The Bare Food Co

Wandering Drogheda on a dreary-looking day, Tammy and I were fed up with banks and their sh!t policies and even worse customer service. I swear I feel like writing a rant on the obtuse policies of obtaining a bank account in Ireland at some point instead, but luckily our lunch stood out as a great alternative topic of conversation.

Off to the side, we saw a sign that said "Bare Food Co." and Tammy immediately said she'd recognized the name because a friend recommended it. Apparently they had some gluten-free and dairy-free options or something. So, we decided to take a gander and investigate for ourselves.

As we walked in, there was a small take-away section where you could grab a fresh-pressed juice, a sandwich, and coffee (among other things). It looked pretty Vancouver-hipster-esque, like a small shop in the Mount Pleasant area. Needless to say, it felt kinda like home.

We opted to sit in, and we each took a look at the menu. Tammy was feeling more like something handheld, while I was in the mood for comfort grab-a-spoon-or-fork-and-stuff-it-in-my-face kind of food.

Honey Chicken Sandwich @ The Bare Food Co
Drogheda, Co. Louth, Ireland
Photo: Brewji

Tammy ordered the Honey Chicken Sandwich, without cheese as we're both intolerant to dairy products. It's served on gluten-free bread, which is a plus because in Canada you'd normally have to pay a premium of 2 to 4 dollars for some store-bought crap bread. At Bare Food (as well as most of Drogheda so far), there is no premium for being born with the inability to digest something.

While her sandwich did arrive with cheese, we were too tired of dealing with things from the day to say anything about it. Lucky for her, Comte cheese is very low in lactose and didn't produce too much bloating. That, and it added extra texture and taste to the sandwich (yes, I had a bite) that made it taste absolutely delicious.

Red Curry, with added Chicken @ The Bare Food Co
Drogheda, Co. Louth, Ireland
Photo: Brewji

I on the other hand, ordered the Red Curry and added chicken to it. It ended up being a Thai curry, and it was both gluten and dairy free. I remember just the smell driving me wild with excitement. It had been so long since I'd had any sort of Thai curry. Let me just say, this dish is packed with flavour. I had so much going on with my taste buds, including a kick of heat. Lucky for me, the heat was just at my threshold for spice, which meant it didn't really hurt my Crohn's at all.

Tammy also ordered an Americano, which turns out was kind of blah. She said it wasn't anything special.

Now, let's fast-forward about a week. Yes, a week.

The two of us decided to meet up with Tammy's friend who she hasn't seen in years. Today, we each got the same dish. We initially wanted the smoked cod, served with coconut daal and Indian pesto, but the server came back after about 15-20 minutes (they were super busy) and let us know that the cod hadn't come in that day and they couldn't serve the dish. Instead, she offered us the other fish special that day which included haddock, served with a chorizo and bean casserole. We appreciated her letting us know, and double-checked that the special was gluten and dairy-free. Sold!

In addition, we each had an Americano. This time around, I thought it was quite delicious. Tammy agreed. She said this time was like a night-and-day difference. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt here; I'm sure their Americanos were always great and we just let the stress get to us the last day. They even gave us some almond milk with our drinks and didn't charge us for it! Vancouver, your shops could learn a thing or two from this place. Dear Vancouver: We shouldn't have to pay premiums for being born with food intolerances.

Back to the entrée -- I'm not really a fish person. Usually I get my fish deep-fried with a set of chips and gravy. However, this was moist, flavourful, and gone pretty quickly. We were so hungry I didn't even get a picture. Granted, it took like 45 minutes to eventually get our food because of the "no cod" situation, and they were in the middle of lunch rush. There's usually no time for pictures when the stomach becomes hangry.

 

Instead, I got some shots of the menu while we waited. Keep in mind, Vancouverites -- all these prices include tax, and people don't really tip in Europe. Why? Because they get paid enough to live by their employers; not the equivalent of €7.20 per hour, only to pay $1000 per month to share a small apartment with two other people. This means what you see is what you pay, case and point.

What else can I say? We'll be back.

We really enjoy this place. The food is delicious and affordable. The service is always friendly, even during a rush. The bathrooms are also very clean, which is a plus for the both of us. I'm really looking forward to trying one of their fresh-pressed juices next time. Either that or a steak sandwich...depends on how I feel I guess.

Tammy gives the Bare Food Co. a can't-wait-til-next-time 8.5 / 10
I give the Bare Food Co. a just-keep-putting-stuff-in-my-mouth-my-wife-is-okay-with-it 9.0 / 10

Dairy-Free Milk Alternatives - Almond

Since most of the world is lactose-intolerant, and in case you didn't know: the main protein in milk (casein) is linked to cancer growth, I've decided to task myself with finding the best options for dairy-free milk alternatives. Well, I'm also doing this because milk products cause myself and Tammy incredulous amounts of pain, bloating, discomfort, and other odd reactions.

