Restaurant review: The Cliff House in Waterford is a tip-top delight

You have to try the lemon verbena and Highbank Orchard infused apple sorbet

One of the delicious dishes at The Cliff House Hotel. Pictures: Anita Murphy

Having left Ireland almost a decade ago as a talented ‘apprentice’, chef Ian Doyle was finally returning as ‘Master’. A four-year stint as head chef at Michelin two-starred Oaxen Krog, in Stockholm, just ended, he was now newly installed executive head chef at The Cliff House, formerly the fiefdom of Michelin-starred Dutchman Martijn Kajuiter.

But Doyle arrived with The Covid in his slipstream. Even as he took first bearings, the global hospitality sector closed down and he entered a dark kitchen. He’s weathered four lockdowns since, compounded by acute industry-wide acute staffing shortages — and let’s not even mention the impact of other pandemic/Brexit-related shenanigans.