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28th May 2017
03:24pm BST
For many of us, Sunday is a day to throw caution to the wind and treat ourselves to all the things we've craved during the week.
Add a hangover and an impending sense of doom over the beginning of the working week, and there's a serious need for comfort food.
Enter Chilli Shack.
With one branch already in Galway, Chilli Shack expanded to Dublin earlier this year and have opened a branch on Prussia Street in Stoneybatter.
Despite taking over a premises that was formerly home to fine dining Spanish restaurant Boqueria, Chilli Shack is quite the opposite - focusing on dishes that would definitely qualify as food porn and definitely give MyFitnessPal a heart attack.
The main food offering revolves around chilli (hence the name) and there are three different options on the menu - vegan three-bean chilli, chilli con carne and chunky Irish beef chilli.
This can be served on basmati rice, corn tortillas chips or fries, with a range of free toppings including XXX crushed chilli mix, chipotle mayo, coriander and jalapenos.
If you don't fancy chilli, there's a wide range of burgers, wings, hot dogs and poutine to choose from.
When we ventured in on a Monday evening, the place was quiet but this was probably due to the fact that nobody is craving chilli when the temperature is in the mid-20s outside.
We opted for the Smoked Stack Burger, which came with fries and served on a brioche bun with onion rings, smoked mayo, chipotle mayo and relish, and the Chunky Beef Chilli Nachos.
The verdict? The burger arrived as a thin patty piled high with toppings so if you're used to thick and juicy jaw-stretching burgers, you may find it a little bit dry.
That said, there was serious flavour to the burger and the tomato chilli relish and brioche bun were a nice touch. The chips were a little disappointing but as a fan of chunkier fries, this may be my own bias.
The stand-out of the meal was definitely the chilli, which had a nicely balanced flavour and good blend of beans and beef. I opted for the cheese, chipotle mayo and coriander toppings but reckon that I missed a trick when it comes to the XXX crushed chillis, as they would have added a welcome kick.
Chilli can be a tough one to master, and we've tasted several one-dimensional recipes in our time, but these guys have it nailed.
With a bottle of water, the bill came to just over €16 - which seemed reasonable given the amount of food.
Overall, it hasn't switched my allegiance from Bunsen when it comes to burgers but it's a great addition to the area and should attract a steady weekend clientele.
Chilli Shack started life as a market food stand touring festivals and events and that's exactly the kind of food you can expect - quick, tasty and filling. It's great to see something trying something a bit different and we'll definitely be back to try those wings.
If you're looking for the cure after a rough night, you won't go wrong with this.
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