Tea and Cakes

So as a part of my birthday festival (the celebrations started on Thursday and this was Sunday night, so that counts as a festival) I was taken out to dinner to Vermillion, one of my favourite restaurants in Dublin. I think it’s becoming clear that I am very, very spoiled, and very, very lucky.

I love Vermilion for lots of reasons – the restaurant itself is cosy yet light and airy at the same time. The service is wonderful – friendly, not rushed but you’re never waiting, everyone is lovely. The food: Mmmmm. Perfect portion sizes, delicious flavours. According to their website it’s indian fusion cuisine. I’m not totally sure what that means, but it tastes good. The menu changes enough that there are different things to try, but not so much that it lacks the familiarity that’s reassuring in a favourite place. Oh, and the toilets have Molton Brown toiletries, and little flannels as hand towels. It’s all in the details.

However, the main reason I love Vermilion is dessert. I didn’t take a picture of my tea, but it’s the perfect after dinner tea – black tea with honey and ginger. It comes in a little teapot and it’s just that – a teabag and lots of chunks of fresh ginger. It’s really refreshing and just what’s needed after a meal. I’d probably go for the tea alone, but I’m just a sucker for their ice-cream.

What you see above is my all time favourite ice-cream. It even beats my home made maple syrup and snickers bar ice-cream. Home made vanilla malt ice cream. It’s dense and creamy, and tastes of maltesers. It’s an ice cream to eat slowly, to savour. I don’t remember what we were talking about during dessert – I was lost in my own world of creamy deliciousness.