Three restaurants on the island of Ireland have been recommended in the Michelin Guide’s new monthly updates to its website and app.
The Michelin Guide for Great Britain & Ireland was published in digital format only for the first time in 2021, making it more agile and reflective of the ever-evolving restaurant scene.
In a new approach to revealing its latest restaurant recommendations, it is now releasing the Michelin Inspectors’ favourite new additions to the guide ahead of the annual launch event.
Revealed on the final Wednesday of each month, 10 additions have been announced for September, with two of them in Ireland and one in Northern Ireland.
Multi-award winning chef GrĂ¡inne O'Keefe’s first solo venture,
Mae, is in the busy Ballsbridge area of Dublin above the French Paradox wine shop. The restaurant collaborates with the wine shop, and with access to a range of incredible French vineyards Michelin advises that it makes sense to go for the wine pairings that accompany the set price menu.
The guide says Mae offers “modern, boldly flavoured dishes” that are produce-led and have an Irish theme. “Some are homely and comforting, while others are more elaborate and eye-catching. Friendly, efficient service completes the picture.”
Also in Dublin
Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen makes the list. The Finnish-born chef has taken over from Ross Lewis, who formerly held a Michelin Star and remains a partner in the business. Viljanen previously headed the kitchen at the Greenhouse in Dublin, which had two stars. The new era for Chapter One aims to create one of the most unique dining experiences in Ireland.
“The cooking focuses on prime ingredients and uses classic French techniques to create dishes that offer bold and sometimes quite daring flavour combinations,” according to Michelin.
If you want to get up close to the kitchen, then book a piece of culinary theatre at the Chef’s Table, which is made from dramatic, highly glazed volcanic rock, and see Chapter One in action.
Stock Kitchen in Belfast also makes the cut. Michelin says “Local chef Danny Millar’s latest venture is a spacious, buzzy brasserie which oozes charm and character.”
The restaurant is set on the first floor of St George’s Market, a delightful covered Victorian market, and tables on the terrace overlook the busy scenes below. Reaching Stock Kitchen takes you through a labyrinth of trading stalls, where you can sample and purchase some of the fine produce that has placed Northern Ireland firmly on Europe’s food map.
Inclusion in the monthly Michelin updates means that a restaurant makes it into the guide. At what level is not revealed but the updates represent the great variety and choice available to those who love eating out.
All the Michelin guide distinctions such as Stars, Bib Gourmands and Green Stars for 2022 will still be unveiled at the annual launch ceremony – and they could also include some of the newly recommended restaurants.
www.ireland.com