TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Opened in mid-2023 by Conor Higgins (Head Chef) and Andrew Byrne (Sous Chef), the former Face 2 Café is now home to an interesting contemporary vegetarian restaurant named after a field of energy known to physicists as Higgs Field - and, as explained on their website, 'they believe that every meal should be an experience that's positively charged'. This ties in perfectly with their ethos of sustainability, zero waste, foraging and using local ingredients - and also with the creativity and sheer deliciousness of everything they produce.
Both chefs are Kilkenny natives and, given their backgrounds - Chef Higgins has recently returned from working in some of Vancouver's top restaurants, while Chef Byrne trained in Mount Juliet and has recently worked in Aran Bakery and Bistro, Kilkenny and The Beach house, Tramore - it's easy to see where their inspiration and ambition lies. Even before opening the restaurant, they foraged in local woods and fields for good things to pickle - and these can now be seen in jars behind the chefs as they plate their dishes on a counter, so diners can watch and interact with them.
Guided by the seasons, the ever-changing menus may not be extensive, but they are interesting and the supplier details make inspiring reading, with respected producers like Rivers Field Organic Farm (Callan), Bosco's Garden (Goslingstown), Plur Bakery (Carlow), Sinead Cranwell (Kilkenny Veg Box), Garryhinch Mushrooms (Offaly), Deburcas Tempeh (Kilkenny) and Cakeface (Kilkenny) all name-checked, and Chef Higgins also continues to forage for wild seasonal ingredients.
The daytime menu includes many brunch favourites, always lifted by the sheer quality of the ingredients and perhaps also a contemporary twist. Their Breakfast Roll with Scrambled egg, smoky cabbage, wild garlic mayo and crisps soon earned a following, for example, and regulars return for the brassica Savoy Pancake, with Kimchi, ginger mayo, crunchy puffed rice and soft poached egg. Intensely flavoured Carrot, roasted, pickled and shaved, with lentils, Chèvre and dill is a more unusual example, and (although not name checked on menu) the use of local Dizzy Goats cheese from nearby Kileasy in this dish imakes all the diffeence.
Desserts are equally intriguing - their Spruce Tip Ice cream, with mint waffle and dandelion honey has become a reason in itself to visit Higgs Field, and don't miss the Carrot Sorbet if it's on, as it's the essence of organic carrot and you're sure to be back for more of its natural sweetness.
Behind its simple frontage (with three small pavement tables and chairs at the front), this little place punches way above its weight. Set on two levels, with some ground floor seating opposite the Chefs plating counter, and others up steps to the rear, the wooden floors and furniture are plain but lovely old exposed stonework, beautiful innovative dishes and personal attention form both chefs create atmosphere and combine to make this a special place.
