The American culture has always left a level of intrigue to the Western consumer, particularly in the days before social media through movies and television shows. One craze was the art of professional eating. Historically, we (the Irish) were not always fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to have the luxury of overeating, however in recent years the craze has swept up on Irish shores, not only that but has hit us with a well crafted bang. 

In recent years there is an ever-growing list of restaurants wanting to challenge the public with their gargantuan feeds or spine-tingling spicy challenges and here it is the Chalk and Cheese top five food challenges in Ireland. 

5. Judge Roy Beans- 64oz Steak Challenge

This is a food challenge that truly separates the men from the boys (or the women from the girls) – this 64oz steak challenge comes in four one-pound portions and comes with mash and vegetables. This delicious but deadly combo costs €59.95 (if you are unable to finish) and has an hour window to do so. If you do finish you get the meal for free and a spot on their wall of fame- The STEAKS are high but the reward is sweet. 

Address: 1 Edward St, Moorfield, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, W12 TD58

 4. Pinheads Pizza- The Notorious 32inch in 32 Minutes Challenge, Dublin

This isn’t just a piece of the pie, it’s the whole thing; and one giant son of a gun at that. If you can eat this gargantuan sized pizza (starting at 35 euros if you cannot finish) along with two milkshakes you come away with it free. 

The exciting part is if you can finish this challenge in under 32 minutes you will receive €500, a few stomach aches and surely a lot of bragging rights with your mates. 

Address: 104 S Circular Rd, Portobello, Dublin, D08 EV80

 3. The Lab- El Capitano Toastie Challenge, Dublin

This is not one for the faint-hearted- the challenge seems so simple, 6 toasties that have to be finished within 30 minutes, so easy right?…WRONG. The sheer amount of bread and cheese within these sandwiches in such a time frame will cause you to get more full than an unattended wheelie bin; not to mention that the cheese hardens after a few minutes. However, if you think you’ve got the stuff to take on this challenge, then you can win yourself some serious bread (pun intended). If finished within 30 minutes you  will recieve €1oo from an entry fee of just ten euro.. serious Stonks (2017 meme, I am old). Get yourself down and give it a go!

Address: Raheny United Football Club

 2. Scotty’s American Diner – 5X5 Challenge, Galway

The burger challenge of all burger challenges, if you can consume 5 half-pound burgers, five slices of cheese, 5 strips of bacon on a toasted bap with onion rings, 1lb of coleslaw, mayo, lettuce tomato and 1lb of chips you get your picture on their illustrious wall of fame and you get the meal free (if you cant its €34.99). Be a part of history and win the key to the city of Galway (this is not true). 

Address: Cúirt Na Coiribe / Hubble, Headford Rd, Galway, Ireland

1.    Tony’s Bistro- The Godfather Full Irish Breakfast Challenge, Cork

The height of madness and what’s more it’s with the the most staple Irish food around. A full Irish can set you up for the day, this might set you up for congestive heart failure; but what a bloody way to go out.

The breakfast consists of  8 Horgans Irish sausages, 6 smoked bacon rashers, a 6oz sirloin steak, 4 hash browns, 4 slices of Clonakilty black and white pudding, 2 fried eggs, 2 scrambled eggs, 2 bowls of chips, 3 whole fried tomatoes, 1 bowl of baked beans, 1 bowl of sauteed mushrooms, 1 bowl of fried onion rings, 6 slices of toast, and 3 slices of soda bread. 

You have 2.5 hours to complete this challenge and if the plates are cleared you get the meal free (if not it will cost you 40 euros) and a spot on their wall of fame, rubbing shoulders alongside the man himself, the king of food challenges Randy Santel.. ATLAS. 

Address: 69 N Main St, Centre, Cork, T12 H61W

Fifteen years ago, if you were in search of a highly-rated Mexican meal in Dublin, you would have been, without a doubt, disappointed. In my experience, I only had my first burrito in 2016, and even then, “authentic” would not be the word I would use. However, in recent years, there has been an emergence of truly authentic Mexican restaurants that are revered by locals and, most importantly, Mexican expats living in Ireland.

Tacos Lupillo (TL for the remainder of this article) located at 53 Sarsfield Rd, Kilmainham is one of them and also truly a sight to behold as it is situated beside a local Irish pub known as Clearys. As we walked in, we couldn’t help but notice the pink door that stood out amongst a sea of Irish suburban houses and a local pub connected to it, and despite this, it all absolutely works.

Opened less than a year ago by Jose Guadalupe Zamudio, a chef and the owner of TL, there is no doubt of the restaurant’s authenticity as Jose and his family have been making their country’s signature dishes in Mexico for generations.

