Where to get a spice bag, the viral Irish dish
Ordering Chinese food at the Irish pub was not on my 2026 bingo card. But over the past few months, there's been a stream of viral videos and articles about a delicious-looking concoction called the "spice bag." Its contents are rather straightforward: Steak fries and chicken tender nuggets with peppers and onions. The tasty bits are tossed together in a heavenly spice rub, tucked into a paper bag and served with a side of creamy brown curry for dipping.
I've shared Irish curry chips with friends at the pub while gossiping over pints of frothy Guinness. The chips — actually fries, but you know that — are so savory when dipped into the spicy-sweet brown curry. But this Chinese fusion creation one-ups the original by adding protein and fiber, thus putting it into the realm of what one would call a full meal.
By most accounts, the phenomenon started in Dublin in the mid 2000s. It's back on the radar thanks to a handful of New York City spots like The Long Hall Pub & Grocery on 34th Street. While there are dozens of Irish pubs across Long Island, there appears to be only one that serves the spice bag: Trinity in Floral Park.
Trinity has been around for about 30 years and is one of the oldest Irish pubs in Floral Park. Co-owner Debbie McCallum took over the place with her co-workers Flora O’Brien, Steve Tommoney and Rob Quinlan about four years ago. She's originally from Ireland, as are many of the pub's staffers, and started noticing spice bags popping up on trips back there.
"Some of the best Chinese takeout food I’ve ever had was in Ireland," McCallum said. "They started doing it over there to combine Chinese takeout with the stuff they’re doing at the chip shop. It became this thing. ... Everybody puts their little tweak on it."
McCallum hails from County Mayo on the west coast, a place she describes as farm country. When she was growing up, Chinese takeout wasn't as much of a thing, and the local fast food joint was the chip shop.
"You went there for burgers, fries, sausages," she says. "But probably in the last 10 to 15 years, that’s when the Chinese food aspect and the takeaway has really taken off in there. I have three kids, it's been a couple years since I've gone back. But I had a Chinese meal there ... delicious."
The Chinese population of Ireland and the United Kingdom draws heavily from Hong Kong, and the spice bag has been compared to Cantonese dishes like salt and pepper chicken wings. But the spice rub is more complex and often features ingredients like Chinese five-spice powder, garlic, sugar and chili flakes. It reminds me of the Chongqing fried chicken dish you might get at a Sichuan restaurant. The spice rub is divine, although it's significantly less spicy here. Much of the heat comes from the hearty brown McDonnells curry on the side.
McCallum said it took them nearly a month to perfect the recipe and tweak the spice rub. Chef Gustavo Fernandez adds the rub to the chicken breading before frying it up with the french fries, and then tossing it all together with the roasted peppers and onions.
Trinity's spice bag ($16), which I ate with a fork, is crunchy and decadent — not as greasy as what you'll see at other spots on social media. They'll be serving it up in the limited St. Patrick's Day menu, too. So whether you toast with a "sláinte" or "gānbēi," there's a spice bag waiting for you.
Trinity, 190 Jericho Tpke., Floral Park, 516-358-5584, trinityrestaurant.com. Kitchen open noon to 10 p.m. daily.
Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.
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