John and Sally McKenna launch the 2014 edition of The 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland in new “Smart Guide” format.
“Celebrating the arrival of the ‘Creative Casual’ restaurant” - John McKenna
21 new entrants in 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland – 9 of which are in Dublin.
“DUBLIN CONTINUES TO FORGE AHEAD AS A BURGEONING RESTAURANT CITY.... IN A YEAR IN WHICH GENUINELY ORIGINAL, YOUNG TALENT HAS SHONE THROUGH”
McKennas announce new partnership with Dublin City University.
“The ‘Creative Casual’ restaurant has been the signature innovation of Irish restaurant culture for the last twelve months,” according to food writer, John McKenna, “with brilliant cooking found in rooms where the focus is firmly on the ability of the kitchen to offer imaginative, original and unpretentious food, with a minimum of ceremony.” He continues, “From focussing on vegetable cookery to a brilliant sandwich offer, Creative Casual restaurants are dissolving the boundaries of how we used to believe critically acclaimed food was served. These restaurants can be found in destinations as diverse as Iyer’s in Cork city, 1826 in Adare, Kelly’s Kitchen in Wexford, Canteen in Limerick, OX in Belfast and The Vintage Kitchen in Dublin.” Mr. McKenna was speaking on the occasion of the launch of the “McKennas’ 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland 2014” which, for the first time ever, is published digitally as a ‘Smart Guide.’
FIRST “SMART GUIDE”
Describing their first “Smart Guide,” Sally McKenna says, “It’s not quite an App, not quite a book, so we believe the best name for our new digital publications is simply ‘Smart Guides’ as they combine our reputation for vividly descriptive prose, our experience and knowledge of Ireland’s culinary culture, and offer this with an easy to navigate interactive functionality.” (See more details below). The Guides cost €4.49 and can be purchased from the App store or GooglePlay, and links can be found from the McKennas' Guides website www.guides.ie
21 NEW ENTRANTS IN 2014 GUIDE
There are 21 new (or returning) entrants to the McKennas’ Guides 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland, with no fewer than 9 new entrants for Dublin. John McKenna says, “Dublin continues to forge ahead as a burgeoning restaurant city….in a year in which genuinely original, young talent has shone through.”
The new Dublin entrants are:
Brother Hubbard
Chameleon Restaurant
Cleaver East
M & L Chinese Restaurant
Rasam
Skinflint
The Pepperpot
The Wild Goose Grill
Vintage Kitchen
The other 12 new entrants to the 2014 100 Best Restaurants Guide are:
Adare: Restaurant 1826
Belfast: OX and Tedfords
Carrigaholt: The Long Dock
Cork: Fenn’s Quay and Iyer’s
Galway: Cava Bodega
Kildare: Harte’s of Kildare
Limerick: Canteen
Waterford: Bodéga Restaurant & Wine Bar
Westport: Sage
Wexford: Kelly’s Cafe
After 25 years of publishing the McKennas Guides go “digital first”
Sally McKenna explains, “Readers can enjoy a detailed and authoritative review of the restaurant on their tablet or smartphone, and then phone the restaurant, launch the restaurant’s website, follow the chef on Twitter, or check out the Facebook page. The Guides feature Google mapping and a gallery of great photographs for each place.”
"What we've tried to create” says Dónal Mulligan, “is an intuitive experience that can provide the digital features we've come to value in an interactive app, but that doesn't get in the way of content. The beautiful photography and vivid writing are front and centre, alongside the convenience of quick searches, mapping and the ability to call a restaurant with a tap".
Guides to watch out for...
Later this year, the McKennas will launch their 100 Best Places to Stay in Ireland 2014, The 100 Best Places to Eat in Dublin and a number of city guides, starting with The Best Things to Eat in Galway – all as Smart Guides.
Partnership with DCU
McKennas Guides are also delighted to announce a new partnership with Dublin City University. Future publications will be developed using DCU's innovative technology skills. The authors are also working on a book and smart guide combination on Where To Eat and Stay on the Wild Atlantic Way. The new guides work in conjunction with www.guides.ie, the website that supports McKennas’ Guides. www.guides.ie features an interactive magazine and a movie channel. The Smart Guide was developed by Donal Mulligan www.donalmulligan.com.
www.guides.ie has been developed by Fluidedge www.fluidedge.ie
McKennas’ Guides - Background
Formerly known as the Bridgestone Guides, the McKennas' Guides have been published in book form for the last 25 years. Founded by John and Sally McKenna, the editorial team also uses the knowledge and expertise of a team of named food experts, including Dublin Editor Caroline Byrne. The reviews are descriptions and critiques of actual meals, usually served to two or more people, that have been paid for by the authors. Listing in the Guides is free for the restaurant. No other culinary guides have ever won a reputation for being so readable and so descriptive, which is why John and Sally McKenna have won the André Simon, the Glenfiddich and the Slow Food prizes for their guides.
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