Two Kilkenny Restaurants- Campagne and Lady Helen (pictured)- are the newest Irish restaurants to be awarded the Michelin star in the 2014 Great Britain and Ireland guide.
Eight restaurants in Ireland appear on the one star list, including the two restaurants in Kilkenny that have been added this year.
Clearly delighted and a little surprised with the win, Campagne restaurant tweeted this morning- "Jesus, a Michelin star. That will make up for the hurling this year".
Patrick Guilbaud’s remains Ireland’s only two-star Michelin restaurant with Thornton’s at the Fitzwilliam Hotel, Chapter One, L’Ecrivain and Bon Appétit in Malahide also retaining their Michelin status in Dublin. Outside the capital, House at the Cliff House Hotel in Waterford and Aniar in Galway also received Michelin stars.
Under the criteria three stars means exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey; two are for excellent cooking, worth a detour; one denotes a very good restaurant in its category.
Locks Brasserie in Dublin lost its one star status, also receiving a poor comfort rating from the Michelin judges in this guide.
There are also 11 Irish restaurants named as ‘Bib Gourmands’ which the guide says have ‘good food at moderate prices’ and the Brasserie at bon appétit in Malahide was added to that list this year.
Others in this category are :
Carrickmacross -Monaghan Courthouse
Clonakilty Cork- Deasy’s
Clonegall Carlow- Sha Roe Bistro
Dingle Kerry- Chart House
Dublin- Pichet
Dublin- Pig’s Ear
Clontarf- Dublin Downstairs
Duncannon Wexford- Aldridge Lodge
Kinsale Cork -Fishy Fishy Cafe
Lisdoonvarna Clare- Wild Honey Inn
Four restaurants in the country lost this status including O’Dowd’s in Galway and Box Tree in Stepaside. The other two, White Sage in Limerick and O’Brien’s in Waterford, are closed.
