Dublin 8/7 - Day 14

It's up and out, straight to the airport. It's a bittersweet goodbye to this wonderful city - we fell for it hard and fast. It's surprisingly Europe's most expensive city if the guy from the sweater shop is to be believed, but it seems like a lovely place to live. There's a bustle and a buzz as non-tourists take brisk and purposeful steps to work, but there's an overarching feeling of contented chill, and we love the laid-back vibe. There's no tension where we are, and the buildings are sweet and subtle with varied architecture, a juxtaposition of old and new. It's been an adventure travelling with two young kids, and there's a lot more I wish we'd done, but I'm grateful for all we did. We're so sad to be leaving but eager to get home as well. There are already talks of a return trip, maybe in a year or two, and we fully plan to explore this city and country a whole lot more. 

Kerala Kitchen - Dublin, Ireland

Do you remember that moment in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy steps out of the black-and-white into a technicolor world of bright lights and beautiful blooms onto a road of golden bricks?

That's what our last meal in Dublin was like - the food at Kerala, for the first time since entering Europe, makes me feel alive.  

FIL goes for a coconut curry chicken concoction - I think it was their special. It has a bright, almost tangy notes with an uplifting finish, almost fruity with fabulously flavorful bone-in meat. 

Even the House Black Dal is thick and hearty with smooth, warm spices.

My Lamb Chettinad is just incredible. A full game, peppery curry, bold and spicy with a bit of coconut to keep it smooth. 

My kids can't say enough about the bread. There's not a single piece of naan uneaten, and even the roti is happily noshed by a kid that won't try anything new. 

The food is delicious, and the restaurant itself is also just so beautiful. The dining room is done in a rustic farmhouse style, with long tables and bench seats, perfect for a family to sit and share. If a random pick is this good, I can't wait to see what Dublin's "best" restaurants are like next time. 

Boeuf & Coq - Dublin, Ireland

People were hungry, and we had to just sit down somewhere. They have outdoor seating and a tourist & express lunch menu which seems like a fair deal, and it's all very appropriate for our situation. 

The food on that menu is fair, but I would avoid the Fresh Mussels & Frites. They're about as fresh as you'd expect; not bad but but you want better. The cream sauce is decent, though. 

Steak & Frites comes with a striploin that's on the tougher side, but nothing a steak knife and a full set of teeth can't hack. There's a brandy peppercorn sauce that's not half bad. 

We ordered off a menu designed to chew through tourists who want to chew through their food fast so they can continue touristing, and we got exactly that. The real menu looks alright, and you're not pressed for time and still insist on sitting here, I recommend perusing that instead. That said, I can't recommend this place based on what we ate.

O’Brien’s Sandwich Cafe - Dublin, Ireland

Breakfast is random selection as hubby arbitrarily chooses to sit at this nondescript chain. 

The Cappuccino is a nice one so as long as I have that I'm happy. 

The Breakfast Toastie is really quite Irish, I think, thin slices of bread sandwiching bacon and sausage with a smear of relish and tomato to cut the fat.

The Egg Works bagel sandwich has scrambled eggs with bacon bits that are less fluffy than I'm used to but quite filling and very fueling. 

It's not an impressive breakfast but it's a solid one for another long day of walking.

Dublin- 8/6 - Day 13

Last day of vacation, and we spend it shopping, revisiting the stores we bypassed during our first day of recon. 

Lots of ice cream breaks for the big girl, and we even squeeze in a tasting at the Irish Whiskey Museum. 

The 4 Style Flight is the most comprehensive so we share it together while the big girl enjoys a Kit Kat. The Teeling Single Grain is a sweet, caramely liquor, while the Kappogue Castle has little sweetness but finishes smooth. Powers Three Swallow Release is a bit more spicy, almost medicinal IMO, and the Connemara Original has some smoke. 

I didn't fall in love with any of these, but I'm glad we got to try them. We do some damage at the gift shop and leave with a few sampler packs of stuff we can't easily get in the states so we can try them at home at our leisure.  

We return to the hotel to find the missing car seats delivered and unharmed. It's a good end to a great day, and we rest up for the next day's very long flight. 

Four Seasons Pavilion - Dublin, Ireland

When I booked this rather ritzy hotel, I never would have imagined finding an authentic Chinese restaurant three doors down, but here it is. All traditional decor, this cozy spot even has a glass window with hanging ducks to separate the kitchen from the dining area, a sight that's been disappearing from American Chinatowns, and very much a sight for my sore eyes. 

Colorful posters boast of their roast duck, and they have every right to brag. It's sweet and soy-saucy, salty and savory, fragrant and so tender it melts in your mouth...except for the layer of crispy skin that crackles before it dissolves. 

