As into Java as you are Jarvis? Well, Graham Hopkins, he of hitting things with The Frames, Therapy? and My Little Funhouse fame, is heading out on a drum clinic tour with a difference this month. Register at commongroundscollective.ie to see him in action at Established Coffee, Belfast (February 21); First Draft Coffee, Dublin (23); Rift Coffee, Limerick (28); Coffeewerk, Galway (March 2); Mocha Beans, Westport (3), and Alchemy Coffee & Books, Cork (9).

Knockranny House Hotel & Spa, a magnificent country pile out Westport way, is running a Pescatarian Weekend on February 17 and 18. Yep, multi-award winning chef Seamus Commons will be celebrating fish in its all myriad forms in their La Fougere restaurant, which overlooks Clew Bray and Croagh Patrick. knockrannyhousehotel.ie/dining.

Having bid a tearful ‘adieu’ to South William Street last year, Bagots Hutton has re-opened on Dublin 2’s Ormond Quay with a Venison & Heirloom Potato Hash, Fried Egg & Capers and Aubergine, Courgette & Goats Cheese Frittata to proverbially die for. We’re hard-hearted bastards when it comes to Valentine’s Day dining out, but their €35 four-course fixed menu does look damn good. Find them on Facebook.

Healthy eating fast food chain, Freshii, has announced new restaurants that will be opening soon at Donegall Square, Belfast; Thomas Street, Limerick and Smithfield Square, Dublin 7. The Teriyaki Twist Bowl tops the ‘recommended list’. freshhi.com.

Not quite so virtuous, but damn tasty, is the new Wow Burger which has opened beneath Mary’s Bar & Hardware on D2’s Wicklow Street. There’s none of this daft toppings nonsense, just good old-fashioned Ham/Cheese/Bacon Burgers with Regular/Chilli/Garlic Butter Fries and Shakes that are thicker than Donald Trump. wowburger.ie.

Narrowly missing out on this week’s Tipple Of The Fortnight – its time will come! – is Listoke 1777, a premium 43.3% ABV craft gin from the new Listoke Distillery & Gin School (we’d be straight-A students) in Louth. “A tree worth of blossom infused in each bottle” is the boast and they don’t short-change.

Over in Beerland, Clonakilty Brewing Company will be launching its new Belgian-style Inchydoney Blond at February 23-25’s Alltech Craft Beers & Food Fair in the Convention Centre. We’ll be previewing the event in the next Hot Flavours.

Tipple Of The Fortnight

Celtic Ard Rí Dó

8.6% Red Ale

Loitering with considerable intent at the top end of D2’s Dawson Street, the Celtic Whiskey Store has long been regarded as the go-to place in the capital for craft spirits like the remarkable small-batch Bán Barreled & Buried Poitin from the Ards peninsula, which words alone cannot describe.

Also getting a Macca-style double-thumbs up is the muscular whiskey matured ale they’ve produced in association with the 5 Lamps Brewery. Along with a suitably big bang of whiskey, there are more subtle chocolate, malt and toffee notes, which make this a real sat in front of the fire sipper.

Available instore or online from celticwhiskeyshop.com/celtic-ard-ri-do at €3.99 for a 330ml bottle.