Silk Road Cafe, Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, Ireland

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  • Anonymous
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    uggboylovestravel
    Participant

    lunch, movie, Q&A at the Chester Beatty Library during the 6th Indian Film Festival in Dublin, Ireland

    From the 25th of September to the 27th of September the 6th Indian Film Festival of Ireland in Dublin took place and we decided to see Umrao Jaan at the Chester Beatty Library.

    Entrance was 5 Euro per person, ca. 5.62 USD.

    Before the screening we went to have lunch at the Silk Road Café at the museum.

    It serves Middle Eastern cuisine and is self-service.

    There were a wide choice of vegetarian salads including Greek, chickpeas, tomato and cucumber and beetroot and watermelon to name just a few.

    Hot dishes included filo pastry filled with cheese, stuffed aubergines or chicken. We chose the chicken dish. It was roasted chicken with vegetables and came with rice and two salads of our choice.

    We also had a Synergchi Orange and Lemon Kambucha to drink and for at home a bar of Seed & Bean chocolate. Both companies are artisanal producers using organic ingredients where possible.

    The restaurant spills out into the atrium of the museum. It has classical oriental features.

    When we were there the Silk Road Café was humming. Originally we thought we would easily find a seat, but by the time we had paid 29 Euro (ca. 32.60 USD) all tables were occupied.

    We were lucky another patron left after searching and waiting for a while.

    While waiting we asked a member of staff if we could use the closed off section, but it had been prepared for a function and we weren’t allowed inside.

    It would be better if more seating space would be offered or maybe that customers can only order when a space is available.

    Anyhow next time around one of us will look out for a table while the other one is queuing and we will arrive earlier, so that we can enjoy and appreciate the food better before an event.

    The meal was delicious and the Kombucha nicely tart. Unfortunately we had to rush a bit in order arrive on time for the film.

    At first there was an introduction what the Indian Film Festival and the movie were about. The director Muzzafar Ali was also present. After the show there was a short Q&A with him.

    We liked Umrao Jaan. It’s a classic with opulent costume designs and backdrops of Lucknow, where Muzzafar Ali grew up. The film is based on a novel. It’s romantic, tragic and sometimes funny. We would recommend Umrao Jaan, because it’s beautiful, timeless, about a strong female and invites to think and ponder about how life can be sometimes cruel and what would happen if….

    The Chester Beatty Library is one of our favorite museums in Dublin. It houses a large collection of religious and artistic works from around the world. There are regularly lunch time lectures during the week, guided tours in English, Japanese and Arabic, changing exhibitions and free events, like music, Qi Gong at the rooftop garden, children’s movies and workshops.

    The Chester Beatty Library is located on the grounds of Dublin Castle and has a Celtic Garden and one part that remembers all the police officers fallen while on duty. Sometimes there are also events at the adjacent Coach House.

    We visit regularly and look forward to the next event.

    Would we recommend the Chester Beatty Library and the Silk Road Cafe to a friend? YES!
    Would we want to visit the Chester Beatty Library and have lunch at the Silk Road Cafe again? YES!


    uggboylovestravel
    Participant

    October 2015, our lunch / before the music event and our visit to the Design exhibition at the Coach House which is located beside the Chester Beatty Library on the grounds of the Dublin Castle.

    On a Sunday in October 2015 we had lunch at the Silk Road Café again.

    Before we had problems finding a table due to the restaurant being full and one part of the restaurant had been set up for an event.

    We concluded we had to arrive earlier this time around, which we did. It paid off. The Silk Road Café wasn’t that busy, so we could even go together to the counter and choose our main course.

    He had the butter chicken with Pilau rice, Greek salad and a bean and lentil salad. I chose the stuffed aubergine. It was filled with tomatoes, the scooped out aubergine flesh, courgette and onions. It was sprinkled with Feta cheese. My sides were also the bean and lentil salad and Pilau rice and a carrot salad. We shared a Synerchi Green Tea Kombucha and bought two Seed & Bean chocolate bars to take home with us. We paid 31.50 Euro (ca. 35.30 USD).

    We found easily a space in the atrium.

    The meal was delicious and we didn’t have to haste to arrive on time for the musical event we visited at the Chester Beatty Library.

    Would we recommend this Cafe to a friend? YES!
    Would we want to visit again for lunch at this Cafe? YES!

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