The addition of the spice bag to the most recent update of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) signals official recognition at last for the fast food staple people in Ireland have been enjoying for nearly 20 years.
The OED attributes the invention of the spice bag to a Chinese takeaway in Dublin’s Templeogue called the Sunflower around 2006.
By 2010 the spice bag had become the first dish since the chicken fillet roll to grab us by our culinary cojones and inspire a movement that has since gone global. In 2021, Deliveroo took it upon themselves to launch a Change.org appeal to the Irish government to greenlight a national spice bag day. No doubt the request is still under serious consideration.
This odd fusion dish, in all its paper wrapping glory, has by now eclipsed its fast-food origins to become a cultural phenomenon. It is unapologetically Irish, with a surprisingly international twist, part comfort food, part hangover cure, and part guilty pleasure. But how did this quirky concoction come to dominate our late-night cravings?
The basics
For the uninitiated, a spice bag is a glorious mishmash of crispy shredded chicken (or chicken balls), chunky chips, stir-fried vegetables, and a generous shake of hot seasoning. This golden, greasy delight is often topped with red chillies for a fiery kick and usually comes with the obligatory curry sauce. No two spice bags are the same – every takeaway has its secret blend, as fiercely guarded as the recipe for Coca-Cola.
The history
While no one can pinpoint the exact date spice bags began to appear on menus, the consensus is that it was sometime between 2006 and 2010. In 2016, RTÉ reporter Liam Geraghty embarked on a quest to discover who invented Ireland’s most-ordered takeaway item, and his journey brought him to the Sunflower Chinese takeaway in Templeogue where it is said the spice bag was born when staff came up with a post-work fusion snack. Others argue that its roots may lie in Galway or Cork, but wherever it began, its spread was rapid. Combining the flavours of Chinese five-spice, chilli powder and paprika with the Irish obsession with fried potatoes was a stroke of genius. It’s a marriage of two culinary traditions in a way that’s both unexpected and utterly addictive.
Why it works
It is salty, spicy, crispy and carb-heavy – hitting almost every comfort food craving. The chicken is typically deep-fried, providing a satisfying crunch, while the chips soak up all the seasoning goodness. The vegetables (usually a mix of onions, peppers and maybe a rogue carrot or two) add sweetness and texture, balancing out the heat from the all-important chillies. And then there’s the seasoning – the spice mix is where the real magic happens. While recipes vary, most blends include a mix of Chinese five-spice (a fragrant combination of star anise, fennel, cloves, cinnamon and Szechuan peppercorns), garlic powder, chilli flakes and a touch of sugar. The result is a flavour bomb that provides excellent soakage and instant gratification.
Spice bag expert and all-round takeaway virtuoso Chris Mellon of @DublinSocial says: “I noticed the popularity of the spice bag at the start of 2023 and decided to create a series visiting our top eight recommended takeaways. The eight videos posted to Dublin Social’s Instagram and TikTok channels gained over 22 million views. Mind-boggling for such a simple dish. We had people all over the world messaging us on how to recreate the dish at home and in restaurants. Some of the world’s biggest online chefs have even done their own version.
“I cover every type of restaurant but the popularity of these videos had people screaming spice bag recommendations at me in the street. What makes a great spice bag? For me, it’s all about the chilli. This might be controversial but my favourite is actually served in a tray. Red Rice in Kimmage serves theirs with lashings of their chilli mix, and it has a proper kick.”
For Dublin-based food and drinks writer Shamim de Brún, it took a little longer to find her way to worship at the altar of the spice bag. “When I came home after college everyone was talking about it like I should just know what it was, so I pretended I did, ‘cos I was insecure and 21. Then I had one for the first time after a night out – it was only a fiver with a drink, and I was like, ‘I get it now.’ I love it when there’s loads of onions and peppers, which I know they’ve been pulling back on. I am forever a dipper not a douser when it comes to sauce. I think an air-fried spice bag is better than the original. And champagne is the best drink to have with it.”
The professional take
San Sab Thai restaurant and takeaway in Drumcondra (with outlets also in Clontarf and Blackrock) is renowned for its award-winning spice bags. Owner Zoë Magliocco has had them on the menu since it opened its doors in 2017, and the Thai-style spice bag is still its biggest seller. But what makes the San Sab spice bag different? According to Magliocco, there are several factors. “We use fresh chicken fillets that are prepped and breaded in-house each day, as is the (plentiful) veg.” Magliocco goes on to explain that San Sab doesn’t use MSG in the spice bags, and the house blend of Thai spice results in a lighter, fresher dish.
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With a kitchen fully staffed by Thai chefs, how did they feel about the addition of spice bags to an authentic Thai menu? “They didn’t want to do it,” says Magliocco, “but, as a business, they understood that it was needed.” With the Drumcondra branch on the doorstep of DCU, the queue for spice bags starts before the doors open, and the demand for the dish shows no sign of waning.
The cultural significance
The spice bag is so beloved that it has inspired everything from memes to merchandise, a dedicated Facebook appreciation society and a podcast. It has made its way into high-end restaurants and home kitchens, with jars of spice bag seasoning now sitting in kitchen cupboards around the country. Chefs have put their own spin on the dish, serving deconstructed versions, or using premium ingredients such as free-range chicken and hand-cut chips, and there are vegan and vegetarian spice bags, featuring tofu or plant-based chicken substitutes. The adaptability of the spice bag is part of its charm. Feeding both the stomach and the soul, it’s undeniably a suboptimal nutritional choice, but it ticks many, many boxes. A symbol of Ireland’s constantly evolving food culture, it’s a testament to the creativity of takeaway chefs and the changing appetite of Irish people. Make no mistake – the spice bag is here to stay.
