especially coffee for A, C and P). We happened across Fethard, which is a beautiful place with a well preserved medieval wall and church. A sign for a delicatessen led us to Emily's, where I had a great bagel with cream cheese and bacon (I have never seen this combo before but it appeared several times in Ireland).

Onwards to the Rock of Cashel, which is indeed impressive, though there is a lot of renovation work going on so parts were closed off to the public.

And then another castle that tourists just can't miss - Blarney Castle. We all kissed the Blarney stone (narrowly beating a giant tour group) and then had a relaxing wander around the grounds, which are well worth spending some time in. I could've easily walked around for another hour, but the whisky-lovers in the group were raring to get to Midleton so we had to get in the car again.

To be fair, we had no idea that the Midleton distillery offered pretty much exactly the same range as the Jameson distillery in Dublin. So if you go, pick one to do - I wouldn't do both. 

But one benefit is that it made a stop in Cobh possible on the way into Cork.  We knew very little about the place except that it had great harbor views, so when we saw Cobh cathedral we were all a bit stunned.

After a drink on a pier to enjoy the late afternoon, we headed into Cork for dinner. A friendly couple that we asked for directions gave us a recommendation for dinner - the Cornstore. A, P and I all had duck for dinner, which we really enjoyed - the yogurt sauce on top was lovely.

Afterwards we headed to a couple of pubs that were recommended by our waitress - Bierhaus and The Franciscan Well. A got chatting to the bartenders about homebrew and it inspired him to try it out. And finally, we were off to Kinsale for our third Airbnb accommodation - this was another really great place but it was again a bit remote and difficult to find in the dark. It was sad we didn't arrive earlier, actually, as the views from the house were absolutely stunning the next morning.

Ireland Day 1

Sorry for the long delays in posting. I went on a few too many holidays and am now terribly behind, but it just means I have a lot of writing to do - let's hope my memory keeps up. In August I went to Ireland with A, C and P - the four of us drove around to a lot of beautiful spots in six days. It definitely takes a lot longer to get around than you might expect though - the best places are not always on major roads, and plus you want to leave enough time to stop in scenic bits - so if I could do it again I'd probably extend the trip by a day or two. But let's see what we managed to do!

We flew into Dublin (I would highly recommend the Air France flight from London City Airport to Dublin, as it is SO MUCH EASIER to fly from LCA - you only have to be there 30 minutes before your flight!) After picking up our rental car, we went straight to our first Airbnb apartment to drop off our bags, before heading next door to the Guinness factory. It's very cleverly designed - many floors of Guinness history for you to progress to before you get to the very top for your free pint, by which point it tastes like one of the best things ever. A quick and simple lunch of potato, bacon and lovage soup with brown bread fueled us right up for the rest of the afternoon.

Afterwards we got onto the hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour of Dublin to make the most of our day there. But unfortunately the first bus driver we had was impossible to understand due to one of the thickest Irish accents I have ever heard. We hopped off. And guess what, we were in front of the Jameson distillery! So we popped in for some Jameson cocktails (do not get the hot chocolate cocktail, but the Irish coffees were good).

After a drink at a great pub (Porterhouse Central) we had one of the best dinners of the entire trip at The Pig's Ear (4 Nassau Street, Dublin). A's dish of pork belly is beautiful, isn't it?

And mine was cod, with boneless chicken wings, cauliflower, micro potatoes and golden raisins. Absolutely astonishingly good, especially the boneless wings.

Our only quibble was that the pea and bacon salad had almost no discernible bacon in it, and the duck fat potatoes side dish was tasty but not as crispy as I would have liked. C's salmon and P's short rib were raved about, so overall I would definitely recommend it.

After dinner, we went to KC Peaches (28-29 Nassau Street, Dublin) as there was a live jazz band playing that night. A bottle of Rioja went extremely well with the cheese plate, which was more like a work of art as you can see.

And to finish off the night, we ended up in Temple Bar to find some Irish trad music. Unfortunately it was Saturday and we are all too old to put up with the crowds and noise - we tried a couple of places but it quickly became obvious we all wanted to get back to the peace and quiet of our accommodation, so we called it a night.

