Taste of Dublin - International Foodies 6/17-18

CalbArred

I am planning to attend the Taste of Dublin Iveagh Gardens on 6/17 or 6/18. I am visiting from California for the week and was hoping to meet up with some people who love food as much as I do. Eating/tasting in groups is always more fun than by yourself.

I was thinking to attend either Friday night or Saturday for lunch.

Post here if you want to share your previous experience of the event or are planning to go as well.

Henry

SB_Part2

I've been a few times. It's good but it's not cheap.

aidan24326

Have also been a few times and agree with previous poster, it isn't cheap for what it is and what you ultimately get.

Note that discounted tickets are usually available a few weeks before the event, keep an eye out for that.

The first year I went (2010 I think) I really enjoyed it, lots of free samples, good portion sizes for the paid dishes etc

But it has increasingly become less a real food tasting event, less a showcase of restaurant produce and more a money making event. The restaurants that are there will charge you up to 7/8 euros for a meagre portion of food, and free samples of anything are a thing of the past. Another thing to note is that if you don't spend all of your 'florins', the event currency, there is no refund so you either spend them or lose them.

On a positive note the Iveagh Gardens is a lovely venue and if the weather is good it does make for an nice day out, but personaly the last couple of times I've gone I've left there feeling a bit underwhelmed and overcharged. Don't think I'll be going this year.

The Hill Billy

Use the forum search function. There are a few threads around from previous years.

shrapnel222

Don't bother. Rip off Ireland in all its glory. Utter tripe

Zaph

Got free tickets for it last year and even with that I still never felt more ripped off than I did when I was leaving it.

2xj3hplqgsbkym

Yes very expensive and not particularly worth it .
If you look up French Foodie in Dublin, she used to do walking food & wine tours of Dublin city which you might enjoy. I have never done one, but they have good reviews.

CalbArred

You have to pay aside from the entrance fee?

SB_Part2

CalbArred wrote: »

You have to pay aside from the entrance fee?

Yeh you buy a book of Florin's (Books of 10 and 20 IIRC). The vendors don't take cash so you pay with them. Most meals are about 8-10 Florins.

duploelabs

SB_Part2 wrote: »

Yeh you buy a book of Florin's (Books of 10 and 20 IIRC). The vendors don't take cash so you pay with them. Most meals are about 8-10 Florins.

Of which the vendor gets between 40-50% of the value from the organisers

Melendez

This post has been deleted.

duploelabs

Melendez wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Exactly

vicwatson

I never get paying into somewhere that effectively is a sales promotion. If it was free on the other hand......

SB_Part2

vicwatson wrote: »

I never get paying into somewhere that effectively is a sales promotion. If it was free on the other hand......

I got in for free last year and still felt ripped off.

shrapnel222

SB_Part2 wrote: »

I got in for free last year and still felt ripped off.

i got in free, got loads of free florins to spend and still felt ripped off!:pac:

dudara

It does have a massive issues in terms of value for money. But if you put that to one side, the Iveagh Gardens are a fantastic location and if the sun is shining, it's a wonderful day/evening out.

yqtwqxqm

We went a few times, but we flew to another much better food fair in europe instead last year.
Flights hotels and the whole, far better experience cost less than going to taste of Dublin.
Look into it.

Toto Wolfcastle

Got in for free last year and like others felt ripped off. It was very overcrowded too. Uncomfortably so. We left hungry. The portions were tiny for the price and a lot of it wasn't that great.

I won free tickets to the Big Grill too and had a fantastic day. The food was great value. (Some of it was more expensive but I never have a problem paying more for really good food.) Great drinks options too and a lovely chilled atmosphere. I still wouldn't have paid the full price in though. It was over €20 for the day we went. Hopefully I'll pick up some free or discounted tickets this year because I really enjoyed myself last year.

Tom Dunne

Isn't it a sad indictment of the event when a person from another country looks for local opinions, and all that can be said is that it is a rip-off?

I attended a few years back and I admit, I felt the same.

duploelabs

Toto Wolfcastle wrote: »

Got in for free last year and like others felt ripped off. It was very overcrowded too. Uncomfortably so. We left hungry. The portions were tiny for the price and a lot of it wasn't that great.

I won free tickets to the Big Grill too and had a fantastic day. The food was great value. (Some of it was more expensive but I never have a problem paying more for really good food.) Great drinks options too and a lovely chilled atmosphere. I still wouldn't have paid the full price in though. It was over €20 for the day we went. Hopefully I'll pick up some free or discounted tickets this year because I really enjoyed myself last year.

