Showing posts with label Bastion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bastion. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

New! Front Lounge Opens At Bastion Tomorrow.

Helen from Kinsale's Bastion has been in touch about their new development!



"Exciting new addition to announce, the Front Lounge @ Bastion is opens tomorrow. You will be welcomed to our Front Lounge by your host Mara who has come to us from Aurt in Barcelona where she was head sommelier. Mara will be on hand to advise and guide you through our extensive list.

The Front Lounge will be a relaxed easy going space perfect for pre or post dinner drinks or even just a catch up and a few small bites, a great way to discover some new wines and champagnes. There will be snacks maybe one hot small plate per week and a great list of new growers champagnes and wines by the glass selected by Helen & Mara.

As with all things in hospitality change happens regularly so keep an eye on social media for what new snacks and hot small plates come on and off and what new wines and champagnes we manage to secure.

There will be no bookings for the front lounge just drop in and out at your leisure. "

Friday, November 1, 2019

Two of the rising stars in the culinary world conferred at CIT

Two of the rising stars in the culinary world conferred at CIT
CiarĂ¡n McGregor and Danau Berhane
at the CIT Conferring Ceremony

 
At the final day of the 2019 Conferrings at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) two of the rising stars in the culinary world received Higher Certificates in Arts in Culinary Studies, Ciaran McGregor from Midleton and Danay Berhane from Cork City. Both work in restaurants who have recently been recipients of Michelin Stars, Ciaran in Bastion in Kinsale and Danay, in Adare Manor in Co. Limerick.

Ciaran holds the position of Chef de Partie in Bastion and says “he hopes to have a long and successful career and continuously strive for excellence to make a positive impact.”  Danay Berhane is demi chef de partie in Adare Manor and says that it is important to keep evolving and he looks forward to being challenged at the highest level in his work throughout his career.

The 2019 Conferrings concluded with the conferring of degrees in the Department of Biological Sciences which are jointly awarded by CIT and UCC.



Monday, October 7, 2019

Irish Presentations at Today's Michelin Star Awards in London

Irish Presentations at Today's Michelin Star Awards in London
Bastion





Kerryman Kenneth Culhane chef at London's Dysart Petersham
The Muddler's Club Belfast

Michelin Awards Irish Winners 2020. Cheers Bastion!

Michelin Awards 2020
Cheers Bastion!
FIVE IRISH RESTAURANTS ARE NEW MICHELIN STAR RECIPIENTS

FIVE IRISH RESTAURANTS ARE NEW MICHELIN STAR RECIPIENTS
View from Bastion!

- Two new Two Michelin Stars
- Three new One Michelin Stars
- Northern Ireland has one new One Michelin Star
- Galway restaurant Loam wins Michelin Sustainability Award 2020
- County Limerick establishment Adare Manor wins Michelin Sommelier Award 2020

Two new Two Michelin Star and three new One Michelin Star restaurants are amongst 18 Irish establishments to have been awarded coveted Michelin Stars in the 2020 Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland just published.

The two new Two Michelin Star recipients are Aimsir in Celbridge and The Greenhouse in Dublin City.

The three new One Michelin Star restaurants are The Oak Room at Adare Manor in County Limerick; Bastion in Kinsale and Variety Jones in Dublin City.

Other restaurants that hold their Michelin Star from previous years are the Two-Star Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud and the One-Star Chapter One and L’Ecrivain in Dublin City and Liath in Blackrock village. Elsewhere, other one-star restaurants are Aniar and Loam (Galway City); Campagne and Lady Helen at Mount Juliet Hotel (Kilkenny); Wild Honey Inn, Lisdoonvarna (Clare); House Restaurant at Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore (Waterford); Ichigo Ichie (Cork City Centre) and two West Cork restaurants – Mews in Baltimore and Chestnut in nearby Ballydehob.

In addition, Loam in Galway was honoured with the Michelin Sustainability Award 2020, whilst Adare Manor in County Limerick won the Michelin Sommelier Award 2020.

In Northern Ireland, Belfast restaurant The Muddlers Club (Cathedral Quarter) has been awarded a new one Michelin Star while two other Belfast restaurants - Eipic (Howard Street) and Ox (Oxford Street) – have also retained their Michelin Star status.

Speaking at its launch, Rebecca Burr, Director of the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland, said: “This is an amazing year for the Republic of Ireland, with five new Michelin Stars being awarded – two of them at Two Star level. This brings the total number of Starred restaurants in Ireland up to 18 and is just reward for the determination of young chefs who are keen to make their mark on the Irish dining scene.”

Published today by tyre manufacturer Michelin, the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2020 is available at http://travel.michelin.co.uk and in bookshops.


Media Information

Dublin, October 7th 2019

Sunday, April 7, 2019

Delicious Food and No Plastic at Kinsale Street Feast

Kinsale Street Feast

The All-Ireland Chowder Cook-Off will take pride of place in Kinsale today (2.00pm) but yesterday it was the turn of the Street Feast. Lots of good food and fun and a big "NO!" to  plastic. I got down there early but not early enough to get one of the 150 lobster rolls that Bastion sold out in an hour! But there were plenty of other excellent offerings to taste and enjoy.

