New Restaurants Friary Street

kikel

"Eat" opened a few weeks ago.

"Salt Yard" opened this weekend.

Threadhead

It's great for Friary Street which is probably the least busy central street in Kilkenny. Too many empty shops there so the more reasons for people to go there the better.

cargo

I found The Salt Yard online (facebook) and it looks fab (Spanish/Irish) but what sort of restaurant is the other one "Eat"? cant see anything about it online.

Threadhead

Mostly seems to be extra healthy foods.

Here's a link to their Facebook page.

cargo

Deadly that's looks good too and Sushi mmmh that's lunch sorted for my next trip to KK.

Sky King

Over the years I often thought there would be a market in Kilkenny for healthy fast food so glad to see these guys open and hope it works out well for them. Reckon I'll be paying them a visit myself.

Only drawback to that location is parking is non existent so you'd want to be on foot in town anyway. Any time I get take away I like to park right outside (Domino's Mario's etc).

Anyway Here's their website www.eatkilkenny.ie and their menu here.

Gonzovision

Will definitely check them out for lunch this week.

kikel

I feel like im promoting these places but honestly nothing to do with either.

Review on salt yard
http://anygivenfood.com/salt-yard-kilkenny/

Sky King

Amazing selection of high quality eateries in Kilkenny really. Hope there's enough business around to keep them all going!!

hi5

Was thinking the same, fast becoming the restaurant capital of Ireland.
A reason in itself for people to travel here:)

raze_them_all_

Sky King wrote: »

Amazing selection of high quality eateries in Kilkenny really. Hope there's enough business around to keep them all going!!

Why?? the cream rises to the top, a few places food wise could be done closing and letting better places open

Sky King

a few places food wise could be done closing and letting better places open

It's often the case alright, but not always.

You could have a situation whereby you have businesses delivering the same product all struggling and fighting for the same limited number of customers, but still managing to just about stay open... the overall standard will drop.

Or, given that the market for 'high end' dining is limited, and it's saturated, so you might have a situation whereby a business pitches itself as being more affordable, offering a cheaper (and inferior) product.

Though I suppose 'better' could just mean better value for money and not just more expensive.

Fair play to them for taking the punt - there's no way I would open a restaurant in Kilkenny these days, we have so many.

nootroc

Petronella's off High Street is very nice also.

Had lovely hake there last week.

kikel

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Petronella/319757808180699

Gonzovision

Went to the Saltyard for lunch today, very nice indeed. Will be back for dinner. Have to say the interior is really impressive, lovely looking.

domkk

Hi all.

Just wondering if anyone has been to the new Spanish restaurant on Friary street in Kilkenny.

Upon entering the place I thought this looks good, set well nice and bright.

We waited to be seated, but then as soon as we were greeted we were told we had to be gone and off the table in an hour and half to two hours.

This put a dampner on the evening straight away as we felt very uncomfortable and couldn't have a relaxing evening. This is not long at all by the time water and olives arrive to menus being given to placing the orders and for food to arrive.

All the time we were there it was a case of looking at our watches to see how long was left.

Now the food was excellent, top marks to the chef and the waitress we had was too.

She asked once we finished the mains if we wanted to order desert,but unfortunately we told her we'd love to but have to be off the table very soon.

This would have brought the restaurant more income in extra orders plus extra drinks we would have ordered.

Visit this place if you want to be herdered in and out like cattle or in a school canteen. This will be the restaurants downfall as dining is supposed to be a relaxing experience, but definitely not here!

Benny Cake

domkk wrote: »

Hi all.

Just wondering if anyone has been to the new Spanish restaurant on Friary street in Kilkenny.

Upon entering the place I thought this looks good, set well nice and bright.

We waited to be seated, but then as soon as we were greeted we were told we had to be gone and off the table in an hour and half to two hours.

This put a dampner on the evening straight away as we felt very uncomfortable and couldn't have a relaxing evening. This is not long at all by the time water and olives arrive to menus being given to placing the orders and for food to arrive.

All the time we were there it was a case of looking at our watches to see how long was left.

