First floor restaurants with no visible street presence can sometimes take a while to catch on - not so with Novaks, which has taken Athy by storm since its opening in May 2016.
And this is down to a talented Eastern European owner-chef, Michal Nowak, and a team that includes several members of his family, Mariusz, Marta and Gabriela.
Given Michal's philosophy of using the best of local produce - and his experience in some outstanding kitchens including Rathmullan House in Donegal and, nearer to home, BrookLodge and The Brown Bear - an interesting and rewarding dining experience is very much on the cards at Novak's.
In a large room with four windows overlooking the street, the restaurant is decorated in shades of brown with colourful paintings on the walls and it's comfortably set up, with high-backed chairs and smartly-laid bare-topped tables - a pleasing setting for what may be expected to be a memorable meal.
Michal's appealing menus are not long but they change monthly, topped up by weekly specials, and the cooking has finesse.
A short lunch menu might include their own house beefburger - which comes, Continental-style, with a fried egg - and perhaps chicken roulade, served with garlic potatoes and a seasonal green such as creamed leeks.
But it's in the evening that Novak’s comes into its own. With half a dozen dishes on each course, including at least one interesting vegetarian choice, the dinner menu offers quite adventurous dishes. Enticing spring and early summer starters might include crab salad with samphire and fennel, for example, while braised pork cheek with lentil ragout and lamb koftas served with homemade Naan bread are also typical.
Mains offer equally strong choices, including a good char-grilled steak alongside less usual dishes like supreme of Guinea fowl confit leg bon bon served with carrots and potato gnocchi, or lamb rump with pinto beans, while lighter mains might be panfried hake with broad beans and quinoa or wild mushroom risotto with spinach.
And, while old favourites like lemon posset and apple crumble feature on the lunch menu, evening desserts are special. A yoghurt and soft cheese cake, for example, comes with green rhubarb jelly, poached rhubarb and rhubarb granita - heaven for rhubarb lovers - and another treat is a coffee and cardamom mousse with white chocolate, raspberries, pistachio sponge and raspberry sorbet...
Everything is perfectly cooked, beautifully presented and full of flavour, and this - tothether with a good wine list and excellent service - makes Novak's a top class dining experience.
