Another month, another round of new openings. While we're not entirely sure at the moment which restaurants are going to reopen or shut their doors for good at the end of this fiasco (some are worryingly quiet), we do know there's still plenty of activity going on out there, and this lot are keeping our spirits high.
Treehouse Treats
We've been dying to see what Mister S ex-head chef Daniel Hannigan was going to do next, and now we know. He's set up Treehouse Treats, a coffee and dessert truck, with fellow industry pals David Keane and Luke Murphy. Their airsteam has pitched up in Knocknashee Estate in Goats Town, and they say they're aiming to bring a restaurant standard to their food, which is maybe surprisingly focused on dessert. Chocolate and whipped caramel tarts, vanilla cheesecake with lemon curd and hazelnut choux buns (see, told you) are all on the menu, as well as duck doughnuts with rhubarb hoisin - yes, the perfect marriage of sweet and savoury. Coffee is from Red Eye, and soon they're starting a click and collect for whole desserts. Treehouse Teats is open seven days a week from 08:00 - 16:00 Monday - Friday and 10:00 - 18:00 Saturday and Sunday.
Bao Bun Street Food, Aungier Street
The bao wars are officially on as Aungier Street's third bao restaurant has just opened its doors. Bao Bun Street Food (joining Big Fan Bao and Bao House on what will now will called 'Bao Street') already have two locations in Belfast but this is their first foray down south. Owner by a Belfast restaurateur, they decided to expand to Dublin due to their success in take-away and delivery during the pandemic, and because some of the management team have lived here and know the city.
They say it's a Taiwanese street food restaurant serving "fresh food fast", and the menu works like this: choose a base (bao bun, fries, rice or salad), choose a protein (chicken, beef, pork, tofu and more) and choose a combo - we're feeling the 'Hot' with kimchi, sriracha, Asian slaw and ponzu chillis, as well as the 'House' with Sichuan, pickled carrot & daikon, Asian slaw & crispy shallots. There's also bao burgers with crispy chicken, char siu pork, halloumi or tofu, as well as pho, dressed fries, and ice-cream bao buns - coming to a '5 Things We Want To Eat' near you soon. They're vegan, allergen and family friendly, open seven days a week and will be BYO when they reopen. Bring on the bao.
A Dó Coffee To Go, Malahide
A Dó Coffee To Go appeared a few weeks ago fully formed in a former nail salon on Malahide's New Street, selling coffee, vegan pastries, potato curry, a couple of sandwiches and little else. We love places doing a couple of things really well and are happy to report that's the case here. Locals Krishna Padayachee and John Quinn are the guys behind it, but it's Krishna's sister Anna Maria who's been brought in to cook their father's recipes. The Durban potato curry box comes with paratha, red cabbage slaw, green chutney and yoghurt dip and is going to have us coming back again and again - it also comes in sandwich form for maximum carb on carb. There's also a chicken sandwich and they plan to expand the menu in the coming week. They're open from 08:30 - 17:00 Monday - Friday and 10:00 - 17:00 at the weekends, and you can check them out on Instagram here.
Mac Daddy, Temple Bar
Dough Boys in Temple Bar has pivoted to become new "casual comfort food" spot Mac Daddy. As you might have guessed from the name they're going big on Mac and Cheese, with toppings like chile con carne, sour cream, Mac Daddy sauce, pickled jalapenos and a cheese Dorito crumb, but there's also fried chicken sandwiches on brioche buns and chicken popcorn. You can properly finish yourself off with cheese or chili cheese fries. They're open Wednesday - Sunday from 16:00 - 21:00 and you can order online for collection or on Deliveroo for delivery within 5km.
All Hail The Box, Dawson Street
What was formerly Pablo Picante on Dawson Street is now All Hail The Box, a jerk chicken one stop shop. There's only one thing on the menu, the box, and in it you get two pieces of jerk chicken, coconut rice and beans, mango hot sauce, rainbow slaw and jerk corn on the cob. They've also got Caribbean sodas like Ting and Old Jamaican ginger beer. Initial reports are very good, and we're planning a visit soon before taking it for a sit down in Stephen's Green.
Greenville Deli @ TwoFifty Square, Rathmines
Greenville Deli on Tara Street has done an admirable job of keeping their wheels turning since Tara Street footfall ground to a halt - you can now find their sandwiches in quality cafés around the city - but their latest venture of taking over the kitchen in TwoFifty Square in Rathmines is the most interesting yet. They've just launched weekend brunch boxes with a choice of four mains, soughdough and butter, coffee, a brownie, and a nojito lemonade for €25 pp. You can choose from fried egg and chorizo beans, pulled pork, a breakfast bap or a pancake stack, and they're available Saturdays and Sundays. They're also serving lunch from Monday - Friday with a salad and sandwich of the week and a couple of hot dishes. Order a brunch box here.
Tír Deli, Baggot Street
We told you that Tír Deli was coming soon a few weeks ago, but can now reveal that they're opening today! We want all four sandwiches on the menu, but particularly the smoked free-range pork belly, season's greens, seasonal slaw and rhubarb chili jam on bretzel ciabatta - see here. Tír Deli opens at 12pm and today and all of their first day's proceeds to the Irish Cancer Society. From tomorrow they'll be open 08:00 - 15:00 Monday - Friday. Check them out on Instagram here.
COMING SOON...
Bahay
A few weeks ago we had an Instagram debate on cuisines you wanted to see more of in Dublin, and right at the top of the list was Filipino, so how excited were we (and you) to learn that Clanbrassil House chef Richie Castillo had a Filipino food truck in the works. He calls Bahay' (which means home) a tribute to his father and the Filipino culture he grew up with, and wants to introduce people to their rich culture of food he feels is massively under-represented here (hard agree).
He'll be serving classic Filipino street food like Inihaw na Manok (grilled chicken), lechon (roasted pork), chicken adobo, lumpia (filipino pork spring rolls) and pancit canton (a noodle dish of Chinese origin, filipino style), served with classic filipino staples such as sinangag (garlic rice) and atsara (pickled green papaya). Other dishes like Kinilaw (filipino ceviche) and homemade longanisa (filipino sweet sausage) will join the menu later, along with vegan options. Richie says they're going to keep the menu short and simple, emphasising the sweet, sour and salty rich flavours of classic Filipino cuisine. Excited much? Yes. Very. Very excited. Follow Bahay on Instagram here.
Bujo
Everyone's favourite burgers, BuJo, are coming to Castleknock in the next few weeks, and it sounds like the click and collect drive through of our M50 dreams. It's going to be located at Junction 6 where the N3 meets the M50, so will accessible for so many burger lover across Dublin, Meath and Kildare, and it's going to be entirely focused on click and collect, via drive through and dedicated collection hatches. Orders will be placed ahead of time for both hot food and meal kits to cook at home (to avoid Krispy Kreme style queues), and there are over 300 parking spaces so there won't be any dramas getting a spot. Gridlock just got infinitely more bearable.
