A tasty line-up

THE SOCIAL NETWORK:The 7th Taste of Dublin food and drink festival kicks off next Thursday. One of the newer, more exciting, developments this year is Kanchi Dine in the Dark. A team of visually impaired hosts will guide diners through an eating experience in the dark. Food will be prepared by a number of chefs, including Ross Lewis of Chapter One and Ed Cooney of the Merrion hotel.

Malcolm Starmer of Bite on South Frederick Street will also give a hand and will be assisted by the restaurant’s owner Ronan Ryan. This is Ryan’s first year not fronting a restaurant at Taste of Dublin. This weekend, he is introducing lobster burgers to the Irish culinary scene at Bite.