After walking through shops in Ireland such as Tesco, Dunnes, Aldi, and Lidl, I've found more variety than I thought existed. Our Bettystown Tesco has more variety of gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan alternatives than the giant Brentwood Whole Foods from back home. And for my folks back in VanCity: Bettystown is like a classy, quaint version of Mission (in terms of distance and size from the city).

Today, I'll start with two unsweetened almond milks from Tesco, under their own brand name. In addition, I'll throw in the Alpro unsweetened almond milk.

In terms of breaking them down, I'm going to put each product through the three basic uses that I have for dairy-free alternative milks:

1. Pouring over cold cereal
2. Adding to hot cereal (Ready Brek or porridge)
3. Adding to hot beverages (coffee and tea)

Tesco: Almond - Alternative to dairy milk
Photo: Brewji

1. Tesco: Almond - Alternative to dairy milk (Unsweetened)

First up, we have Tesco's value brand (or so it seems). It's priced the cheapest at €2 for a 1L carton when it's not on sale. Now, we initially tried a few different brands before this one. This means we have comparison to make!

When pouring over cereal, it I get the most unmasked taste. It's sort of like a soy milk with a nutty flavour instead of the nasty soy taste. Not bad at all, but there are still brands in Canada that could knock this out of the park. Either way, I enjoyed it. What would I change? Add more almonds! There's not enough almond kick in it to convince me that I'm drinking almond milk.

Mixed into Ready Brek, this acts as a good alternative to milk, as it mixes well and doesn't cause any textural issues. However, it still has a lingering nutty taste that is just a little sub-par. It's a good choice for a budget dairy-free alternative.

In coffee, it does its job. Because of the coffee masking most of the taste, it's nothing spectacular. However, it allows me to have my coffee at a drinkable temperature and mixes well with sugar (if sweetened coffee is your thing). I'm just asking Tammy over my shoulder if she liked it in her tea. Her exact response was "Yeah, it was grand."

Overall, I give the Tesco: Almond a budget-friendly 6.0 / 10

Tammy gives the Tesco: Almond a yeah-it-was-grand 6.5 / 10

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Tesco Free-From Milk: Almond Drink (Unsweetened)
Photo: Brewji

2. Tesco Free-From: Almond Drink (Unsweetened)

Next, we have a product from the Tesco "Free From" range. Let me first say, the Tesco "Free From" range of products is an equivalent to the President's Choice range from Superstore back home, except the quality is much better. We prefer these "Free From" products to most expensive, brand-name products. It's not even that pricey, at €2.29 for a 1L carton.

If you've ever had Alpro almond milk, this tastes very similar. It might even be the exact same product with different packaging. But, you just don't get almond milk that tastes this good back in Canada.

Over cold cereal, it's like having milk with the flavour of slivered almonds in it. It's a great texture, not too thin, and thick enough to be a perfect companion to my cereal. In porridge, it works wonderfully and adds a nutty flavour that's quite pronounced and much enjoyed. 

Finally, my favourite use for this is in coffee. It works well in tea, too -- but it shines in coffee. It's better than adding milk and almond flavouring to a coffee. It's not as thick as cream, but adds that silky element to coffee while making it taste just right.

I give the Tesco Free-From: Almond Drink a why-doesn't-this-come-in-a-bigger-carton 8.5 / 10

Tammy gives the Tesco Free-From: Almond Drink a solid 8.0 / 10

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Alpro Roasted Almond Unsweetened
@Tesco, Drogheda, Co. Louth, Ireland
Photo: Brewji

3. Alpro Roasted Almond (Unsweetened)

Packaged in a similar container to the Tesco Free-From, the Alpro is also slightly more expensive at €2.49 for 1L. However, sometimes at Tesco it'll go on sale with a deal like 2 cartons for €3. This would be the time to stock up! 

I honestly can't tell much of a difference between this and the Tesco Free-From Almond milk. I haven't compared the ingredients from the back of the package...mainly because I accidentally already recycled the packaging. However, I'd consider this on par, or *slightly* higher than the previous. I may rate this slightly higher, but it may just be because this was the first truly great almond milk I tried in Ireland. 

On cereal, it seems to have a more almond flavour than the Tesco, slightly. I really appreciate this, as I love almonds in my cereal! In hot cereal such as Ready Brek, this is a no-brainer. Who wouldn't want nutty flavours in their porridge? Well, those allergic to it I guess. 

In coffee, I add two sugars and some of this almond milk...and I have no cravings for any fancy coffee. It's just that good. I'd love to get an espresso machine and see how this fares in a mocha or a latte.

I give the Alpro Roasted Almond (Unsweetened) a maybe-I'm-biased-but-my-heart-says-yes-please 9.0 / 10

Tammy gives the Alpro Roasted Almond (Unsweetened) a best-of-the-three 9.0 / 10

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Do YOU have any recommendations for a Canadian like me? 