Scotland Day 7 - The Tallest Tree in Britain, More Ospreys, Police, Howie's Bistro

We woke up to a grey and drizzly morning in Dunkeld. After another hearty breakfast, we decided to go for a walk before the rain got any heavier, so we headed off to the Hermitage. Thankfully, the thick covering of trees meant that very little rain actually landed on us, and as we walked past a bubbling stream and some mini-waterfalls, we came across what was listed as the tallest tree in Britain.

Is this really the tallest tree in Britain?

More interestingly, I read later at Dunkeld Cathedral that the reason why this area is covered in Douglas firs is that one of the previous Dukes of Atholl decided to put seeds into cannons and blasted the surrounding area with them. So now, hundreds of years later, there are incredibly tall fir trees all over the place.

After our walk we went to Dunkeld Cathedral which was pretty, and more importantly, dry inside. The rain was really getting heavy at this point so after our very thorough inspection of the cathedral (and an eclectic antiques store nearby), we went back to the B&B for a little snack consisting of some Scottish cheese and crackers we picked up at The Scottish Deli. 

A and his mom were feeling a little under the weather so we left them to rest at the B&B and headed out to Loch of the Lowes. While checking out the hides on the loch, where you can watch birds and wildlife from the comfort of a shelter, we bumped into loads of friendly birdwatchers who were very helpful at directing us where to look to see all the interesting sights. There are ospreys there, too, and I actually saw this osprey swoop into the water, catch a massive fish (which you can see on the right side of the photo) and drag it up to the top of a very tall tree where her nest is. She's the oldest breeding osprey they know of - apparently almost three times as old as your average osprey.

This osprey will mess you up.

After that, we found a trail that headed toward Dunkeld and went for a wander.

Picturesque moss.

The wander found us going down a rather steep hill all the way into Dunkeld, and we popped out right in from the The Scottish Deli again. What goes down must come up(!) so we trekked back up like the valiant hill walkers we are, and were very proud of ourselves when we made it back to Loch of the Lowes.

By this point it was dinner time again, and Kate, the owner of the B&B, had recommended Howie's Bistro to us. We arrived and proceeded to have one of the best meals of our Scottish trip. A and my dad ordered the Perthshire spring lamb, redcurrant & leek casserole, and the noises my dad made while eating this indicated that he was not going to share. I had Howie’s own lasagne with potato wedges & dressed salad, which was rich and warming and perfect for the chilly, wet weather. Shockingly, my mom's dish, which sounded boring: Leek, mushroom & pannchetta penne pasta topped with a garlic butterflied chicken breast, was anything but - I basically licked her bowl clean when she couldn't finish it, since the mushroom flavor was so intense and creamy. And A's mom's pan seared sea bass had a crisp, savory skin and was cooked just right.

LAMB.

Lasagne (but the chips let you know you're still in the UK)

We shared the lime cheesecake with chocolate ice cream for dessert, which made the cheesecake lovers and chocolate lovers all very happy. When we got back to the B&B, we found out that Howie's Bistro is owned by Kate's two sons - so thankfully we really enjoyed our meal or else that could have been an awkward situation...
Anyway - Dunkeld is a small place, so I was surprised to find such a great place for dinner, but that seemed to be the trend in Scotland, finding really outstanding food in out of the way places.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

66 Knightsbridge
London
SW3 1

To mark the start of our holidays, A and I treated ourselves to lunch at Dinner. Heston's one of the few chefs that A shows much interest in, so it was fun to experience some of the strange and wonderful methods that produce what is in the end an incredibly flavorful dish. There's a special lunch menu that can make things quite a bit more affordable, but we also wanted to try the meat fruit, which has been talked about endlessly, so A went a la carte with that. The chicken liver parfait inside the orange was so smooth and creamy, and we marveled at how much it really looked like an orange when it arrived at the table. I had a snail salad to start which was also very good, but not quite as memorable. A then had the pork chop - the most remarkable thing was the tiny bits that look like popcorn next to it - the waitress explained that it takes them 3 days to make it as it's essentially pork cracklings that have been dehydrated and puffed up so that they are light as air in the mouth, yet still have an intensely porky flavor. My duck leg was good, with heavenly mash underneath, but the pork chop was the clear winner. My set lunch included a dessert and I chose the prune and tamarind tart, which turned out to be a tart with a layer of tamarind/prune puree, then a custard topping with a crackly creme brulee top. And after that, we were presented with little pots of Earl Grey ganache with  caraway seed shortbread - the sweet and savory contrast (which is something I often have issues with) worked perfectly here. While it's definitely a special occasion restaurant, I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be if I was celebrating something on a sunny day - the views over Hyde Park added another dimension to a stunning experience that left me smiling for the rest of the day.

