Category: Ireland

Inside the Travel Lodge Plus hotel is a nice restaurant called Mossco. It is a perfect spot to grab a quick bite to eat.

I tried an Irish cider called Orchard Thieves. This was different from most ciders I have had before. It was crisp and sweet. It was delicious. The pour of the cider is huge, and they are always served in a branded glass. It helps me remember what I was drinking when I take the photos.

I was not super hungry since we had been eating all day. I ordered the mushroom soup. The soup was pureed so it was creamy. It had a nice savory flavor. I put creamy Irish butter on the fresh soda bread that came on the side. The butter helped add some moisture to this bread, which I enjoyed.

Checked them out at mossco.ie

Enjoy!

T

If you want some traditional Irish food, check out Bruxelles. Originally established in 1886, it was called The Gafton Mooney until 1973.

We walked in and there was a soccer game on all the TVs, so the place was packed. Because we were there to eat, the waitress actually asked some patrons to move from a table to the bar since they were just drinking. It was really nice, and the patrons had no issue moving. They were really friendly about it.

I ordered the Bruxelles Seafood Chowder. This was one of their signature dishes. The creamy white wine broth contained huge pieces of Alaskan salmon and cod, and muscles (still in the shells). It was rich but not too heavy.

They served Guiness soda bread on the side. If you have never had soda bread before, it is bread that is prepared without yeast. It usually just has 4 ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.

This one was unique because they added Guiness beer into it. It made the bread a dark color. It had amazing flavor – almost like a pumpernickel. I ate a lot of different soda breads during the trip but this was my absolute favorite.

A great way to enjoy the chowder is to wash it down with a pint of Guiness beer. Interesting fact I learned, Guiness in Ireland has a lower alcohol content than in the States. And it does taste different, it is not as heavy.

One the side we munched on Truffle Mayonnaise and Parmesan Fries. Another great dish to enjoy with Guinness.

Check out Bruxelles located on Harry Street ( bruxelles.ie )

Enjoy!

T

If you want a great place to get a cup of coffee or a pastry check out Bewley’s. Its history goes back to 1927 when the building was two townhouses. The original fireplaces are still inside, welcoming patrons every day.

One of the main attractions on the inside are the beautiful stained glass windows and the mosaics that adorn the walls.

Check out Bewley’s located on Gafton Street ( bewleysgraftonstreet.com ).

Enjoy!

T

When we got to the restaurant there was already a line out the door. And as we waited in the line it continued to grow around the block. This was a popular place.

Bread 41 offers fresh breads, many kinds of pastries both sweet and savory, plus an array of coffees. They had fresh croissants, homemade pop tarts, cinnamon buns, danishes, and something called a “craffin” which is a cross between a muffin and a croissant. Everyone seemed to be ordering these.

I ordered a Custardo. This reminded me of the pastel de nata’s that I enjoyed in Lisbon, Portugal. These were a little larger. The creamy custard was very sweet and went well with the latte that I ordered.

We also ordered a Pain Au Chocolat. This was a croissant with creamy chocolate in the middle. The croissant was simple but fresh and flaky. It paired well with a fresh cappuccino.

We did order a savory item, a sausage roll. The pastry was very crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, where it wrapped around the sausage. The flavor of the sausage was amazing. It was savory and juicy. Plus the size of the sausage was larger than your typical breakfast sausage.

Whether you eat there or get it to go the food was worth the wait. Make sure to check out Bread 41 located at 41 Pearse Street  ( bread41.ie ).

Enjoy!

T

After landing in Dublin at 5:00am in the morning, we headed to the hotel to check in. It only took about 20 minutes to get there. The staff was all ready for us when we arrived. We were able to get into our room and freshen up so that we could hit the town.

Our first stop was to find somewhere to get breakfast. We found Bread 41 not far from our hotel.

After breakfast it was time to start exploring Dublin. Even though the official tour started the next day, we wanted to get an idea about the city. We wanted to start enjoying everything Dublin had to offer.

The architecture of the buildings around the city was beautiful. It was a combination of old and new.

There were pubs on every corner, just like I was expecting. Each front was a different color! It helped them stand out.

There were several churches along the way. I stopped into St. Teresa’s Carmelite Church. It was hidden down the alley between the other buildings. It was founded in 1792. When you walk in it is nice and bright. The colorful stained-glass windows glowed.

There is a statue that is a must visit to everyone who visits Dublin, the Molly Malone Statue, located on Suffolk Street. Molly Malone is a semi-historical, semi-legendary figure. There is a song about her called “Cockles & Mussels”. Clearly you can tell where all the good-luck photos are taken.

While walking around Grafton Street, it was a little chilly, so we decided to warm up with a cup of coffee. We stopped at Bewley’s Oriental Cafes. We enjoyed sipping our coffee and listening to the street performers as we continued walking around.

I was amazed how many flower vendors were on the streets. They had such lovely flowers in every color.

If you are into music history the birth of Irish music happened right on Harry Street. And the bar Bruxelles played an important role. Bands like Skid Row and Thin Lizzy got their start here. Plus, it is a great place to go to get traditional Irish food.

Enjoy!

T

Earlier this year a group of us went to Ireland. Our first stop was in Dublin. We stayed at the Travel Lodge Plus. This was a great location. It was only about 20 minutes from everywhere you want to visit.

The staff is extremely friendly & helpful with everything from directions to helping arrange taxis.

We had breakfast every morning. It was a buffet that offered everything from eggs, sausage, oatmeal, fruit & yogurt to blood sausage and baked beans.

The rooms were a little small, but it is what you would expect from a city hotel. The beds are really comfortable & the showers had amazing water pressure.

Enjoy!

T