Best Looking Things to Eat in Dublin This Week 11/04/23

Words: Shamim de Brún
Images: Instagram

The week after Easter is the ultimate time to treat yourself to a damn good-looking feast. All those chocolate bunnies and sugar-coated eggs have been thoroughly devoured, leaving plenty of room in your life for more serious and somewhat nourishing grub.

This week we have everything. From falafel bao to a full-ass quail, there is a little something for you on this list.

Go forth and eat.

This one is a real showstopper. We’re talking fermented chilli falafel with pickled fennel and tofu herb dressing, all nestled inside a homemade bao bun. The falafel is packed with flavour and just the right amount of kick. While the pickled fennel adds a tangy crunch that’ll have you feeling like you’re in food heaven. And don’t even get me started on that tofu herb dressing, which brings a creamy, herbaceous goodness to the party. And let’s not forget about that homemade bao, which is soft, pillowy, and perfect for holding all of this deliciousness. Ensure you get your hands on this snack this week.

I present to you the best-looking starter of the week: green asparagus with manchego cheese and hazelnut vinaigrette, topped off with some fresh lovage. I mean, just look at it. It’s like a work of art on a plate. The asparagus is cooked to perfection, still firm and snappy, with a bright green colour that’s just begging to be eaten. And that manchego cheese? It’s nutty and rich, with just the right amount of funk to make your taste buds dance. That hazelnut vinaigrette brings a sweet, nutty tang to the party. And then there’s the lovage. Lovage is a herb in the parsley family. Here it adds a bright note that’ll have you feeling fancy-pants, which is all part of the fun of dining at Volpe Nera.

If you’re a sweet treat enthusiast and you’re feeling like you’ve OD’d on chocolate after Easter weekend (I know I am), have no fear, because I’ve got the perfect dessert for you. Roasted white chocolate & Ryan’s rhubarb cheesecake, served up with some tangy rhubarb and homemade ice cream. It’s light and refreshing while still being rich but in the totally opposite way of chocolate. It’s a palette cleanser of a dessert that is decadent in its own right. Perfect for the week that’s in it.

Get yourself some of this turbot and buckle up. It is going to be a rollercoaster of flavour and texture. Library Street is firing a tranche of turbot that’s been drizzled in glossy jus gras, topped with whipped brown butter bearnaise that’s got just a hint of tarragon for that extra oomph. They’ve thrown in some sorrel leaves, apples, radishes, and grapes for texture and freshness. Who doesn’t love a good crunch? And to make things even more bougie, it finishes off with a sprinkle of dulse and sea lettuce, because why the hell not? This is the kind of dish you’ll be evangelising to anyone who will listen. So get that reservation ASAP, before the season runs out.

As you can see from the picture, this Codorniz Quail, with lentejas lentils, is a real head-turner. The quail is perfectly cooked, with crispy skin and juicy, tender meat that practically falls off the bone. And those lentejas lentils? They’re like little flavour bombs packed with earthy, nutty goodness that’ll have you licking your plate clean. Plus, let’s not forget how pretty this dish is. The quail is perched on top of a bed of those gorgeous lentils, with a lust-inducing seared crispy skin decked out with herbs. So if you needed another excuse to get out to La Gordita, then consider this your sign.

Elsewhere on CHAR: The Roast Dinner is Back and it has Killed Brunch