[Review] Michaels of Mount Merrion, Dublin 14

Ever hear of the saying "Never trust a skinny chef"? Cue mental images of a jolly fellow, who clearly enjoys food, wine and their own cooking. These days a lot of chefs are running triathlons, completing marathons or just plain staying fit, in an effort to balance out their hectic careers and the fact that they're constantly around food. Tom Kerridge, well known for his delicious cooking, recently dropped over 70kg, and published a diet cookbook along the way. 

It's always reassuring when you meet a chef with a clear passion and sheer delight for the food that he cooks. One such chef is Gary (Gaz) Smith, who previously worked as Development Chef for the Kinara restaurant group, which included Michaels of Mount Merrion, before he took the helm as Chef Patron at the revamped Clonskeagh House gastropub. Having worked his magic there, Gaz and  his wife Rita have now taken ownership at Michaels of Mount Merrion and the results are simply delicious. 

Cucumber and prosecco Talha-tini

[Review] La Paradeta, Passeig de Gracia, Barcelona

On our recent trip to Barcelona, I was starting to feel fatigue. Fatigue from trying to find the perfect restaurants, bars and cafes; fatigue from all the options available in Barcelona. Sometimes all you want is something straight up, simple and delicious. And then we came across La Paradeta.

We had passed by La Paradeta several times as we walked to and from our hotel, but I had never clicked what lay inside. La Paradeta is a chain of self-service seafood restaurants, which started out in 1994 and has now expanded to 7 locations across Barcelona and Sitges. The restaurant near Passeig de Gracia is a flagship location, with a large dining area simply decorated in a blue and white nautical theme. Burnished aluminium tables and chairs maintain the canteen vibe.

Langoustines