The food entrepreneur on an eccentric olde-worlde hotel in Wicklow, some favourite Dublin restaurants and the market where she buys all her vegetables
EATING OUT
Hunter’s
Newrath Bridge, Rathnew, Co. Wicklow; +353 404 40106, www.hunters.ie
“There aren’t really any good restaurants around here but I go to Hunter’s, a hotel down the road that’s very olde worlde. It’s a bit like Fawlty Towers. They’re a bit snooty sometimes and they charge you €30 for not great food but I still love the place. It’s lovely in the summer because they’ve got a beautiful garden with roses and you can sit out and have prosecco.” – Laragh
The Roundwood Inn
O’Cleirigh Court, Roundwood, Co. Wicklow; +353 1 281 8107
“I had a great time there the other night. They’re doing the native oysters at the moment, the lovely flat ones, and they were really good. You can get chicken and chips in a basket, which I love, and we’ve taught the barman how to make negronis and martinis so he makes them for us specially.”
Etto
18 Merrion Row, Dublin 2; +353 1 678 8872, www.etto.ie
“This is a newish restaurant in Dublin that’s really sweet, a tiny little place. They’re not claiming to be amazing; the food isn’t fussy but it’s good and very reasonably priced.”
Coppinger Row
1 William Street South, Dublin 2; +353 1 672 9884; www.coppingerrow.com
“I always have fun at Coppinger Row – the atmosphere’s good, the staff are really nice – and the food is always tasty.”
Forest Avenue
8-9 Sussex Terrace, Dublin 4; +353 1 667 8337, www.forestavenuerestaurant.ie
“I haven’t been yet but I like the menu and I’ve heard it’s really good.”
Fishy Fishy
Crowleys Quay, Kinsale, Co. Cork; +353 21 470 0415, www.fishyfishy.ie
“I haven’t been for a while but this restaurant in Kinsale is very good.”
Chakra by Jaipur
Meridian Point Centre, Greystones, Co. Wicklow; +353 1 201 7222, www.jaipur.ie
“There’s a nice Indian in Greystones run by the guy who owns Jaipur in Dublin. It’s actually really good.”
BUYING IN
Caterway
16-17 Halston Street, Corporation Fruit Market, Dublin 7; +353 1 872 8000, www.caterway.ie
“This is where I get all my vegetables (apart from celery, cucumber and carrots, which I find have to be organic – they’re tasteless otherwise). It’s a huge place but I tend to go to the Singles Room, where all the packs that have already been opened end up. They have another room at the back with all the dry goods – beetroot powder, spinach powder, dried chillies, tamarind – and that’s amazing too.” – Laragh
The Happy Pear
Main Street, Greystones, Co. Wicklow; +353 1 287 3655, www.thehappypear.ie
“This is where I get my organic vegetables.”
Wild Irish Game
Glenmalure, Co Wicklow; +353 404 46969, www.wildirishgame.ie
“I’ve introduced a lot of people to Michael who runs this company. He’s got all kinds of stuff: venison, ostrich, really nice free-range chickens… I get quail’s eggs here as well. You can buy from him direct at his place in Glenmalure but make sure you ring ahead.”
Roberts of Dalkey
24 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co. Dublin; +353 1 201 3857, www.robertsofdalkey.com
The Fish Man
Unit 2, Quayside, South Quay, Wicklow Town, Co. Wicklow; +353 404 62567, www.thefishman.ie
“I go to both these places for my fish. The Fish Man [pictured above] is a bit more picturesque but can be hit or miss. Peter Roberts is more reliable: he has a trawler that goes out in Wexford and it’s always really good quality. The shop in Dalkey is really nice; he has a concession at Avoca Kilmacanogue as well, which is handy for me.”
Asia Market
18 Drury Street, Dublin 2; +353 1 677 9764, www.asiamarket.ie
Dublin’s best place to buy Asian ingredients. “I go here quite a bit.”