Summer has arrived in Dublin. Yes, it’s barely broken 20 degrees, and the sun hasn’t actually been shining that much, but the rain is gone and the bins in Portobello are filling up faster than the reservations book in Liath. And the food seems to have gotten brighter too. Here are some of the ultra colourful dishes on our eating agenda this week.
1) Gazpacho with Prawns from Rosa Madre
Try and name a more iconic duo than seafood and summer; we’ll wait. Using plump red prawns and stracciatella, this rich gazpacho from Rosa Madre looks like a serious shot of flavour when you’re too hot to cook.
2) Cheesy Cornbread from Queen of Tarts
They had us at “cheesy”. This new breakfast dish from the Queen of Tarts is packing a lot of savoury flavours, which can be surprisingly hard to find on a breakfast menu. It’s served with spicy beans, fried eggs, fresh salsa, chillies, and sour cream, and is giving us all the savoury summer feels.
3) Red Tomato Tagliatelle from Grano
Grano’s violet aubergines and smoked ricotta on red ribbons of tomatoey tagliatelle almost makes us feel the sun on our faces. Add a glass of Verdicchio and you could convince yourself that you're in Sicily instead of Stoneybatter.
4) Pancakes from Evolve Eatery
Since opening in Clondalkin last year Evolve Eatery has been turning out some seriously bright plates for breakfast and lunch, and their fluffy protein pancakes topped with mountains of fresh fruit and edible flowers have been catching our eye. They’re also offering free pancakes for children with every adult meal from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. Free food, quiet kids; it’s a summer miracle.
5) Peaches and Ricotta from Frank’s
Yes it’s a picture, but if you look at this one long enough, you can actually smell the peaches. Frank's, the new wine bar in a former butcher’s on Camden Street, is walk-in only which makes it the ideal spot to stop in to on an evening stroll. Smothered in ricotta and brown butter, this one will keep you going till Autumn.
