The two restaurants that have kept their status of two stars in the new Michelin food guide 2005 have vowed to try for the ultimate accolade of three stars.
Thornton's Restaurant at the Fitzwilliam Hotel and Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud in Upper Merrion Street, Dublin, both retained their two-stars while L'Ecrivain Restaurant in Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, kept its one-star rating.
The Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland ratings have been described as the restaurant equivalent of the Oscars.
Yesterday Mr Kevin Thornton said he looked on the two-star rating as going forward rather than retaining the accolade.
"It's the three-star I'm going for. It's a matter of time. We're developing all the time, and it would be very good to be the first Irishman to get the three-star," he said.
Mr Thornton said he was the first Irishman to receive the two-star as Patrick Guilbauld was French.
"It is very good for the country and the people. It is important as the whole idea is to get people interested, and restaurateurs know then that it's not above them," Mr Thornton said.
Mr Stephane Robin, the manager of Patrick Guilbaud, said: "We are absolutely thrilled. For us every year it's an achievement, for the restaurant and for the team.
"It's fantastic, and there will be another celebration."
He said to achieve the three stars would be a dream. "I remember when we got the first star, we said it does not stop there, there is a second and a third. We will always work to try for the third star."
The three stars are elusive. There are only three in the new Michelin guide. One is Gordon Ramsay's famous restaurant in Claridges, London. The other two are in Bray-on-Thames in the south of England.
In Dublin, a spokesman at L'Ecrivain Restaurant said they were all very happy the restaurant had retained its one star. They tried to keep up their standards and they had a good customer base.
The proprietors are Derry and Sally Anne Clarke, and it has been open since 1989.
The 2005 edition of the guide includes 5,445 establishments, of which 3,754 are hotels and guesthouses and 1,691 restaurants and pubs.
Dublin rates well in the guide. The most stars go to establishements in London with 42 stars altogether with one three star, four two star, and 31 one star. The second most successful place is Bray in England with six stars in total with two three stars.
Dublin comes third in the list with its five stars altogether. It beats Edinburgh and Birmingham, which have two stars each in total with some cities such as Belfast, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow not receiving any stars at all.