A culinary wishlist …
In this series, we explore the rhythms and routines of Ireland’s foodie folk, from chef Richard Corrigan, Meeran Manzoor and Romain Tessier of Artybaker to Thomasina Miers, Jess Murphy from Kai in Galway and Kasha Connolly at Hazel Mountain Chocolate. This month, Eva Pau, commercial director of Dublin’s much-loved Asia Market shares her ideal weekend.
I’m lucky with work; I get to travel a lot and indulge my foodie interest in places all over the world. I recently returned from a trip from Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia where I ate my way around, from casual hawker centres to Michelin star eateries and everything in between. So, when I’m in Ireland my ideal weekend is spending time with my kids, cooking or going out to a local restaurant.
FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER:
Friday night is usually pizza and movie night with my family. I’d love to say that they’re homemade pizzas, but after a busy week at work we let Base Pizza in Terenure do the hard work. Their pizzas are consistently good, my favourite is the white base Bosco pizza with wild mushrooms, smoked mozzarella, cotto ham, fennel sausage and truffle oil. I can’t resist lashings of chilli flakes and garlic oil too.
If I’m going out for dinner with friends, we usually go for Asian food. I enjoy Korean Table in Stoneybatter for authentic Korean food. Vivian makes an amazing Korean seafood pancake. It’s crispy, not too thick, slightly chewy in texture and packed with seafood. I also love her banchan starter – delicate and tasty.
For spicy Chinese food, I love the Chong Qing chicken at China Sichuan, and the shredded pork in a fragrant fish sauce, bon-bon shredded chicken, tea smoked duck and spicy typhoon king prawns with panko and jasmine tea leaves. I always order a dessert as they’re very special and change every few months. On the current menu is a chocolate and ginger bavarois served with a ginger cremeux, Chinese spiced crumb and ginger tapioca. Yum!
For Indian, I enjoy the crispy potato cakes with three chutneys and goat keema pao at Pickle restaurant on Camden Street and the mansahari thali at Rasam in Glasthule.
When it comes to date night, we love a good tasting menu. I can’t resist Forest Avenue, D’Olier Street or Mr Fox. Lovely ambience, fantastic service and great wine lists.
SATURDAY MORNING:
Saturdays start with thick, fluffy American style pancakes with plenty of vanilla bean paste, blueberries and banana, which I serve with a side of crispy Gubbeen unsmoked streaky bacon and maple syrup. My husband buys our breakfast tea from SD Bells in George’s Market in Belfast. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a cooked breakfast as it’s strong and flavourful.
If we’re feeling lazy, we go to the Arty Baker in Kimmage for flaky croissant goodness or to Fodder restaurant on Shelbourne Road for a relaxed brunch.
For dinner, sometimes we treat ourselves to Dax on Pembroke Road. My favourite dish is the lobster and Dublin Bay prawn stuffed courgette flower with lobster bisque when in season. The whole team is so welcoming and take good care of us.
MY IDEAL FOODIE SATURDAY:
My ideal Saturday would include another masterclass with Kevin Thornton. I was gifted one and I couldn’t wait to go. I was greeted at the door of their beautiful home by Kevin’s lovely wife, Muriel. I was welcomed into their stylish kitchen with a treasure trove of goodies, boxes of foraged ingredients including different types of dried seaweed, coral powder and jars of different mother vinegars.
The whole experience was a feast for the eyes and palate. What blew me away was getting insight into the effort and consideration that goes into the quality of ingredients, how to handle them and their presentation. The couple were wonderful hosts and have a great passion for what they do. I can’t wait to go back.
SUNDAY LUNCH:
One of my favourite things to do on a Sunday is to meet up with friends or family for a feast of dim sum at the Good World restaurant on South Great Georges Street. I love it. It’s like a mini slice of Hong Kong. Everyone speaks Cantonese and they have really good quality dim sum. I like to order the hargow (prawn dumpling) made fresh every day. Other dishes I enjoy include the beef ho fun, mixed sauce cheung fun, squid ink scallop dumping, salted egg yolk custard bun and the char siu puff.
If the weather is nice, we take the kids up the mountains. We usually go to Wicklow, stop off at Roundwood Stores for gourmet picnic essentials. There are so many freshly baked goodies displayed, I just want to order one of everything!
If we’re at home for the day, I love cooking a Sunday roast dinner. I usually rotate it with a different meat every weekend. I love a spring roast leg of lamb served with fresh rosemary and mint from our garden. Roast chicken is the kids’ favourite. If it’s roast beef, it has to be with my homemade Yorkshire puddings with lashings of horseradish sauce.
Otherwise, we all love an Indian takeaway from Rasoi in Ranelagh. The quality of their food is great, I would recommend the butter chicken, paneer lababdar and bhindi masala.
FOOD SHOPPING:
One of the things I often do at the weekend is to buy ingredients for putting together a charcuterie and cheese board. It’s perfect for when friends and family drop in. I love visiting Sheridans Cheesemongers in the city centre where I usually go for a hard cheese like Comte, aged for three years. For blue cheese, I like Sheridans Shropshire Blue, Fourme D’Ambert and also Saint Agur. When it comes to soft cheese, I like the Brie De Meaux. I also pick up a slice of membrillo paste, fennel sausage, chutney and a baguette.
For charcuterie, I like Sicilian deli, Amuri by Day on Chatham Row for Mortadella and Prosciutto cotto ham, then I go to Toonsbridge Dairy for Atlas olives with garlic and thyme or volos olives with garlic and parsley. I usually pick up chorizo, Iberico ham and Sierra De Gata extra virgin olive oil. It goes really well with everything, from salad dressings to prawn pil pil.
WEEKEND TIPPLES:
I have a collection of gins from my travels, but my favourites are Irish including Xin Gin, Gunpowder, Conncullin and Listoke. I also really like a Lillet Blanc and tonic or Aperol Spritz in summer with a slice of frozen orange instead of ice.
If I go out for drinks, I enjoy cocktail bars including Peruke and Periwig, Pen and Player, 9 Below and the Vintage Cocktail Club. I love a classic cosmopolitan or to test out something new on their menu that I’ve never tried before. @pau_pau_foods