Let me just say, right off the bat, I am not a food critic. But I do have to eat and when I travel I take pictures of my food when I eat so I often look like some sort of food critic. I am also a pescatarian so there won’t be a lot of food adventures captured in this blog. I don’t eat spiders, red meat, fowl, or any kind of “part” that was once considered peasant food that is now a delicacy. Sorry, you carnivores. But the food in Ireland is better than you have been told. At least I was told it was bland and there were no vegetables. Psh–wrong!
We found the food in Ireland to be good. Very good. All the fish was super fresh and every restaurant took great care. In Clifden, I had the best fish chowder I have ever had, and I live in New England, which prides itself on chowders. In Ireland, the chowders were super fresh with a ton of large chunks of fresh fish.
It is worth noting that both of the above meals were gluten free. Yes! Ireland is the most gluten free friendly country I have been in thus far. I am not celiac; I only have a sensitivity, but it was refreshing to have many gluten free options available that did not preclude me from having what everyone wants in Ireland–fish and chips, chowders, Irish bread! The menus are clearly marked as to what is gluten free and I never went hungry. People speculate (or maybe this is, in fact, true?) that the high rate of celiac in Ireland goes way back to relying on potatoes instead of wheat and thus not developing the ability to digest wheat properly in the subsequent generations. (Makes sense and I have a strong Irish ancestry.) But Ireland takes this seriously so any celiac folks can rejoice! No need to subsist on potatoes, though honestly, sounds tempting!
And no trip to Ireland would be complete without some Guinness and/or whiskey. Now, here is where my Irish ancestors would be disappointed. I like Guinness but the gluten sent me in other directions and I do not like “the brown stuff.” I know–shameful! I have been to Scotland too and did not do a scotch tasting. The below pic is me faking a sip for dramatic effect at the Guinness Museum in Dublin, which is well worth a visit if you have time while there. And my husband drank mine (comes with the ticket) so it didn’t go to waste. 😉 He also discovered Bushmills Reserve while there, which is now featured prominently on our bar cart. Maybe when I grow up I will be able to raise a glass with everyone else in my family who loves a scotch or whiskey, but for now, I will hang my head and stick with some wines. (That Ireland imports, of course.) Slainte!
