One late-night Instagram scroll sent Le Café founder-restaurateur Ashesh Sajnani down an Irish rabbit hole. He landed on the Lobster Spice Bag, a cult favourite that traces its roots to Ireland’s Chinese takeaways. Traditionally, the post-pub staple is a gloriously messy mix of crisp chips (fries), salt-and-pepper fried chicken, peppers, onions and an assertive hit of Chinese five-spice, all tossed together in a paper bag with a side of rich Chinese curry sauce for dunking.

What began as late-night comfort food has since earned gourmet status. Premium restaurants across the UK began replacing fried chicken with duck, seafood, or shellfish, but it was UK’s Burger & Lobster limited-edition St Patrick’s Day special that propelled the dish into the spotlight. Their indulgent interpretation packed a paper bag with half a crispy-fried lobster, golden king prawns, chunky chips, stir-fried peppers and onions, all coated in fragrant Chinese five-spice and served with warm Chinese curry sauce. The result was familiar in spirit, but unmistakably elegant.