Let me know! Comment below, or Tweet me @Brewji

Esquires Coffee in Drogheda

Well well, Tammy and I have our boots settled in (actually, I've yet to get myself a pair of boots of any sort), and we've started trekking through the nearest town of Drogheda. Situated on either side of the River Boyne, it's the nearest place where we can hit up a Penney's, Tesco, a chip shop, and grab a fancy coffee all at the same time.

After an unfortunate encounter at the bank trying to set up an account (because the guy working there was a moron), I spotted one of the employees looking stressed and drinking out of an Esquires cup. This made me want to pop into the cafe when we walked past it. Initially, we tried their Americano last week and it was incredible.

This time, we met up with one of Tammy's friends and we each had a large ("Grande") Caffe Mocha made with coconut milk, and a slice of -- get this -- Toblerone Almond Cake. How awesome does that sound? Best of all, it was gluten-free. The cake was definitely not dairy-free, which meant bloating was destined for us. However, it was a treat and a special occasion which meant we were willing to put up with a little pain in exchange for deliciousness.

Caffe Mocha with Coconut Milk @ Esquires Coffee
13 West St., Drogheda, Co. Louth, Ireland
Photo: Brewji

Let's start with the Caffe Mocha. First, it was honestly the biggest cup of coffee I've ever been served in a cafe. I'd say it was probably a 20oz mug, a proper pint. The frothy foam lead into a beautiful warm, sweet caffeinated home of coconut milk and oh-so-glorious chocolate.

It was served at a perfectly drinkable temperature, and was not overly-sweet or bitter. I'd give this a perfect ten, reminiscing about the mocha I had at the East Cafe back in Vancouver. The main difference was that in Esquires there's no extra charge for non-dairy milk, and the size of the coffee was twice as big while the price is comparable.

Toblerone Almond Cake (Gluten-Free) @ Esquires Coffee
13 West St., Drogheda, Co. Louth, Ireland
Photo: Brewji

Now, the gluten-free cake...Toblerone Almond Cake. I don't think I've ever imagined something like this being created. I'm almost at a loss for words. Layered like a deep dish pizza, the bottom is a crumb-like crust. The middle of the cake is layered like a lasagna, with crust in between sheets of a chocolate-y, nutty paste. Finally, the cake is topped off with what seems like melted Toblerone chocolate and crushed almonds. It's mouth-watering and absolutely delicious. If they ever have it again, I'm probably getting another slice for myself (it was worth the pain!).

Tammy and I both enjoyed ourselves here, and the quality of the products and service solidifies that we'll be back. It's our new favourite coffee shop, because Insomnia messed up our drinks twice and we've only been there twice. That, and we can't quite visit East Cafe back in Vancouver anymore.

I give Esquires Coffee a gluten-free-with-coconut-milk-in-heaven 9.5 / 10
Tammy gives Esquires Coffee a solid 9.0 / 10

Orchard Thieves Cider (Brewji Ireland!)

Since landing in Ireland, I've had many new challenges and opportunities as I begin to adjust to the lifestyle here. There will be posts about everything from groceries to Gluten-Free and dairy-free products, to cider and drinks and coffee.

I've yet to obtain a laptop adapter (should arrive in the mail in a few days!) so I'm writing this on my Nexus 5 smartphone.

That said, today I've gone for a new cider that was recommended to me by a former coworker at Clio, when she visited Vancouver from their Dublin office. I picked up a 660mL bottle of Orchard Thieves Cider (ABV 4.5%) while grocery shopping at Tesco! (Yes, you can buy liquor at grocery stores here.) Oh, and on the plus side it's gluten free, as it should be.

Anyway, let's get to the review!

Orchard Thieves Cider @Brewji Ireland HQ
Donacarney, Co. Meath
Photo: Brewji

The Orchard Thieves pours a clear golden colour, with an initial amount of golden-white head that fizzles away very quickly.

On sniff, I get semi-sweet and tart apple. Essentially, it smells like a proper, crisp and dry cider.

Orchard Thieves Cider @ Brewji Ireland
Donacarney, Co. Meath
Photo: Brewji

Taste is sweet, but not overly sweet in an artificial sense. It doesn't feel like one of the many BC “dry and crisp” craft ciders which were neither very dry nor very crisp.

However, as Tammy pointed out to me: If you let this cider warm up a bit, the taste disappears and you're left with remnants of a warm apple juice-like beverage.

If you're new to ciders, this might be a gateway. It's light-bodied and mellow at 4.5% ABV.

I'm not sure if this is available in BC, but I've sent a WhatsApp message to my crew and recommended it in case they see it. If you do spot this at the BCL or private liquor stores, pick one up!

The Orchard Thieves Cider gets a refreshing-and-harmless 7.0 / 10