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20th December 2016
12:10am GMT
We've covered all manner of "best of" lists here on Lovin Dublin from pizza to burgers, sushi to salads, chippers to sandwiches and more. We felt like this was an important post as we Irish people can be creatures of comfort (blame the weather) and sometime we just need a good comforting meal to warm the cockles. Comfort food can be very subjective, however we feel that we've rounded up the top 10 contenders.
10. Beans on Toast
I don't think we need to explain this. It was the comfort food of most of our youth. Probably the first "meal" any of us learned to cook. It smacks of comfort and now you can get really posh versions all around the city, but the first posh plate of beans (and the best) comes from the Cake Cafe. They'll also let you top your beans will a fried egg, bacon or cheese. Or all of the above.
9. Million Dollar Fries
You're seeking comfort, so you're probably seeking chips. And if not, then the chips will probably please if not surpass your previous comfort food craving. Who doesn't love a a hot, salty bag of fat chips. We've tasted our fair share of chips in the city and to say that Bear's Million Dollar Fries are the best is an understatement. They're basically cubes of potato gratin deep fried like a chip. So you think you've just ordered giant chips and then you cut through and realise there is gooey gratin on the inside. The delight and glee on people's faces the first time they experience this is like watching a child opening presents on Christmas morning.
8. Lemon Crepes
Often (especially if you're female) you're craving will come in the sugary, sweet form. There's not much that carbs, fat and chocolate can't cure- especially when they all come in the same thing. For that reason I shall be having a chocolate and banana crepe please! In Lemon Crepe you can sit in and enjoy with friends over coffee, or if you're flying solo then you can get them to take away in the little handy cardboard yokes and dash off to down your crepe in solitude.
7. Juniors Sandwiches
It's not true that people only crave comfort food when it's cold, at night, the weekends or when hungover. Many people have to endure working for sociopaths or micromanagers and lunchtime during the work week is when you can get 60 minutes of peace to try nurture yourself back to full mental health. It's time like these that you need to kick back and relax with a Juniors Sandwich in your hand. These bad boys are HUGE (no seriously, their chicken sandwich has at least two chicken fillets in it) and taste incredible with amazing sauces, salads and bread. While all are delicious, our top pick from their menu has to be their chicken sandwich.
6. Fried Chicken
Another one that surely needs no explanation. Nothing says comfort like a bucket of fried chicken. We like ours from Crackbird with the whipped lemon feta sauce on the side. Oh okay, we also get the beans and potato croquettes too... If you're craving comfort you may as well go the whole hog!
5. Ice-cream
Ice-cream is the top comfort food for most of us, sometimes it just feels right to fulfil the cliche of the saddo crying in front of the TV watching crappy rom-coms and gorging on ice-cream. Our top pick is Murphy's- I find it hard to walk past their cafe on Wicklow Street (even in the depths of icy winter) without stopping for a scoop of their ice-cream. They've got some weird sounding flavours that sound so wrong but taste so right- brown bread or toasted oat ice-cream. You can't go wrong with their classics like honeycomb, butterscotch or rum raisin either. You can get big tubs for your freezer too should you wish to take to the couch.
4. Pizza
There's no two ways about it, pizza is definitely bad for you and it kind of makes us want it more. Crispy chewy carbs, hot drippy tomato sauce, gooey stringy cheese and a whole host of whatever toppings tickle your fancy. It's essentially just a carrier for all the stuff we dream about. While the best pizza in Dublin is a sensitive subject as we found out earlier this year in our top ten pizza post, I don't think you can beat Paulie's Pizza in Grand Canal. My favourite is the Bianca.
3. Brisket
If you are a man, you will more than likely crave big hunks of meat. I'm not sure why it is that all women crave chocolate and all men crave meat, but it's a stereotype that is 99% accurate in most cases. If you want a big plate of tasty meat, then look no further than Bison Bar. It's huge, it's delicious, it's tender and the sides are comforting too.
2. Burger
This is an obvious one, burger and chips. Who doesn't crave one of those when they need a little comfort? The best burger in Dublin is much like the best pizza in Dublin, people get really sensitive when debating who get's the top slot. Bunsen still get's our top burger vote as we don't think anyone has as of yet knocked them off the number one spot (but we would be more than happy to check out any suggestion you might have). We like it because it's no frills, simple but every details of their burger is absolutely delicious from the brioche bun right down to the angus ground beef patty. Bunsen is closely followed by Green 19, Counter, Bobos and JoBurger.
1. Fish and Chips
This top spot it totally and utterly owned by Burdock's. Proper old school fish and chips -none of your fancy stuff please- is where it is at when you're craving some comfort. We love their old school fat, greasy chips (you can keep your lousy skinny fries) and the main star of the show, their thick pieces of fried fish in their crispy, golden batter. Burdock's chipper is over 100 years old but still sticks to the same simple menu of fresh fish and fresh chips daily. Burdock's is a Dublin institution and for good reason, if you haven't eaten there in a while, make it your business to go back soon and remind yourself of why it's so good. The ultimate Dublin comfort food.
Those are our top 10 comfort foods in Dublin, but we want to hear yours. If there are any other dishes you feel should be in the top 10, let us know in the comments below.
