Milko Mihaylov was already well known in Kilkenny when he opened this pleasing destination in the former Café Sol premises, just off High Street, in 2017.
The restaurant is elegant and bright, offering unpretentious fine dining at lunch and dinner every day, while the wine bar adds a welcoming informality.
The innovative cooking with an Italian and French twist went down a storm from day one There's a light touch to the appetising food. A dish such as wild mushroom and truffle risotto is simmered with aged Parmesan, tossed with fresh chives and a drizzle of black truffle oil. A heartier dish might be the beef ragu tagliatelle – Irish shin beef is slow cooked with vegetables, red wine, vine tomatoes and Italian herbs.
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) 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.
