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ESHLY BAKED READS As the wily old philosopher Heraclitus once said, “There is nothing permanent except change,” so with those wise words as our starting point, we’ve dusted off the crystalware to see what kind of culinary trends Dublin’s diners can look forward to experiencing in the coming year. It seems that the emphasis on sustainability and biodiversity is here to stay in 2024, with a continued up-tick in the trend towards eating more authentic plant-based food. As the world of food and drink continues to evolve, Butter Boards have already morphed into Sharing Boards, while writers at Whole Foods are predicting a move away from ‘mock-meats’ to foods made with real plants throughout the year ahead. Diners can also look forward to the reincarnation of Buckwheat, as the high-protein ancient grain becomes increasingly adopted as a mainstay of soups, stews and salads in kitchens everywhere, while Tahini too is set to have a moment, as it steps out of the shadow of hummus to enjoy its very own nutty day in the sun. Also in vogue is a growing preference for solo dining, a trend that’s already being well catered for in the city via wine bars such as Bar Pez, Row Wines, Amy Austin, and others where a considerate supply of single seating has been attracting this particular dining demographic in recent times. That said, we’re old enough to remember many of the old-school Dublin bars who originally pioneered this particular design concept in the not too distant past. Maybe our own ancient high stool philosophers were right after all. Perhaps the more things change, the more they actually stay the same. For more on upcoming trends check out our website at totallydublin.ie Blasta Books recently revealed details of four colourful new editions, as the energetic publishers continue to celebrate the evolution and diversity of modern Ireland’s food culture in the year ahead. 2024 kicks off with the advent of Funky, Caitlin Ruth’s fun guide to pickling fruit and veg, followed by Whole Catch, which sees chef Aishling Moore provide step-by-step instructions on preparing, cooking and serving sustainable seafood at home. In Agak-Agak, Sham Hanifa draws on the many and varied culinary influences from his multicultural background for a delicious series of recipes drawing on Malaysian, Chinese and Thai cuisines, while later in the year Socafro sees Alistair Jeje reflect on his African and Caribbean heritage through the medium of jollof rice. Each book comes beautifully illustrated and presented, making for four bright new additions to culinary shelves and libraries for 2024. @blastabooks SPRINGTIME DINING WITH A VIEW CHEF TOM FOSTER’S TAKEOVER AT MAMÓ As the team behind popular Howth restaurant Mamó jet off for some well-deserved new year R n’ R, Australian Chef Tom Foster and his team will be holding the fort in their absence, and stepping in behind the pass to host a series of exciting weekend pop-ups. The Aussie chef who was recently lauded as Young Chef of the Year for 2023 by the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, boasts a sterling cv that features stints at restaurants such as The Ledbury in London, in addition to head chef roles at Bentley Restaurant and Bar and Cirrus Dining in Sydney. Foster is at the helm in Mamo between Friday Jan 12th to Sunday Feb 4th, when diners here can look forward to enjoying an innovative seven course tasting menu. We can’t wait to see what he has planned for Australia Day, which takes place on Friday, January 26th. Tickets for each pop-up event cost €90pp, plus an optional extra of €60 for wine pairings. Bookings via Eventbrite. @mamo As the days begin to brighten outdoor dining is once more in vogue and Sister Suesey offers a nice new base to enjoy snacks and casual lunch in a unique setting overlooking the Grand Canal. Located in the garden to the front of the landmark Fitzwilliam Hall at Leeson Street bridge, the cute coffee kiosk offers an enticing seasonal menu based on quality casual food made fresh daily by chefs in the kitchen of acclaimed sibling restaurant Suesey Street. The ever-genial John Healy of Suesey Street tells us that the garden is a little oasis at a busy city centre junction, making it an ideal spot to enjoy a snack or a light lunch. The tasty selection of sandwiches on offer includes a variety of evolving seasonal choices, in addition to fresh pastries, sausage rolls, and salads, while coffee is from Delgany-based artisans Roasted Brown. Mon – Fri 7.30am - 4pm, Sat 9am - 3pm. @sistersuesey 39