An unconventional restaurant based in two restored carriages of the Orient Express has been awarded its first Michelin star less than a year after opening. The Pullman Restaurant at Glenlo Abbey Hotel and Estate in Galway, Ireland, was among 20 spots across Great Britain and Ireland that became first-time recipients of the prestigious award during a ceremony on Monday night. The eccentric dining experience takes guests inside two original carriages from the legendary long-distance train service between Paris and Constantinople and even has an ‘Agatha Christie’ compartment in a nod to the mystery author’s famous novel.

Diners have also been treated to sweeping views across the estate’s golf course and Lough Corrib since the restaurant opened under head chief Angelo Vagiotis last March. The Michelin Guide describes it as a “memory-making” fine dining experience, “showcasing the best Irish produce in beautifully balanced dishes like wild turbot with Oscietra caviar and a champagne and vanilla sauce”.

The restaurant’s service has also been praised as “delightful, unstuffy and attentive” by the awarding body.

Its tasting menu, priced at €130 per person, also includes venison from The Burren, served with preserved berries and kampot pepper, mandarin sorbet and rhubarb wine gums, presented with dark chocolate sorrel.

One recent guest described their birthday celebrations at The Pullman as a “fabulous evening”, dubbing the tasting menu, which is accompanied by selected wines, “sublime”.

“The staff were engaging, knowledgeable and courteous,” they wrote on TripAdvisor. “It was a magical experience and we’ll go again.

“Shame they couldn’t rock the carriages slightly to give the effect of the coaches actually moving!”

Monday’s ceremony marked the first time the Michelin guide has been unveiled in Ireland, with international director Gwendal Poullennec describing it as a “true historic event for Irish hospitality”.

He added that the “milestone” event recognised “not only exceptional cooking, but the people, places and passion that define Irish food, culture and hospitality”.