In this new series, we explore the rhythms and routines of Ireland’s foodie folk. This month, Eva Pau, commercial director of Dublin’s much-loved Asia Market, shares her ideal foodie weekend, the restaurants she frequents and her pantry staples …
“I am 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 and I ate my way around from casual hawker centres to Michelin star eateries and everything in between. So when I am in Ireland, my ideal weekend would be spending time with my kids, cooking at home or going out to a local neighbourhood restaurant.”
FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER:
“Friday night is usually pizza and movie night with my kids and husband. 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. It’s quite a grown-up pizza and I can’t resist lashings of chilli flakes and garlic oil too.
If I was going out for dinner with friends, we usually go for some 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, pretty and tasty.
For spicy Chinese food, I love the Chong Qing chicken at China Sichuan, also 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 are usually 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 out, 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 always start with pancakes. Homemade of course, with blueberries and banana chunks. I have a recipe for lovely thick, fluffy American style pancakes with plenty of vanilla bean paste that is just wonderful, and I serve them 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. It’s strong and flavourful and really sets me up for the day.
If we are feeling lazy, we would go to the Arty Baker in Kimmage for some flaky croissant goodness or to Fodder restaurant on Shelbourne Road for a relaxed brunch.
For dinner, sometimes we like to treat ourselves and bring the family to Dax on Pembroke Road. My favourite dish is the lobster and Dublin Bay prawn stuffed courgette flower with lobster bisque when in season. Graham, Olivier, Alan and the whole team are so welcoming and take really good care of us.
MY IDEAL FOODIE SATURDAY:
My ideal Saturday would include another masterclass with Kevin Thornton. I was gifted one at Christmas 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 Kevin’s foraged ingredients including different types of dried seaweed, coral powder and jars of different mother vinegars.
The whole experience was a feast for the palate but also for the eyes. What blew me away was getting the insight into the effort and consideration that goes into the presentation, the quality of ingredients and how to handle them. Kevin and his wife Muriel 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 most importantly they have really good quality dim sum. I like to order the hargow (prawn dumpling) which is 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 love to take the kids up the mountains. We usually go to Wicklow, stop off at Roundwood Stores for gourmet picnic essentials, sausage rolls, freshly made salads and sweet and savoury pastries. There are so many freshly baked goodies displayed, I just want to order one of everything and bring it with me.
If we are at home for the day, I love cooking a roast dinner on a Sunday. I usually rotate it with a different meat every weekend. I love a roast leg of lamb in the spring, served with fresh rosemary and mint from our garden. Roast chicken is the kids’ favourite, sometimes I need to make two because we all fight over the dark meat. If it’s roast beef, it has to be with my homemade Yorkshire puddings with lashings of fiery horseradish sauce.
If we have been out for the day and haven’t made any dinner plans, 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 buy ingredients for putting together a nice charcuterie and cheese board. It’s perfect for when friends and family drop in.
First thing on the board is the cheese. I love visiting Sheridans Cheesemongers in Dublin City Centre. 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. Some other things I pick up are a slice of membrillo paste, fennel sausage, a jar of the Sheridans chutney for cheese, and a baguette.
For charcuterie, I like going to Sicilian deli, Amuri by Day on Chatham Row for Mortadella and Prosciutto cotto ham, then I go to Toonsbridge Dairy to get some olives. I like the Atlas olives dressed with garlic and thyme, the plain green pitted olives and the volos olives with garlic and parsley. While I am there, I usually pick up some chorizo, Iberico ham and a five litre Sierra De Gata extra virgin olive oil. It goes really well with everything from salad dressings to making prawn pil pil.”
WEEKEND TIPPLES:
“I love gin. I have a collection of gins in the house from my travels, but my favourites, I’m pleased to say, are Irish including Xin Gin, Gunpowder, Conncullin and Listoke. I also really like a Lillet Blanc and tonic, and my new favourite summer drink is an Aperol Spritz. I have found the trick with the Aperol Spritz is to slice and freeze an orange and use that instead of ice.
If I go out for drinks, I enjoy going to 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.”
Bon Appetit!