Bastion
Fine dining restaurant · Kinsale ·
One Michelin Star, intimate setting, Irish base with local ingredients
One Michelin Star, intimate setting, Irish base with local ingredients
"Set in the very centre of town, Bastion is a contemporary restaurant owned and run by a talented couple: Paul McDonald cooks, while his wife Helen looks after the service. A large bar splits the room in two and twinkling candles add a welcoming touch. Paul is Scottish born but his cooking has a strong Irish base. Natural flavours are kept to the fore and local seafood is a highlight. The skilfully prepared, exacting dishes take on a modern style and often exhibit a playful, innovative element, while at the same time showing depth in their flavours and textures." - Michelin Inspector
"An intimate bistro run by keen young couple, Paul and Helen, it serves skilfully prepared, exacting dishes that take on a modern style and often exhibit a playful, innovative element, while at the same time showing depth in their flavours and textures. Local seafood is a highlight." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team
"Like Dillon’s, this small wine-bar-cum-bistro is run by a keen young couple, Paul McDonald and Helen Noonan. It has held a Bib Gourmand since 2016 and its modern cooking makes use of the superb regional produce in full-flavoured, carefully prepared dishes with innovative touches." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team
"Paul is from Scotland; Helen hails from Limerick – and they met at Adare Manor where Paul worked as head chef back in the noughties. Having cut their teeth working together at Mews restaurant in Baltimore, the couple took time out to go travelling before eventually moving to Kinsale to run this intimate wine-bar-cum-bistro, with Paul behind the stoves and Helen looking after the guests. The partnership obviously works well, as Bastion gained a Bib Gourmand in 2016, before winning a Michelin Star in the 2020 Guide. Tasting menus of 5 or 8 courses bear all the hallmarks of modern Irish cooking; high quality ingredients include plenty of locally landed fish and the resulting dishes are skilfully prepared with the occasional playful element." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team
"Set in the very centre of town, Bastion is an intimate wine bar cum bistro run by a keen young couple: Paul cooks, while his wife Helen looks after the service. A large bar splits the room in two and while its dark décor gives it a moody feel, twinkling candles add a welcoming touch. Chef-owner Paul McDonald might be Scottish born but the cooking here has a strong Irish base, with regional ingredients leading the way – although he’s happy to search further afield if the quality of the produce dictates. Natural flavours are kept to the fore and local seafood is a highlight. The skilfully prepared, exacting dishes take on a modern style and often exhibit a playful, innovative element, while at the same time showing depth in their flavours and textures." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team
