Kilkenny on a Saturday night and the chill wind blowing through town does nothing to deter the Oompa-Loompa hen-party gals wobbling down the streets in their fierce footwear and very short skirts. Having failed to find a pub with any customers at all over the age of 25, and feeling more than ancient, we head to Zuni early in the hope that we might be able to secure our table ahead of the time for which it was booked. No joy: the restaurant is packed out but we are offered a table in the café at the front and settle down with a bottle of wine while we wait.

We're at Zuni because I've already reviewed Campagne, the best restaurant in the city, and it comes highly recommended in The Bridgestone Guide, which praises the "glamorous" room and "archetypal modern Irish food". We're looking forward to our meal. Thankfully we are brought to our table before we eat our hands. There's a large hen party occupying two tables just beside us but the place is packed and there's no chance of switching so we grin and bear it. As it turns out, they are very well behaved, decorous even, and there isn't an Oompa-Loompa in sight.

The room does not live up to the Bridgestone hype. It's dull, conference-like, even, and feels like a bunker. Aisling, our resident interior design expert, is not impressed. "How," she asks, "is this a glamorous room? There's no décor whatsoever!"

There's no set menu on offer so we order from the a la carte. Maeve's Seafood Platter (€9.95) comprises seared tuna, smoked salmon mousse, salmon in a cajun dressing, shrimp with marie rose sauce, some crab and a salsa. It's a fine big starter and she's full of praise. Aisling likes her Warm Salad of Chilli Chicken, Cashew Nuts, Sweet Potato and Parsnip Crisps (€8.95) too – it's another substantial plate and the combination of ingredients works well together. My Veal Bolognaise Rigatoni, Parmesan Cheese (€9.95) is perfect comfort food, a tad bland but good nonetheless.

For mains, Seared Tuna Coated in Sesame Seeds, Bok Choy, Coriander Rice, Pickled Ginger, Wasabi is another huge portion, as are the Panfried Scallops, Cauliflower Gratin, French Beans, Salsa Verde (both €24.95) – there were eight good fat scallops on the plate which must be some kind of a record for generosity. Both dishes were well-conceived and executed with confidence. There's no doubting that Roast Venison, Bourgignon Sauce, Purée Swede, Cabbage (€25.95) is a dish for a winter's night – full of flavour, the meat properly juicy. A side order of chips is a floury disappointment.

For pudding, we share a Warm Chocolate Fondant, Pistachio Ice Cream, Chocolate Sauce (€7.95) which is over-sweet and cloying. The cheese selection (Cooleeney, Cashel Blue and an indeterminate goat) is over-chilled and comes with a redundant ramekin of salsa. Coffees aren't great.

Service throughout verges on the off-hand. We get the distinct impression that our waiter finds our requests – for more water, or to identify the cheeses in the cheese plate, for example – overly demanding. I know that waiting tables in a busy restaurant on Saturday night is a tough station, but the customer doesn't need constant reminding of that.

Our food bill works out at €130.05 before service. The wine adds up – we are in Kilkenny on a Saturday night after all, and it's almost required to wake up the next morning with a fuzzy head.

Zuni is a bit of a curate's egg – good in parts. There is clearly talent in the kitchen, but on the night of our visit the operation is let down by charmless service.

I'd like to see the menu place more emphasis on sourcing, and capitalise on the good local and seasonal produce that is available in the area. Suppliers are listed on the menu but at this level, we need to know more about ingredients than bald descriptions of 'chicken' and 'salmon'. And if we're getting battery chickens and run-of-the-mill farmed salmon, why is that? Plenty of people just won't eat them.

Zuni, 26 Patrick Street, Kilkenny. Tel (056) 7723999. Rating: 3/5