With a press trip to Ireland, I was excited to stay at new hotels. Who am I kidding? I think we’ve already established how much I love a boutique hotel, no matter where in the world it’s located. Enter the Dylan Hotel in Dublin. Tucked into a beautiful area of the city, this was our jumping-off point for many of our adventures with Bord Bia in the country — more on that visit, a separate post will be coming soon! Our flight arrived a bit later than expected, and my room had some major Wifi issues (not what I really wanted, considering it was past 1 AM my time). The team did their best, and for that, I was appreciative (even if I didn’t get online until the following morning, #firstworldproblems). So, what did I like best about the Dylan? What changes would I make? Keep reading to find out!…
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With only two free meals available on my recent press trip to Dublin with Bord Bia, having heard some honest feedback from a friend, I decided not to give Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud my only dinner, but instead, to book a lunch seating. Ultimately, I think it was the right choice…for a number of reasons. In comparison to my meal at Dax, which was engaging, elevated, and overall a memorable experience, my meal at two-starred Patrick Guilbaud was stilted, a bit awkward, and formulaic. It’s as if someone went down the list of what a Michelin experience should be and I could literally see what boxes needed to be ticked. Was the food good? Of course it was. Is that the entire point of dining out? No, it’s not. To start, I was shown to the dark reception area (which most likely reads better during winter months when a cozy area…
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On my recent trip to Dublin, I purposely booked an early dinner at award-winning Dax. Knowing I would be trying their tasting menu and understanding there would be some long days with my Bord Bia tour, I was quite pleased with my choice. After all — someone has to be the person having dinner at 6 PM. Upon arrival into the cozy dining room, I was greeted warmly by the team. Olivier Meisonnave, the GM, had clearly looked me up (not in a creepy way, I promise!) and understood I was a passionate foodie. As I love (love!) talking about all things culinary, between Chef Graham Neville and Olivier, there was plenty to discuss. I sincerely appreciated everyone in the restaurant understanding how to entertain a solo diner — and when to give me my space. (This is in direct comparison to the two Michelin restaurant I ate at the…
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