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The former Café Sol premises just off High Street got a great makeover in 2017, when new owner/manager, Milko Mihaylov and Chef Lukasz Glab (both already well known in Kilkenny) teamed up to bring something fresh to the city.
The restaurant is elegant and bright, offering unpretentious fine dining at lunch and dinner every day, while the wine bar adds a welcoming informality.
Chef Glab's innovative cooking with an Italian and French twist went down a storm from day one - and, unusually, he also offers an extensive and well-constructed separate menu for vegans and vegetarians.
A skilful chef who takes pride in using local producers who are credited on his seasonal menus, there's a light touch to Lukasz Glab's apppetising food. A dish such as Saffron Risotto with braised beef and rich Merlot jus, for example, demonstrates his subtle cooking - the merlot jus a perfect match for the tender beef and not too strong to mask the delicate risotto - while a comparable vegan rice dish might be pretty Courgette Gondolas. Choices include plenty of fish, also tasty dishes not often seen on other menus - faggots, for example - and everything is appealingly presented on modern white plates.
Desserts are excellent but cheese lovers will notice a tempting wooden cheese trolley just inside the door - offering five well-chosen cheeses in great condition (possibly including the local Dizzy Goats Cheese) it would round of a meal deliciously.
The value is good for the quality offered (notably the 2/3 course early dinner, €23/28) and there's a very well thought out wine list, predominately European with excellent tasting notes and a choice of sizes for wines by the glass.
Well trained and smartly attired staff offer great service from the outset - prompt and with a smile, good menu knowledge and time for some small talk too - and that sets the tone for a pleasant dining experience in this elegant room.
Kilkenny is well endowed with good eating places, and Truffles offers something different and very agreeable to the choices in the city.
