Even though we're still in "the hungry gap" and summer crops aren't quite ready, we're seriously impressed by the amount of colour and invention going into Dublin dishes right now. Woodruff baked Alaska, buffalo chicken focaccia, asparagus and Young Buck galettes - here are the five things we most want to eat this week...
1) 'The Buffalo Gal' Focaccia, Bread Man Walking
Gerry Godley is bringing the wings/hot sauce/blue cheese trifecta to a focaccia, and we could not be more excited. Bread Man Walking's 'Buffalo Gal' sees sourdough foccacia get a foundation of Frank's hot sauce before going into the oven, with marinated chicken thigh and cherry tomato shoved into the nooks and crannys. After coming out there's more Frank’s and blue cheese two ways - a crema and some Cashel Blue. Scallions, Maldon salt, celery seed and shards of crispy chicken skin finish it (and us) off. On the menu now.
2) Bibimbap arancini, Space Jaru
It's the Korean/Italian fusion food we never knew we needed. Space Jaru are taking their bulgogi beef, adding some nori and pecorino, and turning it into their version of arancini with a gochujang relish. Clever.
3) Asparagus and Young Buck galette, Elliot's
There's a new galette on the bench in Elliot's in Phibsborough. It's got new season asparagus, McNally Farm rainbow chard, herby béchamel, Young Buck and Coolcush cheeses, pea shoots and three cornered leek flowers. Almost ALMOST too pretty to eat.
4) Ryan's rhubarb & woodruff Baked Alaska, Woodruff
Woodruff in Stepaside love to use their namesake in dishes - the sweet herb with flavours of vanilla, cardamom, and cinnamon - and the latest is in this rhubarb baked Alaska. We generally can't get enough rhubarb or baked Alaska, so there are a lot of boxes being ticked here.
5) Rhubarb and blood orange panna cotta, Fallon & Byrne
We did say we can't get enough rhubarb. Fallon & Byrne's have just added this dish to their dining room menu of pink rhubarb and yogurt panna cotta with blood orange, poached rhubarb and jelly, confit zest and citrus shortbread. We NEED.
