The Greedy Couple
The Greedy Couple
  • About Us
  • Where We Eat
  • Where We Shop
  • Where We've Been
  • Rantings
  • Quizzes
    • The Great Chefs 1
    • The Great Chefs 2
    • Food Quiz 1
    • Food Quiz 2
    • Food & Wine Quiz 1
    • Food & Wine Quiz 2
    • Wine Quiz 1
    • Wine Quiz 2
    • Wine Quiz 3
    • Wine Quiz 4
    • Wine Quiz (By Leslie Williams)
    • Wine A-Z Terminology Quiz
    • Irish Chefs & Restaurants Quiz 1
    • Irish Chefs & Restaurants Quiz 2
    • Food & Wine Crossword 1
    • Valentines Quiz
  • In The Media
  • San Sebastian Guide
  • Barcelona Guide
  • Contact Us

Food related musings

Campagne, Kilkenny

16/8/2015

0 Comments

 
Not long ago we were sitting in a restaurant in the south west of France eating a completely delicious and memorable meal. This wasn't a progressive, innovative, twenty course affair like some of the great meals we have had on our travels. This was three courses of classical French food delivered perfectly by a talented chef. We are talking the sort of food that they teach at the Cordon Bleu and that every French chef must master before delving into innovation. Noisettes of lamb, pink and tender, with moreish creamy potoato dauphinoise. Potato gratin with goats cheese. A simple but elegant gariguette tarte. When this food is done properly it is the sort of food you crave, the sort you look to when you have a bad day and need something comforting. We both remarked at the time that it such a pity that there is no restaurant in Dublin doing classical French food this well.

However, Campagne in Kilkenny city centre is doing so with aplomb. Chef Garrett Byrne, previously the head chef in Dublin's Chapter One, left the world of smears, foams and emulsions to go back to his native county and you get the impression he is cooking the food that means more to him.

Campagne uses seasonal and local ingredients to produce classically cooked and hearty dishes. Byrne utilises the whole of the animal and it is heartening to see under-used, so called, lesser cuts, some of which are not easy sells, appearing on his menu. Such as a first course of slightly crisp on the outside, but soft and tender in the middle, sweetbreads with pearl barley, it was rich and warming great first course. As was a ham and comte raviolo with creamed broad beans with a light mustard sauce. that cut through the natural saltiness of the ham. Main courses were hearty and indulgent, but everything was well executed. Perfectly cooked pigeon, peas a la Francaise with ham hock and potato boulangere was extremely moreish. A classic combination of duck, pink and tender, with cherries was decadent served with a creamy swede mash. 

Desserts were light and extremely tasty. An indulgent but airy chocolate souffle was not overly rich like many can be. Baked lemon cream with raspberries, not too sweet as to kill the lemon cream, was light and a refreshing end to the meal.

Restaurants like Campagne, cooking classical, comforting food are needed as much as progressive and innovate establishments, but for some reason they are few and far between in Ireland and most attempting it are not doing it right. Sadly, there is none, that we know of at least, doing it this well in Dublin.

If you read the review, over a year ago, of our last meal at Campagne you may have noticed that we were not as complimentary about it then. That is because the mains were very poor on that occasion and this food, if not executed properly, can quickly become ordinary. Thankfully there were no such errors on this years visit, but consistency may be an issue.

The service is casual, but professional, friendly and very welcoming with a hospitable neighbourhood feel. The value isn't bad either and is helped by a very reasonable wine list.

Campagne is a restaurant serving comforting, indulgent, generous, classical food, cooked with love and care by a talented chef. We left Campagne well fed, well watered, satisfied, nourished and happy, which is exactly what this restaurant is all about.

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Subjects

    All
    2014 Review
    Aimsir
    Albert Adria
    Amass
    Amuse
    Ananda
    Aniar
    Anthony Bourdain
    Arzak
    Barcelona
    Bodega 1900
    Brioche
    BROR
    Campagne
    Canteen @ The Market
    Casual Dining Dublin
    Chapter One
    Conor Dempsey
    Copenhagen
    Eipic
    El Celler De Can Roca
    ETTO
    Fera At Claridges
    Fergus Henderson
    Forest Avenue
    Formel B
    Hibiscus
    Indaco
    Kevin Thornton
    Kilkenny
    Lady Helen Restaurant
    L'Arpege
    Lasarte
    Le Chateaubriand
    Lecrivain
    Liath
    Lima Floral
    Loam
    Michelin
    Mount Juliet
    Mugaritz
    Mulberry Garden
    Noma
    No-Shows
    Osteria Francescana
    OX
    Patrick Guilbaud
    Pipero Al Rex
    Relae
    Relea
    Rene Redzepi
    Restaurant FortyOne
    Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
    Restaurant Manners
    Saison
    St. John Restaurant
    The Cliff House
    The Clove Club
    The Greedies 2014
    The Greedy Awards
    The Greenhouse
    The Hand & Flowers
    The Ledbury
    Thornton's Restaurant
    Tickets
    Tom Doyle
    Tom Kerridge
    Worlds 50 Best Restaurants

    Reviews & Thoughts

    Just some barely thought out musings

    Archives

    February 2022
    November 2021
    January 2021
    August 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2018
    May 2018
    May 2017
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014

    RSS Feed

Tweets by @thegreedycouple