"Tl;dr this chef and this team are on their way to a Michelin star, so get a reservation while you can. We visited here Saturday 29, where we enjoyed the tasting menu by current chef John Hollywood. Their tasting menu is averagely priced, comparable to Dublin’s Bastible, with 6 courses actual, and plenty of wine. Aside from the setup, nothing else is average. The staff at Boat House are second to none. The atmosphere is similar to Hof van Cleve, with chirpy, witty staff happily serving customers and following the mood of the table. Their sommelier and wine pairing is particularly special, with each bottle subverting the trend, unexpected, but without compromising on quality (see: Bastible cannot figure out wine). Their sommelier is a wine nerd who’s happy to go into as much depth as you want, but you feed off the passion between courses, which is a really great dynamic between the staff and the table this is rare, usually only achieved at top star restaurants. I’ve never found this in the island of Ireland. The food itself is the perfect mix of foraged from land and sea, each dish testing and surprising you, but with some classics mixed in (beef Barolo your reward for trusting the chef). On the whole, the menu seems designed to subvert comfort you in equal measure, and succeeds with every course. You won’t find the same level of experimentation from many of the Italian tasting menus on the circuit, but that comes with the assurances of consistent quality and a journey that’ll never let you down, where subversive wine pairings inject a level of exciting chaos without risking the food. Between the atmosphere, staff, and chemistry at the table in the kitchen, a trip to Boat House can be held in the same regard as some of the world’s top Michelin star restaurants. They’re on the way. They have the ingredients, whether you know it or not. Better start those birthday reservations now."
