17th April 2015
Interview: Killian Fox
Photographs: Emile Dinneen
18 Merrion Row, Dublin 2. +353 1 678 8872, www.etto.ie
Tiny, buzzy restaurant in the centre of Dublin, close to St Stephen’s Green. “Very simple Italian food but done well.” – Jeni
1 Oxford Street, Belfast BT1 3LA; +44 28 9031 4121, www.oxbelfast.com
Jeni: We both really enjoyed Ox when we went last year. I think those guys have got it right. What they’re doing, how they’re doing it, the tempo, everything just feels right. They’ve got it going on. Surprisingly, given the name, meat is the secondary consideration and the vegetables take centre stage.
Reuven: They do small composed plates and they’re just pitch perfect. I had a squid tagliatelle dish that was lovely.
34-35 South William Street, Dublin 2, Ireland; +353 1 474 4888, www.joburger.ie/bear
“They do a delicious rosary-cut steak. Basically it’s just the meat around the ribs, cut parallel, you have little pieces of the rib bone and a chain of really sinewy meat. You have it with a fried egg, horseradish and coleslaw. It’s done really well.” – Reuven
Geata na Cathrach, Fairgreen, Galway; +353 91 569 727, www.loamgalway.com
“I’ve heard great stuff about Loam, Enda McAvoy’s place in Galway. That’s top of the to-do list, along with Harry’s Shack in Portstewart.” – Reuven
Curtis Cross, Kenstown, Co Meath
Reuven: We’ve been talking a lot about Curtis Cross. Is this the best place to eat in Meath?
Jeni [to us]: It’s not what you’re thinking.
Reuven: It’s run a family of funeral directors. They make sandwiches and cups of sugary tea. You’re sitting there in the cold eating your sandwich… it’s phenomenal. An experience that you can’t get anywhere else.
Hill of Skryne, Co Meath; +353 46 902 5122
Jeni: We go for the occasional good pint of Guinness up at Mrs O’s. It’s a tiny little pub the size of this room and for the longest time Mrs O herself was behind the counter.
Reuven: She was like 207.
Jeni: She was there forever – really nice woman – but has since passed. The pub is still the same, you walk in the door, you’re in one tiny little room with a counter, doorway, fireplace just there, another counter, and on this side there’s a pool table. But it all fits in.
Reuven: There’s no music. Ten people and it’s crowded.
Slaney Close, Dublin 11; +353 87 629 4713, www.honest2goodness.ie (Open Saturdays)
Jeni: This is a really lovely market in Glasnevin. One of our suppliers, The Whole Hog, has a stand there. He produces rare-breed pork. We use his peat-smoked bacon.
Reuven: Which is probably the best bacon in the universe. So good.
Jeni: And black-pepper sausage is also amazing.
Baltray, Co Louth; +353 87 688 2202, http://drummondhousegarlic.com/
“The garlic we use is from Drummond House, who are just up the road from us. They’ve got four acres now and are growing four or five different types of garlic.” – Jeni
Harbour Rd, Annagassan, Co Louth; +353 42 9372527
“Terry Butterly at Coastguard Seafood supplies us with incredible smoked salmon and fish from the Clogherhead landing. He supplies us with lobsters as well. He doesn’t have a shop but you could probably contact him directly.” – Reuven
Stameen, Drogheda, Co Louth; +353 41 9837333, www.boynegrove.ie/farm.htm
“This is just outside Drogheda – you see the orchards as you’re coming in on the train from Dublin. You can buy apples there and fresh-pressed apple juice and cider.” – Jeni
18 Drury Street, Dublin 2. +353 1 677 9764, www.asiamarket.ie
“This is where we go to pick up staples for the house: rice and nori and pickles to go with Japanese curry.” – Reuven
Jess Murphy’s Galway Address Book – The chef-owner of Kai recommends a cheesemonger with a wine bar upstairs, a must-visit farmers' market and a bookselling fruit & veg shop
Mitch Tonks’ Devon & Dorset Address Book – The chef and food writer picks a stunningly located oyster restaurant, "the most fantastic" curry house and a "great, if grumpy" butcher
Louise McGuane’s Clare Address Book – The owner of Chapel Gate Whiskey recommends a "phenomenal" seafood pub, an Irish cheese specialist and a favourite long-running bakery
Gill Meller’s Devon & Dorset Address Book – The food writer and chef on unfussy restaurant he really likes, an "incredible" off-grid smallholding and his favourite local chippie