+1 to the big grill, great food great tunes although be warned if you're going with a pescatarian or vegetarian, they'll leave hangry

odyssey06

At Taste of Dublin, I had tickets through work and even then felt ripped off...
Certainly on the Friday evening it seems to be less and less about food every year.
Possibly Friday afternoon session might have more of a foodie vibe?

At Big Grill, felt money went a lot further.
I would do Big Grill on my own bat, would only think about Taste of Dublin if free tickets.

CalbArred

Thanks for all the feedback. I am only in Dublin from the 11th-19th of June, and since I enjoy food I thought this might be a good event to check out.
So what I am hearing that the even will easily cost me 50-100 euro, and can be overrated. I might do the foodie walking tour instead or just pick out a restaurant that I think I might enjoy. Truth be told most of the meat I ate in Dublin last time around is a lot better than most of what you get in the US.

odyssey06

CalbArred wrote: »

Truth be told most of the meat I ate in Dublin last time around is a lot better than most of what you get in the US.

If it was beef it was possibly down to Irish beef being mainly grass fed:
http://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/grass-fed-beef-irish-farmers-qualify/

I think you could have a lovely (memorable and not cheap) time at Taste, if you can avail of the cheaper Friday afternoon ticket - €15 versus €25 for evening event. It is very weather dependent though.

Don't want to totally hijack the thread away from Taste, so just some quick alternative suggestions below...

Your dinner budget will go a lot further on an early bird option than a la carte, though it would mean eating about 6ish Irish Time.

You could also consider places that offer 'small plates' options so you can sample more dishes than you would on a regular starter\main option. At Taste of Dublin you would only get 'small plates' really, and it is appealing at these festivals to be able to try lots of different things than commit to that one big main course.

See the small plate menus in Bon Appetit and Greedy Goose, both in Malahide, which is a scenic seaside village in North Dublin, easily accessible on public transport bus or train.
http://bonappetit.ie/index.php/le-bon-vi/menu/
http://www.greedygoose.ie/menus/8336 (menu C)

If the weather is nice, there's an outdoor Food market in Howth near its train station, so you could have your own "taste of dublin" there - would work best if you like seafood. Howth is a scenic North Dublin fishing village. Can get very busy during summer weekends though.

Enjoy your visit!

SB_Part2

I went yesterday and I had the same experience as most years - very expensive.

Winners for me however were the crispy egg from Pichet and the steak and chips from The Chop House

WesternZulu

I was there last night and have to say that I left very disappointed!
It's a total ripoff and I doubt that I'll be going back again anytime soon.

I struggled to see what you get for your entry fee and the portions that you buy in there are very small.
Bring lots for money if you want to have a few drinks on top of the food!

Slattsy

Heading up now shortly, been a few years since i've been.

Glad i had a pulled pork burrito at lunch!!

super_furry

First time in four years that I'm not going. Last year was the final straw in terms of value for money, and the whole thing just felt like a piss-up for the office crowds.

The money that you'd spend in getting in and getting a half-decent feed would pay for a proper meal in nearly all the exhibitors restaurants.

quadrifoglio verde

super_furry wrote: »

First time in four years that I'm not going. Last year was the final straw in terms of value for money, and the whole thing just felt like a piss-up for the office crowds.

The money that you'd spend in getting in and getting a half-decent feed would pay for a proper meal in nearly all the exhibitors restaurants.

Agree completely. I tend to avoid food festivals, I don't feel like I get anything special compared to eating in their restaurants.
Early bird in chapter ones is 39.50 for example. You're eating in a Michelin star restaurant, you're warm and you don't need to worry about the weather. And it's seriously good value

ebbsy

There's not a lot I can add to the above, went there with free tickets and found the portions to be very small and overpriced.

The Thailand stall didn't have thai people cooking at it either.....

Best to save your hard earned for a nice restaurant.

maxwell smart

super_furry wrote: »

First time in four years that I'm not going. Last year was the final straw in terms of value for money, and the whole thing just felt like a piss-up for the office crowds.

The money that you'd spend in getting in and getting a half-decent feed would pay for a proper meal in nearly all the exhibitors restaurants.

Even more like an office piss up than usual. How many corporate tickets do they shift do you think? Some number I imagine.

It's gone downhill since it was taken over around 3 (?) years ago by a new management team. Prices gone up, enjoyment gone down.

And I get free tickets to it from work!!