Kerry: Chic Zuni a delight

Zuni, 26 Patrick Street, Kilkenny; Tel: [phone]; zuni.ie

GIVEN the smorgasbord of ingredients at our disposal, it’s amazing how many Irish restaurants stick to same-o, same-o menu formulas. It’s nosebag-by-numbers, ticking off the same takes on steak, chicken and fish with dispiriting familiarity.

Not Zuni. Maria Raftery’s menus at this chic Kilkenny space are anything but predictable. There’s always a playful twist, an experimental note or a crafty, kooky flourish.