Bite-Size: our weekly news round up

This week's Bite-Size is bursting with events news from around the country, which is lovely to see after so many quiet months. 

Cork is the place to be this weekend though, with Design Pop taking over the city once more. We also have updates on lots more exciting food-focused goings-on for you, including a zero waste supper club served up by two top chefs.

Elsewhere, a Dublin gem is set to open her doors once more and there's a chance to pick up some free food at the new Leon this week too! Read on for all the info.

All hail Mary

Good news for the teetotal, the sober curious or those who just want to try something different: The Virgin Mary on Dublin’s Capel Street is opening its doors again this week. The alcohol-free bar is resuming indoor and outdoor drinking and dining from tomorrow, Thursday 26 Aug. That’s not all – there’s a new cocktail menu and a food offering from neighbouring Malaysian restaurant Kopitiam too. It’s exciting times for TVM, which opened in May 2019 and was Europe’s first alcohol-free bar, as it is set to launch a second location soon, in Abu Dhabi. thevirginmarybar.com

Cork goes Pop

Design POP, Cork’s festival of architecture, design, and food returns virtually and in real life this weekend. Running from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 August there’ll be events, talks, exhibitions, and conversations taking place. There's also an exciting series of architect, designer and food collaborations in outdoor pavilions dotted around Cork city. They include Play Nice studio and Currabinny at Wandesford Quay; Cook Architects and Ballymaloe foods at Elizabeth Fort; and Maser and Crawford Gallery Café at Emmett Place. See designpop.ie for the full lineup of events across the weekend.  

Supper Club

Chefs Conor Spacey and Erica Drum are teaming up for a special six-course supper club to coincide with this year’s Zero Waste Week ( 6 to 10 September). The Zero Waste Supper Club takes place in INK Café at DLR Lexico, Dún Laoghaire on Friday 10 September. All the dishes for the Middle Eastern-inspired menu will be created off the cuff with a mix of surplus ingredients delivered to the chefs by FoodCloud, the non-profit social enterprise, the day before the event.

Tickets are €70 per person and can be purchased online in tables of 2, 4, or 6 people only. (Note: attendees will be asked to present their Digital COVID Certificates in order to gain entry to the event.)

Free meals at Leon

Leon is opening its third Irish restaurant this week and to celebrate its arrival in Dublin’s Liffey Valley shopping centre, the first 100 people through the doors from midday on Tuesday 31 August will be treated to a free meal. The new restaurant is digital-first with kiosks for digital ordering and payments and food-wise Leon fans will know what to expect. The menu will feature the likes of grilled wraps, plant-based burgers, cheesy jackfruit bites, chili con carne and more. See the website for further info.
Also you can try a trio of curry recipes from Leon at home - get them here.

The culture of food

Culture Night (Oíche Chultúir) 2021 makes a return on Friday September 17 and this year’s food-focused offering is not to be missed. Events include Calli Collective’s Sing For Your Supper at The Cornmarket in Ballinrobe, Mayo. The collective is a collaborative arts project that focuses on cultural diversity through food sharing and song. Grab a free bowl of ‘Calli’ in exchange for a song or a chat. Then there's This Living Land in North Kerry, an immersive experience that explores the themes of farming, food and biodiversity. And there’s the chance to experience Spain’s culinary history via the Eat Spain online talk from Instituto Cervantes Dublin. culturenight.ie