Best in show. This superb bowl of Chorizo and Bean Stew was my favourite on the day, served up by Chef Daniel Horgan from Man Friday. It was full of flavour and helped lessen the chill from the wind and good value too at €4.00. Also enjoyed the Fish Crumble from Fishy Fishy, the Mussels with Thai style sauce from Finns' Table, and the Moroccan Lamb Stew from Max. Most restaurants had at least two dishes on offer.
Julie Finn (right) serving.

"Not too much of that street food down here!"

The Barrett burgers were popular!
High Tide

Claire O'Brien (Gan Gluten) greets an old friend

Fishy Fishy's Fish Crumble

Gubbeen chorizo and cheese from Black Pig Wine Bar.

Street corner musicians
Bastion Sold out their lobster rolls in double quick time. But they did have Prosecco on tap!

Gourmet Pantry


Choices!




Monday, October 8, 2018

My West Cork Package


Sandycove, near Kinsale
My West Cork Package
Summer 2018

I'm often asked where I've been for the holidays and I often get sympathetic looks when I answer Ireland (can't bring myself to say staycation!). But I'm not in need of that the kind of sympathy! Far from it. 

Didn’t realise I spent so much time (not to mention money) in West Cork this marvellous summer of 2018. But I did and I enjoyed it, every minute. So I’ve put it all together in this “package” and am hoping it will give you a few pointers if you are heading in that direction in 2019. 

Bastion

Restaurants:
Pilgrims Rosscarbery
Richy’s Clonakilty
Fish Kitchen Bantry
Supper Club Kinsale
Monk’s Lane Timoleague
Lifeboat Inn Courtmacsherry
Jim Edwards Kinsale
Cru Kinsale
Bastion Kinsale
Manning's

Lunch:
Richy’s Clonakilty
De Barra's Pub in Clon

Pubs:
Scannell’s Clonakilty
De Barra’s Clonakilty
Eccles. Window view

Stay:
Fruit at De Barra Lodge
De Barra Lodge
You'll find it hard to get a B&B breakfast better than that served up by SinĂ©ad at their lovely house near Rosscarbery. Here you'll see the cows grazing, the rabbits sunning themselves and the hens (who provide the eggs for your breakfast) in their run by the house. The dining-room is brilliantly lit by a series of Velux windows. It, and indeed, the bedrooms are comfortable and spacious. And SinĂ©ad and her husband will themselves drive you to the village if you have your evening meal booked there.

Glendine House
Mick and Mari are the owners of Glendine House on the edge of Clon. Both are "blow-ins" but each is well involved in the life of the town and contribute much of their time. They too have their own hens and the produce for the breakfast is more or less all local including that of the Clonakilty Black Pudding Company. The house is about an eight minute walk downhill to the town centre (a bit further on the return!). You get a terrific welcome here and plenty of help and advice on what to do in the area. It is comfortable and well equipped (loved the shower-unit here!).

Inchydoney Lodge
Courtmacsherry

Maritime
I usually stay about once a year in Bantry's Maritime. It it so central with an underground car park just across the way and a very warm welcome. Well equipped too and spacious, with a lovely dining room where you may enjoy your breakfast. The bedrooms have all you want and all have great views out over the magnificent bay. Lots of music in the bar during the season. Would love to see some local craft beer on tap here but they do carry some good ones in bottle.

Ballydehob

Visit:
Garinish Island
Gougane Barra


Thursday, September 27, 2018

Bastion. Playing in the Irish Top Rank.


Bastion. Playing in the Irish Top Rank.
Salmon

The summer was back as we headed towards Bastion in Kinsale on Wednesday last. Late in the season, but the town was still busy, tourists walking around and checking the menus. With the water sparkling and the colourful marina packed, it could have been the Med. What we ate in the Bastion could sit easily on Europe’s top tables. And that puts it in the top rank here.

We even have a window table (good light for the pics!) so the signs are good from the start. And it continues that way with the two breads, a hard to match sourdough and a matchless Brioche. Hard to decide then between the Treacle Butter and the Olive Oil with Balsamic. But no decision necessary - enough to share!

There is a mega wine-list here. Take the reds for example. You may start with a €27.00 bottle, a very nice Vina Albergada for example, and go right up to the famous Penfold’s Grange. The Grange will set you back nine hundred euro or €180.50 per glass. They use the Coravin here so you can indeed sample some of the more expensive wines by the glass.

They have Prosecco on tap and some very interesting Prosecco based cocktails. The Kir Royale (cassis and prosecco) is a superb example of its kind while I was absolutely delighted with my Pisco (elderflower, orange bitters and Prosecco).

By now, the first of our five courses, from the Early Bird Tasting Menu, had arrived. A local oyster, from Oysterhaven; served with apple yogurt, purée and jelly and pickled fennel, this bracing delight of the sea had the taste buds standing up.

The Celeriac Velouté was next, an unctuous sauce in its own container, and, on a little dish, pickled giroles, apple, celeriac mousse and hazelnut oil. Now those taste buds were on full alert.