Now the food was excellent, top marks to the chef and the waitress we had was too.

She asked once we finished the mains if we wanted to order desert,but unfortunately we told her we'd love to but have to be off the table very soon.

This would have brought the restaurant more income in extra orders plus extra drinks we would have ordered.

Visit this place if you want to be herdered in and out like cattle or in a school canteen. This will be the restaurants downfall as dining is supposed to be a relaxing experience, but definitely not here!

Surely 2 hours is loads of time?

mefynn

I have to say we didnt have a good experience here either,very little of what was offered on menu available,main course arrived before starter...when we asked for starters 1st we were told food was brought out as it was ready?
and no fish dish at all,need to have a look at what they are at or it wont last,and 2 hours is not long if service is slow and you go out for a realxing meal and few drinks

femur61

It is expensive enough. The desert are very dear, some can be shared though as very rich.

changepartners

I was impressed with the Salt Yard as were my friends. Great food and service and very cool surrounds! Would go back in a heartbeat.

femur61

changepartners wrote: »

I was impressed with the Salt Yard as were my friends. Great food and service and very cool surrounds! Would go back in a heartbeat.

I should have mentioned service in my previous post, it was fantastic. Ashling the manager is a great host the service can't be faulted, but as I said it was a tad expensive.

longshotvalue

I went to the Salt Yard and altough its is a nice place it had the following issues.


Beer wasn't cold (nor insurmountable but still)

Patas Bravas were barly warm, not good enough really

Cheese board was very poor with too much of that crap stout and chedder muck, which is hardly in place dominating a spanish resteraunt cheese board.

Meat board was nice but way overpriced..

Id say in fairness itll improve but not a good start

Sky King

Patas Bravas were barly warm, not good enough really

Typical in Spain to get luke-warm food - maybe they were going for the authentic service!!

Ailsabt

Actually I found the patatas bravas were hot and delicious. I got some cold vegetable dish presented in a jar which looked interesting but was quite bland and tasteless. A lot of cold roasted onion at the bottom! Got the asparagus dish to which was also bland

kikel

• Salt Yard was getting a paint this morning. I wonder if something new is ready to go in there.
• Lebanese restaurant is been set up in the old Subway unit on Friary Street. Work has started and poster on the window.
• There is a poster on the window of 'Eat' saying a restaurant opening soon, Something Italian.

.

Dozen Wicked Words

Sightly off topic but did I see the Chinese in Irish Town has been let? Would be nice if it were, that little run of vacated buildings is sad to see there.

Sky King

kikel wrote: »

• Salt Yard was getting a paint this morning. I wonder if something new is ready to go in there.
• Lebanese restaurant is been set up in the old Subway unit on Friary Street. Work has started and poster on the window.
• There is a poster on the window of 'Eat' saying a restaurant opening soon, Something Italian.

.

Lebanese usually = meaty yumness so that should be good to check out but I am not so sure about another Italian if indeed that is what is going in there... we already have Italian Connection, La Rivista, La Trattoria, Little Italy, Rinnuccini, and Prima... is there really a market in Kilkenny for a seventh Italian?

pegasus1

Sky King wrote: »

Lebanese usually = meaty yumness so that should be good to check out but I am not so sure about another Italian if indeed that is what is going in there... we already have Italian Connection, La Rivista, La Trattoria, Little Italy, Rinnuccini, and Prima... is there really a market in Kilkenny for a seventh Italian?

not to mention the Italian run takeaways....

Bowlardo

pegasus1 wrote: »

not to mention the Italian run takeaways....

The Fast food mafia

kikel

Sky King wrote: »

Lebanese usually = meaty yumness so that should be good to check out but I am not so sure about another Italian if indeed that is what is going in there... we already have Italian Connection, La Rivista, La Trattoria, Little Italy, Rinnuccini, and Prima... is there really a market in Kilkenny for a seventh Italian?

Maybe referring to the new Italian as a restaurant was wrong.

kikel

Salt yard is now Aroi.They're doing asian street food.

