If, like the other 99% of us, you can’t quite swing a night at Ashford Castle, then you might find this a viable alternative for a slice of upper-crust Irish glamour. Lisloughrey Lodge was once home to the estate managers of Ashford, but now it’s run as a boutique hotel with a fantastic restaurant. Wilde’s is overseen by Jonathan Keane, an up-and-coming star of the Irish culinary world. His modern Irish cooking is deliciously inventive; just a glance at the menu is enough to give you an idea of his celebratory approach to food. From the tasting menu (or “Menu of Discovery”), you might be offered mackerel with horseradish and nasturtium, duck with orange and pine, or wild turbot with monk’s beard (the Tuscan vegetable, we presume), and, to finish, a deliciously smooth and sweet concotion of white chocolate, mango, and passionfruit. The somewhat more straightforward children’s menu should please the junior palate (entrees €8). The dining room has a fantastic view of Lough Corrib. If you want to spend the night, doubles start at around €410.