Bastion in Kinsale

We came for the set menu on a weekday and the restaurant was relatively quiet. Overall I enjoyed the meal and my personal favourite was the langoustine course, which was light and the langoustine was super fresh. The courses that I didn’t enjoyed was the fish with the prawn broth (v salty) and the main paired with the beetroot sauce and Szechuan pepper - somehow it over complicates the dish and the combination don’t work. One of the course was a round croissant served with some beautiful Irish butter - but again I’m happy with a simple good warm bread that could highlight the flavour of the butter .. instead of putting butter on a croissant that’s already made with a lot of butter.

An amazing experience, superb tasting menu and paired wines. Impeccable service. The culinary highlight of our 10 day trip to the south and west of Ireland.

Fantastic tasting menu. Every course was well-thought out, balanced, and absolutely delectable, not to mention, beautifully plated. The wines were perfectly paired to each course. The service was well paced and attentive. Helen and Paul were an absolute delight. This was the highlight of our time in Kinsale.

Bastion was our first Michelin star dining experience and it was well worth it. We did the Discovery tasting menu and everything dish was delicious, thoughtfully prepared, and beautifully presented. The service was impeccable and the intimate setting gave the dining experience a personal touch.

It is rare to enjoy a truly memorable dinner in at least a 💮💮 Michelin for the price of an affordable 💮 Michelin. Bastion is one of those rare opportunities. Kinsale is far from all the main cities. The closest airports are Cork and Shannon, and then you have to drive. But Kinsale is a lovely Irish seaside village with genuine Irish warmth. At first, Bastion is a simple, cosy restaurant, bathed in this genuine warmth and the caring smiles of all the staff. But as the menu begins, you gradually realise you are tasting a stunning, unique, world-class gastronomy. The enchantment is in absolutely all the dishes, a symphony of creative yet well-balanced flavours. This symphony becomes almost divine if you choose their wine pairing, which is of great finesse, complementing the dishes in an expert way you rarely find. The only thing you might have a bit of back-and-forth about is the dessert, for being only a good dessert. Bastion looks like a normal, nice restaurant, not on any major route, which is probably why it has only one 💮. But gastronomically, my goodness, it is very close to the world very best. And, it matters, they are passionate and friendly. A lifetime experience!

Thanks to Paul, Helen and staff for a fine dining experience. Enjoyed

We have visited many Michelin star restaurants but Bastion was one of our best experiences. The food was exceptional but the relaxed atmosphere and friendly service sets it apart from its peer group. Helen manages front of house and presented our wine flight with expert knowledge and Chef Paul served all our dishes explaining the ingredients and construction of the exquisite dishes. We had a lovely evening and will definitely take advantage of Helen and Paul’s London restaurant favourites when we return from our trip.

Fantastic food. Spot on service. Highly recommend.

Best service we have had in a restaurant, food was spectacular also, highly recommend for a special occasion.

Fantastic meal. Friendly and relaxed but also professional. We had the discovery menu, order the cheese and the wine pairing.