THIRTY-FIVE euro for a three-course meal is pretty good value in Dublin these days. Especially when it includes alcohol!

Lannigans Restaurant in Dublin's Quality Hotel has just launched Triple Shots, a new menu offering three courses accompanied by three alcoholic shots.

Smoked trout rilette comes with Bloody Mary, beef fillet with a mini-Guinness, and caramelised pineapple tartlet with a shot of Pina Colado.

Sounds innovative and fun. Available every day from 6pm-10pm. Quality Hotel, Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 643 9500.

Soup du jour

SOUP is simple to cook and a nourishing, comforting dish in these cooler days. Even if you prefer to make yours fresh, there'll come a time when you just won't feel like cooking.

Cue Cully and Sully's excellent new soups which are all based on Ballymaloe recipes and beat any competitor hands down.

Using completely natural ingredients and no preservatives you'll find they're impressively smooth unlike most other brands.

Flavours range from Tomato and Basil, Mushroom and White Winter Vegetable to Honey, Carrot and Coriander and, our favourite, Pea & Mint;

2.49 from SuperValu, Spar, Centra, Superquinn, Mace, and all good food stores Gourmet greatest hits WESTMEATH'SWineport Lodge is one of Ireland's sassiest boutique hideaways with a seriously good restaurant. Next Saturday they're hosting a Gourmet Greatest Hits event to raise funds for Athlone's Robin Hood Foundation, which raises money for locally based deserving causes. Expect martini cocktails followed by a special tasting menu of the most popular culinary creations from the '60s '70s and '80s, with complementary wines. Tickets 150 from Wineport Lodge or from any of the Robin Hood members. Book on 090 643 9010. www. wineport. ie COOKBOOK WATCH: CRUMBLES & COBBLERS, MAXINE CLARK, RYLAND, PETERS & SMALL, 13.50 Why should I buy it? Autumn is the ideal time for comfort food with fruity cobblers and crumbles showcasing the best of the season's bounty. Taken straight from the oven, these one dish wonders should become staples in a family kitchen and are perfect for supper parties.

Any drawbacks? A bad investment for weight watchers . . . these delicious desserts are best served with lashings of custard or cream!

Signature recipes: Peach and amaretti crumble, blackberry cobbler, plum and hazelnut pandowdy.

One to try:

Muscovado and Banana Cobbler A truly decadent pudding for cold winter days. The sugar melts into the cream around the bananas, making a rich and sticky sauce. Cutting the scone topping into little rounds helps it to cook faster and looks very decorative.

4 medium bananas 150ml double cream or evaporated milk 2 tbsp muscovado sugar For the treacle scone topping 225g self-raising flour pinch of salt 55g unsalted butter 25g caster sugar 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 3 tbsp black treacle 150ml milk, plus extra to brush a medium, shallow, ovenproof dish Preheat the oven to 2200c, gas mark 7.

Peel the bananas and slice thickly. Put them in an ovenproof baking dish. Mix the cream or evaporated milk with the sugar and pour over the bananas. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter.

Mix in the sugar and cinnamon.

Dissolve the treacle in the milk and quickly mix with the flour to form a soft dough. Knead this briefly on a floured surface until smooth. Pat out to a thickness of 2cm, no more, and cut into as many 3cm-rounds as you can, re-rolling the trimmings as necessary. Use these to cover the bananas. Brush with a little milk and bake for 15-20 minutes until well-risen and golden brown on top. Cover with a piece of kitchen foil if the scones are cooking too quickly and the banana is still raw. Serve warm with pouring cream or vanilla ice cream.

Gourmet theatrics CYRANO de Bergerac's in town wearing chef whites and a towering toque.

Sound crazy? It's simply Cyrano, an updated version of the classic love story, set in the restaurant world and dramatised by highly acclaimed Barabbas theatre company.

This large-nosed Cyrano has been turned into a celebrity chef who's competing with a young chef hotshot for the affections of the beautiful New York Times' food critic.

This modern-day love story promises trademark Barabbas humour and smart direction. Make it a real foodie affair with a pre-theatre menu beforehand! From 10 to 18 November. Project Arts Centre, 39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-881 9613.