How do we get on this jury??
Earlier this week, we reported on the 4th Annual Just Eat Takeaway Awards, as all of the entries who were short-listed for their specialities, for everything from Best Curry to Best Chipper got a look in, but one of the specialist awards really is something that deserves more attention.
One of the awards for the night is for Ireland's Favourite Dish, and among the unsurprising nominations of Pepperoni Pizza, Thai Green Curry, Fish & Chips and Tikka Masala, there it is:
Spice Bag.
Like a modern day equivalent to the Moon Landing or JFK's assassination, you'll always remember where you were when you first heard about the spice bag.
It seemed to arrive out of nowhere, despite everyone claiming to know which take-away were the first to invent them.
We've tried endlessly to make our own variations of them at home (including a healthy take on the dish), but it just isn't the same.
It even has its
very own Wikipedia entry, and if you try to explain what it is to anyone outside of Ireland, you'll be met with blank stares and drooling confusion.
And now it has its very own category in the food awards, and we couldn't be happier.
Again, everyone claims that
their local does the best Spice Bag, but these are the five that have been whittled down to represent the best in Ireland:
Best Takeaway Spice Bag
Sunflower Chinese Takeaway, 4 Orwell Shopping Centre, Templeogue, Dublin
LY Garden, Unit 6 St Dominic's Shopping Centre, Millbrook Lawns, Dublin 24
Lin Kee, 56 North St, Townparks, Swords, Co. Dublin
Foo Lok, 73 Woodview Grove, Blanchardstown, Dublin
Saba To Go, 13 Rathgar Rd, Dublin 6
We haven't tried any of these (yet), but we may have inadvertently given ourselves mission for the weekend. All in the name of pure journalism, we're sure you'll agree.
The winner of this award, as well as the winners of all the others, will be announced on October 17.