The Cove

Maenporth Beach
Falmouth
Cornwall
TR11 5HN

C is very good at finding lovely restaurants in Cornwall and she was successful again with The Cove. Its location on Maenporth Beach means that the views are stunning, though of course the day we went it was quite gray and drizzly so we didn't get the full benefit of the big glass windows. Still, the food is also cooked with care and by someone who clearly knows how to do fish perfectly. I started with Crispy Deep Fried Tiger Prawns, Aioli, Gremolata - we noticed that the frying here is also very good as all the fried items were crisp and greaseless. My main was the stunner though - Sesame Crusted Cod Filet with Mirin, Chilli, Ginger and Coriander Dressing. The Asian flavors went so well with the cod and it was cooked just to the point of being firm enough to flake, but without any of the toughness you get once cod goes a tiny bit past done. A place to remember for a return visit!

Piazza by Anthony

Corn Exchange
Leeds
LS1 7BR

A Friday night in Leeds before A & D's wedding was a bit rainy and cold, but getting to see a lot of non-London friends made it all worthwhile. I had spotted Piazza by Anthony on some lists of top cheap eats in Leeds. I might place it more in the moderate category, but I think it is pretty good value, which is why it's mentioned in those lists. The boys had steak and chips, which were decent, though not extraordinary by any means. My beautiful scallops over chowder were a highlight, and C enjoyed her fish and chips, though what really blew us away was the sticky toffee pudding. I've started making that at home as it is by far my favorite British dessert - don't worry, a recipe will be up on here soon!

Mussels in White Wine

As much as I love mussels, I have never cooked them at home. I know they're easy, I know they're cheap, but somehow I never found time to grab some and make them in my own kitchen. (Perhaps this is because my local grocery store doesn't carry them and I am too lazy to go to the fishmongers. This is where Farm Direct steps in - fresh mussels to your door! And no, I don't get paid by them, I just love them.) Anyway - my first bag of mussels was obtained, and then I had a rummage around for what else to throw in. Onions, carrots, thyme, sage, chives, two puny red chillies - all of it was in the fridge or garden, so that's what went in. Oh, and the duck fat I've been using in everything lately - crazy good with every dish so far. And last but not least, a bottle of white that has been sitting on our counter, waiting for a chance to be used/drunk. So here you go - and yes, it is as easy to cook mussels as everyone says. This felt like a luxury lunch even though it was cheap and quick.


Mussels in White Wine
Serves 4 as starter, 2 as main
Ingredients
1 kg mussels
1/2 bottle white wine (I used a pinot grigio from Italy)
2 small carrots, finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
4 sprigs of thyme
10 sage leaves, shredded
2 small red chillies
handful of chives to garnish
butter (or duck fat, if you have it on hand)
crusty baguette for dipping
Method
1. Add 1 tbsp butter (or duck fat) to a large pan/pot that has a fitted lid. Place over medium heat until fat is melted, and then add carrots and onions and give it a good stir. Cook for a few minutes until onions are translucent.
2. Add wine, thyme, sage and chillies. Bring the liquid to a boil and let it boil for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the mussels and put the lid on the pot. Cook for 10 minutes - all of the mussels should be open now.
4. Serve portions of the mussels in bowls (make sure you get some of the cooking liquid in the bowl to dip the baguette into). Garnish with chives. Serve with sliced baguette.

The Driver

2-4 Wharfdale Road
London
N1 9RY

The Driver is just off Caledonian Road and occupies a lovely building with five floors of options, from the pub downstairs to the restaurant on the first floor, going up to the the additional bars and roof terrace on top. A Groupon deal was what attracted A and me to the place and it was lovely to find another nice place to have dinner in the area. 