KK is their third location:

http://aroi.eu/

catbear

People I know who've been to their Limerick branch rate it very highly and it seems to be much better value than the saltyard.

Incidentally at the fallafal stand on the parade last thursday they were handing out fliers disassociating themselves from the new Lebanese place on Friary street, they made a point of stating it was run by a former Egyptian colleague. I suspect there's no love lost there.

PaulKK

kikel wrote: »

Salt yard is now Aroi.They're doing asian street food.

KK is their third location:

http://aroi.eu/

Looks good, Nore won't be happy I'd say!

Dozen Wicked Words

New Steak House going in to the old Chinese restaurant in Irish Town.

kikel

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

New Steak House going in to the old Chinese restaurant in Irish Town.

I like Steak.

kikel

catbear wrote: »

Incidentally at the fallafal stand on the parade last thursday they were handing out fliers disassociating themselves from the new Lebanese place on Friary street, they made a point of stating it was run by a former Egyptian colleague. I suspect there's no love lost there.

My partner has mentioned the cues have got very long on the parade and she wonders if it is the guy that did all the serving that is opening on Friary street.

Sunflower 27

catbear wrote: »

People I know who've been to their Limerick branch rate it very highly and it seems to be much better value than the saltyard.

Incidentally at the fallafal stand on the parade last thursday they were handing out fliers disassociating themselves from the new Lebanese place on Friary street, they made a point of stating it was run by a former Egyptian colleague. I suspect there's no love lost there.

Really looking forward to this one. I LOVE fallafal

Aroi menu looks great. Really hope this one lasts, Saltyard was just way too expensive. You have to be realistic with your prices, Saltyard didn't seem to get that.

bennyob

I ate at their restaurant in cork and it was spot on. Excellent food and great value.

Hmm_Messiah

Sunflower 27 wrote: »

Aroi menu looks great. Really hope this one lasts, Saltyard was just way too expensive. You have to be realistic with your prices, Saltyard didn't seem to get that.

Ate in Aroi on Friday. Great food. The waiter though got our ice cream orders wrong - both of them!

Cost € 46 for 2 mains, 2 starters, 2 ice creams, and a beer/tea but a main is €1 which I can see myself doing any evening instead of a takeaway

gonna try the lunch main+ ice cream for € 10 soon too.

catbear

Wow, that sounds really good value even with the order feckups which is understandable given their first weekend.

kikel

Hmm_Messiah wrote: »

Ate in Aroi on Friday. Great food. The waiter though got our ice cream orders wrong - both of them!

Cost € 46 for 2 mains, 2 starters, 2 ice creams, and a beer/tea but a main is €1 which I can see myself doing any evening instead of a takeaway

gonna try the lunch main+ ice cream for € 10 soon too.

What's the Ice cream like?

Hmm_Messiah

kikel wrote: »

What's the Ice cream like?

It was fine, 2 scoops for 3 euro, I would not have bothered myself , though cheaper than most desserts I guess. We only had because my other half was enjoying the food and ambience and simply wanted to stay longer

We were tempted to go there again over the weekend, and it got the OH's Asian taste buds approval

catbear

That's great to hear as I don't think I've had what I'd consider a proper asian taste experience in Ireland recently, especially in Kilkenny where asian dishes are blanded down to not frighten away people.

catbear

Ate in Arroi tonight, flipping great value for money and pretty authentic south east asian food and I live there for a while!

I would agree that the service could be improved, I had to ask three times for table water which only arrived after the food.

Still fab value though, the other eateries are going to have to lower their prices to beat this place.

TrustedApple

Eat in Arroi the other day myself do not rate the food at all. The food tasted like crap to be fair and all i could get of my red duck curry was hotness notting else no favours or anything like that. Also the food isn't great quality as there using frozen duck from China and not proper Irish duck. The duck was also deep fired and not cooked in the curry. Who hard is it to cook the duck in the curry as the hole point to getting a curry is to have the meat shoke up the curry and add taste extra taste to the meat.

They also don't do starters witch is stupid as i like having a starter before my meal so you have to order a side and you have to get it with your main witch is just planing stupid.

