Joe McNamee looks to the year ahead in the world of food

Part 2 of Joe McNamee's annual food accolades, The Munchies, in which he rounds up his food highlights of the year.

Shorter menus, comfort food, and a ‘vibe-cession’ are some of the factors influencing dining out

Joe McNamee's annual food accolades, The Munchies, return once more, in which he rounds up his food highlights of the year. (Part II next week)

"Many restaurants are full, bookings hard to come by, but diners are no longer spending freely — often making do with two courses, even one instead of the usual three, and the arse is falling out of restaurant wine sales."

"They still treasure the venerable old building and that aforementioned hospitality, but the premises has been streamlined."

"Jess’s ‘fusion’ is different. She may scavenge freely from the global repertoire, recipes and ingredients, but cleaves to a bedrock of the magnificent Irish produce with which she is so besotted."

Anyone with an age in double digits still unable to differentiate between meat and meat alternatives requires protection under an entirely different sort of legislation.

Tracing the evolution of the Irish peasant’s diet over the centuries serves up the grievous impact of Ireland’s colonisation almost literally on a plate.

I first heard of the Cairo 2 Cork food truck upon learning the Egyptian ambassador to Ireland had written to its chef-proprietor Nivene Sadick to congratulate her on being the first to serve Egyptian food in Ireland.