Here’s Why Rascals Is The Ultimate Spot For A Christmas Catch-Up
Here’s Why Rascals Is The Ultimate Spot For A Christmas Catch-Up
Words: Hannah Lemass
It’s that time of year where we are booked and busy with festive catch-ups with your nearest, dearest (and a few randoms who only seem to surface at the holidays).
It can be a bit of a head-wreck trying to find a spot big enough to accommodate the whole gang with enough variety in food and drink to make everyone happy. There’s always something surprising to consider. Ah, your second cousin is vegan now? The intern from accounting is an extremely picky eater? Your best friend’s new girlfriend is gluten free? The first couple in the group to get married insist on bringing their baby?
You don’t want anyone to feel left out or uncomfortable, so you have to find a place that can warmly accommodate all their needs and still offer great service, a festive atmosphere and plenty of space for the whole gang. Seems like an impossible task, but there is a place that can do it all and it’s just a two minute walk from Blackhorse Luas
Rascals Brewery in Inchicore.
Festive Food Spread
Food is at the heart of the festive experience. It’s all about coming together over a meal. Start with a few meat and cheese boards to share. A little nibble while you make small talk and catch up about all the ups and downs of the year that was. Then move on to their insane range of pizzas. There really is something for everyone, with vegan options and gluten free bases available. They are all delicious and range from the classic to the slightly bizarre. It’s an elevated and thoughtful pizza experience, with most ingredients carefully sourced from Irish suppliers. Their meat comes from Graham’s Butchers in Inchicore, the chorizo is from Gubbeen Farmhouse, the mozzarella is from Toons Bridge, and the pepperoni is from The Wooded Pig, a sustainable and ethical farm in Meath.
What to try
The Bangers and Mash
One of their latest additions to the menu. This one is a must try. Inspired by the classic comfort dinner of bangers and mash, this beauty has a base of tomato sauce, diced mozzarella topped with garlic sausage, red onion, roasted rosemary potato cubes, truffle oil and chives. It’s a full dinner on a pizza. Genius work.
The Tenderstruck
The veggie pizzas at Rascals are far from an afterthought. They really take the time to carefully craft well-balanced and interesting options for our non meat-eating friends. Take The Tenderstruck for example. Atop their classic tomato sauce and mozzarella base you’ll find tenderstem broccoli, Kalamata olives, feta and basil. A proper Greeky blinder.
The Heatseeker
In every group there’s always one who wants to show off that they’re made of tough stuff and get the spiciest thing on the menu. For them we have The Heatseeker. Although mind you, even though it has a bit of kick it’s still a delicious option with no fears of taste being overwhelmed by spice. It’s not blow-your-head-off spicy. It’s a delightful balance of fiery ’Nduja, pepperoncini, pecorino and a drizzle of hot honey. A little heat is the perfect partner to a cold, crisp pint of beer afterall.
The Green Room
Vegans are not left out either and to be fair the vegan options are so good here even non vegans will be tempted to try them, so prepare to give up a slice to a curious carnivore. The newest vegan option on the menu is The Green Room. Instead of the typical tomato base there is a vibrant vegan green pesto topped with courgette, cherry tomatoes, rocket and pumpkin seeds. Fresh and delicious, you’ll feel nourished and enriched with vitamins after this one. Something we all need during the heavy Christmas season.
After you work your way through the pizza menu, the desserts, which are made in house by the chefs, are unskippable. Get a couple of gooey chocolate brownies, pistachio burnt cheesecakes and cannolis to share, or just one of each for yourself alone. Come on, it’s Christmas. Treat yourself.
Sample The Brews
Obviously the fun of coming to a brewery is having a chance to sample the immense array of house brews. Rascals are famous for their creativity in their beers. They have a roster of rotating seasonal and guest taps to explore. Every time you go they have something new to try. At the moment the Breakfast of Champions coffee and oatmeal stout, the Apricot Hazy DIPA and the Limelight Mexican lager are tickling our fancy.
You can get tasting trays of their core beers for €10 or à la carte trays for €12 so you can sample some of the more unusual tipples. Get a few for the group and have fun passing them back and forth, taste testing each other’s and picking a favourite at the end.
If some folks in the group don’t have a taste for beer then no worries, they also do a great range of cocktails and wines so everyone will be happy.
If your group wants an activity, you can book a brewery tour. It’s fully guided, takes around 45 minutes, and includes a tasting. Or drop in for one of their events: movie nights, quizzes, Mario tournaments, and all sorts of wonderfully quirky happenings.
The space itself is a really comfortable and spacious spot, perfect for casual meet ups where people will be dropping in at different times. And even though it’s a brewery it’s still really family friendly, so not being able to get a babysitter is not an excuse around here.
This time of year, organising meet-ups can feel overwhelming, so you might as well make it easy for yourself. A place like Rascals takes the stress out of planning so you can focus on what really matters: reconnecting with your friends and family, reminiscing on the year gone by, and making plans for the one ahead. Getting together is what the season is all about, and Rascals makes it even more special.
