[Review] Lucky Tortoise Dumpling Pop-Up

I got a little bit excited recently. That kind of excitement usually only happens to me when I get near the vicinity of real Chinese food. As a result, Capel Street and Parnell Street have the kind of effect on me that you normally only get when purchasing illegal pharmaceuticals. Show me genuine Sichuan or Hunan food, or some top notch dim sum and I am one happy lady. 

So you can imagine that my ears perked up when I heard about The Lucky Tortoise, a dumpling and dim sum pop-up at The Hill Pub in Ranelagh. Firstly, I really enjoy the Hill Pub. Friends and owners Derek Marsden and Darragh Nugent have done a great job revitalising this traditional pub with superb pub food and a fantastic selection of craft beers. Secondly... dumplings! Thom Lawson, the man behind the Lucky Tortoise, is bringing his creative take on high quality and affordable food to the historical tradition of the dumpling and dim sum. 

[Review] Greenes, MacCurtain Street, Cork

Greenes Restaurant on Cork's MacCurtain street is one of the grande dames of Cork's dining scene. It's located in a former bonded warehouse in the city's Victorian quarter (by the way, when did that moniker appear?)  which it shares with Isaacs restaurant and the boutique Hotel Isaacs.

As restaurant entrances go, the entrance into Greenes of Cork is pretty special. Step off the continual bustle of MacCurtain Street past the wrought iron gates, under the cobbled archway and enter into their little courtyard. Cork is a city of steep hills, and you are reminded of that when you see the sheer rock cliff surrounding Greenes, and their famous waterfall cascading down.

Greenes has been around for yonks, and in that time there have been ups and downs. Many head chefs have come and gone, but it's maintained a special spot in the city. Award-winning chef Bryan McCarthy currently holds the head spot and he has done much to elevate Greenes. There's a strong focus on modern Irish food, using the fresh, local produce, combined with traditional preservative techniques such as fermenting and pickling. 

Goatsbridge trout with crab