5 best-looking things to eat in Dublin this week: 29/03/22

Words: Shamim de Brún
Artwork: Paul Smith
Images: Instagram

Things to eat in and around Dublin from March 29 until April 2

We have collected some of the most delectable foods being sold in Dublin right now and compiled them into an extensive ol’ list. Here are five things in Dublin this week that we like the look of:

Kalettes are a hyper-seasonal Irish vegetable. They exist somewhere between tender stem broccoli and kale for three weeks only. Here they are simply roasted with garlic and chilli. Taste-wise, kale can have bitter notes, so combining it with spicy chillies, sweet garlic, and balsamic vinegar counteracts that and balances the meal like a Libra would their social calendar. A perfect way to taste the goodness of this rare Irish delicacy. This simple side dish looks green and inviting, the ideal addition to a crisp midweek lunch!

This crunchy but straightforward starter looks like you’re hanging out with Fry in New New York eating Poplars. By which I mean they look so delicious the whole planet should be eating them. Nannetti’s new Spring menu see them lightly fried until crispy and cooked through giving them a crunchier exterior while remaining tender on the inside. The mini squid fritters are served with garlic aioli and readily takes on the flavour of the salt and lemon, making it a rich, zesty taste experience. Exactly what everyone needs. For passionate seafood lovers, this dish is a true delicacy.

This is probably the best classic roast chicken sandwich in Dublin. And most likely the only Chicken sandwich in the Grafton Street radius made from juicy and succulent freshly roasted Irish free-range rotisserie chicken. The meat is served on a bed of leaves with Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and authentic Irish butter, and puts other chicken sandwiches to shame. Not to forget the quality sandwich bread. Bread is always a make or break for a sandwich. No frills, no unnecessary add-ons. Just the trappings of a perfect sandwich. It looks so good it has street value on the lunchtime black market.

Cheesecake is always going to be a winner. Thank the deity of your choice that the Ancient Greeks were able to find a way to turn cheese into a cake four thousand years ago. This baked matcha cheesecake looks next level. It has an earthy matcha crumb, creamy passion fruit ice cream, zingy lime and yuzu curd, with micro basil to finish. A sensational first taste of summer. The tangy flavour of the cream cheese and the sweetness from the sugar, along with the rich buttery flavour of the biscuit base all highlighted by the umami of the Matcha. How can you go wrong?

This sea bream ceviche from Hen’s Teeth looks like butter wouldn’t melt, but your heart might. Ceviche is a Latin American recipe for raw fish marinated in citrus. The acid in the citrus denatures the proteins in the fish, causing it to become opaque, be technically cooked and taste damn good. The rise of ceviche on the Dublin culinary scene has been a beauty to behold. It’s the perfect zingy dish for a warm spring evening. This one from Hen’s Teeth looks like it has all the zesty umami flavours you could imagine. It would tempt you into a life of gluttony, and you wouldn’t complain.