Dublin - Yes, the Guinness really is better here!

A visit to Bewley’s is as much a feast for the senses as it is for the food, probably more so. Bewleys was established in 1840 as a supplier of tea and they opened their first cafe in 1894. Today Bewley’s is Ireland’s leading supplier of quality coffees and teas and they have a number of cafes throughout Dublin.

We stopped in the one on Mary Street for coffee and a scone which was light and flaky. The self serve restaurant has light meals, desserts, sandwiches and beverages. The food is decent and prices are reasonable but the main reason to come here is the decor. Stained glass windows and walls covered with Chinese writing, dark, heavy tables with marble tops and velvet upholstered benches made us feel like we were in the early 1900s. Patrons were a mix of tourists like ourselves, suit and tie businessmen, and elderly ladies who were taking a break from their shopping.

Bewley’s has its own line of coffee and teas available for sale at the cafes as well as in stores throughout Ireland. A purchase from Beweley’s makes a good souvenir to bring back for your tea drinking friends.

We stayed with friends in Edenderry, a small, quiet village where the sweet, earthy smell of burning peat from the nearby bogs flavours the night air. On the night that we decided to go out for dinner the weather was miserable but lights blazing from Caesar’s restaurant offered us a welcome respite from the cold and rain.

Caesars isn’t large but it is one of the most popular restaurants in Edenderry. Owner Pauric Whelehan is also the chef and takes pride in turning out large portions of good food for his mostly local clientele. The menu is a mixed bag - pasta, chicken, seafood and steaks.

Tony warned us that the portions were large so we didn’t bother with starters but we could not pass up the freshly baked dense multi grain bread that is served before each meal. In fact, the bread is so popular that people stop in just to buy a loaf to take home.

Jim and I both ordered deep fried cod. Barbara had grilled salmon Florentine and Tony opted for steak. With the meals came salad and a choice of fries, potato wedges or baked potato. The side dishes were served family style so we had large bowls filled with steamed green peas in butter, crispy potato wedges and French fries. The cod was fresh, not frozen, and fried in a crispy Guinness flavoured batter and Barbara’s salmon was served in a white wine sauce with prawns and spinach. Tony’s T-bone, served with sautéed mushrooms and onions, covered most of his plate. All the meals were delicious and there was so much food we had a hard time finding room for all the serving dishes on the table.

Although full, we managed to share a slice of Irish cream cheesecake and it was the perfect end to a fine meal. Prices averaged 5.50 euro for starters, 11 for most entrees and 20 for steaks. Service was unhurried, pleasant and friendly. The restaurant is open for dinner from 6 to 11 pm Tuesday through Saturday and has a very limited liquor menu - just bottled beer and wine.

As we were walking along Grafton Street one morning we noticed a multitude of purple flowers cascading down the front of a building across from St. Stephens Green. It turned out to be a shopping center and we decided to pop in and grab a coffee. The interior was filled with light due to the expanse of glass throughout so we took some time to explore. On the top floor we discovered the Dome Restaurant with such a good view of the park that we decided to stay and order breakfast.

The food was laid out buffet style but priced a la carte and there was quite a selection to choose from. Jim opted for a traditional Irish breakfast - eggs, sausage, white pudding (sausage made with pork and oatmeal) and chunky potatoes fried with onions and chopped ham. I had granola - not just any granola but a bowl so filled with dried apricots, raisins, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, dates, brazil nuts and more that the oatmeal was definitely in the minority. It was served in a thick pottery bowl that matched our coffee and tea mugs and gave the place a cozy, homey feel.

Their lunch menu was written on a chalk board and specials for the day included beef bourginon, breast of chicken with lemon basil marinade, cerviche salmon, sandwiches, quiches and more. One of the highlights here is the pastry counter where absolutely mouth watering cakes, tarts and pastries are on display. These desserts are made by a company that also has a take away next door and I’m told that a dessert and afternoon tea at the Dome is a popular occurrence.

The Dome is a budget restaurant with classy touches found in much more expensive places. The conservatory dining area has a high glass domed ceiling and large floor to ceiling windows along the outside wall. This offers great views of busy Grafton Street and St. Stephens Green Park just across the way. During the afternoon, live classical music is featured.

The restaurant is open Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 5:30 pm.

While waiting for a friend who worked nearby we decided to stop in at the Bleeding Horse Pub. It is supposedly the second oldest pub in Dublin and just one of the many establishments featured in Aubrey Malone’s book “Historic Pubs of Dublin”. According to the sign it was originally built in 1649 but has been added to, renovated and remodeled over the years. The name comes from the practice of bleeding horses to cure them of head staggers – I doubt that was much fun for the horse unless it got Guinness as a reward afterward.

The pub is located at 24 Upper Camden Street in a very busy working class area of Dublin, away from the touristy crowds of Temple Bar but still close enough to easily walk to the downtown core.

The pub is much larger than it looks from the outside and has three separate areas. The main section features a large wooden bar and wooden counters and high stools along the windows providing views of Camden and Charlotte Way Streets. An equally large back section of the pub has small, cozy booths and there are also tables and chairs upstairs. Decor is best described as shabby rustic with old pictures throughout including one of the Bleeding Horse Inn from 1750.

The pub has all the typical drinks you’d expect to find but we were most interested in what was on tap. No trip to Ireland is complete without at least once trying the country’s most famous export, Guinness. Invented by Sir Arthur Guinness in the mid 1700s, Guinness ads used to promote it as a health benefit. Jim’s mom said her doctor had recommended drinking a pint each day to increase her iron levels during pregnancy - this might explain why Jim is so fond of it.

The barman doesn’t just pour Guinness; the correct term is building a Guinness and it is quite an art. The brew comes out of the pump looking like thick chocolate foam and when the glass is about half full, the barman puts it aside to settle while he fills more glasses. Once the partially filled glass has sat for awhile the separation of black liquid and creamy foam occurs and only then does he top up the glass the rest of the way to create a thick head. The foam is about one inch deep and so thick that you can make designs in it. The taste is earthy, nutty and much richer than the bottled Guinness we get back home. It’s also extremely filling so one pint was more than enough for me although Jim managed to keep the barman busy.

Like many other patrons before us, including James Joyce and Bill Clinton, we felt The Bleeding Horse was the perfect place to relax with a Guinness. During our mid afternoon visit the pub was low key and pretty quiet but supposedly on weekend nights this place is hopping until 2 a.m. with a D.J. and a mostly under 30 crowd.