Most people don’t have the time or the skills to make their own pasta, so it will probably come as welcome news that Dublin is getting a new handmade pasta bar focusing on “Italian ideas with Irish heart”, with nothing on the menu costing more than €10.
Sprezzatura opens this week at 5/6 Camden Market, formerly home to Granthams, and features a seriously impressive list of Irish producers including Achill Lamb, Kilkenny Rose Veal, Lough Neagh smoked eel, Durrus cheese and Velvet Cloud sheep's milk yoghurt.
They’ve also decided to use Wicklow rapeseed oil instead of importing olive oil, and sustainable practices are high on the agenda, with all drinks on tap, no paper or plastic on site (meaning no paper receipts or kitchen dockets), and “trash pasta” available at lunchtime made from off cuts and food that might have been thrown out otherwise.
Kinsale gears up for gourmet festival
The Kinsale Gourmet Festival is back from Friday to Sunday, October 11th-13th, for its 43rd year. Friday will see restaurants across the town host a Champagne reception followed by dinner, while on Saturday the “Mad Hatters” walking tour will visit 11 different restaurants, including Fishy Fishy and Finn’s Table.
On Sunday, a “Fruits de Mer Seafood Spectacular” kicks off at 1pm in Acton’s Hotel with a drinks reception, followed by food and wine as well as live performances. A ticket for all three days costs €210, or you can book events individually. More information at kinsalerestaurants.com.
Trinity restaurant open to all
Trinity College Dublin has opened a new restaurant in its business school focused on sustainable eating and connecting people through good food and inspiring surroundings. Sodexo, which manages the food on site, has brought in chef David Fountain, formerly of Bang Cafe and King Sitric in Howth, to head up Forum, and create something that "goes beyond traditional catering or restaurant spaces". The opening menu includes dishes such as celeriac and apple soup with thyme crouton and butternut squash risotto with mascarpone and a butternut seed pesto. Forum is open from Monday-Saturday, 8am-8pm. forumdublin.ie
Wicklow food tour
Four Wicklow producers have come together to launch a new day-long food and drink tour to highlight the county as a food destination. “Meet the Makers, Wicklow” includes visits to Wicklow Way Wines, Kilruddery House, Powerscourt Distillery and Wicklow Wolf Brewery, and allows for a day of food and drink tasting in the garden of Ireland, without the hassle of driving or having to co-ordinate individual bookings.
Buses depart from the Kilkenny Shop on Nassau Street at 9am and head to Kilruddery House for a tour of the house and gardens, before a seasonal lunch. After that there's a wine tasting at Wicklow Way Wines, where their strawberry, raspberry and blackberry wines will be paired with cheeses and chocolates, before heading to Wicklow Wolf Brewery for a tour and tasting.
The last stop is a tour at Glendalough Distillery followed by a whiskey and food pairing, before returning to Dublin that evening all the merrier. Tours for selected dates are €150, meetthemakerswicklow.ie
