Prices are per person for a main course at dinner.

Dining out has become something of a national pastime in Ireland. With the blossoming economy of the past seven or eight years, now 30 percent of all food eaten is consumed outside the home. The dining experience, too, has exploded to new levels. The renaissance is due in no small way to the wave of talented young chefs who are cooking with new levels of imagination and innovation. Chefs have become celebrities on the Irish circuit. They have put a new blas (Irish for gloss) on traditional ingredients. You'll still find the humble Irish spud (potato) featured in all sorts of ways, accompanying wild salmon and other seafood, tender lamb, beef and pork. You'll also find them in potato cakes and boxty, as well as in colcannon, a traditional Irish dish.

Being an agricultural country, Ireland benefits from a copious supply of freshly grown produce, as well as a pure water supply. Meats are plentiful: you'll find lots of excellent Irish beef, pork, ham, and lamb. Keep an eye out, too, for seasonal specials, such as wild and farmed quail and pheasant. And you can expect to find fresh and smoked salmon, oysters, mussels, and shellfish in many guises vying with tender cuts of meat and an appetizing selection of quality vegetables on most menus.

The Irish dine later than Americans. They stay up later, too, so bookings are usually not taken before 6:30 or 7 PM and are made until around 11 PM. Lunch goes from 12:30 to 2:30. Pubs often serve food all day -- until 8:30 or 9 PM. The Irish are an informal bunch, so smart casual dress is typical. The more select restaurants, however, do expect you to wear a jacket and tie. Shorts and sneakers are out. Check when booking if unsure.