Restaurant review: Kilkenny's Campagne offers top-class French cuisine at a fair price

Campagne Restaurant, Kilkenny.

• Campagne Restaurant
• The Arches, 5 Gas House Lane, Kilkenny, R95 X092
• 056-7772858
• www.campagne.ie
• Monday-Tuesday: Closed; Wednesday-Thursday: 5.30-9pm; Friday-Saturday: 5.30pm-9.30pm; Sunday/Bank Holidays: 12.30-2.30pm, 6pm-8pm

Does anyone else find those National Lottery ads annoying? The last place I’d want to live is a tropical island where the weather is the same all year round but with extra mosquitos.

I like Ireland’s temperate climate and its changing seasons, I like that every month we have something to look forward to from purple sprouting broccoli to new potatoes to wild salmon to Irish strawberries to wild mushrooms.

Like all good restaurants, Kilkenny’s Campagne is dedicated to seasonal produce. Garrett Byrne opened it in 2008 and by 2013 he had a Michelin Star which he has maintained ever since — no easy feat.

Campagne is one of the few Michelin restaurants in the country offering Sunday lunch, and for a bargain €45 per person for three courses. I visited with The Engineer and The Watchmaker — Bryan Leech of Sidereus Watches whose gorgeous timepieces also pay attention to seasons.

Our meal began with some proper crusty white bread which disappeared quickly (and was replaced) — a welcome throwback to the traditional Irish loaf. Warm Asparagus with Parmesan Mousse and Black Olive Butter showcased seasonal asparagus admirably, with the green and white spears interacting differently with a satiny Parmesan Mousse while a black olive butter added depth.

Risotto with Caramelised Chicken Wings and Wild Garlic

Risotto with Caramelised Chicken Wings and Wild Garlic had intensely flavoured sweet-savoury wings and a rich chicken jus — both the Engineer and the Watchmaker loved the soft-textured risotto with its background notes of wild garlic. Personally I would have preferred it much stiffer.

Grilled Octopus with Chickpeas and Red Pepper

The star of the three starters was the Grilled Octopus with Chickpeas which the chef sent out for us to try (yes we were spotted). I’m glad he did — it was a joyful Spanish trumpet blast. I adored the contrast between the taut exterior and the creamy interior of the tentacles, the chickpeas gave a rustic earthy edge, and red pepper and tomato added sweetness and acidity. The four ingredients were a sort of Spanish string quartet that somehow had the impact of an orchestra.

Blanquette of Rabbit 'Parma Ham'

Blanquette of Rabbit ‘Parma Ham’ was boned and rolled and encased in Prosciutto to give a touch of salty-sweetness — the disc of rabbit meltingly tender and some broad beans and peas grounded the flavours. My Comeragh lamb meanwhile had been salted and then gently poached at a low temperature so that the flesh retained a tinge of pink. The sweet nutty flavours were a reminder of how well a poached (or braised) lamb dish can work in summertime. Sides of properly crispy/fluffy chips and a rich cauliflower gratin were indulgent treats worth the extra fiver each.

Campagne’s wine list is nicely manageable with around 60 wines and a slight emphasis on France and Italy. There are good options by the glass, and for 250ml and 500ml carafes — why don’t more restaurants offer this?

Red Burgundy seemed appropriate for our menu but sadly they were out of the Domaine Philippe Milan Rully (€65).

I opted instead for another Côte Chalonnaise — Domaine Laurent Mouton Givry 1er Cru 2020 for €99. A jump in price, but a much better wine with dense complex cherry fruits and weight balanced by acidity.

The Engineer thought it a tad rich but myself and the watchmaker loved its touch of lushness. At the end of the meal I was pleased to see I had been charged just €65 — the price of the Rully, unnecessary, but welcome.

For dessert my Lime Tart had a crisp brûlée crust, with intensely creamy-citrus lime flavours beneath — on a knife edge between sweet and bitter. Pastry added buttery heft and preserved lime ice cream doubled (nay tripled) down on bitter-sweet lime flavours. I loved it, my guests less so. My guests had thankfully ordered the Rum Savarin with Pineapple Curd and Crème Chantilly — more of a crowd pleaser with the sweet gooey sponge and sticky pineapple with a touch of rum.

Campagne is offering superb seasonal cooking at remarkably fair prices, make time for a visit.

The Tab: Sunday lunch for three with two cocktails, 3 set menus, sides and coffee cost €242.90. (Lunch for two with a 500ml carafe of wine would be a mere €118 - a bargain).

Campagne - The Verdict:

• Food: 9/10
• Wine: 9/10
• Service: 9/10
• Ambiance: 9/10
• Value: 9.5/10
• In a Sentence: Campagne offers superb seasonal French-influenced cooking at very fair prices.