And their reward was a gorgeous Smoked and Cured Organic Salmon dish. That salmon was superb but the accompaniments, especially the soft goats cheese and the salt-baked beetroot, were also outstanding and the candy walnuts got into this tasty act as well.

The main event was now at hand: Lamb rump, with peas, turnip and preserved lemon. The peas were good but the turnip was something else and there were some pickled rounds of it also. Needless to say, the lamb from the Kerry hills, in its two manifestations (roast and slow-cooked), was spot on.

Desserts, occasionally, don’t match the rest of the meal. Not the case here! Our White Chocolate Panna Cotta, with Pistachio Sponge, cherry sorbet and cherry granola, was a delightful finalĂ©, served in an eye-catching fine china cup.

This superb restaurant, which has gone from strength to strength over the past three years under Helen (front of house) and Paul (Head Chef), supports local producers. In this menu alone, suppliers include Horizon Farm, Padraig O’Donovan fish, while the cheese, the beef and the lamb are all Irish. 

It holds the only Michelin bib in Cork city and county and everything you eat here, from the bread to the sweet treat with your coffee, is made in-house. While Bastion faces the same challenges as most other restaurants and cafes in staff recruitment, their service is friendly and attentive (without ever being in your face).

As we walked earlier in the warming September sun towards town centre Bastion, we spotted, in the backwater under Man Friday, a quartet of herons in different trees, all on the alert. There were fish jumping, seemingly without a care in the world. On our return, there were no fish jumping. And the herons looked well satisfied. Like us, they had enjoyed a very good meal!


Sunday, October 11, 2015

The Rising Tide on a High. Winners of Kinsale Chowder Cook-Off

The Rising Tide on a High
Winners of Kinsale Chowder Cook-Off

Winners: Sandra and Craig of the Rising Tide
It was the first chowder that we tasted and we knew it was a good one. The Rising Tide's Sandra Murphy, with Head Chef Craig Guiney alongside, greeted us with a big smile and that smile got even bigger later on when the Rising Tide were declared the winners of the ‘Cork Heat’ of the All-Ireland Chowder Cook-Off.  

This hugely popular competition, sponsored by ClĂ³na,was the opening event of the Kinsale Gourmet Festival, and was hosted by the Kinsale Good Food Circle at Acton’s Hotel last Friday.

Quite a few strong contenders emerged as we made our way around the room. Quinlan’s Seafood Bar were making their debut here and confidence was high as they been crowned Supreme Champions for their fresh crab-meat at the recent Blas na hEireann Awards in Dingle.
Cornstore (left) was busy as was Clon's Richy
The White Horse Bar, from Ballincollig, was one of our first calls - we had arranged a “date’ on twitter. Cockles were in the mix here and it was gluten free. Indeed, I’m told the popular restaurant takes good care of people looking for gluten free. So there’s a tip for you.

The Electric Fish Bar featured mussels in their chowder and that too tasted as if it would be a contender as did Ricky's from Clonakilty, also offering mussel in their bowl. Ballycotton Pier 26 had one of the more colourful offerings, smoked fish in the mix, while the Pink Elephant had prawns.

The Poacher’s Inn had another good one with Star Anise among the flavours while runners up Bastion featured Saffron (which went down very well with CL). Ballydehob’s Budds emerged as a place to watch. Their regular chowder was good and they also had a vegan one on hand. They make great use of seaweed and their seaweed butter was a very tasty example indeed.
A warming chowder from the White Horse crew
Graeme Campbell, executive head chef at the Celtic Ross, had recruited the formidable Sally Barnes and they had another excellent chowder, accompanied by some of Sally’s smoked mackerel patĂ©.

Actually, quite a few of the accompaniments were tasty. Didn't taste all the brown bread available but I thought the one from Nine Market Street in Kinsale was outstanding. Perhaps the top “side” was the drink offered by Cornstore, a Jameson Black Barrel, basil and rosemary infused whiskey sour. Thanks to local brewer Sam Black for the heads up!

Cornstore were the holders and they made a terrific effort to make it two in a row with an excellent chowder containing smoked haddock, mussel chowder, bacon and dry sherry and a vegetable mirepoix.
Budd's of Ballydehob and their vegan chowder (smaller pot)
The line-up in the Kinsale Suite at Actons featured:  Cornstore Restaurant, Budds Restaurant, Ballydehob, The Rising Tide, Glounthaune, The Fish Bar at Electric, Cork City, Bastion of Kinsale, The Pink Elephant, Kilbrittain, The White Horse, Ballincollig,  Richy’s Restaurant, Clonakilty, Poachers Inn, Bandon, Pier 26 Restaurant, Ballycotton, Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery, Quinlans Seafood Bar, Cork City, Nine Market St, Kinsale and The Speckled Door, Old Head.

The winner will represent Cork at the All-Ireland Chowder Cook-Off in Kinsale next April, and subsequently travel to Newport, Rhode Island to be part of the Great Chowder Cook-off in June, 2017.