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Zuni Restaurant & Boutique Hotel

Although Zuni is an hotel (‘boutique’ style, and offering a more youthful style of accommodation than other comparable establishments), the atmosphere is more restaurant with rooms: an oasis of contemporary chic in this bustling city, it is well established as an in-place for discerning Kilkenny diners.

The room is large and airy, overlooking a courtyard (alfresco dining in fine weather) and there’s a separate restaurant entrance so you don’t have to go through the hotel.

Although Maria Raftery’s wide-ranging menus offer international dishes, use of local ingredients lends a distinctive Irish tone - Lavistown cheese gives relevance to a starter of Waldorf salad with green apple sorbet, for example, and the meat antipasti slate offers cured meats from Gubbeen Smokehouse in west Cork.

And you can be sure of finding a variation on everyone’s favourite - chargrilled Irish sirloin with chunky chips, mushroom duxelle, and béarnaise sauce.

Attractively presented food is always full of flavour: smart salads make tasty starters and Maria, who cooks with panache in view of diners, is a cool and accomplished chef. Menus to note include an early dinner menu which offers a good choice and gives great value for money - and an upbeat contemporary variation on the traditional lunch which packs them in on Sundays.

Seats 70 (outdoor seating, 24); toilets wheelchair accessible; children welcome before 7pm. (Breakfast); L Tue-Sun 12.30-2.30 (Sun 1-3), D daily 6.30-10 (Sun 6-9). Early D about €25 (6.30-7.30). Otherwise á la carte. House wine from about €22. SC 12.5% added to parties 6+.

Accommodation:

Rooms have direct dial phones, air conditioning, iron/trouser press, TV, tea/coffee-making facilities; the minimalist décor - recently refurbished in pale tones - is difficult to keep immaculate. Breakfast is served in the restaurant.


Zuni Restaurant : Rooms 13 (8 shower only, 5 no smoking, 1 family room, 1 for disabled, all no smoking); children welcome (under 12s free in parents' room; cot available without charge, baby sitting arranged). Lift. B&B about €50ps, ss €20. No pets. Private parking, but guests must get the receptionist to open the security bar (best to use the mobile phone, perhaps). Hotel closed 23-27 Dec. Amex, MasterCard, Visa, Laser.

Directions:

On Patrick Street - leads to Waterford road; 200 yards from Kilkenny Castle.