The best thing we scoffed so far this year was the ultimate Tayto x Hawksmoor Toastie that was being served in the latter’s palatial College Green restaurant last month.

Contained within two slices of Bread 41 sourdough was slow-cooked ham hock, red and white Irish Cheddar, Gubbeen from down Cork way, a smattering of mozzarella, cornichons and jalapenos.

Accompanied by a generous portion of Tayto Cheese & Onion crisps that had been loaded with scallion mayo and more of that juicy ham hock, it was a serious taste sensation.

Talking of Tayto, they’ve recently added Creamy Paprika to their list of Lentil Chips flavours and come April will be bringing us Marmite Crisps and Tortillas.

This truly is a great time to be alive!

Th second best thing we’ve eaten so far this year is the Carne e Mozzarella Pasteis, a deep fried pastry pocket filled with melted cheese and spicy beef that’s among the ‘must-tries’ at The Brazil House, a near D1 neighbour of Hot Press’, residing at 4 Mary Street.

At just €6.25 it’s astonishingly good value, as are such main course dishes as the Feijoada, the country’s famous meat and beans stew which will keep you fed for a week. Also check out the Tapioca Wraps and the Moqueca de Frutos do Mar, packed with some of the plumpest prawns we’ve ever seen.

 

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Nominated for no fewer than eight Irish Restaurant Awards is Smash Bird, the new ‘Vegan Junk, Burgers, Chicken ‘n’ Fries’ joint which can be found at 5 Dominick Street Upper, Galway.

Far from being junk, the likes of The Stray VG – vegan merguez, Asian slaw, fried onion and Korean soy – is bursting with plant-based deliciousness.

It’s the chicken which really stands out, though, with the Bangin Buff – buttermilk fried chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, shredded lettuce, house pickles and burnt butter – pure food porn.

New from Blasta Books is Funky, a celebration of all things pickle by Bib Gourmand-winner and Munster food hero Caitlin Ruth who wants everybody to go on their own personal pickle journey.

Covering all five basic flavour profiles – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami – you can find it in all good bookshops and on blastabooks.com.

There’s bad and good news from Cork where the brilliant Greene’s has closed in its current fine dining form but will be returning later in the year with an exciting new, more casual concept. We’ll keep you posted…

So Wrong Yet So Right! Dept. Not content with sizzling up some of Limerick’s finest beef patties, Locke Burger near UL in Castletroy has added – wait for it – a Warm Magnum Ice Cream Croissant to its list of waste-threatening desserts. It’s only available for a limited period, so get on it!

 

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If you’re doing an Aldi shop, make sure to check out the Prime Irish Wagyu Beef Burgers – you really can taste the difference – and Macroom Buffalo Natural Yoghurts with 10g of protein that can currently be found on their shelves.

Tipple Of The Month

Farringtons 4.8% Dirty Snout Amber
Located on an organic Kildare farm, this dynamic new brewery sits alongside Farrington’s Mill Pub and Restaurant, which have its five core beers on tap. The pick of a very fine bunch is this highly sessionable amber which pours a gorgeous translucent yellowy orange and is bursting with rich toast and caramel flavours. They’re already growing their own barley and looking forward to bringing in their first beer malt and hop harvests. Stock up at selected SuperValu stores and from the farringtonsbrewery.com shop.

Great Irish Things To Eat

Ditty’s Smoked Irish Oatcakes
Hot Flavours’ tireless quest for the perfect Irish cheeseboard brings us to Castledawson in County Armagh, the home of family bakers Ditty’s who’ve been doing their artisan thing since 1963. Handmade from locally milled oats and smoked over beechwood in Cork by a much-garlanded gentleman called Frank Hederman, these deliciously crumbly biscuits pair perfectly with Tipperary Camembert and other ripened/downright pongy cheeses. If you’re hitting up their online dittysbakery.com shop, we can also recommend their Irish Walnut Oaties.