We started with pan fried queen scallops and a chorizo, halloumi and new potato salad. Of the two, the salad was definitely the winner with the spicy savoury chorizo playing well with the halloumi. Mains were a venison steak (perfectly rare and with a great hint of gamey flavor) and a rib-eye with Diane sauce that A polished off with a smile. We were so full that we didnt' attempt dessert, even though I am usually unable to resist sticky toffee puddings.

Service was friendly and even though the upstairs floors were occupied by private parties, our waitress went to ask whether the roof terrace party was winding down and when she found out it was, she encouraged us to go up and finish the last of our wine there since it was such a unique spot. Roof terraces are hidden gems in this city, and now I've got one more filed away for sunny days.

Andrew Edmunds

46 Lexington Street
London
W1F 0LW

Andrew Edmunds is a place that A and I passed by before several years ago. I remember on a dark night, the glowing candles on each cozy table made it look like the most magical restaurant in London. But there was no sign announcing its name, and then some time passed and I forgot about it. Cue some food blog reading a couple of years later, and suddenly a post about this place rang a handful of bells in my head. Could this be it, the place I had been meaning to find and try? IT WAS. And man oh man, am I glad I found it. To start, I had goose rillettes with toasted granary bread and onion jam while A slurped up a potato, chorizo and chard soup. Sipping on glasses of red wine in between courses, we admired how pretty the lighting made everything look and how well laid-out the tables were - the space just conjures up a welcoming feeling with enough of a buzz to lubricate your conversation without having to actually overhear other people's talking. Next up for me was a whole lemon sole with fried capers and roasted fennel while A opted for poached salmon with samphire and new potatoes. My dish was the winner of the two, as A was left wishing that he had ordered steak instead. Still, as we eased out into the summer evening, we decided we would come back in winter for an even cosier meal.

Terroirs

5 William IV St
London
WC2N 4DY

A blustery rainy night meant that P and I changed our original plans to go to Chowpatty Beach on the Southbank. After checking out the Ai Wei Wei exhibit at Somerset House, we headed towards Trafalgar Square and P had the brilliant idea of going to Terroirs. This cozy wine bar is hidden away but still popular, and we waited at the bar with a lovely bottle of refreshing white wine until we managed to snag a table. I believe their menu changes frequently so some of these dishes might not always be available, but we put together a delicious meal with some saucisson, duck rillettes, anchovies, artichoke, steak tartare and a beautifully wobbly vanilla panna cotta. It's a fantastic place to go to catch up with a friend over nice wine and perfectly prepared small dishes, and beats the pants off of most of the other restaurants in the area.

The Riding House Cafe

43-51 Great Titchfield Street
London
W1W 7PQ

After hearing several raves about the Riding House Cafe, reservations were made to take advantage of their soft opening 50% off special. The cocktail list was so fun that I had to start with a Pony Club which was a nice way to ease into the evening. A chopped salad with avocado and palm hearts was ordered to share, and while it was certainly good, I think I might agree with A that it can be a bit disappointing to order something that would be easily replicated at home. Mains were much more successful - the chorizo hash browns were a nice breakfast-for-dinner dish, and the rack of pork was juicy and perfectly cooked. Usually we would skip dessert but the table next to us ordered the hot fudge sundae, complete with macaroons and honey comb, and it looked irresistable. Perfect for sharing, it would have been too sweet for just one person to consume. With the soft opening discount, dinner was very reasonable - too bad it's already over...

Skylon Grill

Royal Festival Hall
Belvedere Road
London
SE1 8XX

January is great for eating out at bargain prices - P found a deal at Skylon Grill for 2 courses and a glass of wine for £15. It occupies a great location on the Southbank with huge windows overlooking the Thames. We settled in and opted for glasses of South African red. I chose the chickpea and goat's cheese salad with lemon dressing for my starter, while P had the pumpkin soup. While the picture of my salad is terrible, it was a refreshing mix of flavors and perfectly dressed with the tart vinaigrette. We both chose the confit duck leg with parmesan polenta and red wine jus for mains, and the duck was tender and crispy, just as it should be. The bed of polenta soaked up all the ducky juices and we both cleaned our plates. We were too full to go for a third course, which shows how generous the portions are. I think Skylon Grill runs special menus pretty often so it can be a fantastic place to have a special meal with a view at a very reasonable price.