Service was shocking i don't mind bad service but this was another LV i was the only person in the place but still look 10 mins for me to get the bill. When there was 3 people working on the floor.

Also the Ice cream was giving to me in a plastic cup come on ?

Not one bit close to authentic Asian food when you don't even have a Asian person cooking the food !!!!.

The Asian food place on John St is at another LV to this place and is always fantastic when i am there.

I am sorry to say was one of the worst lunches i had in a long time.

catbear

TrustedApple wrote: »

Not one bit close to authentic Asian food when you don't even have a Asian person cooking the food !!!!.

So basically you're saying only asians can cook asian food? So basically you're saying Irish people can't make an asian dish. What else, Irish people shouldn't drive cars because we don't make cars?

Resorting to racism suggests a vested interest in attacking the new comer.

Captain Havoc

catbear wrote: »

So basically you're saying only asians can cook asian food? So basically you're saying Irish people can't make an asian dish. What else, Irish people shouldn't drive cars because we don't make cars?

Resorting to racism suggests a vested interest in attacking the new comer.

The accusation of racism is a bit strong.

catbear

Their words speak for themselves. If they don't like the food then that's issue enough to complain but what does the ethnicity of the cooks have to do with anything?

I'm sure captain havoc that you wouldn't promote racial profiling in the catering industry. We don't expect every pizzeria to have Italian staff.

Hmm_Messiah

TrustedApple wrote: »

Eat in Arroi the other day myself do not rate the food at all. The food tasted like crap to be fair and all i could get of my red duck curry was hotness notting else no favours or anything like that. Also the food isn't great quality as there using frozen duck from China and not proper

I am sorry to say was one of the worst lunches i had in a long time.

Did you yell them any of this ?
Maybe the ice cream in plastic cup is because of the lunch offer, definitely presented better at night

and you complain about authenticity ? I can only say the 2 meals I tried were flavoursome and matched what I would expect, and no starters is in fact an authentic Asian habit. Often in China my dessert, soup and mains were all on table at the one time, and this in restaurants trying to present " western food"

I think some allowances should be made to something starting up, and a few comments on whats wrong might be helpful

TrustedApple

Hmm_Messiah wrote: »

Did you yell them any of this ?
Maybe the ice cream in plastic cup is because of the lunch offer, definitely presented better at night

and you complain about authenticity ? I can only say the 2 meals I tried were flavoursome and matched what I would expect, and no starts is in face an authentic Asian habit. Often in China my dessert, soup and mains were all on table at the one time, and this in restaurants trying to present " western food"

I think some allowances should be made to something starting up, and a few comments on whats wrong might be helpful

Yes i did tell them if you where wondering the Indian manager did not seem to care at all about anything i told him and walked off and was to busy talking to his girlfriend.

The other person i was with her food was also tasteless and she argued with me that it wasn't nice at all. I expected more as i was comparing it to the St food place on top of john st, Ramon in cork and Chilli pad in cork as well. Every one is a complete step up to the food in here.

But where not in China here ?. Where in Ireland food should be giving the the way irish people like it i am sorry to say i wont a starter then my main and maybe a cake afterwards its not very hard to do that. As you post to change it to the Irish market but still the best Chinese food i had was in 2 places 1 was yang sing in Manchester there Dim Sum is to die for in there. The other was Chinagora Hotel In Paris the food is something else in there as the menu is in Chinese and you don't know what your getting .

But there was no one in the place expect for the 2 of us thats where my problems come from the service, quietly and everything else should be a lot better when is quite compare to when its busy.

There is better Asian food places in Kilkenny Leman grass and the place on john st is 1000% better.

But theses are my views on the place everyone is different but if South Park this year has thought me anything the world is gone PC mad where you cant say anything anymore.

catbear

TrustedApple wrote: »

But theses are my views on the place everyone is different but if South Park this year has thought me anything the world is gone PC mad where you cant say anything anymore.

The ethnicity of restaurant staff is irrelevant to the food but it does expose the critics biases.