Smooch Food: Love Letters to Every Bite

After a day of eating out, I finally gave in to my laziness and decided to dine in at The Clayton Hotel's B Bar. I ordered the Wicklow Mutton Stew, hoping for a hearty and cozy end to my Friday. Wicklow Mutton Stew from B Bar inside The Clayton Hotel The stew arrived steaming hot, which was a great start. However, I was surprised to find that it was more like a soup than a thick, hearty stew. Wicklow Mutton Stew  from B Bar inside The Clayton Hotel Despite its thin consistency, the mutton itself was incredibly flavorful, showing that it had been cooked to perfection. Unfortunately, that rich flavor didn't carry over to the broth, which was bland and under-seasoned.

Happy Friday! Today officially became a highlight of my trip thanks to the Delicious Dublin Food Tour. Our small, friendly group of eight — seven Americans and one proud Canadian (that’s me!) — set off to explore the city’s culinary soul. Our incredible guide, Sinéad, kicked things off with a fascinating brief on Ireland's history, tracing its diet from simple foraged land provisions through the era of farming and, of course, a necessary, respectful touch on the Great Famine. A Scone Revelation and a Guinness-Lookalike Our first stop was Tang, a fantastic modern Irish café. Here, I had my first true Irish Scone with plum and mixed berry jam. It was a revelation! These scones are softer and far more tender than any I’ve had in Vancouver or London. The jam had the perfect balance of sweetness and a lovely tartness. Scone with Plum and Mixed Berry Jam from Tang A short walk brought...

I’m in a busy Dublin Spar, waiting for my food tasting tour to kick off, and I’ve found my little piece of morning calm: a small dark mocha from Insomnia Coffee. Insomnia is ubiquitous here, and for good reason. My dark mocha is the perfect pre-tour treat — it’s just the right size, rich with a proper kick of dark chocolate, and definitely strong enough to tackle the day. Mocha  from Insomnia Coffee It’s these simple, local routines that make a city feel real. A quick stop, a little caffeine and chocolate comfort, and I'm fueled up and ready to go explore the best of Dublin's food scene. Cheers to the small things!

After taking the train back to Dublin from Cork, I felt famished but was genuinely too lazy to go out again. So, I ended up having dinner right inside my hotel at B Bar, the restaurant in The Clayton Hotel. I wasn't really sure what to order, so I settled on The Clayton Club sandwich. It was served on a toasted multi-grain sourdough roll and was stacked with juicy and tender grilled chicken, crispy smoked streaky bacon, a fried egg, fresh iceberg lettuce, plum tomato, Swiss cheese, and tarragon mayo. It was both satisfying and delicious. The Clayton Club from B Bar inside The Clayton Hotel Grilled chicken, smoked streaky bacon, fried egg, iceberg lettuce, plum tomato, Swiss cheese and tarragon mayo. Served on a multi-grain sourdough roll. What a great dinner to cap off a beautifully blessed day!

After a wonderful time in the Cork office, where we indulged in some delicious barmbrack from Dunnes and enjoyed a nice cup of tea, a colleague and I decided to stop for hot chocolates at the quintessential Irish café, Butler's Chocolate Café. Signature Dark Hot Chocolate from Butlers Chocolate Café We continued our engaging conversation about work, leadership, and career over these comforting, creamy, warm, and sweet chocolatey drinks.