Culinary destination: Dublin Ireland!

Perhaps one of the travel world's best kept secrets is Ireland's gourmet cuisine. Ireland has a long culinary tradition; ancient cooking pits called fulacht fia have been found through out Ireland. These Neolithic and Bronze age pits are believed to have been used to boil water with hot rocks to slowly cook meat and other foods on festival occasions...could this be the origins of the Irish boiled dinner? BUT if you think of Irish cuisine as boiled dinners..think again...Irish cuisine has come a long way since the fulacht fia (although An Fulacht Fia in Ballyvaughan is most certainly a worth a visit). So if you are planning a trip to Ireland..be sure to bring a good appetite!

A few my favorite restaurants in Dublin Ireland are:

BANG CAFE on Baggot Street...trendy spot frequented by Dubliners. Try the scallops or Chump of Lamb or Mushroom Risotto. They serve lunch and have a pre-theater menu...
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THE UNICORN on Merrion Ct off Merrion Row, just around the corner from Bang Cafe, offers delicious gourmet Italian cuisine. Lunch and pre-theater specials...
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DAX, on Pembroke Street Upper, offers gourmet French cuisine, romantic atmosphere, and 140 European wines to choose from. Lunch & dinner..
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PEPLOES WINE BISTRO on St Stephen's Green offers chic modern Irish cuisine at its best! Lunch, pre-concert specials and dinner 7 days a week...
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EDEN in Temple Bar,at Meeting House SQ (a bit difficult to find), offers wild Irish game, such as duck, venison, etc and other delicious choices. The modern decor is a bit sterile but the food is excellent. Brunch, lunch and dinner...
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CAFE EN SEINE on Dawson Street is a must see to believe...you'll think you've stepped into Fin de siècle Paris! Great spot to meet locals after work for drinks and meals. Not gourmet but worth a visit.

Please feel free to share your suggestions!

Live, Travel...and EAT!

Great dining in South Africa

(photo of Blues from http://www.dining-out.co.za/Cape-Town-restaurants.asp)

A traveler from Denver CO sent in these restaurant recommendations for South Africa.

Hi,
Here are some restaurants in S. Africa that I recommend- for dinners especially you should make reservations in advance

Cape Town :
Savoy Cabbage http://www.savoycabbage.co.za/ - this was really great!

Blues (in Camp's Bay near the beach)http://www.dining-out.co.za/member_details-MemberID-1.html nice settings, good food, neither of credit cards worked here though.

Simon's Town:
The Meeting Place http://www.dining-out.co.za/member_details-MemberID-2486.html - good lunch option if you go to see the Penguin colonies at Boulders Beach

The Wine areas of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch:
Reuben's http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/africa/south-africa/franschhoek/restaurant-detail.html?vid=1154654648368 we didn't go here, but everyone is SA says it's really good

Lunch at the Cafe at Boschendal Winery http://www.boschendal.com/experience.q their bobotie was really good

Ahhh...I almost forgot 96 Winery Road http://www.96wineryroad.co.za/- now that was a great dining experience. The setting is nice and the food was perfect. We had lunch there, but I bet dinner would be exceptional as well.

M.

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