Top 10 Dublin Restaurants

Donal Skehan - one of Ireland's youngest and (in my opinion) most down to earth TV chefs was featured on one of America's biggest food websites www.epicurious.com. They asked him to throw together his favourite spots to eat around Dublin City, which being MY hometown also, I thought I would share although he mentions more than ten restaurants! After all ALOT of post funeral activity in Ireland surround food!

1. "Brunch at the Pepperpot Cafe in Powerscourt Town House, with their mismatched tea sets and epic sandwiches–Mount Callan Cheddar, Bacon, and Roast Pear being my favorite!–followed by a stroll around Grafton St. and a stop by Fallon & Byrne for some great-quality ingredients and Sheridans for the best cheese Ireland has to offer."

2. "Chapter One. Wonderful service and incredible cooking from one of Ireland's most widely celebrated chefs, Ross Lewis."

3. "One of the things I love most about the Dublin food scene is that you don't have to spend a fortune to get great-quality food. A serious sausage roll with proper Irish pork and flaky puff pastry from Lolly & Cooks in George's Street Arcade served with a fresh salad is a great lunch. Or Skinflint in Temple Bar has a good offering of cheap and tasty dinners, and paddle-shaped pizzas with firebee [infused with chile!] honey."

4. "3FE is hard to beat for coffee in Dublin, but I also love Brother Hubbard, whose food matches their coffee offering. They do brilliant breakfasts–I had semolina pancakes with poached rhubarb, mint, and candied nuts last time I was in. In Ireland the national drink is surprisingly not Guinness but TEA! Every Irish problem can be solved with a cup of tea and Wall & Keogh, a super little cafe, has a huge selection of tea and is a great place to try some of the best in town."

5. "For more traditional Irish food Hatch & Sons is a super spot for a hearty lunch of great Irish ingredients, or the Winding Stair Bookshop & Cafe and the Pig's Ear for a dinner featuring more traditional Irish cooking."

6. "There are plenty of new restaurants popping up in Dublin but some of the great spots for food include: the Fumbally for inspired salads and sandwiches"

7. "L. Mulligan Grocer, which has a wonderful menu of creative pub food like scotch eggs and ploughman's platters featuring many Irish artisan producers"

8. "Crackbird - an addictive chicken joint which has a super little take on fast-food fried chicken."

9. "A stop in Bunsen who serve seriously good burgers with quality Black Aberdeen Angus Beef and homemade burger buns."

10. "My hometown of Howth, a little fishing village north of city, is the best place to go for some great food and a beautiful picnic. You can get the DART right into the heart of village and then take your pick of seafood restaurants for some great Irish seafood chowder before heading out on the cliff walk with some of the most breathtaking views of the Baily Lighthouse and across Dublin Bay."

You're free Genie (Robin Williams)

“You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.” 

Robin Williams, 1951 – 2014

You may remember him from movies/TV:

• Mork & Mindy (1978–1982)
• The World According to Garp (1982)
• Popeye (1980)
• Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
• Dead Poets Society (1989)
• Awakenings (1990)
• The Fisher King (1991)
• Hook (1991)
• Aladdin (1992)
• Ferngully (1992)
• TOYS (1992)
• Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
• Jumanji (1995)
• The Birdcage (1996)
• JACK (1996)
• Good Will Hunting (1997)
• What dreams may come (1998)
• Patch Adams (1998)
• Bicentennial Man (1999)
• AI Artificial Intelligence (2001)
• One hour Photo (2002)
• Insomnia (2002)
• Robots (2005)
• Night at the Museum (2006)
• Happy Feet (2006)
• Night at the Museum 2 (2009)
• Happy Feet 2 (2011)
• The big wedding (2013)

and this year (2014) he is due to be in Absolutely Anything as Dennis the Dog, Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb as Teddy Roosevelt, Merry Friggin' Christmas as Mitch and The Angriest Man in Brooklyn.

Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor 3 times, he received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Good Will Hunting. He also received two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and five Grammy Awards.


His role as the Genie (he also did the voice of "The Peddler") in the animated film Aladdin (1992) set the way for many many other superstar voice actor castings. According to DVD commentary of the film most of his dialogue was improvised.

Little Trivia : Robin Williams fell out with Disney over an initial agreement on the marketing of the movie and his character - the Genie which resulted in Dan Castellaneta's voicing the Genie in The Return of Jafar and the Aladdin animated television series. But when 20th Century Fox Production head Joe Roth left Fox and joined Disney (but not before he set the go ahead for Mrs Doubtfire!!) he arranged a public apology from Disney and all was happy again until another marketing blunder and flop on Bicentennial Man in 1999. BUT all became well again and in 2009 Robin agreed to be inducted as a Disney Legend.

"Thank you for choosing "Magic Carpet" for all your travel needs. Don't stand until the rug has come to a complete stop. Thank you. Goodbye, now. Goodbye. Goodbye. Thank you. Goodbye."