McCluskey's, in Waterford city, and MacCloskey's, in Bunratty, in Co Clare, have more in common than just similar names. Paul McCluskey, of McCluskeys, has cooked in Irish kitchens for a couple of decades, most recently in Waterford Castle, before he opened his own place in the city but his food, to me, has all the tenor and hunger of a young blade - lovely cod with a Thai sauce, adapted from a Rick Stein recipe; a great rocket salad with Knockalara cheese; fine Tunisian lamb with couscous and lots of creative vegetarian cooking, such as a Mediterranean bean stew with basmati rice. The restaurant is a simple, single room space, just right for festive fun.
MacCloskey's is completely different in character from McCluskey's, being an intimate series of basement rooms, which makes it not only a great date restaurant but also suitable for a small party. Shaun Smith-Robert's cooking is assertive and personal: ballotine of chicken and hazelnut; rabbit and duck terrine with brandy and herbs; terrific Crattoe lamb with colcannon and white beans. Terrific flavours, and good fun.