Today marks the commencement of the long-standing Irish culinary festival, “Taste of Dublin”, which will take place in its new venue at Merrion Square. This gastronomic event will last for four days, with two viewing sessions per day; one from 12pm to 4.30pm and the other from 6pm to 10.30pm. At the time of reporting, tickets are still up for grabs for all sessions, albeit the Saturday evening session tends to be sold out beforehand.
Ticket costs commence at €18. However, for a premium experience, one might consider the Häagen-Dazs VIP suite ticket. This includes express entry, unreserved seating, Häagen-Dazs ice cream, a glass of champagne and an Aperol spritz. This VIP experience for the Saturday night slot will run you as much as €82.50. Fancy two signature dishes? The cost shoots up to €94.50.
For those wondering what’s on the menu, Romain Tessier (Artybaker) will be making his début at the 2024 Taste of Dublin. His lobster brioche roll, a delicacy synonymous with beginning of summer, is expected to earn him several new admirers. Bar Italia will be dishing out their renowned carbonara, served with strozzapreti pasta (€7), which always delivers, and the cacio pepe comes highly recommended. Other crowd-pleasing options include Bahay’s battered sausage (€7) and Nan’s Chinese-style braised Andarl Farm pork belly, served with Chinese brown sauce and steamed jasmine (€7). Shouk enthusiasts will relish the cauliflower pita (€7) with tahini, zhug herbs and salsa, and the sizeable portion of Chimac’s Korean chicken nuggets are also worth trying.
The iconic eatery, Mama Shee, is renowned for its Nigerian cuisine which includes dishes like jellof rice, beans and rice, and a choice of either beef or turkey specific to Nigeria. Furthermore, you might want to prepare for long queues when you aim to try Disney+ Presents FX’s The Bear from Crudo, which was notably the most crowded. However, it may well be worth your time, considering their enticing menu comprising arancini with lobster and Sambuca risotto, not to mention their signature Crudo’s Hot Beef Sandwich made with slow-cooked Irish Wagyu sirloin. Considering its substantial proportions and affordability at €12, it seems like an unmissable offer.
Looking for the best deal?
Should you greatly value guaranteed seating, the VIP tickets previously discussed offer solid value taking all things into account. Alternatively, you could opt to pay €20 entry fee and simply hope for the best. Most items on the menu sit around the €7 mark, with variety in their overall value. Pasta and rice dishes tend to give you more for your money, however, portion sizes of most dishes I tried were more than satisfying.
Artybaker’s lobster roll, priced at €14, offers good value given its ample size and quality, courtesy of the handcrafted brioche roll. Regarding beverages, group purchases of a wine bottle (€40) or bubbly (starting at €50) offer better value compared to buying by the glass, and can also save you from extended queueing time. An Aperol Spritz comes in at €11.50 and cocktails are typically around €12.50. Naturally, your expenditure will wholly depend on your own preferences.
In other news, Taste of Dublin 2024 has moved to a new location in Merrion Square. This is a departure from its original venue in the vicinity of Dublin Castle, and then the Iveagh Gardens where it had been located until the previous year. The new venue offers more space compared to the Iveagh Gardens.
This year heralds the commencement of the Return for Children, a fresh charitable endeavour that contributes towards six leading children’s charities in Ireland (LauraLynn, Barnardos, Barretstown, Childline by ISPCC, Jack & Jill Foundation and Make-A-Wish Ireland). The innovative campaign’s objective is to accumulate funds via bottle and can recycling, with Taste of Dublin being the first national event to promote the campaign. Initiated by Re-turn, the project encourages attendees to discard their bottles and cans into allocated Re-turn bins, the revenue from which will be divided amongst the six involved charities.
What to do when you’ve had your fill?
The Food for Thought stage partnered with Lovin Dublin is an excellent detour when your stomach can’t handle more, and you require a break. The team from Lovin Dublin will be orchestrating a variety of tastings, panel debates, masterclasses, and producer displays, hosted by an exciting mix of restaurateurs, chefs and independent food producers.
On Saturday night, Sharon Noonan will engage in a conversation with Aishling Moore, the head chef and proprietor of the acclaimed Goldie restaurant in Cork. Moore will be questioning the notion of the “catch of the day” and providing expert advice on the perfect way to cook fish. In addition, O’Brien’s Wines will host an array of mini wine masterclasses, where patrons can sample and converse about two wines for a nominal fee of €10.
And finally, always be prepared for unexpected weather – don’t forget to bring an umbrella, just in case.