Switch off with a gooey Soy Okra soaked in a garlic lagoon. 

Prawn Toast is a crispy, sesame seed-crusted delight, a bit heavily fried so it's perfect for sharing.

The Signature Braised Pork Belly has soy sauce that's soaked all the way through and finishes sweet with some caramelization on the edges. The fat is juicy, the lean meat is tender, and it's impressively well-balanced for a dish that's meant to hit hard. 

You can't eat all this meat without a good vegetable, and the Dry-Fried Green Beans are just that. Wok-kissed and so savory thanks to a smattering of ground pork, this dish is far better than just a side. 

Cumin Lamb has crisped-up edges with centers full of gamey juice, juxtaposed with perky peppers. 

Fantastic food and shockingly affordable for three hungry grown-ups who went all out. The chef here must have worked hard at their training because everything they serve is textbook. Amazing meal, so good we actually almost returned the following night.

Boojum - Dublin, Ireland

Dublin's answer to America's Chipotle, Boojum burrito bar is a fast-casual counter serving up big, floppy tortillas filled with your selections of whatever veggies and meat.

The Barbacoa is bland and dry, but everything else is alright. Fajita veggies are a bit undercooked but there's truly nothing offensive about them.

The Carnitas are amazing actually, everything the barbacoa is not. Juicy, a bit punchy, and quite seasoned and spiced compared to most things we encountered in the UK. The rice is good, and the beans are a better than the veg. 

It's not quite Chipotle, but it's cool to find something close enough on the other side of the pond. I'm pleased that Mexican-style food has made it this far, and I'm excited to see what else this cosmopolitan city is cooking up.

Dublin - 8/5 - Day 12

8 years of marriage today, and we're feeling very much like us. It's all about footsteps and food, as we spend our day exploring the city's major sights. 

Our first stop is St Stephen's Green, a gorgeous park full of greenery and history. 

There's grass and fountains and trees, and a nice park for kids to play. 

There's a sprawling pond with so many ducks and even a pair of mated swans. 

The famine statue is quite moving, 

and Lord Ardilaun sits serenely on the western side, satisfied with his decision to dedicate the green to Dublin. 

Of particular interest to me is the RCSI building across the street as it houses Dublin's medical school, from which I know a few graduates. 

Merrion Square is pretty as well,

and the playground treehouse is epic. 

We walk by Trinity College too, and finish the day by shopping. 

The Lounge Restaurant - Mespil Hotel - Dublin, Ireland

I finally get my Guinness, and we toast our final destination, the end of our adventure. 

We're so starving and tired as we sink into the comfy couch of this rather sleek and upscale restaurant-lounge. The menu is full of classy comforts, the ingredients are of unquestionable quality. 

The Slow-Cooked Feather Blade of Beef is so beautifully tender it shreds under the tines, and the bits of tendon inside dissolve to add a texture both gooey and rich. The mushroom caps are juicy, the pile of potatoes are buttery fluff, and the tomatoes are hot and fresh.

Pan Fried Seabass is a perfect plate of fish, all buttery bits with a crispy skin. The beurre blanc will make you lick the plate, the mussels add a splendid savor, and the fresh English peas and broccolini are the best vegetable I've had this trip. 

The kid's menu has a pretty solid cheese Pizza, a generic combination of crust and topping and sauce, but it's something a kid is sure to eat so I'd call that a true success.

It's a generic 4-star meal, but I mean that in a good way. The food is straightforward, but it's a fantastic iteration of the things you know and love. You can count on this menu to deliver the finer-dining dishes impeccably, and everything you order is fresh and flawless.

8/4 - Windermere to Dublin - Day 11

It's a bittersweet goodbye as we go our separate ways, unsure when we'll see each other again. 

The weather mirrors my mood as the drive to Manchester Airport is traffic-ridden and rainy. FIL gets sideswiped as he’s turning into the rental car return. No one is hurt, not even the car, and despite significant delays, we make it to check-in with plenty of time, though we're soaking wet from the 5-minute downpour that hits right after we leave the cars. Our luck runs out as our checked car seats get stuck in the scanner, and the incompetent agent gets us to security with only 5 minutes to spare.

We don't miss our flights thanks to a miraculous delay, but unfortunately lunch ends up being Clif bars and scraps from my bag as there's not time to seek more substantial fare. 

We make it to Dublin intact, but the car seats miss the flight. Aer Lingus lends us their filthy ones, selected from their room full of abandoned luggage, but they get us to our hotel. 

The Mespil Hotel is a lovely choice, the 4-star bright spot of our day. It sits in a quiet section of the city and is an easy walk to the tourist center. It overlooks the Grand Canal, and the vibe is comfortably chill.