American Breakfast in Dublin
It is surprisingly difficult to find a good example of the great Irish breakfast in this city. There are any number of places selling them for extortionate prices, but few enough where you can get a good feed - of rashers, eggs, sausages, pudding, maybe a grilled tomato, possibly a few mushrooms - and not feel a tiny bit ripped off. This isn't so much of a problem for the visitor as for the resident, I suppose, since your hotel will probably provide you with some revolting bastardisation of the Irish fry that approximates pretty closely to what is available around town.
The other thing, of course, is that not every tourist has the will or even inclination to coat their arteries with quite as much pig fat as the Irish, but those who long for a traditional American breakfast can find one in the heart of Temple Bar. The Joy of Chai café on Essex St (it's an awful name, isn't it? I think it takes its name from the Joy of Coffee up the street, and if that's still not really much of an excuse, consider that it was once called Central Perk and be grateful that we are living in more enlightened times) has an American breakfast, and to my uneducated palette it's pretty good: American style pancakes, with American style bacon and scrambled eggs and maple syrup (someday I will find somebody who will explain why maple syrup is supposed to go with pork products, until then I simply submit myself blissfully to the mystery). It tastes pretty good to me and it's not as much of a rip-off as many breakfasts around town. The place also sells a wide range of teas, herbal teas, infusions and stuff, incongruous maybe, but welcome Plus, apart from this kind of weird old intense guy with a white beard, the staff are attractive and intelligent and helpful.
It is surprisingly difficult to find a good example of the great Irish breakfast in this city. There are any number of places selling them for extortionate prices, but few enough where you can get a good feed - of rashers, eggs, sausages, pudding, maybe a grilled tomato, possibly a few mushrooms - and not feel a tiny bit ripped off. This isn't so much of a problem for the visitor as for the resident, I suppose, since your hotel will probably provide you with some revolting bastardisation of the Irish fry that approximates pretty closely to what is available around town.
The other thing, of course, is that not every tourist has the will or even inclination to coat their arteries with quite as much pig fat as the Irish, but those who long for a traditional American breakfast can find one in the heart of Temple Bar. The Joy of Chai café on Essex St (it's an awful name, isn't it? I think it takes its name from the Joy of Coffee up the street, and if that's still not really much of an excuse, consider that it was once called Central Perk and be grateful that we are living in more enlightened times) has an American breakfast, and to my uneducated palette it's pretty good: American style pancakes, with American style bacon and scrambled eggs and maple syrup (someday I will find somebody who will explain why maple syrup is supposed to go with pork products, until then I simply submit myself blissfully to the mystery). It tastes pretty good to me and it's not as much of a rip-off as many breakfasts around town. The place also sells a wide range of teas, herbal teas, infusions and stuff, incongruous maybe, but welcome Plus, apart from this kind of weird old intense guy with a white beard, the staff are attractive and intelligent and helpful.
