Bloggers Recommend: Sour Grapes

This week, our Bloggers Recommend post is brought to you by self-described ‘plonkeur’ Lar Veale of SourGrapes.ie, one of Ireland’s best wine blogs.  Lar lives and works in Dublin.

Lar’s Favourite Cheap Eats

Fallon & Byrne

Get your grub from the deli (main courses are €8) and skulk down to the wine cellar and order from a great range of wines by the glass. Even better, bring a friend and take advantage of their €1 corkage on Mondays and go for a bottle.

Milanos, IFSC

Very decent pizzas and while that’s a great reason in itself, I’ve found them to be really child-friendly, child friendly glasses, children’s menu and to wash it all down, Bambinochino – frothed milk in an espresso cup. My young fella loves it.

Plan B, Stoneybatter

Excellent authentic Italian fare at very attractive prices. Very decent Italian wine list too, with many Italian classics and some undiscovered gems starting from €5.

Rosso, Dundalk

If you’re looking for fine food in “The Town”, then look no further than Rosso. Well priced and delicious food, with a very decent wine list too, many of which are by the glass.

Lar’s Wishlist

Better wine lists throughout Dublin restaurants, and ones that don’t break the bank. In particular, more wine by the glass please.

Fallon & Byrne – your restaurant upstairs serves great food but the winelist doesn’t reflect the great wines you have in the cellarwinebar. Cean fath?

Lastly, on wine lists, put a bit more work into your wine descriptions and join up the dots. For starters, “this wine would perfectly match this dish on our menu” and vice versa. You’ll help your diners and increase your wine sales too.