As we gazed at the menu, we knew that despite wanting to try everything, there was always going to be a level of opportunity cost (you can see the menu below). In the end, Paul and I both agreed that it had to be the food that brought them to the dance (and is literally in their name) – the mouthwatering tacos.

Ultimately, the variety of meat(s) all sounded too good for us to just try one- so we ordered them all, the choices included – Pastor (pork in a house marinade), Chicken (Piri Piri style), Chilli Con Carne, Barbacoa (Steak in a house marinade), and finally, Chorizo sausage.

There is no doubt in my mind that this is one of, if not the best Mexican food in Ireland. From a personal standpoint, it is the best Mexican I have ever tried. The Tacos all left their presence after a single bite, the ingredients were very clearly top of the range, and the meat(s) were all expertly cooked to a level where they were mouthwatering from start to finish.

I cannot say enough about this humble yet expertly run restaurant. There seems to be crowds at all times of the day and we here at Chalk and Cheese Travels are predicting the inevitable – there will be more locations or at least a move to a more central area. All we are saying is to get down to the original as quickly as you can as there will be lines going down the street in the coming months.

@paul_isitworthit

Tacos Lupillo 🌮 Kilmainham, Co. Dublin 📍 #tacos #foodreview #dublin #isitworthit

♬ original sound – Is it worth it??

• Oslo ranks as the worst city for partying in Europe, according to a new study that considered nightlife attractions, as well as beer and alcohol prices. 
• Stockholm and Helsinki are the second and third worst party cities in Europe, respectively.
• The best party city in Europe is Porto, with a score of 88.45 out of 100.

New research has revealed the worst party cities in Europe, with Dublin, Ireland, ranking 19th.

The study, conducted by online casino No Deposit Friend, scored 87 European cities out of 100 based on four factors that might influence how good they are for partying. These factors were the number and average rating of nightlife attractions, including bars and clubs, according to TripAdvisor, and the average price of a pint of beer and a bottle of wine according to Numbeo.

Oslo, Norway, was revealed as the worst city for nightlife in Europe, with an index score of 12.16 out of 100. The city has a nightlife attraction count of just 96, which equates to 17 attractions per 100,000 residents, while the average cost of a beer will set you back €8.11, and a bottle of wine costs a whopping €11.79. The city’s nightlife attractions scored a 3.84 out of 5 on average according to Tripadvisor.

The second best party city is Stockholm, Sweden, with an index score of 21.90 out of 100. Stockholm has a count of just 50 nightlife attractions. The average cost of a beer here is €5.62, with a bottle of wine costing €8.99. The average score for nightlife attractions is 3.77 out of 5, on average.

Following in third is Helsinki, Finland, with an index score of 21.97 out of 100. This city has a total of 79 nightlife attractions, with a bottle of beer costing €6.76, and a bottle of wine costing €11.84. The city has received a score of 4.21 out of 5 for its nightlife attractions.

Zurich, Switzerland, is fourth with a score of 31.35 out of 100. It houses 118 nightlife attractions, including bars and clubs, with a pint of beer costing €7.01, and wine costing €10.51. The nightlife attractions for this city scored 4.04out of 5 on average.

In fifth, Lyon, France, has a score of 35.44 out of 100. It has 78 nightlife attractions for those wanting to visit the city, with a beer costing €5.92 and a bottle of wine costing €6.13. This city has a score of 3.84 out of 5 for its nightlife attractions.

The top 20 worst cities for partying in Europe: 

 At the other end of the scale, the best city for nightlife in Europe is Porto, Portugal, with an index score of 88.45. Porto has a high score of 4.66 out of 5 for its nightlife attractions, where buying a bottle of beer will cost you just €2.11 and a bottle of wine costing €3.38 on average.

Prague, Czech Republic ranks as Europe’s second best party city with a score of 80.57, while Lisbon, Portugal, ranked third best with a score of 78.73.

Speaking on the findings, Steven Ellis from No Deposit Friend said:  

“Exploring which city is the best for nightlife in Europe is interesting because it reveals insights about cultural diversity, economic vitality, social trends, and urban dynamics.

“Many European cities blend historical settings with contemporary nightlife, like partying in centuries-old buildings in Prague or amidst ancient ruins in Athens, offering a unique juxtaposition of the old and the new.

“Nightlife is a significant draw for tourists, contributing to the local economy. Cities with renowned nightlife, such as Barcelona and Amsterdam, see substantial income from visitors seeking these experiences. Not only this, but a bustling nightlife can indicate a city’s quality of life, showing that residents and visitors feel safe and engaged in social activities during the evening hours.”