Dare I say that summer is here? As our temperatures tip over 20 degrees, reaching dizzying heights of 23 degrees this week, our culinary choices can’t help but be affected. For me, sunshine calls for seafood.
There is an often-referenced idea that Irish people don’t like fish. I’m not sure if that’s entirely true. We don’t seem to be very confident when it comes to cooking it at home, but as for eating fish we seem to be pretty happy to chow down on a fish taco or slurp back an oyster.
There are some brilliant dishes to be had around the country if you're looking for a contemporary or casual take on the fruits of our seas. Fish Shop (fish-shop.ie) opened across from The Dice Bar on Dublin's Queen Street in April after having perfected its simple offering in a stall at Blackrock Market for the previous year. The Fillet O' Fish Burger (€10), served in an Arun Bakery brioche bun stuffed with a fennel and apple slaw, is quickly becoming a celebrated dish in our city. Expect specials such as Sligo cockles with sherry vinaigrette and Roaring Bay mussels served in a parsley broth.
Although not a fish restaurant, Taco Taco (tacotacodublin.com) has been doing great service to shrimps by way of their Shrimp Popcorn Taco (€8.95 for an appetizer portion). These breadcrumbed mouthfuls of shrimp pop with juicy flavour, and get on very well with the accompanying crunchy slaw and soft tortillas.
It would be remiss to mention this dish without bigging up 777's (777.ie) classic Tuna Tostada (€11), a delicate beauty of seared tuna steak served on petite crispy corn tortillas topped with pickled cucumber, chipotle mayo and habanero.
Galway's Biteclub (biteclub.ie) also does a divine fish taco with panko-crumbed bitesized chunks of flaky fish served with orange pico and chipotle crema (€8.50).
Electric in Cork City has a dedicated Fish Bar (electriccork.com/fish-bar) which opened in 2013 to serve primarily seafood by way of classics such as chowder (€7) and fish cakes (€11). It also caters for landlubbers if your dining companions aren't down with seafood.
Elsewhere in Cork city, you'll find an Atlantic crab sandwich on toasted sourdough with dill mayo (€11) at Liberty Grill (libertygrill.ie). At the other end of the country, you'll find Harry's Beach Shack on Inishowen, a little sister shack to Bridgend's Harry's Bar.
The rule about only eating oysters in months with an “R” in it isn’t just a thing people say; oysters that start their life span in April are ready to be shucked in September, which is the beginning of oyster season and when they’re at their best.
Although it could be seen as being too early in the summer for oysters, it's still worth knowing about Mourne Seafood's Japanese-style oysters (€12). Served in their locations in Belfast, Dundrum in Co Down and Grand Canal Dock in Dublin, they shuck their Irish oysters and serve them with a dash of soya sauce, some pickled ginger and a touch of wasabi.
If you're looking to learn how to cook fish at home, the Focus on Fish course at Dublin Cookery School in Blackrock, Co Dublin, might suit you well. Here you'll learn how to fillet a fish and determine its freshness. This one-day course costs €150 per person. Find out more at dublincookeryschool.ie.
