Seafood meal and cardamon bun

While touring the south east coast, found an artisan bakery at Dungarvan, Dun bakery, the cardamon bun is fluffy light and flavourful, better than those I tried in Copenhagen, especially warmed up, wonderful.

Asked at the tourist office for restaurant recommendations, he pointed us to White Horses at Ardmore, in a nearby seaside town. No Michelin recommendation, but the seafood served is fresh and properly cooked, well presented and tasty, so hard to find in Ireland!

Dublin staycation

Stayed in Dublin for a night, for a change of scene, to check out some sights in the capital and see an exhibition in Dublin Castle called Census 1926. The exhibition is interesting as it disclosed the census done 100 years ago, the first one after independence. 

 

2026年5月27日 1926 人口普查

最近看了「1926 年人口普查」展覽，是愛爾蘭獨立五年後，第一個人口普查，一百年後，資料全部公開，讓人民查看。

展出了好些統計，和很多那年代的照片，多張全家福照片，不少有一名兒子是神父，一名女兒是修女，那是合乎當時社會/教會的期望，是否兒女的真心選擇，不得而知。

其中一個統計，特別觸目，是在當時約三百萬人口中，多少能說英語、愛爾蘭語，原來有99%人民能說英語，18%能說愛爾蘭語，和少於1%只能說愛爾蘭語。而到了現在，五百幾萬人口中，能流利地說愛爾蘭語的約2%。

當真意外，愛爾蘭被英國統治百多年後，竟然這麽成功地改變當地人民的語言選擇，是在其他殖民地方沒有的現象也！ 

The other important reason is to eat at Michelin restaurants, a lot there but very few near where I live. 

Tried D’Oulier Street in Dublin center, a 13 courses tasting dinner, tasty dishes, some dishes have really used too many ingredients, good attempt and a nice experience. 

The next morning spend the time at Howth, a peninsula north east of Dublin famous for seafood. It was bitterly cold wind, but the sea scenery is pleasant when the sun finally shine through. 

I was expecting a big market hall, but actually just a number of fish shops and restaurants. Bought some fresh looking mackerel, squid and surf clam. 

Ate at Mamo, run by a French trained Irish chef. I have to say this is one of two best cooked fish I have ever eaten in Ireland in the last 6 year. Just cooked, juicy meat, crispy skin, tasty sauce. 

Restaurant Vaughan Liscanner

This restaurant at this seaside town Liscanner serves the best Fish & chips and seared John Dory I have eaten in Ireland. 

Nice big piece of still juicy haddock in a very thin batter and freshly made potato chips. The seared John Dory is fresh and has crispy skin. Sounds straight forward but so hard to find in Ireland. 

Sister Ping’s Kitchen, Limerick

Invited by friends to try this new Chinese restaurant, run by a Hunan Chef. Ordered many dishes and all are properly made, with authentic flavour. Very pleased to see this new addition in a nearby city. 

Wah san wai 和三味

My selected fare well to HK meal is at this Japanese restaurant, having the luxurious sashimi set lunch. It is one of the restaurant (raw fish and Teppanyaki) in HK that I have visited in the last few years where the quality of ingredients and cooking has been consistently high. 

The Atrium 中庭, Convention and Exhibition Centre Hong Kong

Enjoyed a well made Chinese dinner with friends at the Atrium, used to serve Shanghainese food before. 
In the menu there is a good selection of Cantonese dishes. The set meal selected that night has a lot of very high quality traditional ingredients, like giant yellow fungus, fish maw, coconut soup with black silk chicken etc. Excellent cooking skills and very delicate complex flavours. 

Tai Wai Dinning Room 大圍小館

Went there with friends living in that area, a convenient location with 2 MTR lines intersecting making it easy to get to all 4 corners of HK. 

A well decorated medium size restaurant serving Cantonese dishes, some traditional some with twists. Many interesting sounding dishes and excellent cooking skills, need to go back again to try more dishes. Deep fried 九肚魚 is a must have dish, the batter is so thin, crispy but not oily, with tender soft flesh inside. 

Restaurant Voon, Kennedy Town

Chic restaurant in Kennedy Town, a fell steps from the water front, serving well prepared tasty dishes.