Bastion - Kinsale

Fabulous dining experience! Have been lucky to dine here a few times over the years and never disappoints esp with the courses on the menu changing seasonally.

The best meal we will probably ever have in our lives that is until we return again! The service was impeccable, yet everyone was so warm and approachable. The same goes for the food. Elevated and impressive, but also relaxed and not isolating to those who maybe don 't experience fine dining often (like us). Every single thing we ate was somehow better than the last plate, and we found ourselves struggling to chose favorites by the end, since each course was so uniquely wonderful. I never wanted this meal to end. Thank you Paul, Helen the team at Bastion!

Delicious food by amazing people. Can’t wait to return

Superlative. Chef Paul, and restauranteur/sommelier/hostess Helen, have cultured a pearl in the heart of Kinsale. My wife and I experienced the artistry of the tasting menu and a flight of fine wine assembled exclusively for the revelatory enjoyment of their diners. Fresh, local, ingredients and global wines come together immaculately to take you on a journey through seafood, game, and the land. The highlight above all, in my opinion, was the clearly refined rabbit dish packed with umami and gamey goodness, and not overpowered by a delicately chosen red (that I won 't spoil). The pricing is as expected for European fine dining at a one Michelin star restaurant. Altogether we paid less than €500 for two, including the wine pairing. This is exceptionally reasonable for the quality and service. This is a restaurant on the course for another star should the service tighten appropriately. Helen 's warmth is not diluted by her knowledge and confident style, which is a hard act to pull off. There is just a gap between one and two stars in terms of service expectation, but in my opinion the propriety and Scots-Irish charm of Bastion is closing the gap at pace. Chef Paul treads the fine line of innovative gastronomy and reliably appetising food with circumspect judgement. He has honed dishes which challenge taste and texture while pleasing the eye, nose, and mouth like the best of mammy 's home-cooked fayre. Bravo!

Last week, four of us visited this restaurant and had a truly memorable evening. The staff was outstanding, especially Helen, who took excellent care of us and possessed an impressive knowledge of their wine selection. We all tried the tasting menu and were blown away by the incredible dishes. Each plate was thoughtfully crafted and full of unique flavors. This restaurant is a must-visit, worth the journey to get there.