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BARFLY Michael McDermott 1. 2. VERY VICE “I’d sto
p drinking coffee, but I’m no quitter,” is the tagline of Tom Stafford, the proprietor of Vice Coffee which is based out of Wigwam and Clanbrassil Street. And expanding rather than quitting has been the hallmark of late for him. In terms of range, they’ve dropped two pre batched coffee cocktails in advance of Christmas and we hope to see us in ’22 too. Their Our signature Irish Coffee is a unique blend of single origin coffee from Colombia (roasted by Imbibe), Teeling Small Batch Whiskey and sweetened with a hint of Demerara Syrup. And the Espresso Martini mix is a delicious blend of single origin coffee from Colombia (roasted by Imbibe), Vodka infused with Cacao Nibs and Coffee Liqueur. 500ml bottles are priced at €22.50 (Irish Coffee) and €25.00 (Espresso Martini) and make four drinks. vicecoffeeinc.com SHAKEN AND STIRRED We do occasionally open somewhat pointless e-mails by shitehawk companies (Pay Day Loans, in this instance), especially when it arrives with the subject header of” “$22,600 Cocktail In Tokyo Bar Ranked Most Expensive In The World”. Our interest was piqued when right there at number 6 is an Original Mai Tai, in the Merchant in Belfast, costing $1270. We decided to investigate this and Olivia, on behalf of the Merchant, says, “We don’t serve this cocktail anymore unfortunately. It was a limited edition cocktail made with an extremely rare bottle of 17-year-old Wray and Nephew Rum. Our current most expensive cocktail is a Sazerac made with a vintage bourbon and vintage cognac and is priced at £250.” We did not have the time, or inclination, to find out whether a $22,600 cocktail called ‘Diamonds Are Forever’, which is said to be served at RitzCarlton in Tokyo, exists or not. 3. ICELAND’S EDGE Colm O’Herlihy’s been plying his musical trade in Reykjavík for some time now. He’s the co-founder of Inni who represent artists such as Múm, Amiina and Kári Einarsson as well as being a record label and production house. Now he can also boast of a brew in the form of O’Herlihy’s stout. With a design based on the family motto: “My right hand conquers by the heart”. You can down a pint in the Stereo Bar and remember Play, the new Icelandic low-cost airline launches from Ireland in late April with promises of flights from €79 return. You can say the first pint is on us. @oherlihystout flyplay.com 4. GLOVELY TO SEE YOU Now that Allta is bedding into the Trinity car park with throws and resplendent decor, they have spun out Glovebox, their “immersive art gallery and cocktail lounge.” With a bespoke soundsystem from Toby Hatchett and a rotating gallery of artworks curated by Ronan Dillon, including Emma Roche, Jessica Goehring and Paul Hallahan, which “compliment and contrast with the unique location and mood of the concrete car park gallery venue”. Glovebox is like a funky taster of Allta House, without the budget bursting hangover. A deposit of €15 can be offset against snacks and drinks also. And what’s more Allta Winter House/Glovebox is not just for Christmas and is extending into 2022. Open Thursday/Friday from 4pm and Saturday/Sunday from 1pm. glovebox.space 5. A.A. DINNERWATCH We’ve been dipping into The Best of A.A. Gill, a collection of writings by one of the most assured wits we ever had the pleasure of reading (besides our Gastro critic, obvs) before his premature shuffle off this mortal coil in 2016. He has this to say about dinner parties which is timely and one to remember as you navigate the social slalom. “There is a kitchen adage that says: ‘If the food is the star of your dinner party, then you’re inviting the wrong people.’ Let’s face it: dinner parties are social events and the company is the main thing. We’ve all been to parties where the epigrams sparkled like spumante, where the gossip was riveting and our flirtatious neighbours hung on our every word. We could have been eating carpet tiles for all it mattered. But that’s no excuse for serving food that would make the shadow cabinet seem interesting by comparison. It is no excuse for a host to be too busy to shop wisely and cook well. If you’re too damn successful to look after your friends, then don’t give dinner parties. Take them to restaurants or hire a chef.” The Best of A. A. Gill, Orion Publishing, €5.99 from bookstation.ie 42