my fiance and i recently stayed at the powerscourt hotel for four nights. it was his birthday weekend, and a very special vacation in general, so i was looking to do something a step above for him. sika offers a "chef's table" dining experience on their website, where you can actually dine in the kitchen and watch your dinner being prepared. we're total foodies, so i thought this would be awesome. however, my contact at the restaurant discouraged me from doing it, saying that the table was "too big" and would be "too dark" for just a couple. um, weird. trying to book it was impossible, and i have an email thread of 13 back and forth to prove it. i was honestly very disappointed, at the time.
however, after reading the negative reviews here and on tripadvisor, i'm glad we didn't spring for the cost (minimum of 400 euro, so about $450) because, for a hotel that totally has its act together, sika does not, and i know that only from our included breakfast buffet, and walking past during lunch and dinner.
the staff is not well organized, nor is any of the workings in the restaurant. our breakfast was fine, though nothing was remarkable or particularly good. this is your only option for breakfast if you're staying at the powerscourt, but i think you'd be better off at mcgill's (the pub on site) for lunch or dinner. read more