Dun Laoghaire, Aztec Cuisine, Picnics and Fish and Chips!

First of all sorry for the lack of updates, we’ve been very busy trying to get you the best specials lunch deals, vouchers and comps that we can. As our devoted followers know, we own lunch, so come and have a look!

The upside to this is that we’ve got lots of news for you! There have been numerous new additions to mylunch.ie in recently, and we have some very exciting newbies coming online in the next while.

Out in Dun Laoghaire, the FOWC may be over for the year, but there is some good news for you seasiders! There are two new retailers on site from your neck of the woods, and by all accounts, two popular ones. The Royal Marine Hotel, which once played host to Laurel and Hardy for 33 long days and nights (especially the nights!) is now live. The historic hotel overlooking the Pier has an excellent menu, and warm atmosphere, with the Hardy’s Club Sandwich (only €10 with sides) a favourite of ours. The Royal Marine also offers a special 2 for 1 to mylunch users, so grab a friend and go for lunch by the sea.

Back up in the town, Harrys Cafe Bar is a neighbourhood fave. The funky and relaxed diner is open 7 days a week, and their lunch specials are not to be missed. Try a cheeseburger & fries for only €8.50 plus a FREE mineral/tea/coffee. Check the full menu here.

From the seaside, to Dublin’s best loved fish and chipper (see that for a smooth link eh?). Beshoffs on O Connell Street has come on board. So we all love a healthy salad for lunch, but hey, lets not kid ourselves, there’s nothing more tasty than vinegar soaked fresh cut chips and flaky battered cod. With a wide selection of fish dishes starting from €4.95 and a special mylunch offer of Smoked Cod & Chips or Sausage, Beans & Chips for only €5, Beshoffs is not to be missed.

With Mexican fever taking over Dublin it seems, Cafe Azteca is the daddy of the scene. Based on Lord Edward Street near Christchurch, Azteca is ideal , whether it be a quick bite, lunch meeting or special occasion venue you are looking for. So who wants to try the footlong burrito then?
Check out the Azteca voucher too!

Finally, in Georges Street Arcade, where the gorgeous Lolly and Cooks is also housed, Urban Picnic is now on board the mylunch train! High quality, fresh hand-made food, with a unique atmosphere and decor, Urban Picnic has a huge P.M. lunch menu, which includes Roasted Salmon Fillet with Cous Cous & Steamed Greens Teriyaki Reduction € 8.95. Sounds good!

Just a couple of other things to wrap up, we would love your feedback on how we can improve, so be sure to fill out our 60 sec survey if you get a chance. Also if there’s a lunch place that you simply love, and must have on site, please let us know!

Oh and by the way, stay tuned for two very special announcements in the coming weeks, which will change the face of lunch in Dublin as we know it, and soon (*strokes cat while laughing manically*) the whole country...!

mylunch.ie supports Street Feast: A lovely lunch with your neighbours on July 18th!

We here at mylunch.ie strive to offer you the best deals, offers, vouchers and competitions to optimise your lunchtime experience. From the start we have always been big believers in the social side of lunch, and the importance of this in Irish society. God knows the country could do with a bit of good news now and again, and we strive to bring that news, and to put a smile on the face of you and your colleagues daily. So it was very exciting for us to hear about the Street Feast idea.

Social entrepreneurship is an area that has been dramatically growing in Ireland, as people place less and less value on material items, and more and more emphasis on relationships, community and the wellbeing of others. Ventures such as Street Feast are the epitome of this new found outlook it seems.

The basic premise is that on 18^th July 2010, a day of local lunches will be held across the country, hosted by neighbours. The aim of this, as organiser Sam Bishop states, is to “encourage communities all around the country to hold a party... and to rekindle Ireland’s sense of community which appears to be dwindling away”. This can be a garden party, a field day, street party, a plain old BBQ held on the local green, or a club or community group get together. The type of feast doesn’t matter, the main thing is to bring people together, and have fun for the day with full bellies! Each Street Feast is self-organised, and will be as different as the neighbourhood that hosts it.

The team of passionate young innovators behind Street Feast began work on the concept in September last year, and the Street Feast name was coined in March 2010. The idea is to inspire, and to aid the rebuilding of Ireland’s community spirit, through the medium of lunch, while having barrels of fun doing it! Street Feast is a not for profit venture, and is receiving backing from orgs. such as Leargas, the European Youth in Action Fund, and Challenge Europe, a British Council led Youth Initiative.

To underline the D.I.Y. aspect which Street Feast is based on, the group held a once off free lunch, dubbed Flash Feast , as a launch party on Dublin’s Dame Street on 15^th June 2010. This was subsequently featured in the Irish Times, and involved the setting up of a large picnic table on the plaza beside City Hall, (the venue was only announced earlier that day through the web) and stuffing those who got there full of a selection of salads, quiches, bread, soup and desserts!

A quote from the chef for the above Flash Feast, James Parrott, summed the idea up perfectly for us here at mylunch: “Street Feast is a chance to sit down with people you probably see every day but never talk to, sharing food is a great way to build friendships and break down barriers.”

This reflected our thoughts exactly and mylunch.ie is proud to support Street Feast, and will be attending our local feast come 18^th July. We feel that togetherness can be a big part of eating, and we have long since advocated that lunch mylunch.ie can be a bonding exercise for workplaces, so there’s no doubt it can be for communities too.

For much more information on this great idea see the Street Feast website, Twitter or Facebook, or follow mylunch.ie on Twitter or Facebook. Alternatively, why not hold your own feast in your local neighbourhood? You’ll be the talk of the street for weeks! (More info here) Oh and one more thing, check out the 6 reasons to hold a Street Feast on the colourfully designed site, as it’s sure to inspire you!