My mother always said I was born into the wrong family, and as I sink into a gold damask sofa in Ballyfin’s grand salon, I can see she was right. Though, thankfully, not a family related to the Cootes, whose chumminess with Cromwell will have you muttering “800 years” on repeat.
Built in the 1820s by Sir Charles Henry Coote, Ballyfin’s regency grandeur is impressive, even if the first thing you see in the entrance hall is a mosaic from Pompeii nabbed on a grand tour. The Coote fortune crumbled with land reforms, and by 1928 the estate had been sold to the Patrician Brothers.
When upkeep became impossible, it fell into disrepair until American businessman Fred Krehbiel bought it in 2002. After an eight-year restoration, it reopened as a 21-bedroom luxury hotel. Just last month it was awarded three keys, the highest accolade in the Michelin Guide’s new hotel rankings.
After some anonymous manoeuvring, and with Fridays and Saturdays fully booked for the foreseeable, I had secured a non-resident table on a Sunday. Or so I thought. I pull up to the gates, only to find no record of my booking. But it gets sorted quickly, which sees me sinking into that plush sofa before being whisked into the formal diningroom.
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There are two dinner options: a €145 tasting menu or a €105 three-course a la carte, which includes all the amuse-bouches and extras. We opt for the latter, which offers two choices per course. Want to splurge? Go for the wine pairings. I, however, wade through the impressive wine list (frustratingly on an iPad) and unearth an M&A Arndorfer Grüner Veltliner (€65).
I do love a good amuse-bouche, and head chef Richard Picard-Edwards clearly does too. The croustade of pork is everything it should be: meaty, rich, with tangy cherry and a crunch of turnip. Bold, clever and delicious. The trout tartare comes in crunchy cornets, topped with edible flowers, delivering lime, ginger and a ceviche-like snap that wakes the palate. A crispy gougère, dusted with wisps of truffle shavings and Gruyère, oozes with cheesy Mornay sauce the second you bite in.
And then the Jerusalem artichoke cream arrives, a real showstopper. Meticulously cut tiny circles of pickled artichoke, caviar, gold leaf, micro herbs and tiny croutons sit on top of artichoke cream that’s as smooth as silk. The chicken jelly sneaks in a hit of umami, while the croutons add the perfect crunch. It’s downright dazzling, one of the most delicious things I’ve eaten this year. This dish is going straight to signature status.
For starters, butter-poached lobster with a courgette flower stuffed with lobster mousse is dressed at the table with a frothy bisque. The mousse is rich, the bisque is delicious and begging to be soaked up by the fluffy brioche served alongside, while a dollop of caviar adds the most wonderful salty note. An arc of St Tola goat’s cheese mousse is a lower-key dish, creamy and tangy with beetroot discs and a sharp cranberry sorbet adding a sparkle of acidity.
For mains, the brill arrives with a golden crust, sitting on top of rainbow chard, with a pop of sweetness from grapes and peas. The fish is delicate and perfectly cooked, finished at the table with a buttery beurre blanc.
Guinea fowl breast has been roasted so that the skin is crisp and savoury, while the leg is transformed into a delicate raviolo stuffed with confit meat and just a hint of offal for depth. It’s paired with a refined jus and earthy turnip – rich, indulgent, but never too heavy. The side of potato is a buttery heart-stopper, topped with puffed-up, crunchy squiggles of potato that make it irresistible.
Dessert arrives. The berry parfait is light, bright and refreshing: layers of jelly, sponge and parfait, topped with a blackcurrant sorbet. Then there’s the Louis XV chocolate cake, an Alain Ducasse classic from his three-star Monte-Carlo restaurant. Rich but not heavy, with a crunchy almond dacquoise base, smooth tonka bean ice-cream and raspberry ganache. It’s the kind of dessert that leaves you smiling long after the last bite.
At €105 for the a la carte, Ballyfin more than delivers. The Jerusalem artichoke cream alone could hold its own in a three-star restaurant. With talk of Michelin stars in the air, it feels like a solid one-star experience – precision, flavour and nothing overworked. The setting is pure luxury, and the whole experience leaves you planning your next visit before you’ve even finished the meal.
Dinner for two with a bottle of wine was €275.
The Verdict: A flawless meal worthy of a Michelin star.
Food provenance: Glenmar Shellfish, MJ Keegan Family Butcher, Goatsbridge Trout, La Rousse and estate produce.
Vegetarian options: The vegetarian menu includes dishes like goat’s cheese mousse; pearl barley with confit onion and cauliflower puree; and gnocchi with caramelised onion, hazelnuts and apple.
Wheelchair access: Fully accessible with an accessible toilet.
Music: Soft classical in the background.
