The Saucy Cow, 19 Crane Lane, Dublin, Ireland
Hours: Noon-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 3:30-8 p.m. Sunday.
Menu: https://www.thesaucycow.com/
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans, lovers of wonderful fries
After spending nearly a week traveling through Ireland, mowing down pub grub and Indian food with the best of them, LeeLee and I weren’t ready for health food, per se, but we were looking for something a little different than the wellingtons, pies and curries we’d been enjoying (and I DO mean enjoying!) up to this point.
The Saucy Cow was the answer to our prayers! Hearty, all-vegan and sufficiently junky (in all the best ways), this tucked-away spot in the Temple Bar area of town is any vegetarian’s dream. The cool neon and dim lighting give this little alleyway alcove dual feelings, at once a cozy spot to linger over a burger and a trendy locale worthy of Instagram. The Saucy Cow does it all – and does it well.
LeeLee and I snagged the last open table in the place, and instantly we rejoiced at the vibe (and the aromas wafting from the kitchen). After a long day of travel back from Belfast, we were ready to chow down, and The Saucy Cow was ready to help.
A quick glance around at our fellow diners’ orders and we knew what we had to do: Order two sandwiches, sure, but most importantly, decide on what loaded fries went best with the tableau. This decision was much more difficult than one might guess. The funny thing about going to so many restaurants with limited veg-friendly options is that when one is presented with an entire menu of good things to eat, it can be a bit stymieing at first. But, dear reader, take heart; we persevered in just the manner you’ve come to expect from us.
And so it came to pass that we settled on our fries selection first: The McDaddy Fries, which come loaded with Beyond meat crumbles, diced pickles, shredded lettuce and burger sauce. Just the thought of them now sets my mouth to watering; I will surely dream about them for all the remaining days of my life! As the name suggests, the entire repertoire brings with it a bit of a Big Mac vibe, and the waffle fries were tremendous from beginning to end. Pair them with some extra dipping sauces – we went with a sampling of garlic mayo and spicy BBQ – and you’ll be in heaven.
Then it was time to decide on sandwiches. After prayerful consideration, I landed on The Secret Saucy, a chik’n sandwich loaded with the likes of pickles, lettuce, garlic mayo and burger sauce on a generous sesame-seed bun. Their chik’n, which is concocted from oyster mushrooms and then Southern-fried (and y’all know I do love a Southern meal, even in Europe!), was gloriously crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and I just wish I had another sandwich here on the desk beside me.
LeeLee went with The Hot Papi, another chik’n sandwich that brought the heat with some Buffalo sauce song with lettuce and garlic mayo. He, too, had nary a complaint about the meal, devouring it in no time flat.
There were so many things we didn’t have a chance to try: The burgers, for one, and the non-fries sides, for another. We’ll just have to go back and try again! It’s worth the flight from the States, I can assure you.
I love you, Saucy Cow. Till we meet again, I’ll keep the delicious memories alive!
:)