Bacchus Room

Normally, when asked by the front desk staff of a hotel if I want to make a reservation for their dining room, I am a little leery, especially if there is a tour bus parked out front. Big mistake at the Riverside Hotel in Killarney. The Bacchus Room has a fresh take on so many dishes. As a starter, I had the Bluefin tuna tartare atop thin slices of pear with trails of a tart sauce that was a surprising flavor combination. The main course was a magret of duck with mashed potatoes and what appeared to be a phyllo pastry cup al dente vegetables. There was a small glass jar containing strained duck drippings and a bulbed pipette for putting the «jus» right where you want to. My dining partner had a starter featuring a sausage made from suckling pig with sautéed mushrooms and green tomatoes. His starter was followed by a rolled saddle of lamb and aubergine. There was no room for dessert. All-​in-​all, it was an extraordinary meal.
Make the effort to find this place. It was a total surprise well-​worth the expense.