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PROUDLY SPONSORED BY BITESIZE Martina Murray 1. 2
. Game on at The Saddle Room Those who didn’t have the opportunity to taste and test too much during the recent Advent season will be pleased to learn that the Shelbourne continues to offer a celebration of the country’s finest wild game throughout January. Devised by Executive Chef Garry Hughes, the menu features such delights as tasty wild game terrine with salt baked celeriac remoulade and truffle, game pithivier with buttered Savoy cabbage and classic roast venison with port jus. With specially selected wine pairings chosen by accomplished sommelier Nisea Doddy, the seasonal game tasting menu costs €60 per person, or €100 per person with four wine pairings. theshelbourne.com 2020 Food Trends From a food trend perspective we’ve come a long way from the cronut craze of five short years ago. The increasing preference for plant-based food continues unabated, with alternative flours beginning to form the mainstay of tortillas, donuts and other packaged treats. Last year’s move towards the wider use of African spices on menus looks set to expand further, with ancient grains such as millet, fonio and teff becoming more readily available. The cognoscenti also predict the mainstreaming of non-alcoholic bevvies, continued improvements in menus for kids and further growth in the popularity of nut based butters and spreads. 3. Altar of Food at The Muddlers Club As tastes veer more towards snacks and small plates, we had an opportunity to sample a tasting menu par-excellence during a brief pre-Christmas sojourn in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. Our kitchen-side table at The Muddler’s Club offered the perfect vantage point to witness food artistry in motion, as Chef Gareth McCaughey anointed an altar of amazing creations over six outstanding courses. Our new year resolution is to make a return visit to the friendly Michelin newbie before Brexit becomes a sterling reality. Tasting menu £55, wine pairings £35. themuddlersclub.com 4. Trad Irish Taste Trail Running in conjunction with Temple Bar Trad Fest at the end of the month the Irish Food Trail Experience shines a spotlight on the city’s rich culinary diversity. Taking place in the company of an experienced local guide, the informative walking tour of Dublin city features a wide range of traditional local Irish food and produce. The Irish Food Trail experience sets off from South William Street at 2pm and 6pm daily between Wednesday 22nd and Sunday 26th January. Tickets cost €69pp and can be booked in advance via tradfest.ie 5. 25 Fitzwilliam Place A History of No. 25 Fitzwilliam Place is a recent charming publication exploring the 178-year-old story of one of the most elegant houses on the ‘Georgian Mile’. Tracing connections through past inhabitants and their varied backgrounds, it unearths insights into the world of medicine, seafaring and cricket! Nowadays, #25 is owned by The Kelly family who own the adjoining Suesey Street restaurant. #25 serves as a private dining and event space across three elegantly preserved floors. 25fitzwilliamplace.ie Pssst – Got some food ’n’ drink nuggets you’d like to share with Totally Dublin readers? Feed them to us for consideration… Email: MM@hkm.ie 52